TEACHING OF COLONIAL HISTORY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 2

TEACHING OF COLONIAL HISTORY

(From Our Special Correspondent.)' LONDON, November 25

The offer made by Air Alfred Beit to Oxford University to found a professorship of colonial history lias been accepted by the University. The terms of the endowment are contained in the following letter, addressed by Mr Beit to the ViceChancellor : “I am ’somewhat surprised to learn that no definite provision exists in the University of Oxford for teaching the history of our, dominions over the sea; and that the subject is not even specifically included as an alternative special subject in the cmriculm of the modern history school. As I ain anxious to promote a greater interest in, and a more accurate knowledge of, this particular branch of British history amongst the students of the University, more especially amongst those who, under the provisions of Mr Rhodes’s will, come to Oxford from all parts of the Empire, I now request you to submit to the University authorities the fallowing proposal, viz.:—To contribute the sum of £l3lO per annum for seven years—(l) for the maintenance of a resident professor of colonial history; 12) for assistant lecturers-, (3) for a prize of £SO far an annua! essay on the advantages of Imperial citizenship, and for the payment of examiners’ fees ; (4) for the purchase of books on the subject, the amount of such purchase not to exceed £SO per annum. At the expiration of seven years, if it is decided by a majority of .t he Hebdomadal Council that tho professorship and assistant lecturers have been justified,.! undertake to make pornui n out .endowment which will annually yield the sum above mentioned. The comi.il iocs attached to my offer are as follow : —(1) Thu*- the professor be resident, and that accommodation be provided at tho university for the lectures; (2) that he deliver annually a public lecture on the history of 'British Dominions Over the Sea’ ; (3) that the history of ‘British Dominions over the Sea’ bo included as a separate and alternative special subject in the examination papers cf tho. modern history school: (4) that it shall not include the history of India or its

dependencies, but shall include the following subjects: (a) The history of Imperial policy towards Bniish possessions; (b) the detailed history of all other British possessions, pact and present, exclusive ol' India and its dependencies. In anticipation of this offer being accepted, T have given £350 to the Bodleian Library for the purchaso >:>i such books and documoiiis as are required in the study of Imperial history as defined above.”