98 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VoL. XXXIII. 
As far as university instruction of the ordinary American 
type is concerned, the District of Columbia is already well sup- 
plied with the means of furnishing it. It is only necessary to 
refer to the names of the Georgetown University, the Catholic 
University, the Columbian University, Howard University, the 
National University, the proposed American University, and 
their associated special schools, to make this plain. While 
nearly all these institutions are more or less distinctly under 
the control of some religious denomination, I believe none of 
them confine their educational efforts to students of any one 
particular faith, and in most of them instruction is sufficiently 
free from sectarian bias to render the denominational control a 
matter of little importance to their students, except in so far as 
it tends to preserve a good standard of morals. 
It is, I believe, admitted by the friends of the projected insti- 
tution that there is no sufficient reason for establishing a new 
competitor for the opportunity of giving undergraduate instruc- 
tion. Few friends of liberal education would advise that to the 
workers in a field already so well occupied, and most of whom 
are so poorly endowed, should be added another institution of 
similar character and aims. Generous givers might far better 
contribute to the strengthening of those already established. 
But it is claimed, and with some show of reason, that there is 
still room for an institution. of a different character, in which 
those who have already acquired the essentials of a liberal edu- 
cation could pursue special branches of study, utilizing the 
opportunities which might be afforded by the government labo- 
ratories in various departments of science, to make of them- 
selves highly skilled specialists, for whom the growth of the 
country is beginning to open a career. 
Assuming, for the purposes of argument, that this contentior — 
is just, the present paper is intended to discuss, from the poi. 
of view of the official man of science, the practical questions of © 
what relations between such an institution and the executive 
departments of the government are practicable and advisable ; 
and also the organization best suited to promote harmonious 
and successful coöperation between the departmental labora- 
tories and the members of such a university. 
