 Laplace, and Berthollet with his open laboratory, continued this spirit of fellowship at Arcueil.They were the senior moderators in a scientific debate of novel magnitude; combining the framework of physico-mathematical model (Laplace) with experimental investigation (Berthollet).The roots of the active progress of the Society of Arcueil lay with Napoleon Bonaparte's special attention to sciences in general and - as an artillery officer - to mathematics in particular.