May 2 1, 1903] 



NATURE 



63 



provided for by later observations, to secure for persons 

 properly qualified the use of powerful telescopes now idle 

 and therefore useless, and, in general, to secure for the 

 person best qualified for any given research the best possible 

 means of carrying it on. It would provide means for co- 

 operation, and would aim at the advancement of astronomy, 

 regardless of country or any personal considerations. The 

 cost of this plan, if fully carried out, would be less than 

 that of a first-class observatory, and it could be fairly tried 

 for a short time at a moderate expense. For success, it 

 must be wholly unselfish and this condition permanently 

 secured, the investments must be safe, and the net income 

 large. It is believed that no guardian would more surely 

 fulfil these conditions than the Corporation of Harvard 

 College. Edward C. Pickering. 



THE ROYAL VISIT TO GLASGOW. 

 'IP HE laying- of the memorial stone of the new build- 

 -*- ings for the Glasgow and West of Scotland 

 Technical College by His Majesty King Edward on 

 Thursday, May 14, 'is a gratifying indication of the 

 importance now attached to an efficient system of 

 technical education. The ceremony at the College was 

 the first item on the programme of the Royal visit to 

 the city, and, except as regards the weather, which 

 was more lavish of the April shower than the May sun- 

 shine, was most successfully carried out. An hour 

 before the arrival of the King and Queen upwards of 

 4000 guests had assembled on the site of the new build- 

 ings, and their Majesties, on stepping on to the royal 

 platform, received a most loyal welcome. Lord 

 Balfour of Burleigh, the minister in attendance on the 

 King, introduced to His Majesty Mr. W. R. Copland, 

 the chairman of the Governors of the College, and Mr. 

 I). Barclay, the architect of the new buildings, and 

 the laying of the memorial stone was immediately 

 proceeded with. In thanking His Majesty, Mr. 

 Copland recalled the fact that, so long ago as 188 1, on 

 the laying of the memorial stone of the Central 

 Technical College of the City and Guilds of London, 

 His Majesty was pleased to recognise the importance 

 of educating persons destined to take part in me pro- 

 ductive industries of the kingdom, and referred to the 

 training of the intelligence of the industrial community 

 as the great factor in retaining the position of Britain 

 as a manufacturing nation. The King, in reply, ex- 

 pressed the great pleasure it had given him to lay the 

 memorial stone ; he had long recognised the import- 

 ance of the work done by institutions of this kind, and 

 hoped the building now to be erected would realise to 

 the full the expectations of the governors. 



In the course of the day their Majesties visited the 

 I'niversitv, the foundation'stone of which they had laid 

 on October 8, 1868. The Very Rev. R. H. Story, 

 D.D., Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, 

 the professors, lecturers and demonstrators, and a large 

 body of graduates were assembled in front of the 

 magnificent building on Gilmorehill, and in the name 

 of the University the principal presented an address 

 to His Majesty. In the address it was noted that, 

 I xcept on two occasions, in 1849 and in 1888, when 

 Oueen Victoria visited Glasgow, no Sovereign of 

 Great Britain had seen this University since King 

 James \'I. visited it on his return to his ancient 

 kingdom after succeeding to the throne of England. 

 In his reply the King expressed his great gratification 

 at having an opportunity, accompanied bv the Queen, 

 of renewing his acquaintance with the ancient 

 University; he was deeply interested in the allusions 

 to the visits of his predecessor King James VI. 

 and of his august and beloved mother. Queen 

 Victoria ; he recalled with satisfaction his own ^hare 



NO, 175 1, VOL. 68] 



in laying the foundation stone of the noble building, 

 and he earnestly desired that this and other universities 

 as schools of higher learning might grow and prosper, 

 and so advance the material progress of his people. 



After His Majesty had replied to the address, the 

 Deans of Faculties were presented to him by Lord 

 Balfour. 



The constitution under which the Glasgow and West of 

 Scotland Technical College is now working dates from 

 1886, but the institution itself had its origin in Anderson's 

 College, which was founded in 1796 under the will of John 

 Anderson, M.A., F.R.S., professor of natural philosophy in 

 the University of Glasgow, and is thus certainly the oldest 

 institution of the kind in Great Britain, and probably in 

 the world. Prof. Anderson was in many respects a remark- 

 able man. The idiosyncrasies of his character brought him 

 into frequent conflict with his colleagues in the University, 

 but it is more pleasant to record that he seems to have been 

 deeply impressed with the importance to the industries of 

 the city of awakening in masters and workmen an in- 

 telligent interest in the scientific aspects of their trade, tie 

 made frequent visits to the local workshops, and took great 

 pains to make himself familiar with local industries. It 

 is well known that when James Watt had difficulties put 

 in his way by the incorporation of hammermen of Glasgow 

 he was appointed mathematical instrument maker to the 

 University, and it was Anderson with whom he was most 

 closely associated in this post. In furtherance of his aims 

 Prof. Anderson inaugurated classes in the University 

 designed to attract employers and workmen as well as the 

 ordinary university students, and these he carried on until 

 his death in 1796. At the present day, when technical 

 education has assumed such a prominent position in the 

 public mind, it is but fair to recall with gratitude the work 

 of the man who may be justly named its pioneer. 



On his death Prof. Anderson bequeathed all his means 

 " to the public, for the good of mankind and the improve- 

 ment of science, in an institution to be denominated 

 'Anderson's University.'" He directed that the manage- 

 ment of the institution was to be vested in the Board of 

 Trustees constituted under his will, and this Board con- 

 tinued in existence until 1886, when the institution was 

 incorporated in the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical 

 College. 



The first chair created was that of chemistry and natural 

 philosophy, and was occupied by Dr. Thomas Garnett until 

 1799, when he was called to fill the first professorship in 

 the Royal Institution. His successor in Glasgow was Dr. 

 George Birkbeck, who formed a special class for " the 

 gratuitous instruction of the operatives of Glasgow in 

 mechanical and chemical philosophy," in the belief that 

 " men should be taught the principles of the arts they 

 practise." This class, which was named " the Mechanics' 

 Class," separated in 1823 from Anderson's College and took 

 the title of " Mechanics' Institution," the first of the many 

 mechanics' institutions that marked the movement for the 

 scientific education of artisans. In 1881 the Glasgow 

 Mechanics' Institution changed its title to that of " The 

 College of Science and Arts," and continued to maintain 

 a separate existence until it was merged with the parent 

 institution in the present Technical College. 



The names of many eminent men are associated with 

 Anderson's College. Among its professors were Dr. 

 .'\ndrew Ure, author of " The Dictionary of Arts and 

 Manufactures"; Dr. Thomas Graham, afterwards Master 

 of the Mint, for whom the honour is claimed of establishing 

 the first laboratory for public instruction in chemistry in 

 Great Britain ; Dr. Thorpe, the present Director of the 

 Government Laboratories ; Dr. W. Dittniar ; and Dr. G. 

 Carey Foster, the present Principal of I'liivprsily College, 

 London. Among its sliulcnt^ were Dr. Livingstone; Lord 

 Playfair; Dr. James ^■()llnl;, the IouikI.m of the Scottish 

 oil industry; and Sir J. II. dilboit, of Ruthamsted. Lord 

 Kelvin and his brother. Prof. James Thomson, were students 

 of the Mechanics' Institution. 



In 1886, by an Order of Her late Majesty, Queen Victoria, 

 in Council, Anderson's College, the College of Science and 

 Arts, the " Young " Chair of Technical Chemistry — founded 



