New-York tribune., 1905-08-16
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

The spirit which scientific men in Great Brit
ain-or, 10 be more exact, in the United King
dom-show at times is unique On occasion
they will travel enormous distances and incur
great expense mainly from pure devotion to the
worlds progress The organization which is
known as the British Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science usually meets in Eng
land, Scotland or Ireland In 1884 and again
in 1897 it came across the Atlantic, the sessions
being held in Montreal the first time and in
Toronto the next This year it has gone to
South Africa. That is to say, about two hun
dred or three hundred members have done so;
and the opening fOrmalitieS were appointed for
last evening. The sea voyage which this under
taking involves is almost as long one from
New-York to Cape Horn; and fully month
will be spent on shore. How many Americans
would make the same sacrifices of time and
money merely TO indulge professional enthusi-
asm:
The addresses, lectures and discussions,
though up to the average of previous years in
attractiveness do not promise to be eXtraor-
binary. Moreover the full text of the leading
papers which are presented will be available in
the pages of the London dailies and weekes
with little delay. Exceptional opportunities for
sightseeing will be afforded. however; and in
this respect the experience of the British Associ
alton during the next four or five weeks will
semble that of the International Geographic
Congress in this country last year. The latter
body was almost constantly on the wing visiting
Philadelphia New York, Niagara Chicago and
ST. Louis after its preliminary sitting in Wash
ingtOn. A fine chance was thus enjoyed TO inspect
typical industrial establishments and places of
historic interest in America, as well as objects
OF such rare scenic charm as the great cataract
between Lakes Erie and Ontario. In like man
ner, the men and women who have embarked
on this unprecedented expedition to South
Africa will be carried to the gold and diamond
mines of the Transvaal and to Victoria Falls
on the Zambes, which, so far as known have
rival in proportions in America A special
train will be placed at the service of the visit
ofs, and, though there will be fully three thou
sand or four thousand miles Of travel by rail
the journey will be made on the instalment plan
with long Interruptions for official exercises as
we'll as entertainment along the route The
final session will be held in Johannesburg on
September l, after an extended tour TO the
northward; but the departure of the steamer
which carries the members home Is not ex-
pected to occur before September 20.
Much curiosity will be provoked bv the an
nouncement that the topic of the presidential
address, which was to have been delivered last
evening, is Evolution" It's author Professor
George H. Darwin, is a leading authority on
mathematics and astronomy at Cambridge
From that fact ii is safe to infer that he will
discuss the development of the earth and moon
rather than that of living forms concerning
which his father advanced revolutionary ideas
half century ago. But there can be no douht
that ii will prove particularly scholarly talk
SO. too. should be the consideration Of the origin