The Press.
London, England, 1858-04-03 00:00:00

Mttrapalitan.

OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.
THE University Boat•race last Saturday, owing
to an azcident to the Oxford stroke-oar, was a very
hollow affair throughout. The course was from Put-
ney-bridge to Mortlake. At starting, the Cantab
crew were the favourites, and having won the choice
of place, took the inner or Middlesex shore, thus
giving the outside sweep to the Oxonians. Precisely
at one the start was effected, and Cambridge at once
shot a leLgth ahead. The pace was tremendous from
the first. Near Hammersmith Cambridge increased
her lead, at Barnes bridge she was two lengths and
a half ahead, and finally, in 21 min. 23 sec. from the
time of starting, Cambridge, amidst the enthusiastic
shouts of thousands of persons on the banks of the
river, passed the flag at Mortlake, three lengths ahead
of her opponents. The victors met with the usual
ovation, and the Oxford crew also received a liberal
meed of praise, certainly well due to the pluck and
skill they displayed at the close of the race. the
names and weights of the respective crews were as
follows :

OXFORD. at. lb. CA MBRID3E. at. lb.
1. r.. W. Exon 8 11. 11. H. Lubbock, Caiva 11 4
2. T Arkell, Pembroke 11 3 A. I. Smith, Trinity 11 s
3. C. O. Lane, Christ Ch. 11 10 ,3. W. J. Aran, St. John's 11 4
4. H. Austin, Magdalen 13 9 14. D. Darrocb, Trinity.. 12 1
4. E. Eaue liallioi 11 1213. H. Williams, St. John's 12 4
R, W. H. Wood, Pulver. 12 0. 6. R.L.Lloyd,Megdalene 11 19
7. E. Warre, Rallhol 13 I 7. A. H. Eairbairn, Trio. 11 12
8. J. r. Thorley, Wadhoirt Id 3. 8. T. Hall, Magdalene 10 7
H. Walpole, Belliol I R Woarton, Magda-
(cox.) , . 9 8 lane (cox.) .. 9 2
Oxford was about a quarter of a hundredweight
heavier than Cambridge. The boat of the Oxford
men was built by Searle, of Stangate ; while the
Cambridge men hail secured one specially for the
occasion, built by Taylor, of Newcastle. From the
accident which happened to Oxford at starting, it
has been suggested that the race should be rowed
over again ; but this would not be in accordance with
aquatic etiquette. " Palinurus " thus accounts to
the Times for the defeat of Oxford :

As I have seen the boat in the state in which it came
from the race, in the umipeny of the captain and the

trainer of the Cambridge crew, perhaps you will allow me
to state what it was that prevented Oxford from ever rowing
at all like themselves from first to last ou that day At
the fourth stroke a wave in the troubled water caught the
stroke oar with such tremendous force as to deflect the
strong outrigger of wrought iron into a curve downwards,
and to cast the thowl or forward pin of the rowlock, on
which the whole pressure of the oar comes, no less than
one inch and a quarter from the perpendicular outwards.
This inclination equals one-third of the whole height of
the rowlock, which was bent therefore 30 degrees from its
rectangular position. The effect of this deflection 7ras
that there remained no longer anything to row against, and,
the cord winch lashes the two thowls together being also
snapped by the shock, the oar jumped up at every stroke.
In consequence, the rowing, which the doy before had been
as perfect as any ever witnessed, became a mere scramble,
for the stroke was gone which alone could give the lime
and insure uniformity of work, and the unflinching gal-
lantry with which every man rowed down to the very end
could not countervail its loss. Wood and iron gave way,
but neither Oxford science nor Oxford pluck and condition
were in the least degree deficient. The fact is, that on
Saturday last no race took place.

AN ASSOCIATION for facilitating the emigration of
British workmen is about to be established. A pre-
liminary meeting was held at Whiteehapel on Tues-
day last, when the Rev. Canon Cbampneys explained
that Lord Ebury, Mr. Labouchere, and Mr. Banbury,
M.P., would with himself be willing to act as trustees
of the proposed society. '!'he meeting was very fully
attended by workmen, and several resolutions were
passed in accordance with the object in view.
A CORRESPONDENCE between Miss Nightingale
and Mr. Sidney Herbert, with reference to the
Nightingale Fund, has been published. Miss Night-
ingale writes :

Dear Mr. Herbert,—l have been for some time hesitating
as to the course I ought to take with regard to the large
fund which is called by my name, and which was so gene-
rously placed in my hands for the purpose of being applied
to a most useful and beneficent object. After allosing a
time to elapse fully sufficient for forming a judgment, I
find my health so much impaired, and I am, consequently,
so unequal to begin a work which to be properly performed
will require great exertion and unceasing attention, that I
feel it incumbent upon me and due to the contributors to
beg you to communicate to the trustees and council my
inability to undertake the task.
Mr. Herbert, on the part of the committee, replies :
We cannot but trust that with diminished labour you
will regain your health, and that without undue fatigue or
exertion you will be enabled to give • general superin-
tendence to the plans you may devise for the application
of the fund. I am, therefore, desired by my colleagues to
express their earnest hope that you will postpone your
final decision until further time shall enable you to judge
what degree of superintendence you will be enabled to be.
stow on the work which is identified with your name, and
which we still earnestly hope will derive its organization
from your hands.

