AND THE STATE 235 



and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Austen 

 Chamberlain). It is perhaps of more than academic 

 interest, in view of subsequent events, to quote the 

 replies of the representatives of the Government as 

 summarised in the report of the Council ; though it 

 will be apparent that the immediate results were 

 scarcely commensurate even with the labour of 

 organising the deputation which the Association 

 undertook. 



' Mr. Balfour, in reply to the deputation, said that 

 he did not suppose there had ever been congregated 

 in one chamber so many representatives of learning 

 in this country, and hoped that they would forgive 

 him if he did not wholly rise to the expectations 

 formed of the answer he had to give on behalf of the 

 Government. The words of his which had been 

 quoted would, he hoped, absolve him from the 

 necessity of again expressing sympathy with what he 

 took to be the main ob j ect of the deputation. Though 

 it has been said that we have fallen far behind at 

 least two great countries in our national education, 

 he absolutely denied that there is the smallest sign 

 that in the production of the germinating idea of 

 science we have shown any inferiority. Germany 

 has for many generations pursued the State endow- 

 ing process of applying science to industry, and in 

 this we are far behind. The system of thought in 

 Germany, the habits of the people, and the Govern- 

 ment, in this respect places them at great advantage 

 as compared to us, as far as endowment of universities 

 can help a nation in the industrial struggle. But the 

 mere endowment of universities will not, he thought, 

 add greatly to the output of original work of the first 

 quality. It will provide an education which will 



