Older Universities Research Articles

University Development at Birmingham

THE University of Birmingham has launched an appeal for £1,500,000 for purposes of development, and promises of £638,636 have already been received. Outstanding items in the proposed scheme are £100,000 each for four additional halls of residence (three for men and one for women), £200,000 for a new library, £170,000 for new laboratories for mechanical and electrical engineering, £150,000 for buildings at Edgbaston to house the Faculties of Arts, Commerce and Law, and central administration, and £40,000 each for the endowment of chairs of geography and electronics. In the words of the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Raymond Priestley, "Men and women who must guide and control a great industrial people, and the experts who are to be the spear-point of scientific industry, are best educated within sight and sound of the factory and the market-place. We are moving forward into a world in which technical development will take place at an accelerating rate. To equip ourselves for the competition we shall have to face in order to maintain our standard of living—if not our very existence—in the post-war world involves mobilization of the skill and talent of the whole people, together with development of character, to put the programme through. We need to combine the best features of the older universities with the specialities of the new that are in closer touch with the industrial world. Given the will and the apparatus, there is nowhere that this could be done better than here in Birmingham."

Chemistry at the Older Universities

IT has been very kindly pointed out to me by Dr. K. R. Webb, of Southampton, that I have done less than justice to Cambridge chemistry by omitting to mention that it was I. Milner (1750–1820) who, although Jacksonian professor of natural philosophy and not a chemist per se, observed in 1788 that ammonia passed over heated manganese dioxide is converted into red fumes which dissolve in water to form nitric acid. This oxidation of ammonia now effected catalytically by atmospheric oxygen is the basis of the modern commercial method of preparing nitric acid. Both Milner and his successor, F. J. H. Wollaston (1762–1823), taught chemistry and published plans of their courses.

Chemistry at the Older Universities

IN an article in Nature of February 10 on "Chemistry at the Older Universities of Britain during the Eighteenth Century", Dr. Archibald Clow repeats a number of assertions of a highly flattering character which have been made from time to time regarding John Mayow, by Beddoes, Yeats, Gotch, Gunther and others; statements which it is surely time to eliminate from the history of science. Dr. Clow says that Mayow's "De Sal-nitro et Spiritu nitro-aereo heralded the later discovery of oxygen", and he quotes, apparently with approval, Gunther's view that Mayow was the "greatest chemist whom Oxford ever produced". Also he says that "Mayow was not an associate of Boyle; indeed they seem to have been mutually unaware of each other's work, and Mayow's contributions remained hidden for many years".

Chemistry at the Older Universities of Britain during the Eighteenth Century

IN 1814 Sir John Sinclair, president of the Board of Agriculture, wrote: "At present there are a greater number of intelligent practical chemists in Scotland, in proportion to the population, than perhaps in any other country in the world"(J. Sinclair, "General Report", App. 2, p. 307).

Co-operation between Oxford and Cambridge

IN Convocation at Oxford on October 7, the Vice-Chancellor announced a scheme for co-operation in academic work which has been discussed by the governing bodies of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It is proposed to promote legislation to allow students, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, from either university to go to the other for special courses of study and to keep residence while doing so. Facilities available at one of the universities only may thus be made available for common use, and studies of insufficient general interest to make it worth while for each university to have its own department need not be duplicated; it is possible that some existing duplication can be eliminated and the funds thus set free used for urgent needs. At first sight, this proposed innovation seems a great break with the traditions of the older universities; but there is no doubt of its excellence in principle. The college authorities, it is expected, will be less in favour of it than the university, but this is probably all to the good. They will see to it that the proposed freedom to migrate for a term or more will not be abused; that, in fact, only those who will greatly benefit by the change will be encouraged to enjoy it. With respect to facilities for instruction and research in science, it is likely that Oxford students will benefit more than Cambridge from the new proposal, at least at the undergraduate stage. The honours man at Oxford in science has generally but one subject to specialize in and consequently has time to take extra courses elsewhere; at Cambridge he is partly occupied with other subjects: and, of course, at Cambridge facilities for work in science are on a much more generous scale than at Oxford.

