Fan. 19, 1882] 
NABORE 
271 
Derby his fine natural history collection, and the Museum 
of Archzeology and Art, formed with so much care and 
cost, by Mr. Meyer,.of Bebington. 
Previous to Sir William Brown’s princely gift little 
seems to have been done to advance education in Liver- 
pool since 1647, when it was entered in the records, 
‘¢ Ordered that two dictionaries be provyed for the use 
of this towne and to be chayned.” In 1861 Sir 
William Brown stated that the Free Library and Mu- 
seum would not be complete until it had attached to 
it a School of Science, which scheme was supported 
by the then Mayor, Mr. S. R. Graves, and the school 
was opened in October of that year by Lord Granville, 
then Lord President of the Council, supported by the 
Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone and Sir William Fairbairn, 
president of the British Association for that year. The 
school was affiliated with the Museum and Library Com- 
mittee of the Corporation, and at present contains no less 
than 801 students, the largest number in any science 
school in the kingdom. Last year it obtained three 
scholarships at the Normal School of Science, South 
Kensington, and four Whitworth scholarships, whilst 81 
per cent. of the students passed the Government Science 
Examinations, winning four Queen’s medals and 233 
Queen’s prizes, and a Government Grant of 694/. In 
1865 a period of depression occurred, which ceased in 
1868, when Messrs. S. Leigh-Gregson and T. J. Moore, 
the indefatigable honorary ‘secretaries, made vigorous 
efforts to improve the attendance, which was most suc- 
cessfully effected by doubling the fees, since when the 
marked prosperity has been unbroken, and all that is 
wanted is a central building instead of the present twelve 
centres of instruction. 
A very valuable outcome of this School of Science are 
the free lectures, given at the expense of the Liverpool 
Corporation every winter in the Free Library and Mu- 
seum, on subjects connected with the objects and speci- 
mens in the building. The programme for the present 
session includes numerous lectures on purely scientific 
subjects; amongst the lecturers are Messrs. Clements 
Markham, Lant Carpenter, De Rance, Professors R. S. 
Ball and Campbell Brown. 
In addition to the Science School affiliated with the 
Corporation are the Liverpool Science and Art Classes, 
established in 1870, through the energy of Mr. J. Samuel- 
son. There are no less than fifty-one classes held in 
seven centres; the numbers of students in science are 
steadily increasing, and by arrangement with the Liver- 
pool School Board their pupil-teachers are allowed to 
attend the science classes, so as to qualify them for science- 
teachers. In some cases laboratories have been erected 
at the Board schools, and the School Board have ap- 
pointed a Science Demonstrator with two assistants of 
their own. The boys so taught have recently been ex- 
amined by Prof. Forbes, of the Andersonian University, 
Glasgow, who reports very favourably of them. 
Three years ago it was realised that the existing insti- 
tutions did not satisfy the requirements of high education 
in Liverpool, and it was determined to found a University 
College, in connection with the Victoria University, and 
in this comparatively short time no less than seven Pro- 
fessors’ Chairs have beem endowed, with ten thousand 
pounds each, several chairs being founded by single 
donors, amongst whom is Lord Derby. 
The Council of the College having no large funds to 
expend in the erection of imposing buildings, have been 
fortunate to receive from the City Council a large build- 
ing standing in its own grounds at Brownlow Hill, a 
site on the brow of the hill 200 feet above the sea, 
overlooking the public buildings of Liverpool and the 
broad channel of the Mersey; in the city, yet removed 
from its traffic and turmoil. The building was origin- 
ally erected at a cost of 20,000/.; it contains a rectan- 
gular centre with two wings; the solidity with which it 
was built has enabled Mr. Waterhouse to throw down 
the compartment walls of the wings, and to convert 
them into two lecture theatres, holding 150 students each, 
while the body of the buildings form council, professors’ 
and class rooms, whilst other rooms have been fitted up 
as libraries, natural history, and physical laboratories, and 
engineering and drawing rooms. ‘There are at present no 
chemical laboratories, but those of the adjacent medical 
school being available they are hardly required. The 
scientific chairs at present filled are those of Physics, 
Biology and Geology, and Chemistry, held by Professors 
Lodge, D.Sc., Herdman, D.Sc., F.L.S., and Campbell 
Brown, F.C.S. respectively. It is to be hoped ere long 
the wide range of knowledge covered by such sciences 
as biology, botany, and geology will be separated into at 
least two chairs, especially as the proximity of the Lanca- 
shire and Welsh coalfields render it important that Prac- 
tical Geology and Mining should find a place amongst 
the College Chairs. 
At the inaugural ceremony on Saturday Lord Derby 
presided, and showed from the sums that were still 
coming in that there is likely to be no lack of funds. 
Among other things he said: ‘‘We live in changing 
times, but democracy appreciates education, and espe- 
cially appreciates science, and I think the scientific 
foundation is pretty safe not to be disendowed whatever 
happens. Let me add only this. Over and above its 
special educational work our college will do two things. 
It will be the centre of local patriotism, the means by 
which local public spirit may freely display itself, and it 
will give fresh evidence, if evidence is needed, that com- 
merce and culture, so far from being antagonistic, are 
natural allies. They were so in Athens, they were so in 
Alexandria, they were so in the Italian Republics of the 
Middle Ages, and I do not think that a probably busier 
existence and a certainly smokier atmosphere constitute 
any reason why they should not be so here likewise.” 
Prof, Rendall, M.A., in delivering the inaugurai address, 
said :—“ The effort inaugurated that day was but one of 
many, each one wearing, indeed, its distinctive features, 
but all alike. What meant the simultaneous stir in Bir- 
mingham, in Bristol, in Leeds, in Nottingham, in Shef- 
field? What meant a host of cognate efforts in country 
towns and in the metropolis, too numerous to recapitu- 
late? What meant the sudden expansion in want of a 
college whose fate and trial it was to wait long and work 
obscurely, sustained rather by belief in its mission than 
by reassurances of success? It was easy to say that the 
forwardness of founders was out of proportion to the zeal 
of students. Asa matter of fact, founders’ munificence 
has met with quick response, and five times out of sixitis 
lack of funds, not lack of classes, that has hindered pro- 
gress or even entailed defeat ; and for predicting a like 
conclusion there were ample grounds. For primary edu- 
cation in England efficient provision had been made; 
of secondary and higher education the supply was sparse 
and capricious ; while academic training remained the 
monopoly of the privileged and the wealthy. Unless the 
middle classes looked to it they would shortly find their 
children starting the race of life less well equipped for 
the inevitable struggle than those who in wealth and 
social standing have occupied a lower place.” 
Certainly the Liverpool College has made a most pro- 
mising start; and considering the wealth of the city, 
there is no reason why, in a very short time, it should not 
be in perfect working order. 
BJERKNES’ HYDRODYNAMIC EXPERIMENTS 
ie NATURE, vol. xxiv. p. 360, were described in general 
terms the very interesting experimental researches of 
Prof. Bjerknes, of Christiania, which excited so much 
attention at the late Electrical Exhibition at Paris. Our 
readers will remember that the main point in those re- 
