i88 3 .] 
On Technical Education . 
545 
with — and I have no doubt other chemists have also — work- 
men in smelting works capable of assaying copper ores by 
the dry method with an accuracy which an experienced che- 
mist could not equal until after some considerable practice. 
The mere performing the analysis, whether qualitative or 
quantitative, of inorganic substances, is no proof that the 
student who has performed them has been taught the science 
as a science. Dr. Russell, the Examiner, does not, as will 
be seen from the extract I have given from his report, believe 
that they are taught the science in the Training Colleges, 
but that “ these subjects are learnt only with the object of 
passing the examination ” : in other words, it is mere cram. 
The practical examinations in organic chemistry are far 
more difficult, and if the substance sent in the Advanced 
Stage for analysis is on a par as regards difficulty with what 
is too succinctly stated in the pamphlet entitled “ Science 
Papers,” I have no hesitation in stating that the student 
who analyses the mixture correctly is not likely to have been 
taught in a purely mechanical manner, for analytical tables 
will not enable him to analyse organic substances, as they 
do inorganic ones, altogether in that fashion ; he must have 
a pretty good knowledge of the properties of the organic 
bodies he has to look for. I give what is contained in the 
printed document— 
“ Advanced Stage.” 
“ The examination in the Advanced Stage is confined to 
the qualitative analysis of a mixture which may contain any 
or all of the following constituents, together with one or 
two inorganic bases : — Hydrocyanic acid, formic acid, oxalic 
acid, acetic acid, benzoic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, 
and citric acid.” 
The time allowed for the analysis of a mixture of that 
sort, according to the document from which I extract it, is 
three hours ; but in a later Time Table, which has been sent 
me indirectly from the Department, four hours is the time 
stated. Anyone who would analyse correctly in four hours a 
mixture containing 75 per cent of the organic acids named, 
and had to search for the whole of them, and that the two 
bases were of varied character, would deserve to be classed 
as an expert analyst : those unacquainted with chemical 
analyses would not comprehend the complexity of the 
analysis unless they were informed that it is frequently 
more difficult to prove the absence correCtly of a substance, 
especially in organic mixtures, than to prove correCtly the 
