NOTES ON TEAVEL 219 



Another important outcome of this journey was 

 the forming of a sort of union among the heads of the 

 University Colleges. 1 Several of these went to the 

 association, and they talked over things so satisfactorily 

 that they arranged to meet for the future at regular 

 intervals, and act in concert in appealing to the Govern- 

 ment for recognition and aid. It took time and trouble, 

 but within five or six years they had a grant for endow- 

 ment given by the State, and now they are nearly all 

 independent universities. 



Another reason for it being a memorable journey was 

 its influence on Kamsay's friendships. Some slight 

 acquaintances became real friends, and some friendships 

 were formed that were to colour his life. Among those 

 last was that with Professor George Francis Fitzgerald, 

 of Trinity College, Dublin, which was of the closest 

 and most intimate character for the next seventeen 

 years. Fitzgerald was at this time about thirty-one 

 years old (Kamsay's own age), but his prematurely grey 

 hair and beard gave him the appearance of a much 

 older man. The work he did in physical and mathe- 

 matical science has been told in Sir Joseph Larmor's 

 memoir, but no one can put on record all he did for science 

 in helping and encouraging others in their work. No 

 trouble was too great for him to take, and when less 

 gifted men were puzzled by seeming contradictions in 

 their results he threw himself heart and soul into their 

 difficulties and, with his great mathematical power, 



1 An account of the proceedings will be found on page 91. 



