The South African Association for the Advancement of Science

Abstract

THE visit of the British Association to South Africa in 1905 in many ways undoubtedly represented the high-water mark of scientific effort in the various colonies for some time to come. Three years ago the results of the commercial inflation consequent upon the war were only feebly foreshadowed, and Governments and people still hoped that the depression then beginning to loom would pass away. To-day no reasonable person questions that the colonies will, for a time, have to be run on a lower level, and unfortunately education and scientific endeavour have to be adapted to this standard. As regards association matters, Cape Town apparently exhausted itself in the 1905 effort, but now congratulates itself as the headquarters of the newly chartered Royal Society of South Africa. The Transvaal maintains its vigorous interest in the aims of the association, and has largely contributed to the success of the subsequent meetings, Kimberley in 1906, Natal in 1907, and the Grahamstown gathering just concluded.