ADDRESS. 47 
_ who, when competition brought about great changes in the particular trade 
\ through which, for many generations, this city chiefly enjoyed prosperity 
and high renown, developed its power and resources in new directions, 
from which success soon flowed in continually increasing measure. The 
rapid rise of Leeds to its present high position in industrial prosperity 
and national importance most probably dates from the period when its 
chief staple industry began to experience serious rivalry, in its own 
_ peculiar achievements, on the part of other districts of the kingdom and of 
other countries. From early days a flourishing Centre of one of the pro- 
vinces of Great Britain most richly endowed with some of Nature’s best 
_ treasures, Leeds could scarcely have failed, through the energy, acute intel- 
ligence, and powerful self-reliance especially characteristic of the men of 
Yorkshire, to rapidly acquire fresh renown in connection with industries 
which either were new to the town and district, or had been pursued in 
comparatively modest fashion, and which have combined to place the Leeds 
of to-day upon a higher pinnacle of commercial prosperity, power, and 
influence than her patriotic citizens of old could ever have dreamt of. 
An examination into the present educational resources of Leeds places 
beyond any doubt the fact that her present prosperity in commerce and 
industries is in no small degree ascribable to the paramount import- 
ance long since attached here to the liberal provision of facilities for the 
diffusion of knowledge among the artisan and industrial classes, and 
especially for the acquisition of a sound acquaintance with the principles of 
the sciences and their applications to technical purposes, with particular 
reference to the prominent local industries, by all grades of those who 
pursue or intend to pursue them. There is, probably, no town in the 
kingdom more amply provided with efficient elementary and advanced 
schools for both sexes, while the special requirements of the artisan are 
efficiently met by the prosperous School of Science and Technology. The 
resources of the Yorkshire College provide, in addition, a combination of 
thorough scientific education with really practical training in the more 
mnportant local industries; indeed, during the sixteen years of its con- 
finually-progressive work, this institution has acquired so widespread 
reputation that students come from abroad to reap the advantages 
forded by the unrivalled textile and dyeing departments of the Leeds 
ollege. The keen competition now existing between these departments 
nd the corresponding branches of the much younger but most vigorous 
ister College at Bradford, can only conduce to the further development 
ff both, and to their thorough maintenance up to the requirements of 
he day. 
The very important pecuniary aid afforded to these establishments, 
ind to a number of other technical schools in Yorkshire, by one of 
he most important of the ancient companies of the City of London, the 
Clothworkers, affords an interesting illustration of the good work in the 
cause of education performed by those Guilds and, especially of late years, 
Pe 
