On Tuesday last the King and Queen visited Bristo! to
open the new University Buildings which are a fine monument to the progress of science and the humanities in the West of England. Few cities have a greater romance than this great port of the West whose particular fame seemed to have less publicity in the last hundred years than it deserved. During the War secrecy forbade its services being recognized though it did all that might be expected of Sebastian Cabot's adopted home. Its continuity is thrust upon us when we read of the Merchant Venturers whose Technical College is incorporated in the University. Its commercial importance throughout the ages may be gauged by the fact that Canute minted his money there as well as later kings. Chatterton told strange tales of even earlier Bristol money. What a salvation to any modern Chatterton the University may prove ! At King William's reeoinage of 1697 147,000 lbs. of old money and other metal were minted at Bristol into nearly £500,000 of new money. Apart from the princely generosity of the Wills family, which should be for ever piously remembered, the University is a noble example of the humanity and public spirit of Bristol and the West of England.
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