December 16, 1922] 



NA TURE 



8>5 



With the expansion of the teaching of applied 

 science on so wide a scale, the accommodation in the 

 existing buildings rapidly became wholly inadequate. 

 Accordingly, the provision of new quarters became 

 imperative, and under Act of Parliament in 1903 

 a government grant was made for this purpose. The 

 magnificent new buildings on the present site in Upper 

 Merrion Street were thus made possible, and the 

 foundation stone was laid by King Edward VII. 

 in 1904. The buildings were opened by King George V. 

 •in July 191 1. and in October of that year the College 

 began work in its new laboratories. 



The buildings (Fig. 1). which were designed by Sir 

 Aston Webb, occupy three sides of a quadrangle, and 

 the numerous laboratories and lecture-rooms are laid 

 out in a manner leaving nothing to be desired. Neither 

 care nor expense has been spared in making the build- 



of the College to its new home, all the principal courses 

 were extended to four years, an alteration which has 

 been amply justified in the light of the results which 

 have been attained. Broadly speaking, the curri- 

 culum is now arranged so that the first two years 

 are devoted to work mainly of a mathematical and 

 purely scientific character, while towards the end of 

 the second year, and during the third and fourth 

 years, attention is devoted largely to the applications 

 of science, and to the professional aspects of the 

 several subjects of study. 



The courses in all cases involve very considerable 

 use of laboratories and workshops, and close co- 

 ordination between tuition in theory and laboratory 

 work has been worked out carefully. 



The work of the College is organised in three facul- 

 ties — those oi agriculture, applied chemistry, and 





tjl 



-Royal College of Sc 



ings and equipment perfectly suited for the work 

 of the College. Many years have been spent in their 

 completion, and they are among the best in the British 

 Isles at the present time. The laboratories are 

 replete with the most modern appliances and acces- 

 sories, and the machines and apparatus installed 

 have been chosen for their excellence from the world's 

 markets. 



In short, the College possesses the great advantage 

 that its buildings and equipment in every detail are 

 up-to-date, and both have been thoroughly laid out 

 with the definite object of providing the means neces- 

 sary for dealing efficiently with the courses of educa- 

 tion undertaken. The College buildings also provide 

 laboratory accommodation for the important work 

 of the Plant Diseases and Seed Testing Division, and 

 tin- Agricultural Analytical Station of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



For some time it had become apparent that the 

 three-year course, which until 191 1 had been required 

 of the students taking the associateship, was in- 

 adequate to deal satisfactorily with a gradually extend- 

 ing curriculum. Accordingly, shortly after the removal 



NO. 2772, VOL. I 10] 



engineering. In addition, there are four-year courses 

 of study, in experimental science and in natural science, 

 leading to industrial careers. The College also pro- 

 vides courses in science subjects for students who 

 intend to become teachers in the technical and second- 

 arv schools of the country, and it is thus the keystone 

 of the Department's scheme of technical and scientific 

 education throughout Ireland. 



Students who have successfully passed through one 

 of the full courses of study are awarded the associate- 

 ship of the College. Associates of at least three 

 years' standing may proceed to the fellowship of the 

 College, which is awarded for meritorious original 

 scientific research or for contributing otherwise in 

 a marked degree to the advancement of science. 



There are professorships in agriculture, botany, 

 chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, mathematics, 

 physics, and zoology; and lecturerships in agricultural 

 botany, agricultural chemistry, bacteriology, organic 

 chemistry, physical and metallurgical chemistry, en- 

 gineering, horticulture, mathematics, and phvsics. 

 Among the past professors are many well-known names, 

 such as — Sir Robert Ball, Sir William Barrett. Sir 



