The transition of Dr. Pritchett from the professorship of mathematics and astronomy in Washington University to the superintendency of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey and now to the presidency of the Massachusetts Institute, calls attention to the fact that the only promotion possible to men of science or university professors is an executive position. The type of the German _Gelehrte_, still current in literature and on the stage, is not common in America. The modern methods of advancing science--the laboratory, the observatory, the museum, the expedition, with their complex equipment--demand administrative ability of a high order. Science has been able to supply presidents, not only to the great technical schools, but also to Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Stanford and other universities. Still, it is unfortunate that the man of science can not look forward to promotion in the direction of his own work. He becomes a college professor or the like at a comparatively early age with a moderate salary. He has now as a motive the increase of his reputation, rather likely to degenerate into vanity, and the nobler motive of contributing to the advance of science and of civilization. But these motives appeal differently to different men--in any case, they bake no bread and educate no children. The average salary of scientific men can not be greatly increased; there must be a certain relation between supply and demand, and the average earnings of other professional men are also small. But the lawyer may look forward to becoming a judge, the physician to a large city practice, the clergyman to a bishopric, etc. In Germany a university professor may look forward to being called to Berlin, to becoming a _Hofrat_, a _Geheimrat_ and a ‘von.’ It seems that we need in each American university one or two chairs with very large endowments, the occupation of which would be a special honor. * * * * *