425 



NATURE 



[April i, 1922 



creosoted piling observed by the committee have 

 begun where untreated wood has been exposed by 

 damage in handUng the piles, and it is urgently re- 

 commended that care be taken to reduce such damage 



to a minimum. Precast reinforced concrete piles 

 and pile-casings which have been in serv ce for ten 

 years show no evidence of deterioration,, and seem 

 likely to be of use for a number of years to come. 



Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. 



Rkport of the Royal Commission. 



1"*HE report of the Royal Commission on the 

 Universities of Oxford and Cambridge has 

 been published as a Blue Book (Cmd. 1588, (>^. net), 

 and we print below some of the more important 

 recommendations. The Commission, which was ap- 

 pointed in November, 1919, under the chairmanship 

 of Mr. H. H. Asquith, had as its object an inquiry 

 into the financial resources of the Universities and 

 the uses to which they were put, and in this respect 

 the scope of the Commission was very different from 

 those of 1850 and 1877. The immediate occasion 

 for the appointment of the Commission was the 

 application of the Universities for large-scale financial 

 assistance, and the report is confined principally to 

 this aspect of the present position of the Universities. 



The first consideration is that the numbers in 

 residence at Oxford and Cambridge have increased 

 largely in recent years and the scope of the work 

 undertaken has widened. As a consequence, the 

 staffs of the Universities and colleges are heavily 

 overworked in many cases and research is suffering. 

 The Commissioners report that either (a) the number 

 of students must be decreased, or (&) the staffs must 

 be increased, or (c) the standard of learning must 

 be allowed to go down. 



Dealing with the new relation between science and 

 national development, the conclusion has been 

 reached " that technical education does not suffice. 

 In order to get the greatest scientific results even of a 

 practical character, investigations carried on with 

 merely technical objects and in a merely utilitarian 

 and commercial spirit will not achieve the highest 

 results. The disinterested pursuit of scientific in- 

 vestigation affords the surest means by which the 

 nation can ultimately command the resources of 

 nature." For Oxford, it is suggested that a scheme 

 should be drawn up for future scientific developments 

 in the parks or on some other site near the Museum ; 

 for Cambridge, attention is directed to the question 

 of establishing a central institution for training 

 and research in surveying, hydrography, and geodesy. 

 Light and cheaply built laboratories of one storey are 

 also suggested for elementary work. 



The financial difficulties which now threaten 

 Oxford and Cambridge are ascribed to their great 

 developments, and also to the change in the value 

 of money. Reviewing possible methods of augment- 

 ing the Universities' incomes, the Commissioners are 

 of opinion that raising fees would have the undesirable 

 effect of turning Oxford and Cambridge into rich 

 men's Universities. The real hope of future prosperity 

 and development lies in private benefactions, but 

 unfortunately there is no prospect of private bene- 

 factions being obtained sufficiently soon and in 

 sufficient quantity to avert financial disaster. A 

 State grant is therefore recommended, and the Com- 

 missioners state definitely that it is an absolute 

 necessity in the public interest that an adequate 

 grant should be made, #even under the present 

 financial conditions of the country. The report goes 

 on : — " We recommend that each University receive, 

 instead of the existing interim grant of 30,000/., an 

 annual grant of ioo,oooZ. a year, in addition to 

 10,000/. a year for special purposes (women's educa- 



NO. 2735, VOL. 109] 



tion and extramural work), and a lump sum for 

 pension arrears, in order to enable them to fulfil 

 their functions to the nation in a satisfactory manner." 



The principal purposes to which the suggested 

 grant should be devoted are as follows : — proper 

 salaries and pensions for University teachers ; the 

 adequate maintenance of the University libraries 

 and museums ; the endowment of research and 

 advanced teaching, including more professors, readers, 

 and University or faculty lecturers, and more research 

 studentships for young graduates ; the most pressing 

 needs of maintenance in respect of laboratories and 

 departmental libraries ; and the provision in both 

 Universities of a Sites and Buildings Fund. The 

 grants should be made to the University and not to 

 the separate colleges. 



Of the minor recommendations laid down in the 

 report, a few only will be mentioned. Fellowships 

 are considered to be valuable assets of the colleges, 

 and in consequence the Commissioners recommend 

 that Fellowships be divided into the following classes: — 

 (a) Restricted to those who hold certain University 

 posts ; (b) Fellowships associated with official posts 

 in the College, or with University lectureships or 

 demonstratorships ; (c) Old Fellows who have retired 

 from active work ; {d) Fellowships to which young 

 graduates may be elected under conditions of research ; 

 and [e) Supernumerary Fellowships. (6) and {d) 

 only should be stipendiary. 



Dealing with pensions for members of the staffs 

 of the Universities, the report advocates that the 

 " federated superannuation system of the Uni- 

 versities " be applied, and that provision be made in 

 College statutes for its adoption in all Colleges also, 

 the cost to Colleges being met, if necessary, out of 

 increased fees. It is suggested that the retiring age 

 should be 65 for teachers and administrative officers, 

 and 70 for heads of Colleges. 



On the question of the position of women at Oxford 

 and Cambridge the Commissioners express the 

 opinion that ample facilities should be offered for 

 the education of women and for their full participation 

 in the life and work of the University. The Cam- 

 bridge Committee recommend that women be entitled 

 to be admitted on the same conditions as men to 

 membership of the University subject to various 

 limitations, which include the provision that the 

 offices of the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Proctor 

 be not open to women. 



Finally, it is recommended that any facilities 

 obtained by State grants, directly or indirectly, for 

 the increase of College or Faculty staffs be used to 

 secure more time for research and not to increase the 

 provision for the individual teaching of undergradu- 

 ates. It is also suggested that a central University 

 Fund be created, assisted out of the general grants 

 from public funds, to enable a specially qualified 

 professor, reader, or lecturer to take a period of 

 abvSence exceptionally for travel and research, with- 

 out loss of income, on the recommendation of the 

 proposed Board of Studies and Research. Both 

 these suggestions have been made by the Com- 

 missioners with the idea of stimulating and increasing 

 the value of research and advance work. 



