234 
Tt was in relation to the neutral territory referred to that the 
representatives of the University felt it necessary to receive 
further explanations. It was at first proposed by the authorities 
of the Institute that a joint permanent Committee should be 
formed, and that while the University and the Institute 
respectively should be entitled to have the use of the central 
hall and the east conference hall on certain occasions to be 
specified beforehand, the occupation of the rooms on other occa- 
sions should be settled by arrangement with this Committee. 
But grave inconvenience and the possibility of future compli- 
cations were foreseen in such an arrangement. From the first it 
had been impressed upon the Treasury that the relations of the 
University should be with the Government alone, and that any 
plan which assumed that the University should be either tenants 
or partners with another institution would certainly be un- 
welcome to the Senate. The Committee therefore insisted that, 
in accordance with the letter of Sir Francis Mowatt of Christmas 
Day 1898, the University should be the tenants of the Govern- 
ment only. Asa result the following formal communication, 
dated May 16, was received by the Vice-Chancellor from Sir 
Francis Mowatt :-— 
“« With reference to our recent discussions as to the conditions 
on which the Government is prepared to offer to the University 
improved and enlarged accommodation in the Imperial Institute 
building, Iam authorised by the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
to inform you that the original intention of the Government re- 
mains unchanged, namely. to take over a// the present building 
for the use of (a) the University of London, and (4) the 
authorities of the Imperial Institute, and that he has caused 
notification to this effect to be communicated to the Council of 
the Institute. 
“*T am at the same time instructed to forward to you the en- 
closed memorandum indicating that the University will hold 
direct from the Government.” 
The memorandum enclosed was as follows :— 
“In any arrangement under which the University is invited to 
occupy a part of the Institute building, it will be an absolute 
condition that the University holds directly and solely from 
the Government and not in any form or degree from the 
Institute. 
«This is true equally of the part to be occupied exclusively 
by the University and of the part to be occupied alternately by 
the University and by the Institute under arrangements to be 
approved by the Treasury.” 
The exact nature of the arrangements here referred to between 
the University and the Treasury, with respect to the central 
portion of the building, the galleries, and the east conference 
hall, will be fixed from time to time on the understanding that 
the full and exclusive use of these portions of the building will 
be secured for the University at all times at which they are 
required for purposes of examination, for the annual ceremony 
of the presentation for degrees, and for the meetings of Con- 
vocation. The Senate will also afford, as it has been accustomed 
to do during many years, accommodation to meetings and con- 
gresses of a national and international character, as well as for 
assemblies of graduates or others interested in the promotion of 
collegiate or advanced education. 
Subject, therefore, to any reservation which the Treasury may 
make as to the use of the central portion of the main building 
for occasional meetings of the Imperial Institute, the building, 
with the exception of the west wing, will either belong exclu- 
sively to the University or will be at its disposal when required. 
The main entrance will be used by the University and by the 
Imperial Institute jointly. An additional University entrance 
and staircase will give access to the east wing, and will serve 
for candidates for examination and for other purposes. 
. The assent of the Council of the Imperial Institute to the 
Government proposals was notified in a letter dated June 5 
from Lord James of Hereford to Sir Francis Mowatt. 
With regard to the future appropriation of land adjacent to 
the building, it is understood that, in view of the probable future 
requirements of the University, especially in the direction of 
scientific and literary research and of post-graduate lectures 
and studies, the University will be entitled to a first claim on 
any vacant ground which may hereafter prove to be needed. 
The area thus available is very large. 
It is understood that the Government is prepared to under- 
take the whole cost of the removal of the effects of the Uni- 
versity to its new quarters, and that the Chancellor of the 
Exchequer will include in the estimates for this year a sufficient 
NO. 1549, VOL. 60] 
NATURE 
[JuLy 6, 1899 
sum to meet all charges for furnishing the rooms, for adapting 
them to the purposes of the University, and also for effecting 
such structural and other changes as may be found necessary 
in subsequent consultation between the officers of the University 
and the architect of the Board of Works. At present no change 
is proposed in the financial arrangement by which the charges 
of the University for the maintenance and care of the build- 
ing, the provision of stationery and stores, the salary of the 
officers, and the expenses of administration are borne by the 
Treasury, and are provided, so far as they exceed the amount 
received from candidates in the form of fees, by an annual vote 
in Parliament. F 
This arrangement is, however, wholly exceptional, and does 
not apply to any other University in Great Britain. It un- 
doubtedly relieves the authorities of the University from all” 
financial concern or responsibility. But it cannot be regarded 
as a permanently satisfactory settlement, or one which is likely 
to conduce to the repute and independence of the University, or 
to its due development in the future. It has the obvious and 
serious result of discouraging endowments and gifts, and of 
diminishing the interest which the inhabitants of London ought 
to take in their chief academic institutions. So long as the 
University is dependent for its maintenance on an annual vote 
in Parliament, it can hardly be expected to receive much 
voluntary support. Such generous gifts from private persons 
or from municipal bodies as have enriched the colleges of the 
Victoria University, and have recently been promised to the 
contemplated University of the Midlands, are not likely to be 
forthcoming in London while the University exists on its present 
financial basis. But it may well be hoped that under different 
conditions the University will evoke similar local patriotism to 
that which has been so conspicuously shown in Manchester, 
Liverpool, Leeds, Cardiff, Newcastle and Nottingham, and 
that the citizens of London will become conscious of a new 
responsibility, and will take a pride in strengthening and 
enlarging from time to time an institution which ought to 
serve as a great centre of intellectual life for the whole 
metropolis. 
The Government has throughout this negotiation shown a 
strong desire to make the best provision in its power to meet 
the needs of the University and the wishes of the Senate and 
the Graduates. And, having regard (1) to the fact that the 
present accommodation is insufficient, and that there are no 
means of enlarging it upon its present site; (2) to the size 
and dignity of the Institute building and its capacity for 
adaptation and expansion ; (3) to the fact that no alternative 
proposal for the housing of the University in a more appropriate 
place is likely to be made; and (4) to the consideration 
that the building, though not geographically central for 
London, is placed in the midst of a group of institutions— 
the Royal College of Science, the Natural History Museum, 
the City and Guilds of London Institute, the College of Music, 
and the Science and Art Galleries and Museums—which are all 
in various ways cognate in their objects with the purposes and 
work of the University, the Committee conclude by expressing 
the opinion that the proposal of the Government has been con- 
ceived in a fair and liberal spirit, and that it deserves the favour- 
able consideration of the Senate. 
PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS IN 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 
THE question of the value of physical measurements is one 
that lies at the base of physical anthropology. Large 
numbers of often very extended series of measurements are con- 
tinually being published, new methods are constantly being 
proposed and tried ; but in spite of all this, it is questionable 
whether the value of the results obtained is proportionate to the 
trouble expended. Unfortunately there is variability in the 
methods employed, which may change according to the 
nationality of the investigators ; some methods are complicated 
like those of Benedikt and Tcersek, or, as in the case of the 
latter anthropologist, who takes 5000 measurements on a single 
skull, they may be impracticably numerous. Very precise 
measurement with refined instruments gives an apparent exacti- 
tude which appears to be more scientific than it really is. 
Preferable is the system that adopts a small number of measure- 
ments which can be readily made, and which have a better 
chance of being taken on a large number of subjects. The 
. 