Anthropology and Native Administration

IN a review entitled “The Anthropology of Africa” in NATURE of May 2, p. 655, Prof. B. Malinowski pleaded for a fuller acknowledgment of the science of man as a force in colonial affairs, as well as for its academic recognition in the more important universities of Great Britain. The subject, as a matter of fact, is only taught at three universities—Oxford, Cambridge, and London—and neither of the older universities has an established chair of anthropology, in spite of the glorious tradition of Tylor at Oxford and of Haddon and Rivers at Cambridge. The present organisation of the anthropological departments, with such teachers as Dr. R. R. Marett, Mr. Henry Balfour, and Mr. Dudley Buxton at Oxford and Col. T. C. Hodson at Cambridge, would well warrant a full chair at each university.

Administration and Anthropology in India

THE leading article in NATURE of Nov. 22 appears at a critical moment and must be deeply appreciated by everyone who knows anything of the present state of affairs in India, political or academic. It rightly stresses the literary bias of research in India, in answer to which it may be pointed out that, whereas the older universities teach Indian languages, the University of London is the only English university to accept Indian cultural studies for the B.A. degree (Hons. Archaeology, Sect. H). It is true that field-work is non-existent in India, and that, therefore, the bulk of the anthropological research carried out must be more or less arid, because it is at second-hand and divorced from the facts. As an outcome of this, we are now faced by the peculiar prospect of listening to a lengthy debate, and of accepting willy-nilly a decision of sorts, upon a subject that is nothing else than a problem in applied anthropology, that is, the organisation of a federal India; and we are forced to do so with the knowledge that the facts are not accessible. Whatever is done must, therefore, be done in the dark. The action taken will be political and not scientific. One would have liked to have heard Huxley's views on such a state of affairs!

Book Reviews

DISSATISFIED with Mr. Julian Halls “Alma Mater”, recently published in the same series, on the future of the two older universities of England, Mr. Diplock has produced a sparkling and thoughtful essay on Oxford as it appeared to him during the past five years, when spending laborious days in chemical laboratories, and nights in discussing life and topics of wider intellectual interest with non-scientific friends. He not unnaturally prefers the Oxford of his leisure hours, and points out how the ‘old academic tradition’ may be in danger, if women become too numerous, or if benefactors prove too commercially-minded, or if ‘job-hunters’ increase. At the same time, he notes the absence of heads of colleges who have had a scientific training, whereas Cambridge has often benefited by their ability. We hope that Mr. Diplock will enlarge further on his theme.

Alfred E. Fletcher

BY the death of Alfred E. Fletcher, at the great age of ninety-four, the country has lost a scientific worker who, in his particular sphere, exercised on chemical manufacture a powerful and healthful influence. Born in 1826, Fletcher completed his school education in Berlin, and was employed for a time on railway surveying. He relinquished his career as an engineer in order to attend the science classes at University College, London (being debarred as a Nonconformist from attending the older universities), where he studied mathematics and chemistry, for which he received the gold medal in 1851. In the following year he was elected a fellow of the Chemical Society, and afterwards began a series of researches on artificial colouring matters, a field of inquiry which had been developed by Perkin's discovery of mauve in 1856, and greatly stimulated by the work of Hofmann and his pupils at the Royal College of Chemistry. Discouraged by prolonged litigation on the subject of a patent for a new colour process in which he was interested, Fletcher accepted in 1863 the post of assistant to Dr. Angus Smith, the first Chief Alkali Inspector. The origin of this department, which played so large a part in Fletcher's subsequent career, was the numerous complaints from farmers owing to the fumes from alkali and other chemical works. These fumes arose mainly from the discharge of hydrochloric acid in the manufacture of salt-cake. These and other acid vapours destroyed vegetation over large areas.

The Expansion of Geology

IN the fifty years since this journal began, the progress in geology has kept pace with that of the other natural sciences. In regard to them, in an article contributed to the first volume, I wrote of what had been done and what yet required to be done for their study in Cambridge, where I was then resident, and whither I have since returned. The changes may almost be called a transformation. The museums and laboratories, though the supply is not yet quite equal to the demand, far surpass what we desired in those early days, and the class-list of the Natural Sciences Tripos, instead of containing about a dozen names, had risen before the war to fully 130. The same is true of the other older universities, while more than as many, non-existent fifty years ago, are now busily engaged in educating natural science students.

