272 



NA TURE 



[July 19, 1906 



SOME SCIENTIFIC CENTRES. 

 VIII. — The Macdonald Physics BOilding, 

 McGiLL University, Montreal. 

 \\7ISE liberality has rarely reaped a richer and 

 ^^ more immediate harvest than the gift by Sir 

 William Macdonald of the Physics Building to McGill 

 University at Montreal. This benefaction is but one 

 instance — though a very important instance — of the 

 fact that education, particularly scientific and tech- 

 nical education, is of enormous practical advantage, 

 and that the most wealthy men in Canada and the 

 United States recognise that it has the first claim 

 on their generosity. In England money is given 

 with no less lavish hand, but vast sums are devoted 

 to objects less deserving than education, inasmuch 

 as they afford palliatives, and not preventives, of 

 failure, suffering, or distress. 



The Physics Building, with its accompanying en- 

 dowments and equipment both for instruction and 

 research, forms but a small fraction of the total 

 gifts of Sir William Macdonald 

 to McGill University — gifts which 

 exceed in value three and a half 

 million dollars. A brief history 

 of its growth, more particularly 

 as a centre of research work, 

 may be of service to those 

 desirous of emulating a noble 

 example. 



In 1891 a chair of physics was 

 endowed by Sir William Mac- 

 donald, to which John Cox, 

 formerly Fellow of Trinity 

 College, Cambridge, was ap- 

 pointed as the first professor. 

 He was at once instructed to 

 visit the best laboratories in 

 America, and thus add to his ex- 

 perience of similar institutions in 

 Europe. He received the most 

 cordial assistance in the United 

 States, and learnt both what to 

 acquire and what to avoid. On 

 his return, in conjunction with 

 the architect, Mr. Andrew T. 

 Taylor, he planned a building, 

 beautiful in appearance, and so 

 complete in every detail, that it 

 is scarcely possible, with an in- 

 timate knowledge of the internal 

 arrangements, to suggest anv 

 material improvements. The 



general scheme was to provide a building which 

 would meet the requirements of the ensuing fifty 

 years. The cost of the fabric was 29,000/., being at 

 the rate of about elevenpence a cubic foot. 



The donor further instructed Prof. Cox to prepare 

 estimates for equipment and apparatus, and in re- 

 sponse for a request of 5000!., the sum of 6000Z. was 

 placed at his disposal. At this point Sir William 

 Macdonald decided to endow another chair for re- 

 search in physics, and the institution was fortunate 

 in obtaining H. L. Callendar, from Trinity College, 

 Cambridge, as its first occupant. The equipment of 

 the laboratory continued from 1892 to 1897, when 

 the founder was assured that sufficient apparatus 

 had been obtained ; but the first grant had been 

 greatly exceeded, and the total donation for this 

 purpose was 22,000/. This sum has been discreetly 

 spent, and adequate provision has been made for 

 lecture tables, laboratories, and for all branches of 

 physical research. Sir William Macdonald made a 

 further gift of 30,000/. in order to secure an annual 

 NO. I916, VOL. 74] 



income of 1500/. to provide for the salaries of demon- 

 strators and to defray the cost of heat, light, up- 

 keep of apparatus, and repairs to the fabric. .As 

 educational property is not subject to taxation in 

 Canada, the only rate payable is the water tax. In 

 addition to the preceding gifts, the donor of the 

 Physics Building has made special grants from time 

 to time for the purchase of radium, for a liquid-air 

 plant, for two large induction coils, and in particular 

 1000/. for the purchase of books for the library in 

 the building, and 400/. for a special research fund. 

 It is fortunate that such splendid munificence has 

 been judiciously expended by Prof. Cox, and that 

 the results obtained have been such as to win for 

 the laboratory a place in the foremost rank. 



A detailed account of the rooms in the building 

 is unnecessary, but an important item in the estab- 

 lishment is the workshop, with tools and lathes driven 

 by electric motors, sufficient to make a large pro- 

 portion of the more simple apparatus required for 

 instruction or research. A complete plant of this 



Fig. I.— Macdonald Physics Building. McGill Un 



iity, Montreal. 



nature, under a competent mechanic and assistant, 

 effects a great saving of time and money in a city 

 where skilled labour is often scarce and always costly. 

 It is not within the scope of this article to give an 

 account of the purely educational uses of this build- 

 ing, but it is sufficient to state that the lecture 

 theatres and laboratories are ample in size and 

 equipment, so that all students in the faculties of 

 arts and of science receive courses in physics suited 

 to the requirements of their future professions. .-An 

 interesting question arises as to the extent to which 

 professors of research should devote their time to 

 the instruction of ordinary students. On the one 

 hand, it may be regarded as a waste of valuable time, 

 but from the student's point of view it is a great 

 gain to come into contact, both in laboratory and 

 lecture room, with the best intellects in his uni- 

 versity. A research professor must necessarily devote 

 some of his time to the instruction of advanced 

 students, and particularly to the assistance of research 

 students. It is therefore undesirable that any large 



