Science in Traditional China: A Comparative Perspective TOGETHER WITH Signed typed letter dated May 27, 1982 from Randy H. Hamilton, then Dean of Golden Gate University to Ronald B. Frankum, former Deputy Science Advisor to President Ronald Regan.

Cambridge, MA; Hong Kong: Harvard University Press, The Chinese University Press, 1981. First edition.

OVERVIEW BY THE WORLD'S PRE-EMINENT AUTHORITY ON CHINESE SCIENCE with ENCLOSED LETTER FROM UNIVERSITY DEAN RECOMMENDING IT TO PRESIDENT REGAN'S ADVISOR.

9 1/4 inches tall hardcover, red cloth binding, gilt title to spine, i-x, 134 pp, 21 figures, near-fine in very good jacket with corners rubbed and 1/2 inch tear to bottom cover.

LAID IN: TYPED LETTER SIGNED dated May 27, 1982 from Randy H. Hamilton, then Dean of Golden Gate University to Ronald B. Frankum, former Deputy Science Advisor to President Ronald Regan. "Dear Ron: As Deputy Science Advisor to the President, about to undertake a trip to the Peoples Republic of China, it behooves you to learn a little about science and technology in traditional China. I'm talking about things scientific that came literally thousands of years before they came to the West, or were "discovered" in the West. Unfortunately, all of our history books are written by non-Chinese so we have been for thousands of years mostly ignorant of what they already knew and practiced. I am appending a little book for you to study well, Science in Traditional China by Joseph Needham. It is difficult reading, but read it you must to learn that the Chinese invented, developed or discovered a few things a millenium before they were known to your ancestors and mine, such as: alchemy, seismology, astonomy, algebra, the decimal point and zero, calipers, suspension bridges, mechanical clock drives, magnetism, compass, quantitative cartography, metallurgical bellows, cause of the tides, gunpowder, rockets and bombs, the drive belt, chain drives, and conversion of rotary to longitudinal motion. And lo and behold, the modern ecologist's touchstone, the use of one insect to control the spread of another insect considered less desirable, circa 340 BC! So, bone up my friend. With best personal regards, I am Yours Sincerely, Randy H. Hamilton, Dean."

NOEL JOSEPH TERENCE MONTGOMERY NEEDHAM (1900 - 1995) was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his groundbreaking research in biochemistry and embryology, and his herculean multivolume history of Chinese science and technology. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British Academy in 1971. In 1992, the Queen conferred on him the Companionship of Honour and the Royal Society noted he was the only living person to hold these three titles. Although his career as biochemist and an academic was well established, his career developed in unanticipated directions during and after World War II. Three Chinese scientists came to work with Needham in 1937 and taught Needham Chinese, igniting his interest in China's ancient technological and scientific past. Under the Royal Society's direction, Needham was the director of the Sino-British Science Co-operation Office in Chongqing from 1942 to 1946. Everywhere he went he purchased and was given old historical and scientific books which he shipped back to England through diplomatic channels and were to form the foundation of his later research. On his return to the west, he was asked by Julian Huxley to become the first head of the Natural Sciences Section of UNESCO in Paris. It was Needham who insisted that science should be included in the organization's mandate at an earlier planning meeting.

PROVENANCE OF THE LETTER: July 14, 1982 The President today announced his intention to nominate Ronald B. Frankum to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He will also serve as Principal Deputy to the Director. Mr. Frankum is currently Deputy Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and was Deputy Director, Office of Policy Development, in 1981-1982. He was a member of the Reagan-Bush transition team and served as a senior staff attorney in 1980-1981.