Page:Convocation Addresses of the Universities of Bombay and Madras.djvu/60

 There is another fact to which I would draw attention, in which I myself take particular interest, and that is that this year we have admitted to a degree in engineering, for engineering acquirements, a member of the Poona Engineering College. Last year I ventured to impress on the young members of this University—and I desire to impress it upon them again—that there is no career which will more certainly enable them to be of use to their country—no career in which it is more certain that they will attain honour and distinction—than that of civil engineering. At present, unfortunately, among those who conduct the engineering works in this country, there are not many who are natives; but I would remind you that you live in a country which is studded with the remains of the most magnificent architecture—that you live in a country where there are the remains of vast works of irrigation and works of public utility—that these were carried on by your forefathers long before they had the advantage of that education which is now vouchsafed to you; and I ask you, will you not advance in the same course, will you not avail yourselves of the opportunities that are offered to you, and thus qualify yourselves for entering into the service of the State, which is bent upon promoting, as far as its means will allow, all those works that shall increase the wealth, the happiness, and the prosperity of the country? Mr. Vice-Chancellor, you have referred to a munificent act on the part of a distinguished member of our Senate. Those who know him and who know his family will, I am sure, not be surprised that he has again come forward to extend this munificent liberality to the University: and I feel I should be wanting in my duty, Mr. Sassoon, if I did not publicly tender to you my acknowledgments on behalf of the University. In the course of your report, Mr. Registrar, you referred to the services of Sir Alexander Grant. I am sure that there is no friend of the University, that there is no friend of the youth of this country, that there is no friend of India, who will not feel that we sustained a very great loss by the retiring of Sir Alexander Grant. He has returned home to undertake new duties, and in them I do not doubt he will earn for himself as much distinction as he earned here in India in the cause of education; and I am sure that it will be a gratification to every friend of this University to know that, although removed far from us, although he has now to take charge of another academic institution, he yet continues to feel the deepest interest in all that concerns education in this country, and in this University in particular, and that I have reason to know