"THE PRESS OF A PIONEER."

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11195, 8 February 1902, Page 9

"THE PRESS OF A PIONEER."

PROFESSOR BIOKERTON'S PROTEST.

Professor A. W. Bickerton ."of Canterbury College, has'just had printed a lengthy document, which he terms: "A Protest in Linotype Proof," and head* "The •Perils of a Pioneer," being an account of "the risks encountered and the losses sustained in an attempt to introduoe • a demonstrated Cosmic Theory that shows the mode of the evolution of celestial bodies and systems, as Darwinism shows the mode of organic evolution." In the apology with which the document opens, the author states that just when the book was written a newspaper notice of his proposed dismissal appeared. Professor Bickerton goes on to say:—"lt was thought that if the members of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College could see the book, a knowledge of the facts might influence their decision, for nine-tenths of the injustice of this world is due to ignorance or misconception, to pride or prejudice, rather than to any Intentional desire to do wrong." As speed was essential the linotype suggested -itself, and the statement and other matter was aent to members of the Board. Proceeding the writer further says: —"A trained conscience is the. only "fingerpost to the road of right action, and although I know the decision of the Board will be for the best, yet the personal emotions of every man are as much a part of the machinery of the Cosmos as an earthquake or an impact. And I also feel that although it may be better that I be a'free lance, I should not, be doing my duty did I not give the' Board the whole of the facts", within my knowledge that may influence its decision and save it from action that later on it may deplore. Events marched slowly when Bruno was burnt and GaHileo tortured, and possibly few who participated in these acts lived to feel the verdict of history, but now that the telescope is armed with the-prism and photographic film, and Nova Persei is week by-wee_ even now unfolding more and more of the phenomena anticipated by impact,.and the telegraph is flawing the news around the entire earth events may march more quickly than they did three centuries ago, in the days of Bruno and Gallileo, so that it were but common honesty to do one's 'best for the Board by at once printing this protest." ' The preface follows, dealing with the theory of constructive impact, and claims that the little book is a protest against, and an inquire* into, the cause of the neglect of what appears to he a hypothesis that should be fertile in the discovery oi truth and a valuable aid to research. . Professor Bickerton'then alludes to Mr T. S. Weston's resolution:—-"That, in the interests of the College and the students, the engagement of Professor uickerton be terminated

by twelve months' notice." and that the motion was referred to the College; Committee for report at mext meeting of the' Board.

