THE ROLE OF SCIENCE

17

of our “statesmen” said it was no use stopping cotton
because the Germans had plenty of wool !
(¢) Another chemical compound essential to the manufacture
 of 80 per cent of the explosive material made
in this country prior to 1914 is acetone. The great
importance of this compound in the manufacture of
explosives was impressed on the Government again and
again for years before the outbreak of war, This had
not the least effect, and the outbreak of war found us
dependent upon Germany for a supply of this essential
chemical,
The result was consequently that our chemists immediately
 had to set to work to find new explosives
which should be independent of this compound : these
fortunately have been now discovered, but the * big
push” planned for the spring of 1916 could not take place
owing to the insufficient supply of munitions, a fact
which has in all probability delayed the conclusion of
peace by at least a year—a loss, in direct expenditure
alone, of £2,000,000,000. Can one require further
justification for the reformation of general education
on a scientific basis?
In the whole history of the development of the munition
 production of this country the same lamentable
ignorance has been the cause of countless delays, the
effect of which is too obvious to emphasize.
(d) So far as explosives are concerned one other
instance may perhaps suffice. Many explosives, and
especially high explosives, such as tri-nitro-toluol and
similar compounds, are manufactured from by-products in
the production of coal gas. Coal may be carbonized in
retorts under varying conditions of temperature and
pressure so as to afford a great variety of percentage
in the products obtained.
A Government with a single member having scientific
knowledge would have surely realized the importance of