.sVA' U'lI.l.lAM SIEMENS, F.R.S. 385 



and it is a distinction well worthy of the attention of all students. 

 not snllicient in after life to be competent to perform the 

 routine work of a craft or calling. Unless you comprehend the 

 scientific principles underlying that calling, you may be left high 

 and dry any day, in consequence of an invention which may 

 entirely change the mode of performing the operation upon which 

 you have been engaged ; but whatever you have acquired in scien- 

 tific fundamental knowledge remains a useful acquisition for life, 

 as a foundation upon which to build and advance in any new 

 direction connected with your avocation that may turn up. There- 

 fore, I think it is highly commendable that the Institute makes a 

 broad distinction in favour of those who, without neglecting prac- 

 tical knowledge, have given careful attention also to scientific 

 principles. 



The Institute, in appointing examiners, have called into exist- 

 ence a number of educational establishments throughout the 

 country. Some of them have received monetary aid from the 

 Institute where such aid was needed ; but all of them received 

 very powerful aid in an indirect way, by the prizes that are given 

 to the teachers of those institutes for successful candidates at these 

 examinations. You may say that this is a sort of Chinese way of 

 rewarding teachers. When in China a man distinguishes himself, 

 his father receives high honours instead of himself. But whether 

 Chinese or not, it has the excellent effect of stimulating the teacher 

 to do his very best to bring on the young students. 



In addition to the important function of the City and Guilds 

 Institute of conducting these examinations, three large schools are 

 now in course of formation under their immediate auspices and 

 control. The one in this immediate neighbourhood, the Finsbury 

 College, I had an opportunity of viewing the other day. The 

 building is in a very advanced condition, and we are told that in 

 a few months it will be fully occupied. I think nothing could 

 be more striking and more complete than the arrangements for 

 teaching Physical Science and Chemistry at that Institution. 

 The lecture room, the laboratories, especially the large chemical 

 laboratory, are the most perfect things that I have seen. I 

 almost regret that I have been born too soon, that I am, instead 

 of being at the beginning, near the end of my career, because if I 

 carry my thoughts back to the laboratory connected with the 



VOL. III. C C 



