58 SCIENCE: 
Among the special students in 1829 was 
James H. Ward, a midshipman of the 
United States Navy, who was preparing 
for the examination for past-midshipman, 
and who found in Washington College the 
opportunities for such studies as he desired 
to pursue and which were cultivated in 
only a few places. It was largely through 
his instrumentality that the United States 
Naval Academy was founded by Bancroft 
in 1844. 
‘‘ But the men who founded Washington 
College, with its startling departure from 
the accepted course of study, were half a_ 
century in advance of their day; and it is 
as fatal to a man’s usefulness to be fifty 
years ahead of his time as to be fifty years 
behind it. The college was compelled to 
recede from its advanced position and do 
the work called for in its generation. But 
the scientific studies, though reduced, were 
never abandoned. A few years ago, by the 
generosity of alumni and friends of the col- 
lege, among whom the late Junius S. Mor- 
gan, of London, and Mr. Walter Keney, 
of Hartford, were conspicuous, but particu- 
larly by the large gift of the late George A. 
Jarvis, of Brooklyn, N. Y., the laboratories 
for physics and chemistry were constructed 
and equipped. In 1888 tentative efforts 
were made to procure the funds for the 
erection of a building for the museum and 
department of natural history. The time 
was not deemed favorable and the project 
slept until 1893, when another effort was 
made. But the flurry of a threatened war 
with England over the Venezuelan bound- 
ary caused another postponement. In 
1898 the effort was renewed; several large 
subscriptions were obtained, W. C. Brock- 
lesby, an alumnus of the college, whose 
father had been for many years a professor 
in charge of the work of natural history, 
was engaged as architect, and to-day we 
have the satisfaction of seeing the comple- 
tion of this part of the project of our vener- 
{N.S. Vou. XIII. No. 315. 
ated founder and his associates. In their 
name, as well as our own, I bid you wel- 
come.” 
In addition to the addresses by Professor 
H. F. Osborn and Professor W. H. Howell 
given above, short addresses were made by 
Professor Hadley, of Yale; President Car- 
ter, of Williams; Professor Conn, of Wes- 
leyan and ex-President Pynchen, of Trinity. 
The following extracts from congratula- 
tory letters to Professor Edwards were read : 
“The generous support which is afforded by your 
countrymen to scientific institutions is in the highest 
degree creditable to the nation and sadly contrasts 
with the treatment accorded to naturalists in the old 
country. 
“*T need hardly say that I am fully aware of the 
splendid contributions to the various branches of nat- 
ural history which have been made by members of 
the staff of the various universities and collezes of 
the United States, and [ trust that the magnificent 
scientific reputation of such men as Louis and Alex- 
ander Agassiz, Asa Gray, T. D. Dana, and O. C. Marsh 
may serve as an incitement to their successors in 
similar lines of research, and that the mantle which 
they dropped may abide with future generations in 
Trinity College, Hartford. Believe me, dear sir, 
“Very faithfully yours, 
“ROBERT D. CUNNINGHAM, M.D.” 
PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
QUEEN’S COLLEGE, BELFAST, IRELAND. 
“Tt is my wish that your new hall may receive and 
instruct many generations of students, and that it 
may inspire in many the taste for zoology. 
““Very cordially yours, 
““L. CUENoT.”’ 
PROFESSOR OF ZOOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, 
UNIVERSITY OF NANCY, FRANCE. 
“With all good wishes for the success of your 
labor, I am 
““Yours very faithfully, 
“PRANCIS DARWIN.”’ 
CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND, 
August 15, 1900. 
“T regret that distance, and the occupaticns that 
fill the life of all those who have devoted themselves 
to science, do not permit me to be present in person 
at the inauguration of the Laboratory of Natural His- 
tory of your college. But Iam with you in heart, 
and I send you in this letter my most earnest wishes 
for the success of your laboratory. 
