JXTLT 3, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



13 



to decide. The city of Bombay was anxious 

 to have the institute in its midst, or on the 

 adjacent heights of Trombay, but experts 

 advised that the climate was not suitable for 

 delicate scientific work. Sir William Eamsay 

 visited India, on the invitation of Mr. Tata, 

 to assist him in his decision, and to advise 

 concerning the character of the scheme. Pro- 

 fessor Masson, of Melbourne, and Colonel 

 Olibborn, Principal of Eurki College, prepared 

 tentative plans and estimates. Ultimately, 

 owing largely to the generosity of his High- 

 ness the Maharajah of Mysore, it was decided 

 to build the institute at Bangalore, which has 

 an agreeable and temperate climate. The 

 Maharajah, on the advice of his late en- 

 lightened Dewan, Sir Seshadri Iyer, not only 

 offered free a valuable site half a mile square 

 for the institute and its grounds, but agreed 

 to make an annual grant of Es.50,000 (about 

 £3,333) towards its maintenance. The co- 

 operation of the government of India was an 

 essential feature of the scheme. It was 

 always recognized that the liberal provision 

 offered by Mr. Tata would not, even with the 

 aid of the Mysore grant, sufSce for the cost 

 of upkeep. The government was therefore 

 asked to make an annual contribution. So 

 long has the scheme been under consideration 

 that almost the first duty undertaken by Lord 

 Curzon on his arrival in India as Viceroy was 

 a discussion of the matter with an influential 

 deputation. Eventually the annual grant of 

 the government of India was fixed at Iis.87,- 

 500 (about £5,833). Before the transfer of 

 the property was completed Mr. Tata died 

 somewhat suddenly at Nauheim. His two 

 sons, who were his heirs, immediately an- 

 nounced their decision to carry out their 

 father's wishes. As the property was in real 

 estate, there were interminable legal delays, 

 but these are now at an end. The cost of the 

 buildings and equipment had, however, still 

 to be provided. Towards this purpose the 

 government of India has contributed Es.250,- 

 000 (about £16,666), and the Maharajah of 

 Mysore Es.500,000 (about £33,333). The 

 building is expected to cost Ils.1,100,000 

 (about £73,333), and the balance will be ob- 



tained from the surplus income already ac- 

 cumulated. By the late Mr. Tata's express 

 wish, his name will not be associated with the 

 institute. 



On the advice of Sir William Eamsay, Dr. 

 Morris W. Travers, P.E.S., who was formerly 

 on the staff of University College, Bristol, was 

 appointed director of the institute, and arrived 

 in India about eighteen months ago. He has 

 since been busily engaged in work connected 

 with the undertaking, which is now primarily 

 under his control. Sir Herbert Eisley, on 

 behalf of the government of India, has been 

 closely associated with the various stages of 

 development. Some members of'the staff have 

 been already appointed and have taken up 

 residence at Bangalore. The site of the in- 

 stitute is about three miles from the center 

 of the station, and is 3,080 feet above sea-level. 

 It commands a view of one of the most beau- 

 tiful pieces of undulating country in southern 

 India, and the Maharajah has ceded jurisdic- 

 tion over the site to the imperial government. 

 The architect selected is Mr. Charles P. 

 Stevens, whose father designed the Victoria 

 terminus at Bombay and many other famous 

 buildings in India. 



The chief work of the institute will be the 

 establishment of departments of pure and ap- 

 plied science, and students who have passed 

 through the Indian universities will be trained 

 so that they may apply science to the Indian 

 arts and industries. It will be in no sense a 

 " trade school." Though there will be no 

 undergraduate side at present, it is expected 

 that this may ultimately become a necessity, 

 as has been the case with some post-graduate 

 institutions in America. Even as it is, most 

 of the Indian students entering the institute 

 will first have to go through a course of prac- 

 tical instruction before commencing research. 

 Private workers requiring accommodation for 

 the purpose of investigating new products or 

 processes, or actuated by a desire to carry out 

 scientific research, will be received. Six de- 

 partments are to be established, each with a 

 professor and assistant professors. The di- 

 rector will occupy the chair of pure chemistry,, 

 and a professor of applied chemistry has. 



