TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B. 



585 



Again, most noteworthy is the fact that as many as five contributions are from 

 distinguished amateurs. AVe have been told, on what many persons regard as 

 high authority, that England is suflering from amateurism in all departments of 

 life ; and however true this may be as a generftl proposition, the amateurs of 

 British Science, like Gladstone, Schunck, and Perkin amongst living chemists, are 

 assuredly some of the most valued possessions of this countrj-. 



On looking back a quarter of a century into the past it is at once apparent 

 how greatly during that short period of time — less than a generation of men — 

 have the opportunities for higher chemical training been extended and multiplied 

 in our midst. I think I shall not be far wrong in saying that until twenty-five 

 years ago practically the only public laboratories in which the higher study of 

 chemistry could be pursued were those of the Royal College of Chemistry, the 

 Royal Institution, of University and lung's Colleges, London, the University 

 laboratories of England, Scotland, and Ireland, as well as those of the Queen's 

 Colleges and of the Royal College of Science in the sister island : to which must 

 be added the laboratories of two institutions of a somewhat different type, viz., 

 Owens College, Manchester, and Anderson's College, in' this great city of the 

 north. It is the rapid midtiplication of institutions of the Owens College type 

 that constitutes probably the most important feature in the higher intellectual 

 development of the population of this country during the past quarter of a 

 century ; indeed, it may very possibly be found in the future that this constitutes 

 the most striking landmark in the history of British intellectual progress during 

 recent times. A glance at the following table will show the remarkably rapid 

 growth of these institutions during the last quarter of the nineteenth century : — 



Openinr/ of University Colleges, 



University College, London . . 1828 

 King's College, London . . 18.31 

 Owens College, Manchester . . 1851 

 Durham College of Science, New- 

 castle 1871 



University College, Aberystwith . 1872 



Yorkshire College, Leeds . . 1875 



University College, Bristol . . 1876 



University College, Nottingham 

 Firth College, Sheffield 

 Mason College, Birmingham 

 University College, Liverpool 

 University College, Dundee . 

 University College, Cardiff . 

 University College, Bangor . 



1877 

 1879 

 1880 

 1882 

 1882 

 1883 

 1884 



Finsbury Technical College "i y-,., r^ ,,■, 

 Centrallnstitution j City Guilds 



/ 188.3 

 •U885 



Thus the opening of the greater number of these institutions falls within the 

 decade 1875-1884. 



The benefits arising from the creation of these numerous institutions have 

 not, however, been by any means limited to those persons who have actually taken 

 advantage of their instruction, for their existence has stimulated the establish- 

 ment of many other institutions, some of which, like the two Colleges founded 

 and maintained out of the resources of the City and Guilds of London, although 

 more limited in their scope, afford equal or even greater opportunities for higher 

 scientific training in the particidar branches which are represented. 



The foundation of these University Colleges and of other institutions for 

 higher education by private initiative, and without a particle of assistance from 

 the public exchequer, is quite in keeping with the history of a country in which 

 it is recognised that the Government does not lead, but only follows where it is 

 drawn or propelled. 



It would certainly be anticipated that such a large addition to the machinery 

 for higher scientific training as is represented by the creation of these numerous 

 local colleges during the past twenty-five years would have had a marked 

 influence on the output of scientific discovery in this country. We will endeavour 

 to ascertain whether such a result is discernible in the case of chemical science. 

 Turning to the 'Transactions of the Chemical Society,' I have compiled the 

 following table in the hope of obtaining some information on this point ; 