Chemistry in Education and Industry 1

IN the early eighties of last century the great Livery Companies of the City of London combined for the promotion of technical and scientific education in this country; by reason of their great wealth, the administrative capacity at their command, and their complete freedom from State interference, the City Companies were admirably fitted for this task. Amongst their circle they numbered many men of high scientific and technical standing, such as the late Sir Frederick Abel and Mr. George Matthey, both of whom worked nobly to ensure the success of the new movement. Without describing in more detail the scheme which was adopted, it will suffice to note that the great Livery Companies established and financed, first, the City and Guilds Technical College, and, a year or two later, the larger Central Institution at South Kensington. Both these institutions were designed with the view of popularising scientific and technical education and of counteracting to some extent the overwhelming influence of the older universities; both Oxford and Cambridge, with their glorious history and their scholastic traditions, remained very exclusive, and contributed but little at that time towards the advanced teaching in pure and applied science of which our country stood in urgent need.

Science and Colonial Agriculture

AN article in a recent number of the Agricultural News (Barbados) discusses the probable effects of the war upon the organisation of science from the Imperial point of view in relation to industry generally and in particular to Colonial agriculture. This subject has been dealt with so exhaustively on all sides during the last twelve months that it would seem impossible to advance any new ideas about it, but the writer of the article selects two fundamental causes as responsible for the state of affairs prevailing until recently. He believes that the British character includes a keen appreciation of mechanical invention without any appreciation of the scientific research underlying it. The second reason is that science as a profession is considered by the older universities and public schools as lacking in the essentials of refinement, and that this social stigma deters able men of good position from entering it. But this deduction is surely incorrect; the true explanation lies in the fact that the prizes that science can offer are so meagre compared with those held out by other professions. The social question is merely a secondary effect. This aspect of the matter was referred to by Sir William Tilden, speaking as a representative of the Royal and Chemical Societies at a deputation to the Government a short time ago.

Science in the Public School and the Civil Service

FROM the welter of the billows which have recently beaten about the place of science in education, in the columns of the periodical Press, two main points stand out, namely, those of the dominance of classical and literary teaching in our great Public Schools, and its influence upon the older universities and the public Services. Our political leaders and administrators of State departments are in the main trained in these schools, where vested interests preserve the prime places in the curriculum for ancient learning, and scientific subjects are discouraged for students who hope to obtain university scholarships or appointments in the highest ranks of the Civil Service.

Congress of Universities of the Empire

IT is surprising to learn that the Empire boasts, at the present moment, fifty-four seats, of higher education entitled by Charter or by Act of a Colonial Legislature to the style of university. Advisedly we write, at the present moment. Last summer Queensland and Hong Kong added two to the list; the University of Western Australia came into being on January 1; those of Calgary and British Columbia are still younger. It is the age of universities. When the Victorian Universities of Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Leeds made their appearance they were viewed with considerable misgiving from Oxford and Cambridge. The older universities feared lest they should suffer severely from the competition. The number of their students and their efficiency have increased as rapidly as their rivals'.

University Reform

THE discussion in the House of Lords on July 24 concerning the present state of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge serves again to bring prominently before the public the importance of well-equipped universities to th nation. The Bishop of Birmingham asked the Government to appoint a Royal Commission “to inquire into the endwment, government, administration, and teaching of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and their constituent colleges, in order to secure the best use of their resources for all classes of the community.” The Earl of Crewe announced at the end of the discussion that the Government requires time to consider the question, and that for the present a Commission will not be appointed. The Bishop of Birmingham unerringly exposed many of the weak points in the older universities as they are administered to-day. “The system of prize fellowships as it was established by the last Commission is,” he remarked, “a mistake—post-graduate endowments should be used to subsidise either those who are to be teachers or those who are engaged in researches such as are worthy of advanced students.” There were, of course, many champions to defend the present condition of things, but both sides expressed themselves as appreciative of the value to the community of higher learning in all departments of knowledge.

