The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-23 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY REFORM.

(From the Times.)

The proceedings of the Oxford authorities in the work
of self-reformation have been crowned by an act of pre-
sumption which, if it be not a simple suggestion of des-
pair, is evidence of a more profound political ignorance
than ever was attributed even to that extraordinary body
termed the Hebdomadal Board. The reader is aware

that under this designation a Certa; class of-College
officers has hitherto exercised entire and irresponsible
authority over the University of Oxford, to the exclusion
not only of all learning, distinction, or other species of
personal desert, but of all other official claims whatever.
No professor, however renowned ; no tutor, however
popular ; no graduate, however celebrated in his sphere,
could obtain admission to this governing board, nor
could the unanimous suffrages of the whole University
in convocation dispute a single member to take part in
its debates. That such a constitution had long created
universal discontent we need not be at no trouble to
remark ; nor was there any point of the Ministerial
measure which gave greater satisfaction than the an-
nouncement that a reform in these institutions was to
be a leading feature in the projected improvements. It
is not likely to have been forgotten what course the
Hebdomadal Board pursued when the designs of Go-
vernment were declared. They first opposed the inquiries
of the Commission to the utmost of their power, and ac-
tually took the advice of counsel as to whether the kro-

ceedings of her Majesty's Ministers could not be treated as
illegal. They then attacked and disparaged the report of
the Commission, though it gave them infinitely more
consideration than they really deserved. For nearly
two years, while all the reflecting members of the Uni-
versity were engaged upon this important subject, and
while constitutional schemes of greater or less merit
were propounded in various quarters, they turned to
their own advantage that possesiton of power which they
still retained by resisting everything, and staving off all
decision. When summoned by Government in Decem-
ber last to report upon their progress, they suppressed
the Ministerial letter as far as they could, and withheld
this communication from the very constituency in whose
interests it was framed. At length, when it was fairly
announced that they were to be dealt with as refractory,
and that a measure for the reform of their institutions
was to be introduced to Parliament forthwith, they
begged a respite of a few days, and on Friday last they
published a constitutional scheme of their own, on which
they require the decision of the University by Friday
next. And what does the reader suppose is the sub-
stance of this project, which now, after two years' in-
action, is for the first time proposed to the University,
with a peremptory demand of ale answer within seven
days ? Simply this—that the Hebdomadal Board shall
remain as it is, with its composition and its functions
exactly as they are at present.
We yesterday published the details of this audacious
proposal. To escape from the compulsion under which
the just requisitions of Ministers had placed them, these
authorities have devised the notable plan of having two
governments—one constructed upon representative prin-
ciples according to demand, and the other neither more
nor less than their own, which latter is to be the first in
dignity aid consideration, the new one being considered
as "supplementary," and as coming second in all re-
spects to the senior esiablishment. Here follow the
words of the "petition," under which form the project
is to come before the University for consideration :
"The constitution of the Hebdoinadal Board remaining
in other respects" (i. e., except in. one quite unimportant)
" as it is at present, a second board, or delegacy of Con-
vocation, shall be constituted, to consist of equal num-
bers with the Hebdomadal Board„ and to be empowered
equally with the present board to consider and to ini-
tiate all measures requiring the sanction of Convoca-
tion." We think it must be acknowledged that a more
preposterous scheme was never devised.

It will naturally be wondered on what principles or
with what views such a project could have originated,
but this we can make clear to the public in a few words.
The Universities are constituencies composed of their
respective graduates, who form bodies of considerable
numbers. These bodies, like all other communities or
corporations, must needs depend for the administra-
tion of their affairs on some species of council or di-
rectory, and this governing board has been hitherto
formed, both at Oxford and Cambridge, of a certain
class of college officers exclusively. The object of the
present reforms is to substitute for this obnoxious
description of government a system based upon repre-
sentative principles. Ministers remitted the question
to the Universities themselves, in order to obtain from
these bodies some practical suggestions for improvement.
The idea itself was very creditable to Government, but
it will be seen from what we have said that the Univer-
sities, as at present organised, can only speak by,
through, an in the words of, those very authorities
against whom the pending measures are directed. The
consequence is, that as these authorities naturally clutch
their own privileges with the true tenacity of monopo-
lists, and are yet compelled to make some sort of sur-
render, the proposals ultimately proceeding from these
quarters are inconsistent and impracticable in the ex-
treme.

The true principle of action, as is perfectly understood
in the Universities, though there are no means of giving
regular expression to the conviction, would have been to
set aside the existing authorities altogether, and to con-
sider their claims afterwards, in the formation of a new
governing body, simply as one element of the academi-
cal composition, without any reference to their present
powers. This was what was done in the scheme of the
Tutors' Association. The present governors of the Uni-
versities are, at Oxford by statute and at Cambridge by
usurpation, " Heads of Houses," that is to say, Masters
of Colleges exclusively. But this office, while it conveys
to the possessor no species of representative warrant
from the University constituency, implies very little
necessary fitness for University government. It is
quite certain that all the best men of a college cannot
obtain the mastership, and it is probable enough that
not one of them may do so. These appointments, which
are usually in the gift of the Fellows for the time being, '
are of some value, and are often decided by such natural
considerations of favour, compromise, interest, or expe-
diency, as exclude any particular attention to personal
merits. Heads of houses, as every one in Oxford knows,
are not necessarily, or even commonly, the most dis-
tinguished, experienced, or popular members of their
own societies, nor is quo any real reason whatever why
they, any more than tutors, deans, bursars, or other
officials, should pretend to privileges of Government.
But in any case their claims, be what they may, should
be considered in that governing board or council by
which the University is to be administered for the future.
To retain them as independent and co-ordinate authori-
ties, to clash and conflict with another board, is evi-
dently absurd. When once the second, or representa-
tive council, has been established, it will be perfectly
impossible that a non-representative council can suc-
cessfully contend with it. The whole scheme, in fact,
is based, not upon the requirements of the University,
but on the desires of a class. Its object is simply to
preserve the place and satisfy the pretensions of the
Hebdomadal Board—a board notoriously disqualified by
its composition for the exercise of Government, and con-
demned by the universal opinion of the community over
which it has presided.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

( Front the Registrar-General's Report.)

The rate of mortality has recently undergone no ma-
terial variation, but a decrease, thougk not great, indi-
cates an improvement in the public health. The deaths
registered in the metropolis, which in the week that
ended Feb. 4 were 1,204, declined in the week following
to 1,178, and last week to 1,154.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1844-53,
the average number of deaths was 1,085, which if raised
in proportion to increase of population, becomes 1,194.
The number returned last week is, therefore, less by 40
than the er-timated amount.

Last week the births of 775 boys and 764 girls, in all
1,539 children, were registered in London. In the nine
corresponding weeks of the years 1845.53 the average
number was 1,452.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29'757 in., the
highest mean was 30.45 in. on Monday ; the lowest
29,160 on Friday. The mean temperature of the week
was 35'1 deg., which is 31 deg. below the average of
the same week in 38 years. The highest temperature
was 49'8 deg., and occurred on Friday; the lowest was
23.5 deg., and occurred on Tuesday. The coldest days
were Monday and Tuesday, when the mean temperature
was 7 deg. and 6 deg. below the average. It was below
the average on every day except Friday. The mean
dew-point temperature was 29.5 deg. There were se-
vere gales on Friday and Saturday. On Friday the
,greatest pressure of the wind was 13 lb. to the square
foot ; on Saturday it was 171 b. The amount of hori-
zontal movement of the air on either of these days was
about 290 miles. The amount of rain in the week was
only 0.21 in. On Saturday the air was remarkably dry.

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS.