May i8, 1905] 



NA TURE 



59 



Birmingham is indebted to tlie local authority for an 

 income of 6000/. a year, and referred regretfully to 

 the circumstance that the neighbouring local authori- 

 ties have not contributed very largely to the funds 

 of the universitv. It must be admitted that the con- 

 tribution of the citv of Birmingham to its university 

 is a handsome tribute to the value attached by the 

 local authoritv to university instruction, and we join 

 with the Chancellor of the university in hoping that 

 suitable sums of money will be devoted in the near 

 future by local authorities in adjoining areas to the 

 purposes of higher education in the Midlands. 



It is, however, to be regretted that Mr. Chamber- 

 lain made no reference on this occasion to the im- 

 portant principle — a principle he has conceded already 

 more than once — that higher education, especially in 

 science, is primarilv a national charge. As was 

 pointed out in the issue of N.ature for March 16, the 

 present State grant to the University of Birmingham 

 is 4500/., an amount which compares unfavourably 

 with the sum voted by the local city authority. Pre- 

 siding at the annual meeting of the court of 

 governors of the university on February 6 of this year, 

 Mr. Chamberlain remarked : — 



" I may say in passing that the liberality of the local 

 contribution is a ground for the claim which we make for 

 some further State support. It is something that we have 

 found that the Government are becoming alive to our 

 needs and to our deserts, and that they have been able 

 to double the sum previously given for university 

 education. But we may bear in mind at the same time 

 that the present Chancellor of the Exchequer has promised 

 to double it again in his next Budget, and, therefore, I 

 anticipate that from that source we shall receive a very 

 considerable addition. I do not at all accept it as in any 

 wav a satisfaction of our demands, because it is my con- 

 viction that public opinion will soon insist upon larger 

 sums being devoted to this purpose. When I think that 

 wp are spending thirteen millions a year at least on 

 primary education I say the sum now given for the purpose 

 of the highest education, the most profitable of all the 

 investments we can make in that direction, is altogether 

 inadequate." 



If it were necessary many similar quotations could 

 be made from Mr. Chamberlain's speeches, for he has 

 always maintained enthusiasticallv the value of higher 

 education, and recognised, at least in theory, the duty 

 of the State to provide for it adequate financial assist- 

 ance. It is noteworthy, indeed, that on the part of 

 our leading statesmen there is an almost complete 

 unanimity of opinion as to the paramount importance 

 of higher scientific training' for the citizens of a 

 nation which expects to occupy a foremost place in 

 the industrial and commercial pursuits of the world. 

 The Lord Chancellor said in speaking to the under- 

 graduates at Birmingham on Saturday last, that in 

 his judicial capacitv he has noticed that " the number 

 of patents invented in Germany and brought over to 

 England is very large indeed ; the German Govern- 

 ment has contemplated the improvement of its 

 national resources by physical, chemical, and other 

 scientific research, and has established places for 

 physical investigation." Lord Halsbury might also 

 have pointed out the amount of State aid to universi- 

 ties afforded in Germany. The yearly sum, found 

 chieflv by the State, for the upkeep of the L'niversity 

 of Berlin is 130,000/., and six other universities each 

 receive from the same source annual sums varying 

 froin 56,000/. to 37,000/. 



It will be remembered that Sir Norman Lockyer 

 said in his address in 1903, as president of the British 

 Association, that the State does really concede the 

 principle that higher education should be a national 

 responsibility, by its contribution to our universities 

 and colleges. .Since that address was delivered the 



NO. 1855, VOL. 72I 



grant to university colleges h.i> been increased, and it 

 may now be said that the Treasury provides for 

 higher education of the whole country something like 

 the amount that is given by the State to the Uni- 

 versity of Berlin alone. 



But in face of the fact that we have the concession 

 bv the Government of the principle we have main- 

 tained consistentiv in these columns, that university 

 education, of the modern kind at least, should be 

 provided by the State ; and that our statesmen profess 

 to appreciate the value of higher scientific study so 

 far as our national welfare is concerned, and to trace 

 to their colleges and laboratories for research the 

 success of other nations competing with us in the 

 struggle for national existence ; no serious and states- 

 manlike action is taken by our Government to place 

 our svstem of higher education upon a broad and 

 generous foundation. Despite years of earnest 

 advocacv by men of science, and repeated object 

 lessons "abroad of the advantages which early follow 

 national sacrifices on behalf of education, little 

 progress is made by us in the direction of supplying 

 means to provide trained intelligences to perform the 

 work of the countrv in the world's inarkets and manu- 

 factories. Yet, ijnless something in the direction 

 adumbrated is done, knowing the earnest work which 

 is being accomplished elsewhere, this country inust, 

 so far as industrial and economic prosperity are con- 

 cerned, expect soon to take a third or fourth place 

 in the competition of the nations. 



A statesman imbued with the modern spirit, aware 

 of present-day tendencies, possessed of the powei^ of 

 persuasion and clear exposition, would have little 

 difficulty— if he really desired the best interests of the 

 nation — in carrying the country with him by insist- 

 ing that an adequate provision of higher education 

 for those who will manage and control its industrial 

 activities must be made a national charge. 



T 



MEETING OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION 

 IN SOUTH AFRICA. 

 HE seventy-fifth meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion, to be held in South Africa, under the pre- 

 sidency of Prof. G. H. Darwin, in August, promises to 

 be of an unusually interesting character. Though on 

 two previous occasions the association has met in the 

 " British Dominions bevond the Seas," Ibis is the first 

 on which it will hold its'annual meeting in the suulhern 

 hemisphere and in a part of the British l^mpire so 

 remote from its headquarters. 



As early as the year iqoo, the possibility of holding 

 such a meeting was discussed by the council of the 

 British Association in consultation with Sir David 

 Gill, who, however, pointed out that the local circum- 

 stances were at that time unfavourable. Two years 

 later, however. Sir David Gill informed the associ- 

 ation that he was empowered to transmit an invita- 

 tion to visit South Africa in 1905 on behalf of the 

 various Governments, municipal, scientific, and com- 

 mercial bodies in South Africa. Arrangements have 

 now so far advanced as to enable us to give a pre- 

 liminary account of the general features of the meet- 

 ing and its probable char.acter. 



The invitation was issued on behalf of the above-men- 

 tioned bodies, and substantial financial assistance has 

 been rendered by the South .African Governments. The 

 various centres to be visited are also making_ extensive 

 progress, both financially and by way of private hos- 

 pitality, to render the arrangements workable and 

 adequate. 



A central organising commitlef, under the chair- 

 manship of Sir David Gill, has been formed to see to 

 the general arrangements and coordination of the 



