4 NATURAL SCIENCE. ,,,,,,, 



The result of the disagreement between the Convocation on the 

 one hand, and the Senate and the Special Committee of Convocation 

 on the other, seems to have inspired the authorities of King's and 

 University Colleges to another effort for that joint University, the 

 claim for which had been expressly rejected by the Royal Commis- 

 sion in 1889. On the present occasion, their scheme, hastily, and 

 almost secretly discussed, has been more successful, and the draft 

 now before Parliament is the result. 



How far does this scheme answer to the ideal towards which the 

 London educationalists have been working ? Whereas the great 

 feature of the desired University was to have been its breadth, the 

 scheme proposed is characterised mainly by its narrowness. Out 

 of all the institutions mentioned by the Royal Commission of 1889, 

 only University and King's Colleges and the Medical Schools are 

 included ; and the first two of these are to have the main power, 

 though they represent only an average aggregate of under 250 degree- 

 or associate-seeking students. Whereas the desired University was 

 to have been democratic and elastic, capable of constant adaptation 

 to the ever-varying needs of London life, the proposed University is 

 planned on the old lines, insists on large collegiate buildings for 

 every constituent college, and requires practically whole time atten- 

 dance. The scheme has, in consequence, aroused much hostile 

 criticism, but, so far, the London scientists have held aloof, regarding 

 the whole thing simply as a plan to enable the students at the 

 Medical Schools to obtain easy degrees without going to Scotland. 

 Moreover, the fact that the most noisy opposition has been based on 

 an appeal to sectarian prejudices has not helped to rouse scientific 

 interest in the matter. This apathy seems to us quite inex- 

 plicable. The progress of popular education is of such fundamental 

 importance, that indifference is inexqusable. If the Draft Charter be 

 granted, we shall have in London a University started on antiquated 

 lines, and on a basis ridiculously inadequate to London needs : two 

 Colleges, both with small muster rolls of students, and a few Medical 

 Schools will be dignified by the title of the " Teaching University of 

 London," from which, by its constitution, the vast majority of real 

 London students will be necessarily excluded. The opportunity 

 will have been lost for a union of all the institutions helping forward the 

 higher education of London, that would have raised the standard of 

 teaching, necessitated a more systematic course of study, and led to 

 the removal of the few indifferent or unqualified teachers who at 

 present do so much to discredit the great evening educational 

 institutions of the metropolis. Hence, if, as we hope, the Charter 

 now before Parliament be not granted, and the establishment of the 

 Teaching University be again delayed, this will not have been in 

 vain, should it result in the ultimate establishment of one based 

 on wider lines, and more adequate to the great mission it was 

 originally proposed to fulfil. 



