The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-31 00:00:00

JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES BILL.

On the motion of Mr. MALINS, the order of the day
for the second reading of this bill was postponed until
Monday.

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BILL.

Mr. BOUVERIE, in rising to move that the house
go into committee on this bill, said hon. gentlemen were
aware that in the year 1852 a commission was appointed
to inquire into the University of Cambridge, its colleges,
its statutes, and the state of its education. The com-
mission having reported to her Majesty's Government, a
bill founded on that report was introduced in the other
House of Parliament, which subsequently came down to
that house ; but owing to the late period of the session
it was ultimately withdrawn. Well, the measure now
before the house was similar in most re=spects to that
which bad been thus withdrawn. Apart from the
attachment which he felt for a place where he had
spent so many happy hours, it was impossible for any
one who felt the least tincture of love for lite-
rature not to have the deepest interest in the wel-
fare of a great educational institution like Cambridge
University. For himself, therefore, he could not approach
the subject with any other feeling than a sincere desire
to improve the university, and extend and strengthen its
foundations. At that time of day it was needless to argue
the right of Parliament to interfere with such a corpora-
-tier'. Certainly it was not many years since the right had
bees stoutly disputed, but the question was now deter-
mined. It was admitted in the passing of the University
of Oxford Bill two years ago that Parliament had the
right to interfere with the statutes and property of the uni-
versities. The universities were great national institutions,
founded by act of Parliament, enjoying great privileges,
as well as receiving annually grants of public money, be-
sides being solely entrusted with the education of the
clergy of the Established Church. He woul I the' 0-ore ad-
dress himself to the necessity for the interference of Par.
liament as the ground upon which he wished to argue the
present bill. The proposition which he would ley down to
justify such interference was this—that the University
and colleges of Cambridge being institutions with vast
wealth intended to be devoted to the education of the
people of the country, that that wealth had not been
turned to the best account ; that, in fact, the results
produced were very small as compared with the means
of the university. Now let him state what the resources
of the university and colleges were. But first he might
observe that the wealth of the university was not in pro-
portionate dimensions to that of the colleges, which, in
fact, had very much overbalanced the university and had
practically a monopoly of the teaching. Tne income of
the university available :or general purposes at present,
it was stated in the report of the commission, was as fol-
lows :-7,9001. ; appropriated to specific objects, 8,7001.;
salaries of prizemen, 7,8001. ; total income about 24,500/.
a year. Well, now as regarded the colleges. The com-
missioners stated that they had not got returns from the
whole of the colleges ; but they enumerated the incomes
of 12 colleges which did send in returns. St. Peter's
had 7,3001. a year; Perehreke, 12,0001. ; Trinity Hall,
3,000/. ; Kings, 26,000/ ; Queen's, 5,3001. ; Christ's,
9,0001. ; St. John's, 26,0001. ; Msgdaleu, 4,0001. ; Tele
nity, 3,480/. ; Emmanuel, 6.5001. ; Sidney Sussex,
5,600/. ; Downing, 12,0001. The commissioner.: state,
as the net average income the colleges, that it cannot
amount to less than 185,000/. a year. Now, adding that
to the 21,500/. a year, the income of the university, it
made the income of the university and colleges together
not less than 209,5001. Well, that fully justified the
assertion that the appliances of the colleges were enor-
mous. Then came the question, what were the results
of such appliances ? Well, no one would deny that the
fairest modes of testing that would be to settle the num-
ber of degrees conferred by them. But let him recall to
mind the enormous inducements held out to attract per-
sons to the university. A great portion of its revenues
were held out as prizes to members in fellowships and
scholarships, besides which there was a great number of
livings which belonged to the college.. Let him give
the number of fellowships open for competition. The
total number of fellowships, including 75 at King's,
which were confined to Eton, were r.,50, of which
236 were unr strieted and 45 restricted. Now, what was
the income of the different foundation fellowships? Some
of them were very considerable—as, for instance, St.
Peter's, which was 2581. a-year ; Pembroke, 3171.;
Christ's, 330/.; St. John's, 1401.; Trinity, 3251. The
amount of education in the University was nothing like
what it ought to be ; the institution was a machine which