§ SIR W. EVANS GORDON (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if certain officials of the National Physical Laboratory were some time ago engaged for approximately nine months on a research on gutta-percha for a private firm; if so, what fee was paid for the research; if it has been published and is accessible to the general public; and, if not, will he give orders for its immediate publication.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. Runciman,) DewsburyI am informed that the Answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The fee paid was £502 17s. 4d. The chemical results arrived at were published in a paper by Dr. Caspari, which was printed in the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry for 30th December, 1905, and in the Collected Researches of the
† See (4) Debates, clxxi., 1470.1656 Laboratory, volume II.; a copy of this has been placed in the library. The physical and mechanical results are in the Director's hands and could be published if necessary, but it has not been thought that they are of sufficient public importance to justify the expenditure.
§ SIR W. EVANS GORDONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, during the last two years, the National Physical Laboratory has received approximately £15,000 from the Government, in the way of grants; and, if so, what return the nation has received in the way of researches of national importance; and if he will state when and where such researches were published.
§ MR. RUNCIMANThe sum of £15,000 has been received from the Government in the way of grants for buildings and equipment during the past two years. The buildings are now being erected and are for the most part still in the contractor's hands. Arrangements are well advanced for commencing work which will, it is confidently expected, yield satisfactory results.
§ SIR W. EVANS GORDONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what is the total amount of money for the original equipment, and in the way of annual grants, which the National Physical Laboratory has received from Government up to the present time; and if he can give particulars of the results of any research which can be considered in any way an adequate return for the expenditure incurred.
§ MR. RUNCIMANThe total amount of money received for the original equipment of the National Physical Laboratory was £19,000. The annual grants from September, 1899, to March, 1907, have amounted to £33,500 in all. Full particulars of the expenditure of these grants appear in the accounts of the Laboratory, presented annually to the Treasury. A list of the researches published is printed in the Report of the Laboratory for 1906, pp. 21–25. Copies of this Report have been placed in the Library and the more important researches, exclusive of those published from the Observatory Department, are marked with an asterisk. The results of the principal investigations also appear in the 1657 Collected Researches of the National Physical Laboratory, two volumes of which have been issued and are in the Library; a third volume is in course of preparation. These volumes may be obtained from Messrs. Harrison and Sons, 45, St. Martin's Lane, the publishers for the Laboratory.
AN HON. MEMBERasked whether it was not the fact that this institution, which was supported by State funds, was in competition with private manufacturers and undertook pure tests of conductivity which could be carried out by any physical chemist in his own laboratory.
§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEY (Paddington, N.)asked whether it was not the fact that our national expenditure on these matters was far too small.
§ MR. RUNCIMANsaid the last Question involved a matter of opinion. There was a Departmental Committee of the Treasury now sitting to inquire into the working of the Laboratory, which he hoped would report shortly.