Letters from the College Registrar, enquiring what other duties the Professor per-, formed in addition to the lectures specified, in connection with Canterbury College, and what share of duties fell to Mr Page, or any other member of the chemical laboratory staff, are published,, and the P-ofessora reply, in which he gives details 'of numerous duties in addition to lecturing, remarking that he was engaged a considerable part of the session in rearranging, the elements, aocordii-g to the periodic law, as (he students found the olaasification given in the test-hooks to he very misleading, and condudgaur * the* list by 'ihe usgge-s----tions:—"Perhaps I did too much, the Chairman desiring no -re-e&aasifying of the elements or designing of tnode-t, but simply -wishing for a (machine of a man, to cram , aaad coach."- ...... | It ia wonderful how the path of a pioneer ' ia,beset by official ety_{uiriea.BJ&d investigation*9, so-that reports and reccanmendations thicken the very air he breathe-. And' aa ! to \u-offioM -ahrugs and sneers, -fihey are as plentiful as *b3_c_berrie», while whisperings and <hmxeniiom 'are' sown eafhiek as thistle down, and when these maHcious whispetings and kproua innuendo* become articulate as& find foftl, tongue, the reformer lives a. maJaribus miasma,, so. that, rohuat his cohetitutiott if he fail to I f-uocumb/; "And bke am % a>er*tftbfc thorp ' of a pioneer, -who Jus*been for close on i -nailEtry years the hardVworlang, Tesu'h>-grind- i h*£, model'designiiig, i classifier of facte, -aitd' -*oductave inatnsabor who -educates and teaches how to,think instead -of twinge.the thing wa_tef_—a poor, -paftient, plodding, mild-, eyed, crammer -one of those > mto dip the' wings' <«. genius and teach, it how to <craVi,".not knowing, simple souls, that gM-dus, pinion plucked, is really robbed of all.. Of a medieval ..iustitntion should he a place of dign__kd"i«pcee,,-ootx>f strenuous work f a .place of pedantic Oehn, not of original'discovery; \e, where the. mpe-r-spotling -dfpnee 5 ia crammed : and* trained ui--tU, he welly can fxpre-s** t» sense _*&. all to ttuly." -splendid prose. Not a place where the bright gems of eartjh Ire cut and ipolkhed and set into perfect diadems of shining aoieiitifio investigators. 1 machinery ofsl medieval col" lege is" ihtehdecr to.cut .paste until it has the superficial brilKattcy of t-w,:|^nui_e.dia-mond. 'Tis '- not to- cvi and polish the. adamantiinß gen. Itself. So that when inadvertently, a gem;does .enter, it plays havoc .with, its, ma-chinsCT and is .cast- out with the *w«-rte, aa was, Shefleycaait out from Oxford.". ' ;:•.,'. - .';.-.. - -._, • •■ „- Making special reference to the Board, Profeasor liickerton goas> on to «ay:~T : , T believif"the members of the Board, as a whole/are hohoimAleraen, hut it is Board etiquette to d - what ir can ( to further the , *rwommehdatic«s" of its*; committees., And ' therein h*es, the danger of. Board administrajtion. A clique.may be swayed byf* aali- ■ clous member, and the clique id turn gets a i majority on -the committee; and the. committee's -recommendation goes to the Board, : and the v minority on the committee being [sHent the Board takes action." i .The condiMdon of the'pwdactioh i» aa ■follows:—But it is my sincere;belief that man is an animal desiring to do'right and i act and when I have fled the scene,, when the. members of the" Board really 1 come .to know the .basic nature' of my Reaching.and researchea 1 , then many of .them will be the first to honour "mc wad to; putlup a memorial tablet in the vestibule and a bust in one of the niches of t the College Hall. Or, if I, the pioneering -football"bf fate, 'should' survive this .last , moat vicious kick of all, and should bounce again instead of bursting, perchance" the Board may .establish a travelling Chair of Astro-Chemical Physics, and make-ine the fl»st occfl-jSaat.' Or, better stilT, save its o\fn ; funds and send* the suggestion to the Universities of the world that in view of the j Cosmic character of my work, an ißter-' itiationaX ProfesscSrsbip of Cosmic; Philosophy shohld be founded in my honour, that ( it should be an. annual appointment, dependent on Jthe academic vptea of the ! , world, and,in order that, never again-may pioneers., suffer-; the fate of Solomon de Cause and Heyer, there should be an International Codrt of Claims that should sift and sort' all scientific suggestions, in order thai / the genuine gold i of truth be all utilised whilst its base imi-.l | tant the spurious, though sparkling, pyrites of error be quickly to the vitriol -furnace and there burnt with the rest of l. the. sulphurous mundio of lies. But I 'midst imprisonment and burning,* 'midst i torture «nd freesing, the hopeft|l fact remains that, though the pioneer «_.y perish, the great truth lie baa revealed survives, for though error may die bard, it is possible to kill it, whilst truth is immortal. But tablets and Jousts and cosmic profes-sor-ships are but visions of the possible. The. fact of the present is that the resolution suggesting my dismissal haa not been indignantly rejected by the Board, but relegated to "the same; Committee wbo proposed it before. .And what'is to follow still lies in ths womb of the future. Possibly the freesing process may fix mc here, and here I must remain, fast frosen, until the warm sunshine of public recognition may thaw mc out. But that this may happen with my three-score years seems not too probable.' But all things are possible to the Ruler of the Cosmos and His will is mine.