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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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4 TILT CO. 885

23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Imperial Bureau of Entomology has not hitherto been brought to the notice of the Government of [Cyprus] [Malta], and I have now the honour to acquaint you with the objects and work of this institution.

2. In the year 1909 my predecessor appointed a standing Committee, under the presidency of the Earl of Cromer, known as the Tropical African Entomological Research Committee, to organize entomological investigation in the tropical African Colonies and Protectorates where noxious insects play so important a rôle, not only in relation to human life, but also in relation to animal and plant life. The great measure of success achieved in tropical Africa encouraged the Committee to extend the scope of its operations to other parts of the Empire, e.g., to the West Indies; but in October, 1912, it was felt that the time had come to place the work on a much broader basis, and it was arranged, in communication with the self-governing Dominions, the Indian Government, and the Colonies not possessing Responsible Government, that a central organization for the whole Empire should be formed. This organization (which absorbed the Entomological Research Committee) is known as the Imperial Bureau of Entomology. The main objects of the Bureau as then laid down were:-

(1) The organization of a system for the prompt identification of all injurious insects sent in by officers attached to Departments of Agriculture or Public Health in any of the British Colonies or Dependencies.

(2) The publication of a monthly periodical which would give a brief summary of all the current literature, both British and foreign, deal- ing with noxious insects, whether agricultural pests or disease carriers. (3) The compilation of a card-index to the literature, past and present, so that any official or student requiring information with regard to any particular pest can be supplied with all the knowledge that is available on the subject.

3. The management of the Bureau is in the hands of a Committee which is practically identical with the original Entomological Research Committee. A list of the members is enclosed, and from this you will see that the Committee includes many of the best authorities on entomology in this country. The Director of the Bureau is Mr. G. A. K. Marshall, who, by the kindness of the Trustees of the British Museum, is accommodated in the Natural History Museum at South Kensington. In addition to the Head Office of the Bureau, which is situated in the Museum, premises have been leased at 27, Elvaston Place, Kensington, as a Publica- tion Office. I need not attempt to detail the past and present work of the Bureau, which is extremely varied, but I enclose for your perusal copies of reports furnished by Lord Cromer in 1912 and 1913;* and at the same time I forward specimen copies of the two publications which the Bureau issues, viz., the Bulletin of Entomological Research, a quarterly publication which contains original articles; and the Review of Applied Entomology, a monthly publication which contains summaries of all current entomological literature.

4. The Bureau is financed by contributions from the Imperial Government, the Government of India, the Dominion and Colonial Governments, and the Governments of Egypt and the Sudan. The contributions vary in amount from £500 to almost nominal sums; and in the first instance the various Governments have guaranteed their contributions for three years, at the end of which time the position of the Bureau generally, including the question of funds, can be reconsidered.

5. The importance of insects in relation to the spread of disease among men, animals, and crops is now so widely acknowledged that there can be no need for me to emphasise it in bringing this organization to your notice. I am glad to say that without exception all the Governments approached on the subject gave the scheme their approval; and I understand that the Bureau has achieved even greater success than was anticipated at the time of its inception. I feel sure that the Government of [Cyprus] [Malta] will be desirous of participating in the facilities afforded by this institution; but you will recognize that it is impossible for the Bureau to extend the range of its operations unless some financial support is granted. In the case of [Cyprus][Malta] I am of the opinion that a contribution of [£100] [£20] per annum should suffice, and I would suggest that this contribution should be guaranteed by your Government, as in the case of other Governments, for a period of three years.

[Cd. 6829] and [Cd. 7050].

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6. I have to request that you will be good enough to reply to this despatch at an early date; and at the same time to furnish me with your observations generally on the points raised in the last paragraph of my Circular despatch of the 29th of May,* a copy of which is enclosed, on the subject of the proposed conference of the official entomologists of the Empire to be held in London in July, 1915; in particular I should be glad to learn whether the Government of [Cyprus] [Malta] will be repre-

sented at the conference.

Enclosure in No. 91A.

I have, &c.,

L. HARCOURT.

HONORARY COMMITTEE OF Management.

The EARL OF CROMER, G.C.B., O.M., G.C.M.G., Chairman. Lieutenant-Colonel A. W. ALCOCK, C.I.E., F.R.S., London School of Tropical

Medicine.

Mr. E. E. AUSTEN, Entomological Department, British Museum (Natural History). Dr. A. G. BAGSHAWE, Director, Tropical Diseases Bureau.

Sir J. ROSE BRADFORD, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., Secretary, Royal Society.. Surgeon-General Sir DAVID BRUCE, C.B., F.R.S., A.M.S.

Dr. S. F. HARMER, F.R.S., Keeper of Zoology, British Museum (Natural History). Professor H. Maxwell Lefroy, Imperial College of Science and Technology The Hon. Sir JOHN MCCALL, M.D., Agent-General for Tasmania.

Dr. R. STEWART MACDOUGALL, Lecturer on Agricultural Entomology, Edinburgh

University.

Sir JOHN MCFADYEAN, Principal, Royal Veterinary College, Camden Town.

Sir PATRICK MANSON, G.C.M.G., F.R.S., late Medical Adviser to the Colonial Office. Sir DANIEL MORRIS, K.C.M.G., late Adviser to the Colonial Office in Tropical

Agriculture.

Professor R. NEWSTEAD, F.R.S., Dutton Memorial Professor of Medical Entomology,

Liverpool University.

Professor G. H. F. NUTTALL, F.R.S., Quick Professor of Protozoology, Cambridge. Professor E. B. POULTON, F.R.S., Hope Professor of Zoology, Oxford. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir DAVID PRAIN, C.I.E., C.M.G., F.R.S., Director, Royal Botanic

Gardens, Kew.

Mr. H. J. READ, C.M.G., Colonial Office. The Honourable N. C. ROTHSCHILD.

Mr. HUGH SCOTT, Curator in Zoology, Museum of Zoology, Cambridge.

Dr. A. E. SHIPLEY, F.R.S., Master of Christ's College, Cambridge.

Sir STEWART STOCKMAN, Chief Veterinary Officer, Board of Agriculture.

Mr. F. V. THEOBALD, Vice-Principal, South Eastern Agricultural College, Wye. Mr. J. A. C. TILLEY, Foreign Office,

Mr. C. WARBURTON, Zoologist to the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

The Chief Entomologist in each of the self-governing Dominions is an ex-officio member of the Committee.

General Secretary.

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Mr. A. C. C. PARKINSON (Colonial Office).

Director and Editor.

Mr. Guy A. K. MARSHALL.

Assistant Editor.

Mr. W. NORTH.

• No. 82.

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