6 DECEMBER 1873, Page 3

The grand scheme put forth for an English Catholic College

is not as yet matured, and nothing has yet been published as to resources, but there seems at least to be no lack of confidence in the laity in its inception. Instead of resting, like the Irish Catholic University, almost solely upon the Episcopate, the list of names first proposed contains thirty laymen to only fourteen priests, and amongst the priests "seven are secular, three are provincials of the great teaching Orders, and four are Presidents of Roman Catholic Colleges." Of the laymen, nine are members of the Catholic aristocracy, eight country gentlemen, six are commercial men, and seven are members of the learned professions. This looks like a comprehensive scheme for a governing body, and as the plan is to prepare the students for the London University degrees until that (probably distant) time at which they shall be empowered to give legal degrees of their own, the institution promises to be as wide as a sectarian college of the kind can hope to be. Dr. Newman, Dr. Ward, Father Dalgairns, and many other distinguished converts are amongst the notabilities of the proposed Senate. The Catholics of England certainly have great advantages in regard to learning over the Catholics of Ireland.