"THE PRIMACY OF HARVARD."

New light has been thrown on the much-discussed title of this editorial by an article, printed in a recent number of "Science" from the pen of Professor Cattell of Columbia. The special phase of the question considered in this work is the prominence of the scientists who are faculty members in the leading universities of this country. Professor Cattell's statistics, given below, show the number of men working at several universities, who may be ranked among the thousand leading American men of science.   Number of  Gain since Institutions.  men.*  1906. Harvard,  79.5  +13 Columbia,  48.0  --12 Chicago,  47.5  +8.5 Yale,  38.0  +11.5 Cornell,  35.0  +1.5 Johns Hopkins,  33.5  +3.0 Wisconsin,  30.0  +12.0

According to a second system by which the universities are given credit in proportion to the prominence, not merely according to the number of their scientists, another table has been compiled. In this calculation, truly pre-eminent scholars count for a greater number of points than their colleagues of lesser achievement.

The following statement of relative strength has been compiled in accordance with such a system: Harvard,  374.4 Columbia,  203.2 Chicago,  188.2 Yale,  140.7 Johns Hopkins,  111.1 Cornell,  91.9

In conclusion Professor Cattell states in which departments of science the various institutions show greatest strength. The "Harvard Alumni Bulletin" in comment says: "According to Professor Cattell's method of computation, Harvard ranks first in the departments of physics, botany, zoology, physiology, and pathology; second in mathematics, geology, anatomy, anthropology and psychology; and third in chemistry and astronomy. In every case Harvard either has first place or is so near to it that the shifting of a few points would place her there. Professor Cattell very properly concludes that, from his point of view, the 'primacy of Harvard among our universities is unchallenged'."

*An institution is credited with 0.5 where a scientist gives only a part of his time to its service.

According to a second system by which the universities are given credit in proportion to the prominence, not merely according to the number of their scientists, another table has been compiled. In this calculation, truly pre-eminent scholars count for a greater number of points than their colleagues of lesser achievement.

The following statement of relative strength has been compiled in accordance with such a system: Harvard,  374.4 Columbia,  203.2 Chicago,  188.2 Yale,  140.7 Johns Hopkins,  111.1 Cornell,  91.9

In conclusion Professor Cattell states in which departments of science the various institutions show greatest strength. The "Harvard Alumni Bulletin" in comment says: "According to Professor Cattell's method of computation, Harvard ranks first in the departments of physics, botany, zoology, physiology, and pathology; second in mathematics, geology, anatomy, anthropology and psychology; and third in chemistry and astronomy. In every case Harvard either has first place or is so near to it that the shifting of a few points would place her there. Professor Cattell very properly concludes that, from his point of view, the 'primacy of Harvard among our universities is unchallenged'."

*An institution is credited with 0.5 where a scientist gives only a part of his time to its service.

In conclusion Professor Cattell states in which departments of science the various institutions show greatest strength. The "Harvard Alumni Bulletin" in comment says: "According to Professor Cattell's method of computation, Harvard ranks first in the departments of physics, botany, zoology, physiology, and pathology; second in mathematics, geology, anatomy, anthropology and psychology; and third in chemistry and astronomy. In every case Harvard either has first place or is so near to it that the shifting of a few points would place her there. Professor Cattell very properly concludes that, from his point of view, the 'primacy of Harvard among our universities is unchallenged'."

*An institution is credited with 0.5 where a scientist gives only a part of his time to its service.