SCIENCE AND EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 593, 23 August 1909, Page 5

SCIENCE AND EMPIRE.

THE KINC: AND THE NEW, IMPERIAL , COLLEGE. PROSPEEITY DEPENDS ON TECHNICAL TRAINING. By laying tho foundation-stone oa July 8 at Sonti Kenemgton of tho new Imperial College of Science and Technology, the King advanced yet another step Uio great scheme for iughei training in tcicnco and art initiated by the Pnnco Consort fifty years igo Within ttic new buildings, which • avo bran erected at tho joint tost of tho Government, the London County Council, and oortajn private benefactors, will bo give\\ the highest specialised instruction 'j scientihc subjects, with a particular view to industrial usafulnres, while adequate provision has been inado for research. Facing tho Prince Consort and Exhibition Roads, tiho college Will, at tie rear, be close to tho Imperial Institute. It was by way of tho entrance in Imperial-Institute Road to tho Indian section of the Victoria and Albert Museum that tho Royal party reached, Just after noon, the temporary building on tho site of tho collogc, whero the Primate awaited them. Immediately fallowing their Majesties and the Prince and Priricess .of Wales wore Mr. Herbert Gladstone (Minister in Attendance), Mr. Haldano, Mr. Runcunan, and Lord Crowo (chairman of tho governing bodO. N Lord SuJisbury, Lord Strathcona. Lord Hals- , bury, Lord Londonderry, Lord Wolvcnhampton, Lord Harrowby, Sir Melvill Beachcroft, Mr Gerald Balfour, Sir Win. White, Sir J. Wolfe Barry, and Dr 4 Dovoy (Rector of the college) nere nmong others in the procession. An Address to His Majesty. , His Majesty vvoro a "frock ooat, closely buttoned, and Queen Alexandra was dressed in Btoramc-nng bronze-green, with a pale mauvo boa and black and manvo toque 'Lord'Crowe 'stopped,.forward.and read to. Ins Majesty nn address tracing the history of the Imperial College. "It is tho c>ll nest and, we believe, well- , grounded hope .of tho governors," the addross ended, " that I tins Imperial College nny, in the- coming years, justify its title by providing a centre of the most advanced teaching and research in science nn its practical side, not only for tho United Kingdom, bnt for tho whole of Sour Majestj's dominions, and that it maj stand becond m digmtj and character to no other kindred institution in tho world" Mr Gladstone ilicn handed to his Majest] the following reph, which the King read — "I thank jou most licartilj, mi behalf oi , the Queen and myself, for the address frotf the govornors, professors, students, ( ano staif of the Impenal Collego of Science and Technology. It is a greit pleasure to m« to lay 'the foundation stone of jour nev buildings. t , ' " Tho concentration of various associate* ooVoges into one institution, which was _ effected by our Order-m-Council of July, 1907, has alw&ys seemed to mo to be at admirable scheme for the furtherance of v scientific instruction, which my dear father had so much at hoort, and the names which appeared in the first list of_ members of the governing body woro sufficient in themselves ito give the college a vory high statu/ in the educational world. SCIENCE AND NATIONAL SAFETY. "The purposes of the oollege. as stated ' in , tho charter, are to give the highest ' specialised instruction and to provide the ( fullest equipment for advanced teaching and research in various branches of science, es« pecially in , its application to industry "In recent years the supremo importance of higher scientilic education Jias, I am hapny to say, been fully recognised in England, and as tirao goes on I feel more and more convinced that tho prosperity, evea tho verv safety and existence, of our country depend on tho qualitj of tho sciontifia and technical training of thogo who are to guide and control our industries ,The lapid . growth of knowledge makes it necessary for thdjteacher of any branch of applied science to bo a specialist of a high order, and tho most accomplished' specialist cannot impart the full advantage of his knowledge' without' that complete provision of' apparatus for research and instruction which tnis collego will supply. , "Tho collogo has already given admirable results, arid wo may well look for a steady increase in the number of students and in tho efficiencj of the instruction provided "The thanks of tho country are duo to those i public-spirited donors through whose generosity a largo portion of tho funds have been provided for this great work, and'l join in your appreciation of their t munificence I think it is especially fitting that the great discoveries (if tho late Sir Henry; . Bessemer, to which the' remarkable development of tho engineering industries in the list half-century is largely duo, should <bo commemorated bv tho equipment of laboratories of this institution "I praj that the blessing of God may ittend ,tlio future of the collego and tho high destinies 'which I anticipate for its work." When the King was about to declare the stone well and truly laid a characterietao little incident occurred, Sir Walter Prideaux offered his Majesty the mallet and level in the order named, but King Edward, versed in the art of 6tono laving, indicated , with a dccisno movement that he must uso the level first. Ilaving carefullv tested the "Ho" of tho stone, his Majesty concladed tho ceremony bj tapping the steno thneo, and, in a cJoar' voice, saying: "In tho name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, I declare this steno well and trulv. laid," Sir Aston Webb, who designed tho now Victoria and Albert Museum, is the architect of tho college buildings. They are designed to accommodate the mining, motallurgicil, geological, and pugmeoiing departments, and, as bouts such a _ purpose, tho •Opvation will be broad and simple in etjlo. Mi Haldano has been a generous donor to the scheme, and \cry hi go-sums have been Rivoii by Sii Errest Cassell and Messrs. Wernher Hoit, ,ind Co , tho gifts having amounted to nearly a quarter of a million.