ANNIVERSAEY ADDRESS. 49 



technical schools have been long instituted, and care has been 

 taken not only to train men specially to undertake the chemical 

 and other departments in manufacturing establishments, but to 

 give opportunity to artizans to properly learn their trades on 

 scientific principles. 



Sound technical training implies a knowledge of theory, and 

 the student must be carefully instructed in the principles which 

 underlie his subject, if he is to be in a position to properly exer- 

 cise his judgment. The necessity for this is clear. The trained 

 man starts in the business of life with a grasp of his subject, a 

 fund of information which the untrained man does not possess, 

 and he is in a much better position to cope with difficulties and 

 achieve success than the other. 



The training of the skilled artizan and that of the professional 

 man have this much in common. Both require a certain know- 

 ledge of theory in order to understand their work, although, of 

 course, in the case of the latter the extent and range of subjects 

 to be learnt is vastly greater than in the other case, and they 

 both have to acquire a facility in manipulation in the particular 

 instruments essential to their calling. 



It cannot be too strongly urged, how important it is that all 

 classes from employer to workman should be taught as their vary- 

 ing circumstances require, if the British race wishes to keep in 

 the front. 



With regard to the profession of engineering, it is not to be 

 denied that the great engineers of the early part of this century 

 started life without much theoretical teaching, and that their 

 careers have been pre-eminently successful, but how much more 

 transcendent would their position have been had they had the 

 preliminary training which we now enjoy, but which in those days 

 was not to be had % and it may be asked whether these great men 

 would at the present time, did they enter upon their calling with- 

 out it, be able, in spite of their genius, to compete with those who 

 having less genius were better equipped. They certainly would 



D-May 4, 1898. 



