But one point which is urgently insisted upon must possess peculiar interest for us. This is the earnest and forcible appeal made to the French Government that a newer and better outlet should be found for its criminal sewage. With refreshing candour the very spot is indicated. Hard by New Caledonia lies, inviting annexation, a much more promising territory, more richly endowed by nature for colonisation, whether by bond or free. There are the New Hebrides, why not utilise them? Either send all convicts there and gradually deplete New Caledonia, or let the free colonists acquire these new lands, abandoning the old altogether to the authorities as a colonial bagne. It is more than probable that the suggestion embodied in this alternative commended itself to the French Government and may yet be found to explain wholly or in part its recent policy in the South Pacific. There may be a deeper reason for French intrusion into the New Hebrides. Their continued presence there in spite of diplomatic protest and in defiance of treaty obligations may be really the retort of France to our prolonged presence in Egypt, and she may refuse to withdraw from the one till we promise to evacuate the other, counting much upon the pressure Australia may exercise on our policy. But these are remote reasons; others lie nearer the surface. In the uses, direct and indirect, immediate and prospective, of the New Hebrides to French penal colonisation, are to be found potent, perhaps irresistible, temptations to remain there. Annexation may silence unpleasant murmurs, while the possession of a new and more hopeful field for experiment encourages the still unexploded fallacies with regard to the disposal of criminals. It is too soon possibly for that admission of utter failure which inevitably waits upon these misdirected and inordinately costly attempts at penal colonisation. But the day will assuredly come when France will accept, even against her will, the later experiences of the very nation whose earlier mistakes she has so blindly perpetuated. The only useful and intelligible penal system is that which provides for the uniform punishment of criminals in home prisons, where labour may be made remunerative and strict discipline can always be maintained under the close and watchful supervision of authority backed up by public opinion.

ARTHUR GRIFFITHS.

NEWNHAM COLLEGE FROM WITHIN.

COLLEGES for women have for some time held a recognised and quietly prosperous position of their own; they have passed the stage of doubtful experiment, nor can those who go to them any longer be set down as strong-minded individuals who have struck out for themselves a line which could not safely be adopted by ordinary people.

The number of women students is large, and it is increasing; I am not sure that it will not soon be larger than that at which most people would be prepared to estimate the number of women possessed of remarkable individuality in the whole of England, and when once any course has come to be adopted by a sufficient number of ordinary people, its character, as possible, expedient, and orthodox, may be looked upon as pretty well established. Although, however, this is the case to a very great extent among certain classes in England, and although there are numbers of girls-good, dutiful, home-loving girls, who have grown up with the idea that after school will come college, and have looked upon the going to college as an event as natural as is to others their coming out' and presentation-it is just as true that in another class the very term 'women's college' often carries with it a suggestion of something unwomanly, while at the same time the most curious ignorance exists as to the nature of the institution which is thus condemned unheard.

'Are your rooms at college next to your brother's?'

'What time do they put your bedroom candles out at Newnham ?' 'Are the students bound by any kind of vow?'

These are three questions, arising from misconception of three distinct kinds, which have been put to me more than once in perfect seriousness by very different people.

The first inquirer laboured under the delusion that going to Newnham was identical with going to King's or Trinity, and that women's colleges and men's colleges were one and the same thing. Number two, on the other hand, could not rise to the conception of anything but a large boarding-school for grown-up girls; while to number three a number of women residing together could suggest nothing but the idea of a convent or sisterhood. In view of these

different and erroneous impressions, perhaps some account of Newnham work and life as it actually is may not be out of place, for it is surely worth while, even for those who, disapproving of the system, would never entertain the idea of college for themselves or those for whom they are responsible, to learn something about a life which, as a matter of fact, is adopted by, and does largely influence, a very considerable number of young Englishwomen.

I said Newnham work and life,' making a distinction between them; but of course the one is a necessary part of the other, and in fact its raison d'être, for the growth of Newnham was gradual and corresponded to the growth of a desire on the part of women for University education. It was thus a case of demand and hence supply.

It is seventeen years ago since the first lectures for women resident in Cambridge were delivered by University men, prominent among whom were Professor Henry Sidgwick and the late Frederick Denison Maurice. These were eagerly attended, and presently came an application from another part of England for leave to come to Cambridge for the purpose of attending them. The request was considered by those who managed the lectures; it was granted, and a lodging found for the applicant, whose example was followed by so many others, that in 1871 a house was opened for students, under the charge of Miss Clough, the present Principal of Newnham College. Four years later, after more than one migration to larger quarters, it was found necessary and possible to build a hall for the accommodation of the increasing number of students, and this was the origin of the red-brick Queen Anne building, designed by Mr. Champneys, and known now as the South Hall of Newnham College, but then designated Newnham Hall.

The South Hall stands in good-sized grounds of its own; these include three tennis-courts, a gymnasium, and a laboratory, and are separated by a road only from the North Hall, a building in the same style, which was opened in 1879, and placed under the charge of a Vice-principal, Mrs. Henry Sidgwick, succeeded in 1882 by Miss Helen Gladstone, the present Vice-principal of the College.

