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CHAPTER XIII.

COOPER'S HILL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.

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Beauty of landscape around Cooper's Hill- Establishment there of College for Civil Engineering Enlargement of the original design -- Adapted both for England and India - National advantage of technical education in civil engineering - Peculiar advantages offered by a college of this description Character of professional instruction afforded therein.

I DESIRE to include in this collection of essays a brief description of the Royal Indian Engineering College at Cooper's Hill, inasmuch as I have special facilities for doing so, being Chairman of the Board of Visitors appointed by the Government to supervise the course of study pursued there, and to advise regarding the internal management.

The situation of Cooper's Hill is both beautiful and interesting. The place stands on high ground about 200 feet above the valley of the Thames, overlooking the right bank of the river, about twenty miles from London, and four miles from the stone at Staines, which marks the limits of the old jurisdiction of London City over the Thames. The name is derived from the Cooper's Company, one of the historic Livery Companies of London, and the almshouses of the Company still exist in the neighbourhood. Within a reasonable distance are situated many spots of classic interest in English annals. There are, St. Anne's Hill commanding a famous prospect, and the retreat of Charles James Fox-the churchyard, with its old yews, where Gray composed his elegy-the spot where Herschel erected his 40-foot reflector-the monastic remains of Old Windsor-the spot where

CHAP. XIII. CLASSIC SPOTS NEAR COOPER'S HILL.

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Falstaff is supposed to have been thrown into the river-the Bells of Ouseley, mentioned in the Merry Wives of Windsor' King John's hunting lodge-the beautiful Burnham beeches-the village of Horton, where Milton's mother lived, and where the poet composed some of his immortal works. Windsor itself is only five miles distant, and the nearest entrance to the Great Park is close at hand. The royal Castle forms a conspicuous object in the view. More particularly the college site directly overhangs the plain of Runnymead and Longmead, almost level with the river, where the king and the barons were encamped before Magna Charta was signed. Amid-stream is the island called after that event, having a house wherein there still stands the stone table on which the king's signature was affixed to the Charta.

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Besides the historic there are also literary associations. the seventeenth century Sir John Denham spoke of Cooper's Hill as the Parnassus of England. His verses received high commendation from Dryden; and from among them the following lines may be quoted:

"My eye descending from the hill, surveys

Where Thames among the wanton valleys strays.

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"On Cooper's Hill eternal wreaths shall grow

While lasts the mountain, or while Thames shall flow."

Whether the poet's vision of future glory for Cooper's Hill was ever realized, certainly wreaths of which he little dreamed are gathering around this classic spot. For here has been established a college which affords the best example yet seen in the

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United Kingdom of a comprehensive effort in the cause of technical education in civil engineering. If this effort shall prove successful, a living fame will accrue to this spot such as will surpass all its previous associations and traditions.

It is generally assumed that, as compared with the nations of continental Europe, perhaps even with the United States of America, England is backward in technical education. In this assumption it is probable that allowance is not sufficiently made for the technical instruction that is afforded in most of the private establishments at the industrial centres of England. If a résumé were made (and it would prove extremely interesting) of these efforts on the part of individuals, of firms, and of corporations, the sum total would represent a national effort that might astonish those who are ready to pass a hasty condemnation on English progress. Much excellent instruction in engineering is also given at the universities, the colleges, and other educational institutions of the kingdom both old and new. Still at these institutions engineering is taught in combination with other subjects. The whole strength of the establishment is not bent upon engineering exclusively, nor is the student obliged to devote himself to that alone. Doubtless the engineering instruction which he receives is excellent so far as it goes, but there remains doubt whether it will send him forth as a complete engineer theoretically at least, and fully equipped professionally all round. Again, if it be admitted that the instruction given in numerous private establishments is equivalent to what would on the continent of Europe be termed sound second class instruction, still it is hardly possible for private firms to organize technical colleges of the superior class. For such an organization a large expense is needed, and a concentration of effort, such as can be compassed either by a great association like an university, or by the State itself acting on behalf of the nation. It is by such means that the famous college of practical science, which exists largely for engineering but for other branches

CHAP. XIII.

CIVIL ENGINEERING COLLEGE.

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besides, namely, the Polytechnicum at Zurich, has been organized and maintained for Switzerland, and that similar institutions have been established in France, Belgium, and Germany. This, too, is the principle present to the minds of those who have sustained the English college at Cooper's Hill.

The idea of this college originated with the Government of India, which in 1871 set up the institution for training young civil engineers for the department of public works in India only. This purpose was well fulfilled for several years. But it was found that owing to reduction in the Indian establishments, the demand for India alone would hardly suffice for maintaining the college in full vigour. The Government therefore decided, in 1880, to throw the institution open to all comers. By this arrangement all qualified applicants would be admitted as students. It was expected that some of these would proceed thereafter to India according to the requirements of the public service in that country, and some would follow the profession of a civil engineer in the United Kingdom or in the colonies, or in foreign countries of Europe and America.

In order that the collegiate system might be rendered fully suitable to the requirements of the profession at large, a Board of Visitors was appointed by the Government to consider and report upon this matter. Upon this Board there sit the President and past Presidents of the Institute of Civil Engineers, together with eminent officers who have served in the Public Works Department of India, such as General Richard Strachey, Colonel Henry Yule, and General Dickens, or in the general administration, as Sir Barrow Ellis. To these has been added one whose name will command the confidence of the scientific world, Sir William Siemens. The Board has within the last two years carefully examined every branch of the collegiate instruction, the descriptive engineering, the architecture, the surveying, the applied mechanics, the experimental

physics, the chemistry. It advised the Government to strengthen the instruction in the purely scientific branches, the physics and the chemistry especially, by an augmentation of the practical instruction in the laboratory. It also supported the College authorities in asking for increased accommodation for geometrical drawing and for testing machinery. The object was to render the students thoroughly acquainted with the forces of nature and with the substances that are essential to material undertakings. These several recommendations were accepted by the Government, and the education is as good as the Board can for the present make it, though the highly qualified members will doubtless from time to time suggest further improvements.

As the college must be self-supporting the fees have been so regulated as to cover the educational expenses. The Government indeed advances the funds, but does not expect ultimately to incur any loss. Nor does it contemplate setting up this college in unreasonable competition with other institutions by means of State funds. As the college is to be strictly selfsupporting, whatever competition it produces will be reasonable and healthy. At the same time the fee for each student, 1757. to 1807. per annum for a course lasting three years, does not seem unduly high in comparison with the average cost in England of professional education. The income thus accruing from a complement of 120 to 150 students will cover the expenses which have been carefully calculated.

The Government have been wise in their selection of the men who are to be at the head of the College. The first President was Colonel Chesney, R.E., well known in India as an able engineer in the field, and in England as an author of graphic power. After him came Sir Alexander Taylor, whose name is inscribed in the proudest roll of those who by science and valour helped to wrest Delhi from the grasp of the mutineers in 1857.

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