THE PROPOSED NORTHERN UNIVERSITY.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPEOTATOR.") Sin,—The difference between the two schemes now before the public for a North of England University may be well illustrated by reference to the history of the University of London. The institution now known as University College was originally established in 1827, under the designation of "The London University." It attained under that designation a considerable success, as a College for education, but was never empowered to exercise the distinctive function of a University, the granting of Degrees.
During Sir Robert Peel's short administration in 1835, a motion was carried in the house of Commons (by a vote of 246 to 136) for an address to the King in favour of a grant of a Charter to the "London University" empowering it to grant degrees. No action was taken in the matter, however, until some time after the return of the Whigs to power ; and various reasons (among others, the then recent institution of King's College on Church- of-England principhs) satisfied the Government that it would be impolitic to confer University privileges upon a single College, and that it would be preferable to entrust the award of academi- cal honours to a body in more immediate relation to the Crown (the "fountain of honour "), and not consisting solely—as at the older Universities—of representatives of the constituent Colleges.
Accordingly, the authorities of the then" London University" were induced to exchange their original title for that of "Uni- versity College ;" and a body of Crown nominees, distinguished in Literature, Science, Law, and Medicine, was incorporated, under the title "University of London," with power to confer degrees in all subjects except theology upon candidates educated at University College, King's College, and such other Colleges as might be subsequently recognised by the University. On th,e subsequent history of the University of London I need not dwell. The high value attached to its degrees is universally admitted ;
and whilst far from considering its constitution perfect, I have a strong conviction that its position of entire independence has largely contributed to the success it has achieved.
Now what Owens College originally asked, was exactly what the "London University" had asked fifty years before,—namely, that it might itself be constituted a University empowered to grant degrees. Having been early requested by its authorities to give my opinion upon its project, I expressed the obitction I felt to the placing the power of conferring Degrees in the hands of any body of teachers ; and suggested that if a new University should be required for the North of England, it should be formed upon the model of the University of London, but with a provision for the representation in its Senate of the Colleges incorporated in it. My suggestion was so far adopted by the authorities of Owens College, that they now express their readiness, if endowed with University privileges, to affiliate other Colleges to themselves. But this is just as if the authorities of the original "London University" had insisted upon their College being erected into the "University of London," expressing at the same time their readiness for the affiliation to it of King's College, the various Denominational Colleges, and the rival Medical Schools.
I fail to see what claim Owens College now has which the then "London University" could not have advanced. But the Council of the latter, with a wise liberality, saw that the con- stitution of the proposed "University of London" would give it much more of the character of a national institution than the original "London University" could ever hope to attain ; and willingly surrendered the title, when once satisfied of the worthi- ness of the academical distinctions to which its students would be admissible. And I cannot but hope that, in like manner, my friends of Owens College will come to see that degrees given by such a Corporation as I have suggested, would possess a much higher value than those conferred by a University composed of Owens College, with other Colleges affiliated to it, among which they should themselves "play first fiddle."
If the present Government should be of opinion that the "University of London" is incapable of being rendered adequate, by any modification of its constitution, to meet the needs of the North of England, and should consider that a new University is required for that area, it might, by the adoption of such a scheme as I have suggested, bring about (if it has courage to do so) the extinction of the anomalous University of Durham ; which, with an insignificant staff of Professors in Arts and Science, and with a Medical School (that of Newcastle-on-Tyne) of far inferior rank to that of Manchester, not onlygrants Degrees in the several Facul- ties, but has actually the same representation in the Medical Council as each of the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and London, and as the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, of Glasgow and St. Andrew's, conjointly. I can conceive it quite pos- sible that the present Government might put such pressure upon the University of Durham, as might bring it to surrender its inde- pendent power of conferring degrees, in exchange for such a position—as a constituent College of a great Northern University— as King's College and Guy's Hospital occupy in the University of London. But I feel sure that they would no more propose to it to affiliate itself for University purposes to Owens College, than the Government of 1836 would have proposed to King's College or to Guy's Hospital to affiliate itself to the then "London University."
As this comparison of the two schemes in their historical bearing has made their relative characters more clear to myself, I hope that it may do so to others also.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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