1810 one hundred and ninety-eight students were received at the University (and for the summer term twenty-nine), the number of matriculations for the corresponding terms of 1886 were two thousand one hundred and sixty-seven, and one thousand and seventy-one, respectively.

Notwithstanding the comparatively short period of its existence, the University has already become the recipient of many rich bequests for the benefit of worthy and needy students.

In order to promote diligence among the students prize questions are propounded annually in accordance with the following ministerial regulations:

REGULATION OF SEPTEMBER 16, 1824, WITH REGARD TO PRIZE QUESTIONS.

(1) The faculties of the Royal University are to publish annually prize questions for solution by the students.

(2) These prize questions are to relate to strictly scientific subjects, and, although the fundamental knowledge may have become known in the academic lectures, they must be of such a character as to demand thorough study and independent research in order to show, in the answers, the amount of education received and the individual judgment. (3) One prize question each is to be published annually by the theological, juristical, and medical faculties, and two by the philosophical faculty, the latter alternating from year to year between one general philosophical and one historical, against one philologhical and one mathematical or physical.

(4) Each faculty selects its own questions alternately from its various branches. The member to whose specialty the question belongs is the privileged questioner. The proposition has to be made in writing and be submitted to the faculty in regular session on the 20th July, and is accepted with two-thirds majority.

(5) All prize questions are published annually, on the birthday of the King, by means of a Latin programme.

(6) Only students of the Berlin University are admitted to competition, and the essay has to be written in Latin.

(7) Nine months are allowed for the essay, viz, from August 3 of one year to May 3 of the following year.

(8) The replies have to be delivered to the University secretary in sealed envelopes and addressed to the respective faculty. Each essay is to contain a sealed slip bearing on its inside the name of the writer and on the outside the motto which has to be written in the essay underneath the title. These essays have to be delivered to the faculty unopened. Before a decision can be made it is necessary that the essays circulate among all members of the faculty; the member who has propounded the question then has to make an explicit report of all the essays and submit the same to the faculty at the latest on the 20th of July, when the papers will be discussed as to their merits. Every regular

professor is required to be present at that meeting or to make a satis factory excuse. The majority decides as to the award.

(9) A number of essays of insufficient value having been received only by any faculty, it retains the award until the year following, when two questions will be propounded. In the case of unsatisfactory results to the second issue, the ministry reserves the right for future action. (10) The prize consists of a gold medal in the value of 25 ducats ($60).

(11) The festive proclamation of all the prizes takes place on August 3, the birthday of the King, following immediately upon the oration. The public speaker of the University is required to announce, in brief, the decisions of the faculty of each of the essays. Thereupon the envelope containing the motto of the victorious student is opened and read, together with the name of the essayist.

(12) The envelopes containing the names of the unsuccessful candidates are not opened, but may be withdrawn from the secretary, together with the essay. The crowned essay is also returned to the writer after a copy has been made of it for the archives of the University, and may be published by the author for his own benefit.

The same rules are adopted with regard to the municipal prizes, of which one to the value of 225 mark ($56) is placed at the disposal of each faculty. The prizes were founded, together with stipend, on occa asion of the fiftieth anniversary of the University.

Statistics of prize questions for the years 1825-1885 show the following results: 537 questions were propounded during the past sixty years; 779 essays have been submitted, and of these 292, 37.5 per cent. have received the prize; 25, 3.2 per cent., the second reward; and 108, 13.9 per cent., public acknowledgment. With regard to the distribution by faculties the following result is shown:

Institutes connected with the University.

The University Library.-The first impulse towards establishing an independent library for the University was given in 1829, both by the rector and the senate of the University and by the chief librarian of the Royal Library, Prof. Dr. Wicken. In a report to the proper department of the Government it was stated that the Royal Library had become insufficient for the wants of the professors and students of the University, and that for those a separate library had become necessary. The es tablishment of such a library was then decided by royal decree of February 20, 1831.

The resources of the library were at first very moderate, and consisted of 500 thaler ($375), collected from the students; furthermore, it was decided that each doctor upon promotion, each private lecturer upon his qualification, and each professor upon receiving his appointment, was to pay 5 thaler ($3.75) towards the support of the library. For its location some rooms were allotted in the Royal Library. The chief librarian of the Royal Library was designated as principal librarian, and two officials given him for the performance of the administrative work.

The establishment prospered, notwithstanding the many difficulties presenting themselves. The moderate means were carefully invested in suitable books, and the library further increased by many donations and by the compulsory additions exacted from the publishing houses of the palatinate Brandenburg.

The library lends books for home perusal and is also used as a reading-room.

For the lending of books the library is open daily from 9 A. M. to 2 P. M.; on Saturdays, only to 1 P. M. The reading-room is open daily from 9 A. M. to 7 P. M.; on Saturdays to 1 P. M. only. During the summer vacations the library is open from 11 A. M. to 1 P. M., but the reading-room remains closed.

