180 
THE CENTENARY OP THE ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE. 
ammunition, lie pronounced tlie following words—“ Without the 
Polytechnic School, the work of the national defence would have been 
impossible.” 
Thus, through, numerous revolutions and changes of government, 
through temporary disbandments and suppressions, in despite of all 
threatenings and antipathies from both the empire and the monarchy, 
the Polytechnic School, the creation of the French Revolution has 
passed safely through alternate periods of trouble and of calm, and has 
now been enabled to celebrate its centennial anniversary under the 
auspices of the able President of the Third Republic. Having par¬ 
taken of an active share in all the great events of the age this school 
has seen those who have issued from its ranks occupy the highest posts 
attainable in the Army, in the Navy, in Science, in Arts and in 
Literature, as well as in Politics. Not a few have rendered their names 
illustrious by bringing their science to open out new paths of research. 
Among these may be named Arago, Gay-Lussac, Poinsot, Biot, Thenard 
among many other honourable savants. The Saint-Simoniens and the 
Positivists have, almost all, been recruited from among the former 
students of the Polytechnic—Enfantin, Jean Reynaud, Auguste Comte, 
Michel Chasles. 
The list of those who have attained the highest military ranks— 
Field-Marshals and Generals—would be too long to quote in this brief 
notice. There has not been a single Government which has not num¬ 
bered in its ranks some Polytechnicians among its Ministers, and two 
among these have occupied the very highest posts in the country, viz., 
General Cavaignac and M. Carnot. On looking at the names of all 
those of whom the school may boast itself of having been the alma mater t 
it is impossible not to feel that the Polytechnic has fulfilled to the 
utmost the fondest hopes of those who created it a century ago ; and it 
has not failed in the task confided to it, or fallen short of the prophecy 
which Biot uttered as long ago as 1803. “In creating the Ecole 
Polytechnique, it has been our wish that a vast column of light may at 
once arise in the midst of this desolate country, and attain such an 
elevation that its beams may shine over the whole of France and 
illuminate the future.” 
The Present Centennial Anniversary. 
The Committee of organisation for celebrating the centennial anniver¬ 
sary of the school was presided over by M. Faye, the celebrated 
astronomer and member of the Institute ; the members including MM. 
Joseph Bertrand, Member of the Academy, Secretary of the Academie 
des Sciences; Bouquet de la Grye, Schloesing, Sarrau, Bassot (all 
Members of the Institute) ; Cheysson, Guillemain, Fargue, Inspectors- 
General of Ways and Bridges ; M. Linder, Inspector-General of Mines ; 
Dislere, Councillor of State ; Claude Lafontaine, banker; de Lapparent, 
the illustrious geologist; Pinet (author of a history of the Polytechnic 
School) ; Generals Borius, a late Commandant of the School, now 
Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic, Borgnis-Des- 
bordes, de Lavalette, de Yillenoisy; Colonel Laussedat, Director of 
the Conservatoire des Arts; General Andre, the Commandant of the 
