which the most sordidly practical of men will admit to have value-namely, money and life. The direct loss to France caused by the Pébrine in seventeen years, cannot be estimated at less than fifty millions sterling; and if we add to this what Redi's idea, in Pasteur's hands, has done for the wine-grower and for the vinegar-maker, and try to capitalize its value, we shall find that it will go a long way towards repairing the money losses caused by the frightful and calamitous war of this autumn. And as to the equivalent of Redi's thought in life, how can we overestimate the value of that knowledge of the nature of epidemic and epizootic diseases, and consequently of the means of checking, or eradicating, them, the dawn of which has assuredly commenced? Looking back no further than ten years, it is possible to select three (1863, 1864, and 1869) in which the total number of deaths from scarlet-fever alone, amounted to ninety thousand. That is the return of killed, the maimed and disabled being left out of sight. Why, it is to be hoped that the list of killed in the present bloodiest of all wars will not amount to more than this! But the facts, which I have placed before you, must leave the least sanguine without a doubt that the nature and the causes of this scourge will, one day, be as well understood as those of the Pébrine are now; and that the longsuffered massacre of our innocents will come to an end. And thus mankind will have one more admonition that "the people perish for lack of knowledge ;" and that the alleviation of the miseries, and the promotion of the welfare, of men must be sought, by those who will not lose their pains, in that diligent, patient, loving study of all the multitudinous aspects of Nature, the results of which constitute exact knowledge, or Science. It is the justification and the glory of this great Meeting that it is gathered together for no other object than the advancement of the moiety of Science which deals with those phenomena of Nature which we call physical. May its endeavours be crowned with a full measure of success! REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. Report of the Committee appointed to consider and report on the various Plans proposed for Legislating on the subject of SteamBoiler Explosions, with a view to their Prevention, the Committee consisting of Sir WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN, Bart., C.E., LL.D., F.R.S., &c., Sir JOSEPH WHITWORTH, Bart., C.E., F.R.S., JOHN PENN, C.E., F.R.S., FREDERICK J. BRAMWELL, C.E., HUGH MASON, SAMUEL RIGBY, THOMAS SCHOFIELD, CHARLES F. BEYER, C.E., THOMAS WEBSTER, Q.C., and LAVINGTON E. FLETCHER, C.E. To the frequent occurrence of steam-boiler explosions, with the loss of life and property caused thereby, attention was called in a Report read before the Mechanical Section of the British Association last year at Exeter, and in a Paper read the year before that, at Norwich. These sad catastrophes still continue with unabated frequency. In the interval between the Norwich and Exeter Meetings, 46 explosions occurred, killing 78 persons and injuring 114 others. Since then 57 more explosions have occurred, killing 99 more persons and injuring 96 others. So great is the regularity with which these catastrophes occur, that it was stated at Exeter that it was to be feared that as many lives would be lost by explosions before the next Meeting as had been lost since the last. This, it will be seen from the figures just given, has been more than fulfilled. Taking the average of a number of years, it appears that about 50 explosions occur every year, killing about 75 persons and injuring as many others. It is not intended in this Report to enter on a consideration of the causes of steam-boiler explosions. That has already been done on other occasions. It need, therefore, merely be stated in passing that the experience of another year only confirms the Committee in their opinion, previously expressed, that explosions are not accidental, that they are not mysterious, but that they arise from the simplest causes, and may be prevented by the exercise of common knowledge and common care. Boilers burst simply from weakness, that weakness arising in some cases from original malconstruction, in others from defective condition consequent on wear and tear, and in others again from neglect of attendants (through allowing the plates over the furnace to become overheated from shortness of water &c.). Competent inspection 1870. B |