The budget of the library, exclusive of salaries, is put at 10,500 mark ($2,625) for books and binding, and 4,300 ($1,075) for incidentals. The personnel consists of a librarian, three custodians, two assist ants, two auxiliary helpers, two library messengers, and one porter.

The Mathematical Seminary.-The first "seminary act," the request for the establishment of a mathematical seminary, originated on April 6, 1860, and is worded as follows:

"In the mathematical sciences more than in any other branch of science it is necessary that not alone the substance of the lecture is understood, but that the students, and especially the more advanced, should have an opportunity for instruction in the application of the object of their studies. For that purpose the establishment of a mathematical seminary in connection with the University appears to present the best solution. In the opinion of the petitioners such a mathematical scien

tific seminary would tend to promote the mathematical education of the students and exert a great and favorable influence upon their prac tical training as teachers."

An annual appropriation of 500 thaler ($375) was requested for the support of the seminary, of which sum one-half was to be devoted to the acquisition of a special library and the other half to prizes.

On April 23, 1861, the ministry authorized the announcement of seminary exercises under certain provisional regulations, and the sum of 250 thaler ($187.50) was allowed for the purchase of books. On April 26, 1861, the students were invited to participate. The alphabetical, list of the members of the first mathematical seminary is dated May 5, 1861.

On October 15, 1861, the draft of regulations for the mathematical seminary was submitted to the University and accepted October 7, 1864.

The regulations of October 7, 1864, are as follows:

(1) The mathematical seminary is a public institute established in connection with the University and has for its object the instruction of such students of mathematical sciences as have already obtained a certain degree of proficiency by aiding them in the independent application and by affording them literary assistance, thus enabling them later on to promote and increase mathematical studies.

(2) The minister of education has the appointment of two professors of the philosophical faculty to supervise the exercises of the students. (3) Only those matriculated students can be admitted as ordinary members who devote themselves especially to the study of mathematics and have been engaged in that study for at least one year at some university. Foreigners are eligible on the same conditions.

(4) The admission is granted upon the presentation to the director of a discourse and an essay, the examination of which will prove whether the applicant possesses sufficient knowledge and interest to advantageously partake of the privilege. The essay may be omitted upon special occasions in which the director's testimonial is sufficient guaranty for the efficiency of the applicant.

(5) The number of ordinary members is limited to twelve. The directors, however, are empowered to exceed that number by the appointment, as extraordinary members, of a few students possessing the necessary requirements for admission.

(6) Any remiss member may, after having been cautioned and admonished by the director, be excluded from attending the seminary.

(7) The meetings of the seminary take place weekly, at such a time as will permit its extension to two hours or more.

(8) The scientific exercises of the seminary are both oral and in writing. The oral exercises consist in the free discussion of known mathematical problems or of questions propounded by the director, or, at times, by some of the students, and in addresses by the students on the results

of their own experiments or on the results of their studies. The exercises in writing consist in the execution of problems given by the director, and are arranged in such succession that they will cover the entire field of mathematics, and combined, tend to its better understanding, and also in the preparation of larger essays or demonstrations, the subjects of which are given by the director or are selected by the students themselves. The board of directors examine and judge these essays.

(9) The students who excel in both oral and other exercises are— toward the close of each course-to be reported to the minister of education with recommendations for the prizes set apart for the purpose. These semi-annual reports contain also a statement of the exercises held and the general state of the seminary.

(10) A library of the best and most useful mathematical works is to be maintained for the free use of the students and for use in the meetings of the seminary.

The annual appropriation for the seminary, since April 25, 1864, has been 1,200 mark ($300), of which 750 mark ($187.50) are expended for the library and 450 ($112.50) for prizes. The latter however were established by order of March 14, 1884.

The Observatory and Computation Institute.-The first impulse for the establishment of the Berlin Observatory was given toward the end of the seventeenth century by the acceptance, on the part of the Protestant powers of Germany, of the Gregorian calendar. King Frederick I, in order to emancipate the country from foreign researches and labors which had largely entered into consideration on important occasions, resolved to utilize this change which affected all domestic affairs, by establishing an observatory and a society of sciences. He therefore ordered the erection of a square tower, 84 feet high and 40 feet a side, the second floor of which was to be reserved for the society of sciences, while the third floor was to be utilized by the astronomer of the society for purposes of observation. The building was dedicated on January 19, 1711.

The first astronomer of the society, Gottlieb Kirch, had been appointed in July, 1700, but he died (July 25, 1710) before the completion of the building.

On October 15, 1828, King Frederick William III granted a request of Alexander von Humbold for the purchase of a Fraunhofer refractor. The instrument was received in March, 1829, but remained in the packing cases.

On August 10, 1830, permission was given for the purchase of a site for a new observatory which was to be located in sufficiently close prox. imity to the academy and the university to enable employés of the observatory to continue their connection with those establishments. The building was completed in 1835.