i88 



NATURE 



[April 7, 192 1 



English, are addressed to advanced students and 

 others interested in the subject, and admission is 

 free, without ticket. 



The Registrar of the University of Calcutta has 

 submitted an application to the Secretary to the 

 Government of Bengal Education Department {Pioneer 

 Mail, ' March i8) for substantial financial aid for 

 teaching and post-graduate study in accordance with 

 the recommendations of the Calcutta University 

 Commission. For the salaries of the post-graduate 

 staff during the session 1921-22 a sum of ij lakhs 

 of rupees (8333Z.) is asked. Large grants are also 

 asked for the extension of technological studies in 

 the University College of Science and Technology. 

 It is suggested that part at least of these grants 

 should be recurrent, but for the present year a capital 

 grant of 10 lakhs of rupees (66,666i.) would enable 

 the college to carry on its work. The library of the 

 college is also in need of many standard works of 

 reference, and for this purpose a grant of ij lakhs of 

 rupees (8333L) is considered to be necessary. 



The subject proposed for the Adams prize for the 

 period 1921-22 is "The Theory of the Tides." Ap- 

 plications of mathematical and dynamical theory to 

 the observations already available, the rate of dis- 

 sipation of tidal energy, the characteristics of tides in 

 shallow seas and estuaries, and the general problem 

 of tidal motion as affected by the earth's rotation are 

 among the suggestions which the adjudicators make 

 for the guidance of candidates. The prize is open 

 to any person who has been at any time a graduate of 

 the University of Cambridge, and is worth about 220I. 

 Each essay must be accompanied, by an abstract in- 

 dicating which portions are considered to be original, 

 and it may be printed, typewritten, or written by 

 someone other than the author. A motto must be 

 affixed to each essay, and a sealed envelope bearing 

 the same motto and containing the candicfate's name, 

 degree, and address should be forwarded with the 

 essay. Essays must reach the Registrary of Cam- 

 bridge University on or before December 31, 1922. 



An interestincf event of the present month is the 

 International Conference of Students which has just 

 been held at Prague, an account of which has ap- 

 peared in the Westminster Gazette. Prior to the war 

 a society known as the " Corda Fratres," or Inter- 

 national Students' Union, was already in existence. 

 It was dissolved in later years, but is now being 

 restored. In November, 1919, when Strasbourg Uni- 

 versity was celebrating its newly acquired freedom, 

 La Confederation Internationale des Etudiants was 

 formed by France, Belgium, and Czecko-Slovakia, and 

 most of the other chief countries of Europe have since 

 become affiliated. Apparently a necessary preliminary 

 to admission is the existence of a national students' 

 union in the country concerned. This formerly ren- 

 dered Great Britain, the United States, and other 

 countries ineligible, but it is stated that steps in the 

 desired direction are already being taken. It is hoped 

 that this countrv will play a part in the movement 

 — one of great benefit to students and to the future 

 of science, which, it is commonly said, knows 

 no national boundaries. One of the unfortunate 

 results of the war has been the accentuation of bar- 

 riers to free scientific intercourse and exchange of 

 knowledge, scientific men in Russia, Austria, and 

 other countries being exceptionally unfortunate in 

 this respect. This desire for fraternisation between 

 students in the chief countries of Europe Is a hopeful 

 sign for the future of civilisation. 



The Roval Commission on University Finances, 

 appointed in October last to inquire into" and report 



NO. 2684, VOL. 107] 



upon a basis for determining the financial obligations 

 or the State of Ontario towards its universities, has 

 presented a report to the Lieutenant-Governor of the 

 State. There are at present five institutions of uni- 

 versity standing in Ontario, and the report before us 

 deals with three of them, Toronto, Queen's, and 

 Western Universities. Toronto University is a State 

 institution controlled on its administrative side entirely 

 by the State Government; Queen's and Western Uni- 

 versities are independent, though they have been in 

 receipt of annual grants from the Government which 

 have been determined from year to year. The Com- 

 mission recognises that higher education can no 

 longer be supported by private individuals, and a 

 definite scheme of State grants for the three universi- 

 ties is recommended. For buildings which are 

 urg-ently needed it is considered that sums of 

 1,500,000 dollars, 340,000 dollars, and 800,000 dollars 

 should be given to Toronto, Queen's, and Western 

 Universities respectively. As regards maintenance, it 

 is recommended that for the State University a yearly 

 sum equal to 50 per cent, of the average yearly suc- 

 cession duties should be granted, while for . the two 

 independent institutions annual grants, to be ad- 

 justed every five years by a Court of Reference, 

 should be made out of consolidated revenue. Should 

 these grants be found insufficient, a direct tax for 

 general educational purposes of one mill per dollar 

 on the value of rateable property of the province is 

 recommended. The question of the control of educa- 

 tion in the universities was also discussed, and the 

 Commission concludes that " the State, which gives 

 financial support, has the right (a) to determine how 

 this education mav be most effectively and economically 

 carried on, and {h} to exercise supervision over pro-, 

 jected developments involving financial outlay." 



We are glad to see that the Library Association is 

 issuing its Subject-Index to Periodicals for the years 

 1917-19, in continuation of the Class Lists for 1915 

 and 19 16, arkd to learn that the association proposes 

 to resume the annual publication of these indexes. 

 It has just published in 87 quarto pages " Section F t 

 Education and Child Welfare." As in former lists, 

 the entries are arranged under subject headings, 

 under each of which papers are placed in chrono- 

 logical order of dates of publication. The difiicultv in 

 framing a thoroughly satisfactory classification for 

 papers which discuss education from manv different 

 points of view has been met by introducing frequent 

 cross-references. Among the subject headings we 

 find sections for education in general, education in 

 each country taken separately, higher education, 

 education of children, education of women, secondary 

 education, and teachers. There are also sections for 

 technical education, agricultural education, chemistry 

 teaching, the study of engineering, and the study and 

 teaching of science. We notice also sections on uni- 

 versities and colleges and on many universities taken 

 singly. Among sections coming under the head of 

 child welfare we find child study, abnormal and 

 backward children, care and hygiene of children, em- 

 ployment of children, exceptionally gifted children, 

 and milk. The lists of papers on citizenship, re- 

 habilitation of the disabled, and educational aspects 

 of the European war are wnell worth examining at 

 the present time. There are altogether in this index 

 2154 titles of papers taken from 242 English and 

 foreign periodicals published during the three years 

 T917-19. The total number of periodicals examined 

 bv the compilers of the Subject-Index to Periodicals 

 for all the subiects catalogued Is now nearly six 

 hundred. We hope that the circulation of these 

 useful class-lists will be sufficient to ensure the ""on- 

 tlnuance of their publication. 



