Jijlv 6, 1905] 



NA rURE 



233 



to increase the great usefulness of these institutions, even 

 though conducted in the main upon their present lines ; 

 but we have thought it desirable to defer making such 

 recommendations at the present time for reasons which 

 we will now 'proceed to state. 



II. It will be remembered that the terms of reference 

 to the committee were as follows : — " To inquire into the 

 present working of the Royal College of Science including 

 the School of iVlines : to consider in what manner the staff, 

 together with the buildings and appliances now in occupa- 

 tion or in course of construction, may be utilised to the 

 fullest e.xtent for the promotion of higher scientific studies 

 in connection with the work of existing or projected Insti- 

 tutions for instruction of the same character in the Metro- 

 polis or elsewhere : and to report on any changes which 

 may be desirable in order to carry out such recommend- 

 ations as they may make." 



We recognise the admirable work accomplished by the 

 Royal College of Science not only in training teachers, 

 but in its general method of science teaching and in the 

 promotion of research. Notwithstanding the marked 

 increase in the number of institutions where teachers of 

 science can be trained, the demand has also so increased 

 that the need for teachers of science who have been well 

 trained in scientific method is no less now than when the 

 college was established as a normal school of science. 

 At the same time it is agreed that there is an urgent 

 national necessity for increased facilities for advanced in- 

 struction and research in science, especially in its appli- 

 cation to industry. In view of this fact, and in view of 

 certain munificent offers of aid towards the provision of 

 such facilities in London, we have felt that it was 

 necessary, in order to discharge the reference to us, to 

 survey the resources available for, and the potentialities 

 of, the principal existing and projected institutions of the 

 character contemplated in our terms of reference. We 

 have now proceeded far enough in this survey to satisfy 

 ourselves that the moment is primd facie opportune for a 

 comprehensive scheme. The accomplishment, however, of 

 such a scheme as we have in mind can only be brought 

 about by the realisation of the offers of aid which are 

 referred to above, and by the cooperation of certain 

 Influential bodies possessing an interest in such institutions 

 as are dealt with in our proposals. 



It has, therefore, become necessary for us to approach 

 these bodies and the persons who have made these 

 munificent offers. But before we proceed any further in 

 this direction, we feel that our position would be 

 strengthened if we could be assured that our proposals 

 will meet with the approval of the Government, and we 

 have accordingly decided, in view of the stage at which 

 we have arrived, to present this preliminary report, in 

 which we outline the scheme we think desirable, and 

 specify the conditions which in our opinion would make 

 it possible. 



III. The conditions which, if fulfilled, would, in our 

 opinion, ensure the success of the scheme are : — d) The 

 gift of a large capital sum (say not less than 100,000/.) for 

 buildings and initial equipment. 



(2) The gift of a considerable additional site (say not 

 less than 4 acres) at South Kensington. 



(3) The willingness of the Board of Education to allow 

 their college at South Kensington to be brought into a 

 scheme of common government and administration. 



(4) The similar willingness of the City and Guilds of 

 London Institute in respect of their college at South 

 Kensington. 



(5) The continuance of the Government contribution in- 

 cluding the necessary provision for the maintenance of the 

 new laboratories and other buildings of the Royal College 

 of Science, now approaching completion. 



(6) The continuance of the support given by the Cor- 

 poration and Livery Companies of the City of London to 

 the Central Technical College. 



(7) The provision (in the proposed College of Applied 

 Science at South Kensington) of instruction in certain 

 departments of engineering either by new foundation or 

 by transfer and enlargement of part of the work of some 

 existing college or colleges (e.g. 'Jniversity College or 

 King's College). 



(8) The cooperation of the University of London. 



NO 1862, VOX . 72] 



(9) The assurance of a sufiicient maintenance fund.' 



IV. Given the fulfilment of the above conditions, we 

 should be prepared to recommend such a scheme as is 

 indicated in outline in the following paragraphs : — 



(i) In considering the problem laid before us by the 

 Government, we are impressed by the fact that the most 

 urgent need in scientific education is the establishment of 

 a centre in which the specialisation of the various branches 

 of study and the equipment for the most advanced training 

 and research should be such as ultimately to make it the 

 chief technical school of the Empire. 



So large a scheme cannot be carried out in a day, but 

 we believe that the present is a favourable opportunity for 

 making a beginning, and in the suggestions which follow 

 we have kept the above end steadily in view. The exist- 

 ence of the Royal College of Science with the Royal School 

 of Mines and of the Central Technical College in close 

 proximity points to South Kensington as the best position 

 for such a centre as we contemplate ; and we have made 

 careful inquirv as to the extent of the accommodation 

 which is at present concentrated in that neighbourhood. 

 It is as follo%vs : — (a) Accommodation for about 200 

 students in the permanent part of the existing buildings 

 of the Royal College of Science and the Royal School of 

 Mines, (b) Accommodation for from 300 to 350 students 

 including accommodation for work for about 100 advanced 

 students in the physics and chemistry laboratories in the 

 Royal College of 'Science, now approaching completion. 

 (c) Accommodation for about 300 students in the existing 

 buildings of the Central Technical College. 



With the exception of the new laboratories of the Royal 

 College of Science, these buildings are fully occupied by 

 students, but the accommodation for mining and metallurgy 

 is quite inadequate, and is to a great extent merely 

 temporary. Further, the accommodation for engineering, 

 whether in the Royal School of Mines or in the Central 

 Technical College, ' is insufficient to meet the wants ^ of 

 many qualified students who are annually refused admission 

 for want of space, and in no branch of applied science is 

 sufficient provision made for advanced or specialised work. 



There is no doubt that if arrangements could be made 

 between the Government on the one hand and the City 

 and Guilds of London Institute on the other, the resources 

 of the above mentioned institutions could be used with far 

 greater effect and economy. 



(2) The buildings and equipment, even if such arrange- 

 ment were made, though in many respects excellent and 

 extensive, are quite inadequate for existing requirements, 

 and still more for the purpose in view. The provision to 

 be made for the future should include not only a fully 

 developed School of Mining and Metallurgy and depart- 

 ments for the principal branches of engineering, but also 

 for other special subjects. 



We do not attempt in this Preliminary Report to draw 

 up a detailed scheme, but the following principal subjects 

 should be within the purview of the institution'. — 



As preparatory subjects — mathematics, physics, chem- 

 istry and geology. Lender the general heading of civil 

 engineering — works of construction, mechanical engineer- 

 ing, electrical engineering, mining engineering, marine 

 engineering and naval architecture. Some branches of 

 chemical technologv, and certainly metallurgy. 



As illustrations o'f the kind of higher or more specialised 

 application of these subjects, some of which we suggest 

 should be dealt with, we need only mention the appli- 

 cations of engineering to railway, dock, and hydraulic 

 work ; the development of electricity in the direction of 

 electric traction, lighting and telegraphy, and electro- 

 chemistry. It woulci be impossible to provide for the whole 

 of the above subjects at once. Some of the more 

 specialised subjects, such as the advanced metallurgy of 

 look to the following sources in addi- 



1 For '.uch a mainteoance fund 

 tion 10 those mentioned above under he.idings 5 and 6. , . . , . . 



c!t1 Any grant from the vote for university colleges to which the ms..l 

 tion mav be able to establish its claim. 



f/.1 \n annual grant from the I ondon County Council. 



(f) The Ressemer Memorial Fund (so far as not applied to capi 

 expenditurel. 



(if) Fees of students. _ . . , , . 



(<■) Endowment of special forms of instruction given by persons or bod 



'"f /"rAny portion of funds given for capital purposes which may rem; 

 available for income after the necessary capital expenditure. 



