The Meteorological Institute of Upsala is an offshoot of the Astronomical Observatory of the university; and a university, if properly directed, can develop research which promises no immediate reward in a manner that no other body can approach.
If you want any quantity of a particular kind of calculation, or to carry on the routine of any existing work in an observatory, it is easy to go into the labor market and engage a sufficient number of accurate computers, either by time or piece work, or to find an assistant who will make observations with the regularity of clockwork.
But original research requires not only special natural aptitudes and enthusiasm to begin with, but even then will not flourish unless developed by encouragement and the identification of the worker with his work. It is rarely, except in universities, that men can be found for the highest original research. For there only are young students encouraged to come forward and interest themselves in any work for which they seem to have special aptitude.
Now, this is the history of the Upsala work. Prof. Hildebrandsson was attached as a young man to the meteorological department of the astronomical observatory, and when the study of stars and weather were separated, he obtained the second post in the new Meteorological Institute. From this his great abilities soon raised him to the directorship, which he now holds with so much credit to the university. M. Ekholm, a much younger man, has been brought up in the same manner. First as a student he showed such aptitude for the work as to be engaged as assistant; and now, as the actual observation and reduction of the cloud work is done by him and M. Hagström, the results are published under their names, so that they are thoroughly identified with the work.
Upsala is the center of the intellectual life of Sweden, and there, rather than at Stockholm, could men be found to carry out original research. It redounds to the credit of the university that it has so steadily supported Prof. Hildebrandsson, and that he in his turn has utilized the social and educational system by which he is surrounded to bring up assistants who can co-operate with him in a great work that brings credit both to himself, to themselves, and to the institute which they all represent.
Ralph Abercromby.
[Continued from Supplement, No. 610, page 9744.]
[Journal Of The Society Of Chemical Industry.]