Britain: An official handbook > 1959

BRITAIN: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
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branches of knowledge. Its library of some 70,000 books includes many early
scientific works and manuscripts.
The British Association for the Advancement of Science was founded in 1831 to
promote general interest in science and its applications. One of its chief activities
is the Annual Meeting, attended by many young students as well as by eminent
scientists. Its 13 sections cover the whole range of pure and applied science other
than medical science, and there is a division for studying the social and international
relations of science. In addition to the Annual Meeting and in order to extend its
influence, the Association plans continuous activities throughout the year, in
particular special lectures, exhibitions and discussions (some designed for young
audiences), the publication of pamphlets, the organisation of conferences, the
appointment of study groups and liaison with the Press and with sound and tele¬
vision broadcasting services. Collaboration with other scientific organisations has
always been an important function of the British Association, and it has an organised
relationship with over 150 scientific bodies and learned societies. It has also played
an important part in the development of science by taking or recommending action
to remove obstacles to the discovery and application of scientific knowledge.
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGY
According to a survey carried out by the Ministry of Labour and National
Service, the number of qualified scientists and engineers (i.e. holders of degrees or
diplomas, or members of certain professional institutions) in employment in Great
Britain at the beginning of 1956 was 142,000, including some 7,000 engaged in
postgraduate research at universities and on National Service. Starting from these
figures the Committee on Scientific Manpower of the Advisory Council on Scientific
Policy has estimated that over the next ten to fifteen years the present annual output
of some 10,000 qualified scientists and engineers should be raised to 20,000. The
Government has accepted this figure as a reasonable goal and will support measures
to ensure that the universities and technical colleges together will be able to produce
at least this number.
The Universities
The universities carry the main responsibility for the pursuit of fundamental
research and for the training of scientists. During recent years there has also been
a considerable expansion of technological training and research facilities within the
universities, all of which now offer work in one or more technological subjects.
Eighteen of the 22 universities of the United Kingdom have faculties of
engineering; chemical and aeronautical engineering have been developed in recent
years. Universities in industrial centres have developed studies relating to their
local industries, such as metallurgy at Birmingham, Sheffield, Swansea and other
centres of the steel industry, and naval architecture and marine engineering at
Glasgow, Liverpool, Durham and Southampton. In the textile areas, Manchester
offers courses in textile chemistry and engineering and Leeds has specialised
in courses and research in connection with the wool textile industry, including
colour chemistry and dyeing. Leeds is the only university in Britain to offer courses
in the chemistry of leather manufacture, and Manchester in paper technology.
Sheffield is unique for its department of glass technology—the pioneer among such
departments in the world.
Nearly all universities and university colleges in the United Kingdom have
laboratories or research departments. Over 70 per cent of the recurrent income of