New-York tribune., 1901-01-06
yOBEL'S AID TO SCIENCE.

Although il was announced several months
ago that the first seri0s of competitions under
the Nobel bequest would be held In 1901, there
has been some uncertainty as to the exact sum
OF money TO be awarded. Ever since the heirs
of the inventor of dynamite pledged themselves
not TO contest his will 1t has seemed probable
that each of the five annual prizes which he au-
thorized might amount to $4,000 but a definite
assurance TO that effect has only recently been
given. The winners names will not be made
public until December 10. the anniversary of
Nobels birth, although no entry can be made
after the close of the current month. But TO
those who cherish any hope of receiving one
of these splendid prizes positive knowledge as
TO their size will in the mean time be exceed
ingly gratifying.
No less than three of the prizes, ID will he
remembered, are designed to promote scientific
research. They to be awarded for discov-
cries inventions in physics chemistry and
physiology medicine. The other two are to
be recognitions of literary excellence and effort
TO bring about closer brotherhood among ma
tions. But it is not strange that the phian-
thropic Swede should have shown so marked a
preference for science. Had he made il the sole
object of his benefaction no one would have been
surprised That was the field of activity in
which he had himself labored so long and joy
ously. And he would naturally be more alert
TO the benefits to be derived from inquiry into
the laws of Nature than from other forms of
intellectual effort.
Moreover while Nobel's own work had met
with handsome pecuniary rewards, he knew
only too we'll how exceptional was that exper-
ence There have been many more Goodyears
and Elias Howes than Nobels and Edisons
Even Faraday to whom the world owes the
principle of the dynamo and more of its knowl-
edge about the relations between electricity
and magnetism than TO any one else. lived and
died a comparatively poor man. He carried on
his most famous Investigations in endowed
institution. in which he held a salaried DO
sition, and for the last thirty years Of his life
was supported mainly by a government pen
sion. But for the former circumstance he might
have abandoned his chief quest In favor of more
lucrative pursuits. The intellectual delights Of
science and the hope of beneiting the human
race constitute powerful motives, but they do
not supply ones wife and children with bread
and butter Besides. there are few kinds of re-
search that can be pushed without a large out
lay for apparatus, chemicals or other material
to say nothing Of travel and transportation
These Nobel prizes, magnificent as they are
are likely to be well earned.
Indeed, one could wish that such encourage
ment to science and invention might more fire.
quently be extended before achievement instead
Of after. The man who finally succeeds and
gets the glory, is not always the one who has
devoted the most labor time. ingenuity and
money to the solution Of knotty problem.
In some instances others supply nine-tenths of
the arch. and he furnishes only the keystone
They are accounted failures and he the hero
little judicious and timely aid might possibly
have altered history and enabled The world
to effect its progress The principle of
providing in advance for original discovery is