Miss Nightingale, in reply. assents if, unexpectedly
to herself, her health should improve. " I will work
if 1 can, and when I can."
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE UNITY BANK has been
a subject of correspondence between a Mr. James
Moir, a shareholder, ana Mr. lfechi. A call of 5/.
a share has been made, whereupon Mr. Moir writes
to Mr. Mechi that he is clearly the wrong man in the
wrong place, and that if he continues to conduct the
affairs of the bank, he will be in a fair way to realize
a notori-ty for himself second only to that of the
managers of the British Bank. Mr. Moir's ground
for this opinion is that the capital "seems to be "
vanishing rapidly. Mr. Mechi replies that abuse
is not argument, and declines to "argue the ques-
tion".
until Mr. Moir is in a more temperate tone of
mind.

THE ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION
celebrated their forty-tiird anniversary last Satur-
day, by a dinner at Freemasons'-hall, under the
presidency of Lord Elcho, M.P. The institution is
in a highly flourishing state. The funded property for
1857 amounted to 19,0001., and the amount of
sums granted, to 1,0191.
THE EASTER BAN4UET AT THE MANSION-HOUSE
will, it is sxpected, be honoured by the presence of
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the
Earl and Countess of Derby, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and the other members of the Govern-
ment who may be in town.
PHE THEATRICAL. FUND held their thirteenth
anniversary dinner on Monday evening, at the Free-
masons'-tavern. Mr. Thackeray presided, and, with
Mr. Buckstone and Mr. Dickens, delivered an
amusing and appropriate address. Flom Mr. Buck-
stone's account, it appears that the Fund progresses
most satisfactorily at present, and has a funded
capital of nearly 11,0001.
THE WEST-END AND CRYSTAL PALACE BAILWAT
was opened to the public on Monday last. The line
forms an important link in the devised metropolitan
system of railway communication. At present the
line terminates on the Surrey side of the new
Battersea-bridge. Whether it will ever be brought
across the river into Pimlico, is a matter for future
consideration; but the convenience to residents at the
West-end is not limited to the Crystal Palace visitors.
for as this Battersea line is shortly to be connected

theerless,
banks,
►ve all,

occurred in the
the railway station
down on Saturday
cotton-mills of

totally destroyed
. the extent of at
Airy, on Saturday
was partially de-
-10,0001.

Lord Rector of
great hail of the
. the occasion by a
Rector was conducted
incipal Dewar, the
' Provost and ma-
.he Town Council.
eloquent inaugural
nds of his audience
education, and, arguing in

mortalibus,
no success was

The noble earl re-

Pitt, apropos of his
public speaking the
right .an carried that gift to
a higher degree of perfection, as all parties have owned,
than Mr. Pitt. Now, my father had the honour to be con-
nected in relationship with that great man—and, as such,
be had the privilege of being in the house with him some-
times for many weeks together. Presuming on that fami-
liar intercourse, he told me, he ventured on one occasion
to ask Mr. Pitt by what means—by what course of study
—be bad acquired that admirable readiness of speech—
that aptness of finding the right word. Mr. Pitt replied
that whatever readiness he might be thought to possess in
that respect he believed he derived very much from a
practice his father—the great Lord Chatham—had en-
joined on him. Lard Chatham bad bid him take up any
book in some foreign language with which he was well
azquainted, in Latin, Greek, or French, for example. Lord
Chatham then enjoined him to read out of this work a
Passage in English, stopping where he was not sure of the
word until the right one came, and then proceed. Mr.
Pitt states that be bad assiduously followed the practice.
At first he had often to stop for a while before he could find
the proper word, but he found the difficulties gradually
disappear, until what was a toil to him at first became at
last au easy and familiar task. Of course I do not meen
to say that with men in general the same success as iu the
case of Mr. Pitt, or anything like it, would be found to
follow the same course of practice; although I am able
to assure you, from other cases I have known, that a
coarse of study of this kind is of great use in removing
the difficulties of extemporaneous speaking; and it not
only gives its aid in public speaking, but also in written
composition. Moreover, you will find this coarse has the
further advantage of confirming and extending your know-
ledge of some valuable author who had already been made
the subject of study; and on these grounds it is by no
means unworthy of your thoughtful attention.
MR. PRATT, solicitor and clerk to the county court
at Berwick, in a fit of depression caused by pecuniary
embrassments, blew out his brains last Thursday
morning. The deceased was only thirty years of
age, and had not long married.
LORD Ri...SEE has contradicted the report that he
had predicted an unusually hot summer. He has
" never expressed any opinion upon the subject."
Mitt. ROBERT K. Boarizx has been elected to fill
t,,11° face of general manager to the Crystal Palace
Company,

HE PRESS, APRIL 3, 1858.

