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Abstract

THE preliminary programme of the third Pan-Pacific Science Congress, which is to be held at Tokyo from Saturday, October 30, until Thursday, November 11, contains a provisional scheme and time-table of the work of the congress, a list of the excursions which have been arranged, lists of sailings, and other matter useful to those who propose to attend the meeting or to contribute to its proceedings. His Imperial Highness Prince Kotohito of Kan-in has consented to act as patron, and H.E. the Prime Minister of Japan will be president of the congress. There is a long and distinguished list of honorary vice-presidents, which includes the diplomatic representatives of the chief Powers, a number of the Japanese Ministers of State, and heads of universities. The arrangements for the meetings have been in the hands of an organising committee appointed by the Japanese National Research Council, under the auspices of which the congress is held. A change has been made in the organisation of the meeting itself to promote solidarity of feeling and action. There, is no doubt that the change will also greatly facilitate the conduct of business in a congress covering so wide a field. The different branches of science have been classified into two broad divisions, the physical sciences and the biological sciences, instead of into sections and sub-sections for each branch of science as in previous congresses. Divisional meetings and joint divisional meetings will take the place of the sectional meetings. At these, discussions will take place between allied branches of science on subjects of more or less common interest, in other words on border-line problems. Sectional meetings will continue to be held, but taking quite a subordinate place—for the contributions of a special nature which from their scope are unsuitable for discussion at a divisional meeting.