Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-04
The British Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science.
10 MEET IN TORONTO TETS MONTH
Many Of the Worlds Leading Men
Among Its Members.
GREAT THINGS EXPECTED

of the year. The eyes Of the scientific
world are turned toward this meeting, and
great things are expected of it, for most OF
the leading lights of science will be there.
The association is just six years older than
the queens reign. For just two-thirds of
a century 1t has been in existence, and dur
ing almost that entire period has been the
largest purely scientific organization in the
English-speaking world. The history of its
existence is one long triumphal course. be-
cause nearly every notable scientific
achievement Of the past fifty years has
been performed by member of the So
ciety.
CHANGING down the roll of its more re-
cent presidents, We find such names as
Lyell, Huxley, Tyndall, Lubbock. Rayleigh,
Playfair, Cation and Lister If here and
there appears name better known in other
than scientific fields. like that of Lord Sal
isbury, 1t Is always the name of a real
notable, never of a mere figurehead, and al
ways of a person who has at least broad
general knowledge of science and warm
interest In its progress. That such per-
son, even though not professionally bound
to science, should occasionally be honored
with the presidency of the association, Is
exactly in keeping with one main object of
the organization, which has always been to
keep technical science in touch with the
practical needs of the people-to popularize
ing 1t to unwholesome dilution.
How 1t Was Founded.
The parent Of the British association was
the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, which
had been founded about 1926 chiefly to
study the wonderful fossils of extinct
tigers, hyenas and elephants, that had just
been discovered at Kirkdale. 1t occurred to
Sir David Brewster that the society might
advantageously widen its scope and extend
the field of it's usefulness. His suggestion
was actively seconded by four Scotchmen,
including Sir Roderick l. Murchison, who
was then president of the Geological So
ciety of London, and afterward director OF
the geological survey of Great Britain. At
the instance of these men, an invitation
was sent out by the Yorkshire society to all
similar societies and to ''all friends of SCI
ence' in the kingdom to attend meeting
at York, September %, 1881. More than
three hundred persons responded, and the
result of the meeting was the organiza-
ton of the British Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science.
At the very outset the ambitious society
gained recognition. Its success with the
patricians of the inner circle of science was
pronounced. for the great DIR. Buckland.
foremost English authority ON fossils. had
accepted the office of preSident-elect, with
DIR. Whewell, the historian Of the inductfve
sciences, and Sir David Brewster, for vice
presidents-elect, while such men as Sir u.
B. Airy, afterward astronomer royal OF
England, Prof. Jas. d. Forbes. the great
Scotch authority in physics; Rev. w. u.
Coybeare, the noted geologist. and others OF
similar standing. had promised to furnish
papers on the progress of their respective
branches of science for the next annual
meeting. To cap the climax, the university
Of Oxford extended an invitation to the as
sociation to hold its next meeting at Ok
ford, in the university halls.
Some Famous Members.
Tho roan,horShin was doubled and made
to include the names of practically all the
scientific notables in the country. including
Sir John Herschel, the great astronomer;
Sir w. Rowan Hamilton, the phenomenal
mathematician, and Michael Faraday the
greatect experimental physicist Of any age.
The promised papers on the Present state
and progress of science were given and
received with enthusiasm; numerous volun-
tary scientific contributions were made; and
the social features eclipsed these of the
former year. Oxford University, besides
giving shelter to the meetings. took occa-
sion to emphasize it's hospitality by con-
ferrfng the degree of ID. c. l.. upon four OF
the most distinguished members, David
Brewster, Robert Brown. John Dalton and
Michael Faraday. 1t is recorded in I'M
official annals that Dalton, the most sedate
of men, failed to perceive that the gown in
which he received his degree was scarlet
in colcr, and so wore it about the streets
for day or two. When his friends joked
hin LOT appearing IN q garD so little De-
coming Quaker. he removed it in dismay.
saying. why, it looks gray to me, and l
thought it most appropriate" 1t need
hardly be added that the great chemist
was color blind. He was, in fact, the first
person to recognize and study this condi-
ton. which in consequence is often called
Daltonism.
A Scientific Triumph.
Since that Oxford meeting in 1892 the
record Of the British association has been
record of unbroken progress and pros
perity. During the first quarter century
1t had for presidents such men as Prof
Sedgwick the Earl Of Rosse, Sir John Her
schel, Sir David Brewster, Sir G. B. Airy,
Col. Edward Sabine. the Duke of Argyll
names and titles which at a glance en-
phasizes the facts that England has hon
ored her men of science. and that the DOS
session OF title is no evidence of mental
decrepitude. In 1853, ct the Aberdeen meet
ing, the association was presided over by
his royal highness the prince consort him
SELF
The association has from the outset open-
ed Its doors. nominally and in fact, to "aIl
friends OF science Whoever sympathizes
with the aims of the association is eli
gibie to associate membership, and a large
numbers of persons who are not them
selves technical scientists have awaited
themselves of the privilege, so that the
membership of the association has swelled
from 50S In 1881 TO 1888 in 1887, the ban
nerp year. To meet the needs of this class
of members and of the intelligent outsiders
in the various localities Of meeting, II has
been customary always to provide for some
lectures and papers OF strictly popular in
terest. Thus there Is lecture to OPERA
tive classes" delivered by a prominent
scientist at each meeting 1t was in this
course that Tyndall delivered his famous
lecture on Matter and Force" in 1857. at
the Dundee meeting, and Huxley his equal
ly famous discourse on "A Piece of Chalk,
at the Norwich meeting In 1868 Three
years ago, at the Oxford meeting. Prof.
Solles talked about "Geologies and Del
uses:" in 1895. at Ipswich, Dr. Fison lee
tured OH Color" and last year. at Liver
pool. Prof. Fleming told Of 1.-The Earth
Great Magnet"
Some Of the Work Done.
Then. too. there are so-called Evening
Lectures" Of perhaps even greater pop
ular importance, as the titles Of some of
the recent cnes. such as "Pasteur and His
Work." Safety in Ships" and Man Be
fore Writing" win indicate. I. was in this
course that Huxley delivered that discourse
at Belfast In 1874. on the question Are
Animals AutomatoDs?" which created such
q hubbub In the theological world-the adj |