PROGRAMME

One of the great difficulties in connection with modern statistics is that of becoming acquainted with the relevant literature; this is in fact derived from the work of very different schools and published in a variety of journals and transactions. It is necessary to consult mathematical, astronomical, technical, physical, chemical, actuarial, econonic and financial, psychological, historical, legal, physiological and pathological, hygienic and medical, biological, genetic and eugenic and even purely zoological, botanical and agricultural publications.
It is true that generally such papers are merely applications of well-known methods to a special subject matter and the conclusions are only of interest to specialists in the particular branch of knowledge. But this is not always the case and sometimes methods of general interest to all statisticians are to be found, or, again, we find in particular connections methodological problems enunciated and solved, the scope of hypothesis contained in certain analyses brought to light, the approximation of theoretical conclusions verified and advances made by different routes; progress of interest in all branches of statistics. Still more frequently the results of particular statistical investigations, even when they do not interest all statisticians, are of importance to those engaged in similar inquiries; thus results obtained in the field of anthropolology, zoology, genetics or eugenics, hygiene medicine, pathology, life assurance, political economy or history may be of great interest to the student of demography.

Whoever, desiring to enlarge the boundaries of statistical science as far as possible, is forced to consult the heterogeneous literature containing statistical papers must be aware of the inconvenience resulting from lack of coordination.
Valuable statistical data, carefully collected, scrupulously criticised, remain of no scientific value owing to their presentation and analysis by those unskilled in modern methods. Typographical difficulties offer obstacles to the publication of the original data in their integrity so that competent statisticians are unable to harvest the grain which the original author had not the skill to reap. Sometimes we meet with tedious inconclusive, or even fallacious arguments where quite an elementary knowledge of statistical methods would have led to a simple and exact conclusion. Sometimes indeed we merely encounter - and this is the smallest evil - the rediscovery of an established truth or the re-invention of a familiar method, but how often do we not feel in reading the work of a writer, sagacious and profound in his own subject, that he would have greatly profited by a knowledge of other statistics published in journals quite disconnected from his speciality!

Within the limits appropriate to a review. Metron will endeavour to take the first step towards remedying these defects. It is addressed to those who, cultivating different soils with various implements, nevertheless are busied with statistics; that the results of their labours may become of general utility to science. It is hoped that Metron, may be a bond of union between statistical workers in different branches, perhaps at length an organ of scientific coordination.

With this object, Metron will be catholic; its pages will be open to those who employ no methods beyond the scope of ordinary cultivated men as well as to those who delight in the most refined and subtle developments of mathematical science. There is indeed scope for both schools. Some problems can be solved by the older methods now part of the intellectual stock of all educated persons, others must be investigated with the help of more recondite procedures. Between these extremes are insensible gradations and both orders of inquiry interest science in general and statistical science in particular. It is hoped that both will find in Metron an appropriate treatment.
It cannot of course be denied that, the simpler the methods employed, the easier is the process of mutual enlightenment which Metron is intended to facilitate, since the number of readers capable of profiting by the exposition will be larger. The editors hope therefore that questions will be dealt with adopting as simple methods as their nature permits. But this is merely the expression of a desire not a condition of publication. The editors do not desire to put any compulsion upon contributors or to gainsay those who will forego a nunerous audience for the satisfaction of expressing their ideas in the most concise and accurate style.

The sole necessary condition of approval for publication is that papers shall make a contribution to the theory or practice of statistic of original value and likely to interest a greater or smaller number of students of statistics. Contribution will be inserted as articles or notes in accordance with the importance of the subject matter. Frequently statistical researches lead to fragmentary results, insufficient to form the subject of a paper or even a note, but still offering something of scientific interest or perhaps filling a lacuna in other investigations. Such results will be published under a special heading.

In addition to a bibliography of publications received, each number of the review will contain one or more analyses of statistical works or of results perhaps taken from works not exclusively statistical in character. Each such analysis will deal with a particular branch of statistics, e. g. demographic, sanitary, anthropometric or economic statistics. There will also be an analysis of sources and of mathematical work bearing upon statistics (calculus of probabilities, interpolation, etc.). Discussions on topics of special interest to statisticians will be accepted as well.

Metron is an international review. As it is published in Italy and consequently a majority of the editorial staff are Italians, no doubt the Italian language will at first preponderate in its pages. But the other great international languages, French, English and German are admitted to its pages on terms of complete equality. It rests with contributors from other countries to increase their share in its pages and to cause to disappear any such difference. It is the wish of the editors that the participation of non Italian writers shall become larger and larger.

THE EDITORS.