On the 5th of July Mr. Cowper Temple’s Bill came on for second reading, but was withdrawn after debate upon a statement from Lord Sandon that the Government were prepared to support the Recorder’s Bill. Even then anxiety was by no means at an end, for the Government were not prepared to make the Bill their own and find a day for it, and any persistent opposition would have been almost necessarily fatal to its passing at so late a time. One can picture the surprise with which S. J.-B. received the following letter:
“8 Palace Gardens, W.
21 July, [1876].
Dear Miss Jex-Blake,
I saw Lord Shaftesbury yesterday and he intends to give notice on Monday to move the second reading on Tuesday.
The third reading will probably follow in a day or two.
All that we shall then have to wait for will be the Royal Assent.
Always sincerely yours,
Russell Gurney.”
On August 12th the Bill became law. Henceforth no University nor Examining Board could be in any doubt at all as to its own powers. Those mysterious depths were at least no longer “an uncharted sea.”