§ MR. PIMasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the change contemplated in the University of Dublin will affect the College of Science of Dublin in any manner; and, whether he would consider of some arrangement for the resumption of the popular lectures in 1519 science which were formerly delivered, first at the Royal Dublin Society's House, and subsequently in the College of Science, then called the Museum of Irish Industry, and which were largely attended by the industrial classes of Dublin?
MR. GLADSTONEreplied that if the hon. Member meant to ask him whether, in the event of the Bill now before the House becoming Law, the measure would injuriously affect the College of Science at Dublin, or limit its action, he was not aware that it could possibly do so. If the hon. Gentleman meant to ask whether the College to which he referred would be a College within the view and meaning of the Bill, he was not able to answer that question. He was aware that the College in question was a Museum of Dublin industry which had been converted into a College of Science, and that it was a very useful institution; but he was not sufficiently acquainted with its conditions of foundation and government to form a judgment as to whether it would be affected by the Bill under the consideration of the House. With reference to an arrangement being entered into for the resumption of the popular lectures in science which were formerly delivered there, he had been informed that those lectures had not been largely attended by the industrial classes in Dublin; but that they had been largely attended by the middle and upper classes of that city, and he had no doubt that they had been of great service. For his own part, he had no means of acquiring information on this subject, but he would refer the matter to the Irish Government, in order to see whether the request of the hon. Member could be acceded to.