Universities: Their Aims, Duties, and Ideals 1

VARIETY OF TYPES OF UNIVERSITIES. ONE remark of a general kind must be made before proceeding to a synthesis of the purposes of universities. It is a platitude, yet not unimportant, to the effect that they will not be (and cannot be expected to be) uniform in character. Old universities have their traditions, sometimes the growth of centuries; and though they have to review their ideals from time to time and to revise their practice to meet the challenges and the demands made toy the growing needs of the nation, changes are made only gradually, and the main character tends to persist through the changes. On the other hand, new universities arise in response to new demands of diverse kinds, and their character is bound to be shaped by their origin, their circumstances, and their growth. In the later Middle Ages, the philosophy of the schoolmen yielded before the onset of the study of the humanities—a study which has largely determined the character of our oldest universities. The physical sciences, by their growth during the last century, have modified the range of education and have influenced profoundly some of the older universities, while they have had no small share in dominating the form of newer foundations. The needs of applied sciences and practical sciences in our own day are stirring ideals of education widely removed from those that reposed upon the humanities, and they are leading to the establishment of learne institutions of types hitherto unknown. Sometimes between one university and another, sometimes within the limits of a single university, there will be what is almost a struggle among the subjects in their historical assignment to courses of study. Fundamental questions are being asked. Should the study of modern languages displace that of the ancient languages? Will applied science diminish the attention paid to pure science? Will practical needs direct the study of applied science? Must the acquisition of so-called useless knowledge be renounced in favour of so-called useful knowledge? Can it still be possible to maintain the process of a liberal education in the presence of the demands -for technical instruction and commercial instruction? These and many othef questions will arise in practically every university. They must be answered when they arise, and the answers will vary, per-ohaps from time to time, certainly from body to body. Yef diversity of character, of circumstances, and of practice, will not exclude a certain community of spirit and a certain similarity of obligation.

Ernest Hart

MR. ERNEST HART, editor of the British Medical Journal, died on January 7 at Brighton, where he was staying for the benefit of his health. He had suffered from diabetes for many years, and had been compelled to submit to amputation of the leg last September. The operation though successful only postponed the fatal termination of his illness. Ernest Hart was born in London in 1836, and received his early education at the City of London School during the headmastership of Dr. Mortimer. At school he performed prodigies of prize-winning, and would have taken up a scholarship to Cambridge, in the same year as the late Sir John Seeley, but for tile disabilities under which tile Jews then lay at the older Universities. He resolved to enter the medical profession, and joined Lane's School, then attached to St. George's Hospital. He became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1856, and after serving the office of Resident Medical Officer of St. Mary's Hospital, was appointed Ophthalmic Surgeon and Lecturer on Ophthalmology at that hospital. Subsequently he became Aural Surgeon also, and for some years held the office of Dean of the Medical School. He was already a valued member of the staff of the Lancet, then still directed by its founder, Mr. Thomas Wakley, M.P.; tnd though he engaged, not without considerable success, in the practice of surgery, and especially of ophthalmic surgery, his heart was in public work. Even as a student he had given evidence of his natural bent by organising a society, to which he acted as secretary, which had for its object to ameliorate the depressing and injurious conditions under which the Naval Medical Service then laboured. This movement was completely successful, as was also another in which he took an active part as one of a commission appointed by the Lancet to inquire into the, nursing and other arrangements of the poor law infirmaries in London. The Home Secretary was by the facts thus brought to light led to appoint a special committee, and, as a result of its report, Gathorne Hardy's Act was passed. This Act, by the establishment of the Metropolitan Asylums Board and in other ways, has worked an immense improvement in the care of the sick, infirm, and imbecile poor.

Elements of Mechanics

THIS is a good elementary treatise; not too elementary, and yet a book that hard-working students may use from the beginning of their studies. It is a pity that the author ignores altogether the sort of work that is now getting to be very common, even in the older universities—experimental laboratory work in mechanics—but we have here an excellent text-book, even for students who are following an experimental course. Elements of Mechanics. By Thomas Wallace Wright Pp. v + 372. (New York: Van Nostrand. London: Spon, 1896.)

Regius Professorships at the Older Universities

Regius Professorships at the Older Universities

Regius Professorships at the Older Universities

Regius Professorships at the Older Universities