February 14, 1901] 



NATURE 



375 



which ultimately realised 106,000/., was started in 1867, 

 and the first permanent buildings were opened in 1873. 

 About the same time a fundamental change took place 



Fig. I. — Physical Laboratories, Owens CoKege 



in the government of the college, which passed from the 

 trustees constituted by the founder's will to the governors, 

 council and senate appointed under the Owens College Act. 



The funds of the college 

 were largely increased by 

 the Clifton bequest of 

 21,500/. for the engineering 

 department and the Beyer 

 bequest of over 100,000/., 

 received between 1876 and 

 1887. Since that date the 

 legatees of Sir Joseph 

 Whit worth have given 

 about 120,000/. The capi- 

 tal is now 866,000/., of 

 which 418,000/. is sunk in 

 land buildings and appli- 

 ances ; almost the whole of 

 this sum is due to private 

 benefactions. The income 

 for the session 1898-99 was 

 39,000/., and of this about 

 17,000/. was derived from 

 students' fees, 12,700/. from 

 special endowments, and 

 4,500/. from Government 

 and other public funds. 



These figures give some 

 idea of the magnitude of 

 the work done by the col- 

 lege, though in spite of the 

 efforts made there is a con- 

 tinually recurring deficit. 

 Increase in the number of 

 students means a dispro- 

 portionate increase in labo- 

 ratories and teaching appli- 

 ances, which cannot be met by an increase in fees ; 

 each extension of buildings involves increased cost in 

 maintenance, rates and establishment. While private 



NO. 1633, VOL. 63] 



generosity has done much, the number of donors is not very 

 large, and the amount received from public funds bears 

 no proper proportion to the work which the college is 



doing for the city and 

 ^ { county. In 1898, the 



Manchester Corpor- 

 ation contributed 

 700/. for technical 

 instruction and 400/. 

 for the museum, 

 while the Lancashire 

 County Council gave 

 250/., to be raised to 

 500/. in the following 

 year. 



One other striking 

 event in the history 

 of the college must 

 be noted. In 1877 

 a memorial, largely 

 supported, was sent 

 to the Privy Council 

 praying for a charter 

 to convert Owens 

 College into the Uni- 

 versity of Manches- 

 ter. This was fol- 

 lowed by a memorial 

 from the Yorkshire 

 College asking that 

 a charter should not 

 be given to Owens 

 College, but "to a 

 new Corporation, 

 with powers to incorporate the Owens College and such 

 other institutions as may now or hereafter be able to 

 fulfill the conditions of incorporation." This petitioa 



First Floor Plan 



proved successful, and the Victoria University received 

 Its charter in 1880. 



Owens College became by the terms of the charter 



