XXXII. 8. H. BARRACLOUGH. 



still for 10 years past. After the erection of the present 

 Technical College buildings, the State seemed to have 

 temporarily exhausted its efforts, and beyond a very small 

 increase in the expenditure, and the loyal efforts made by 

 the authorities and teaching staff of the Technical Colleges 

 to improve the conditions here and there wherever the 

 limited means at their disposal allowed, we have done little 

 in the direction of planning a systematic scheme of instruc- 

 tion. At present it is only recording a fact of the case to 

 state that there is no co-ordination between the various 

 technical institutions, either with primary and secondary 

 education on the one hand, or with the University on the 

 other, nor yet with the industrial life of the community 

 which technical education should foster and encourage. 

 There has been no elaborate and consistent planning of 

 means to this definite end, no adequate preparation for 

 taking our right place, nor even for sufficiently defending 

 ourselves in the industrial war of nations. That such a 

 state of warfare exists it is impossible to deny. No friendly 

 treaties can prevent it, nor is it easy to see how peace can 

 be secured. The relations between civilised nations are 

 much more primitive than between civilised individuals. 

 It is not an army of soldiers that constitutes the real 

 menace in these days, but the regiments of scientifically 

 trained directors of industrial enterprise, the armies of 

 intelligent mechanics and artizans. 



Although all nations may, in the words of an ancient writer, 

 " turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into 

 pruning hooks," yet if the spirit of competition still remain, 

 the weapons, even in their tranquil disguise, are just as 

 formidable. The only defence in this kind of strife is to 

 reply to action with action ; to meet education with train- 

 ing, and excellence with yet more. "Captains of industry," 

 says Carlyle, "are the true Fighters, henceforth recognisable 