Nor is the process of growth yet completed. About twenty students, for whom there is not room in either of the old halls at present, occupy a house near to Newnham College, known as the Red House, and presided over by one of the resident college lecturers; while, adjoining the North Hall, are already to be seen the foundations of what will probably in future be known as the West Hall.

In the early days of Newnham the students worked for the Cambridge Higher Local Examinations, and these are still taken by the majority as preliminaries to, and by the minority instead of, a Tripos.

It was in 1874 that the first women students were admitted, in

formally, to a Tripos Examination, and during the next six years thirtythree more were examined in the same informal way and obtained honours. Their success, and that of the Girton students, resulted in 1881 in the passing by the University of certain Graces which gave to women the right of admission to the Tripos Examinations after keeping the same number of terms at Newnham or Girton as is required of men at their colleges, and after passing either the Previous Examination or certain groups in the Higher Local Examination. Cambridge has not yet followed the example of the London University in conferring degrees upon the women students, to whom there is awarded instead a certificate stating the place obtained in the Tripos.

The subjects in which they have obtained honours are: mathematics, classics, natural science, moral science, history, and mediaval and modern languages.

Of course the choice of a subject lies with the individual student, and depends upon her tastes, talents, and previous training.

In classics and mathematics a girl's education has seldom been such as to enable her to take a high place, although first classes have been obtained in both. In the other subjects she starts with advantages about equal to those of the men, especially as regards history and modern languages, of which indeed at eighteen she will probably know more than her contemporary from a boys' public school. A proof of this is to be seen in the class lists of 1886-the only names in the first class of the Modern Languages Tripos being those of two Newnham students, while another was bracketed first in the History Tripos.

A Tripos is aimed at by most of the students; indeed four-fifths of those now in residence are preparing for one; but it is in no way pressed upon them, and they may, if they prefer it, take different groups of the Higher Local each year; or even, if their work is good and sufficiently advanced, study without taking any examination at all. Thus there should be no fear of overpressure; nor has steady regular work been found otherwise than conducive to health. That it really is conducive, and in more instances than is commonly supposed essential, to health, is perhaps a discovery that in the case of many women yet remains to be made. Another such discovery is the fact that a course of study at Cambridge is less exhausting than a course of gaiety in London, and that the dangers of overwork are small compared with those of over-dancing, late hours, draughty ball-rooms, &c., though it is the fashion to dilate severely on the former, in the case of girls, and ignore the latter, or, at all events, look upon them as natural and inevitable. With regard to the advisability of examinations for either men or women, there will always be two opinions. But I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and that it is good-once in a lifetime at leastVOL. XXI.-No. 124. 3 L

to make a definite effort to achieve a definite end of this description. Besides this, the specialising involved in the preparation for a Tripos is particularly valuable to women, with their tendency towards desultoriness, and the attainment of a little of everything, and nothing well.

As to the instruction at Newnham, it is given by means of lectures, partly within, and partly without the college. There are five resident women lecturers: one classical, two mathematical, one for modern languages, and one historical, all of whom were formerly students of the college. Also three natural science demonstrators who reside in the town. Lectures are delivered by these, and by University men, some of whose lectures in their own colleges are also attended by the students. A great deal is also done by private coaching, which, indeed, wholly supersedes the lectures during the long vacation term, i.e. from the beginning of July to the end of August, when one hall is open for the reception of all students who wish to gain the extra few weeks of work.'

The number of hours' work in the day varies of course with the nature of the work and of the student. Roughly speaking, however, eight hours is the greatest, and six the least amount which it is generally found well to give to regular work.

The day at Newnham is divided in the way which has by experience been proved to be the best adapted to work. At eight o'clock the South Hall bell and the North Hall gong are sounded, and the students come down to prayers in their respective dining halls, that is to say, the majority do so, but attendance is not compulsory. A short lesson and some collects are read by the Principal, and then comes breakfast, at a number of small tables, each of which affords accommodation for eight. Every one sits where she likes, excepting that there is rather a strong prejudice among the students in favour of none but those in their third or fourth year going, as a general rule at least, to the high table' at the top of the room, where sit the Principal and resident lecturers.

There is no ceremony about breakfast; it is a very cheery meal, with plenty of chat and laughter going on, students coming in and out almost constantly, late comers arriving, and those who have finished leaving when they choose.

By nine o'clock the latest breakfast is over, and the majority have settled down to work, or gone off to their lectures. Each student having one room only, as bedroom and sitting-room com

1 Full information as to the University Examinations open to women is given in a pamphlet on this subject, and in the Newnham College Report, copies of which may be obtained on application to the Hon. Secretary, Miss M. G. Kennedy, The Elms, Cambridge. The Report also gives information as to the scholarships tenable at Newnham. The fees for those who do not hold scholarships are twenty-five guineas a term, payable in advance.