NATURE 
461 

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1871 


THE PROPOSED SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL 
SCIENCE AT NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE 
S| Ac proposal to found a College in Newcastle for the 
teaching of Physical Science needs from us more 
than a mere passing mention. The idea of such an 
Institution is not a new one, indeed it is only justice to 
the coal-owners, chemical manufacturers, and engineers of 
that busy centre of commercial enterprise, to say that they 
have long confessed to a sort of shame that youths, in- 
tended for responsible positions connected with the various 
industries on the banks of the Tyne, Wear, and Tees, have 
had to seek their scientific training in metropolitan or con- 
tinental schools ; whilst young men a shade lower in the 
social scale, with no disposition to undervalue such know- 
ledge, have had to depend upon their own limited resources 
for its partial acquirement, with the alternative of remain- 
ingin entire ignorance. ‘The feeling of soreness on this 
point had attained sufficient force fifteen years ago toinduce 
the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers to 
take preliminary steps towards establishing a college for 
the teaching of practical science. Meetings were held, 
architects consulted, plans drawn, and eventually those 
interested in the project were informed that about 35,000/. 
would be wanted from them if they were really in earnest. 
The Duke of Northumberland (Duke Algernon) was ap- 
plied to, and his response was characteristic ; it amounted 
practically to this :—“ Raise 30,000/. and I will make it 
40,0007, but while you are about it, do the thing 
well.”. One would have thought that such an offer to 
so wealthy a body was equivalent to an order for the 
buildings to be advanced without delay. Unfortunately 
interests began to clash, individual promoters had pet 
ideas which they were unwilling to sacrifice, and there 
was no agreement as to the way the scheme should be 
carried out. The University of Durham, it was admitted 
on all sides, must have some share in the work, and no 
one could suggest a basis of connection that was mutually 
satisfactory, so by the end of the year 1855 the North of 
sngland had heard the last of the proposed “ British 
College of Practical Mining and Manufacturing Science.” 
it is perhaps no wonder if younger men, looking back at 
Duke Algernon’s munificent offer, have accustomed them- 
selves tothink, “we would not have done as our fathers did.” 
One good result, however, had accrued from the failure. 
The necessity for scientific and technical education had 
been admitted, and public attention had been directed to 
the entire absence of local facilities for systematic teach- 
ing in those branches of theoretical knowledge most con- 
cerned in the industries of the North. 
For a time the idea of an independent establishment in 
Newcastle seemed to be abandoned, and people were 
disposed to look to Durham University for a solution of 
the difficulty. The position of Durham was discussed, 
the revenue of its University talked of, and the relation 
of its expenditure to its educational results seriously de- 
bated—the outcome of all which was the appointment of 
a Commission to inquire into the administration of its 
various endowments. At this time the scientific instruction 
of the University amounted to twelve lectures annually 
from a Reader in Chemistry, some teaching from a Reader 
VOL, III. ’ 


in Natural Philosophy, and a very few lectures from a 
Reader in Medicine. After the sittings of the Commission, 
the Senate took powers to establish a school of physical 
science in the faculty of Arts and to endow chairs therein, 
but as the stipends for these chairs were not forthcoming, 
their powers were never practically exercised. The reader- 
ship in natural philosophy for some reason became vacant 
a few years afterwards, and as no fresh appointment was 
made, teaching in that department ceased even nominally 
to exist. We may be spared going into details as to the 
extent of the classes in the other two subjects; suffice it to 
say, that at the present time the physical science teaching 
supposed to be accomplished in Durham by the Univer- 
sity cannot be regarded as anything more than the merest 
apology. 
We have omitted any mention of Astronomy, Durham 
University has an Observatory and an Observer,—it has 
also a “ Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy.” We 
trust we do the present worthy occupant of the chair no 
injustice in supposing that his occupation has rested in 
the former rather than the latter branch of knowledge. 
With the Readership in Hebrew also on his hands, more 
than this could scarcely be expected. 
Some knowledge of the history of previous movements, 
such as has been attempted in the above remarks, is 
needed if we would understand rightly the status guo at 
the commencement of the revived agitation. 
It has been a matter of wonder to many that thenorthern 
coal owners and engineers, a body wealthy enough for 
almost any undertaking, and amongst whose faults cannot 
be reckoned want of regard to their own interests, even in 
that wide sense which embraces a care for the technical 
education of the rising generation, have remained passive 
during the long period which has elapsed since the failure 
of their first scheme ; the more so as they appear to have 
in their ‘‘ Institute” an organisation fitted to take the ini- 
tiative in any public movement connected with theoretical 
or applied science. We are given to understand that one 
chief difficulty has been the want of house accommodation. 
The “Wood Memorial Hall,” a building imposing in its 
design, if somewhat odd in its sculptural decorations, is 
expected to supply this deficiency, and its approaching 
completion indicates the opportunity for another effort. 
The new structure closely adjoins the buildings of the 
College of Medicine, the Natural History Society, and 
the Literary and Philosophical Society, suggesting lecture- 
room accommodation, a museum, and a library, ready to 
hand. 
Meanwhile, a change seems to have been gradually 
taking place in the views held by those in authority at 
Durham ; and when the Institute determined to invite all 
interested in the subject toa preliminary meeting a few 
weeks ago, it was with the conviction that a much more 
liberal response might be expected from the University 
than any hitherto accorded to proposals in which residence 
in Durham formed no part. As this first meeting appears 
to have been one for the expression of opinion only, and 
as this was elicited by the reading of a non-official letter 
from the Dean of Durham (ex officto Warden of the Uni- 
versity) it is needless for us to dwell upon it further than 
to note the influential nature of the gathering, its una- 
nimity as to the necessity for a thoroughly efficient school 
of physical science, and the determination that Newcastle 
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