July 2,1903] NATURE 



203 



mechanics and physics of the universe. His untiring in- 

 tellectual activity has led him also to inquire into problems 

 interesting to the chemist and geologist, as well as those 

 which are important to the physicist and engineer. He has 

 calculated the probable size of atoms ; he has studied the 

 structure of crystals ; he has estimated the age of the earth. 

 But the world' knows him best as the man who has shown 

 how practically to measure electrical and magnetic quanti- 

 ties, and has' made it possible to link together distant 

 continents by the electric telegraph. It is he who has shown 

 how to neutralise the effects of iron on the compasses of 

 ships and how to predict the tides, and who has thus taught 

 the mariner to steer safely over the surface of the ocean 

 and to sound, as he goes, its depths and shallows. A 

 greater philosopher than Democritus, in him are united the 

 qualities of Archimedes and Aristotle. Regarded with 

 affectionate reverence by his contemporaries, it cannot be 

 doubted that his name will shine brightly through long 

 future generations. In offering a place of honour to such 

 a man the university confers lustre on itself. 



Mr. Butlin, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, then 

 presented Lord Lister for the honorary degree of 

 doctor of science in the followinj^^ terms : — 



My Lord the Chancellor, since the reconstitution of the 

 university, the Faculty of Medicine has been almost con- 

 tinuously engaged in arduous and not always pleasant 

 work, and to-night, as if in compensation, there falls to 

 its lot — for I am but the mouthpiece of the faculty— the 

 agreeable task of presenting my Lord Lister for one of the 

 four first honorary degrees of the University of London. 

 While every person in my profession is familiar with the 

 work which he has done, and his name has become a house- 

 hold word in every part of the civilised world, comparatively 

 few persons are acquainted with the obstacles which he has 

 overcome. It is not only that, sitting down many years 

 ago in front of a difficult problem of pathology, Lord Lister 

 solved the mystery which had puzzled the brains of the 

 greatest surgeons of all time, or that he then invented a 

 means of meeting and overcoming surgical infection, but 

 that he stood by his theory, and fought manfully for it, 

 until at length, in spite of opposition, of envy, of lack of 

 faith, and even of ridicule, he succeeded in carrying con- 

 viction to the minds of his own profession and of the world 

 at large. And all this was done, and these things were 

 borne, not for the sake of gain — care for which has never 

 been a part of Lord Lister's character — but for the sake of 

 science and for the relief of human suffering. It is well- 

 nigh impossible for those among whom a great man lives 

 to form a just estimate of the value of his work, whether 

 in art or in science, but I venture to predict that the name 

 of Lord Lister will be handed down from generation to 

 generation, from century to century, until, more than 2000 

 years hence, he will be acknowledged by our descendants 

 as the father of surgery, in like manner as Hippocrates is 

 regarded by this present generation as the father of 

 medicine. I, therefore, sir, beg to present the Right Hon. 

 Lord Lister, and ask you to confer on him the honorary 

 degree of doctor of science, and I do so with the happy 

 confidence that the addition of his name will confer lustre 

 now and in the future on the University of London. 



The students who had gained degrees in various 

 faculties of the university were then presented in 

 groups by the Dean of each faculty. 



A CHAIU.OTTENBVRG INSTITUTE FOR 

 LONDON. 



'T'HE magnificent proposals which Lord Rosebery 

 -*• laid before the County Council in his letter to 

 its chairman, Lord Monkswell, on June 27 have 

 roused feelings of keen interest and high hopes in 

 many who, for years past, have been crving, as it 

 seemed in the wilderness, to the nation, to the 

 Government, to public bodies, and to private indi- 

 viduals to do something to improve our higher tech- 

 nical educational methods. Generally speaking, the 

 cry has been ignored or else met with the reply that 

 NO. J 757, VOL. 68] 



our fathers obtained the command of the sea, 

 extended our commerce and made the country the 

 greatest commercial centre of the world, so surely 

 methods which were good enough for them are good 

 enough for us. Passing strange, but were they con- 

 tent with the methods of their fathers? did the 

 eighteenth century show no advancement upon the 

 seventeenth century? At the beginning of the nine- 

 teenth century we were ahead of all nations in the 

 use of gas as an illuminant; later on, our railway 

 systems and our steamships became the envy of the 

 w^orld; other nations could not approach us in 

 engineering. In the middle of the century we were 

 pioneers in many chemical discoveries ; but then, 

 apparently, so iriuch prosperity and success seems 

 to have been too rich a diet, and we waxed fat and 

 kicked. 



Of late years the country has felt more and more 

 the competition of other nations. The colour industry 

 has forsaken our shores, the finest electrical machinery 

 is made abroad, we go to America for labour-saving 

 appliances Thinking men have cast about and tried 

 to find a reason why other nations should take our 

 markets ; but when it was first suggested that our 

 deficiency in scientific and technical education was at 

 the root of the matter, those who dared to make the 

 suggestion were, if not mocked at, at any rate treated 

 with scant courtesy. 



Nows however, it Is generally admitted that, unless 

 we improve our educational methods, we shall fall 

 behind in the modern race for advancement to such 

 an extent that it will require almost a miracle for us 

 to be able to pull up again. 



Our secondary education is not what it should be, 

 but it is gradually improving. Technical education, 

 generally speaking, has been tinkered at. The poly- 

 technics are doing good work, but they are largely 

 engaged in turning out better workmen and foremen 

 workmen, or taking the place of the old apprentice- 

 ship system. Lord Rosebery now comes forward, 

 and, through the generosity of Messrs. Wernher, Beit, 

 and Co. (who offer 100,000/.) and other large business 

 houses, is able to offer to London the means for pro- 

 viding higher technical education. Briefly stated, 

 the idea put forward is to supply London with a 

 technical college after the lines of the world-re- 

 nowned polytechnic at Charlottenburg, which repre- 

 sents the acme of technical education. It is not for 

 teaching the elements of this or that science ; but 

 when the foundation of a thorough education has been 

 laid, students can go there for the building up of the 

 superstructure. It is not an easy matter for a student 

 to gain entrance into the Charlottenburg Institute. A 

 very thorough examination must first be passed, in 

 order to show that he is capable to take advantage of 

 the instruction offered. 



The Charlottenburg Institute cost more than 

 500,000/. to build and equip, and entails an annual 

 outlay of 55,000/. The offer made by Lord Rosebery 

 to the County Council is one of 300,000/. to build the 

 institute, and he has reason to think that the Com- 

 missioners of thS 185 1 Exhibition will grant the site 

 (some four acres of ground). The County Council 

 is asked to contribute 20,000/. a year for the main- 

 tenance of the institute. This sum may be sufficient 

 at the commencement, but will probably be in- 

 adequate as the place becomes known and its value 

 appreciated. 



Is it right that the County Council should be asked 

 to find the money? The institute is meant to 

 be imperial. Londoners may and will attend it; 

 but it is hoped by the donors of the funds that 

 students from all parts of the British Empire will 

 flock there, and thus make London, " at any rate, so 

 far as advanced scientific technology is concerned, the 