THE SENATUS OF THE EDINBURGH COLrGE have
unanimously conferred the degree of LL.D. on
Professor Ferrier, St. Andrews; and the degree of
D.D. on the Rev. John Cairns, of Golden-square,
U.P. Church, Berwick-on-Tweed.
A PRACTICAL RESULT Of THE NIGER EXPEDITION
was exhibited on Wednesday at Liverpool, by the
arrival of the ship George, with a cargo of palm oil
and ivory from Laird's Town, Africa, being the first
commercial result of the Niger expedition sent out
by Mr. Macgregor Laird, of London.
A SPLENDID TESTIMONIAL was On Saturday last
presented to Lord Forester on his marriage, by the
members of the Belvoir Hunt, as a mark of their
esteem, and as some acknowledgment of the sport
shown during the twenty.seven years he hunted with
the Belvoir hounds. The presentation took place in
the library at Syston, Lincolnshire, the seat of Sir
John Thorold, on the morning of a meet, and in the
presence of upwards of 100 ladies and gentlemen.
This beautiful work of art, which was executed by
Mr. Hancock, of Bruton-street, was afterwards placed
upon the lawn, and exhibited to more than 150 of the
farmers of the county. It forms an illustration of
an incident which occurred in Croxteth-park on the
15th of January, 1851. On an elaborately worked
pedestal are the Duke of Rutland, Mr. Litchford, Sir
T. Whichcote, and Goodal on horseback. The fox
has taken refuge on the summit of a tree, and the
whipper.in has nearly attained the spot. The tree is
of bronze, and the horses and riders are in silver.
The horses are modelled from life, and the riders
may be easily recognised from the likeness they pre-
sent. The most minute details of the group are
elaborately and beautifully finished. Lord Forester
is standing near the hounds, which are in appropriate
and striking attitudes. _ _

LIVERSEDGE CHURCH, near Leeds, was the scene
last Sunday afternoon of a melancholy event. The
Rev. W. Hughes, while reading the prayers, stopped
suddenly, and in a moment fell dead in the pulpit.
Mr. Hughes was highly respeoted by all classes in
this populous district.

T
with the Brightot3rail the West-end Brighton
traveller will then enjoy the advantage of Battersea
over the London-bridge Station, and thus be enabled to
count securely upon reselling the station in tune for
his particular train. The works of the new line are
spoken of in the highest terms, and every facility is
given to the public.
CHELSEA SUSPENSION-BRIDGE was thrown open to
the public on Monday last. As far as Chelsea was
concerned, the inauguration of the bridge was practi-
cally the opening of Battersea-park, and the popula-
tion of the northern shore seemed to have had the
first opportunity to precipitate itself en ',wage on that
new possession. From an early hour the people
swarmed over in hundreds. The day was fine and
sunny, and in the afternoon the slopes extending
from the embankment by which the park is con-
nected with the higher level of the bridge to the
river were covered with visitors, principally women
and children, from the quarters most pent up. A
number of carriages, and many equestrians, passed
over the bridge also, and rode or drove in the park,
which is at present in an unfinished state. Not to
speak of what must be left to nature and time, the
ground is not all laid out and the gravel walks are
not continuous. Nevertheless, the pleasing trans-
formations that have been effected would surprise any
one who should now visit Battersea-flelds after an
absence of five or six years. The fiat, cheerless,
solitary expanse is now broken and varied with banks,
and shrubberies, and ornamental water. Above all,
it is annexed to the metropolis by a beautiful bridge.
SEVERAL GREAT FIRES have occurred in the
country this week. At Salisbury, the railway station
was suddenly and entirely burned down on Saturday
night. At Manchester, the cotton-mills of
Messrs. Lewis and Williams were totally destroyed
on Monday morning, and damage to the extent of at
least 20,0001. inflicted. And at Bury, on Saturday
morning, the railway warehouse was partially de-
stroyed ; the loss is estimated at 10,0001.
EARL. STANHOPE was installed as Lord Rector of
Aberdeen on Friday last. The great hall of the
college was densely crowded on the occasion by a
brilliant audience, and the Lord Rector was conducted
to the chair by the Very Rev. Principal Dewar, the
Professors of the college, the Lord Provost and ma-
gistrates, and the members of the Town Council,
Earl Stanhope then delivered an eloquent inaugural
address, impressing upon the minds of his audience
the advantages and aim of education, and, arguing in
the words of the Latin poet,
Nil nisi magno
Vita lab3re dedit mortahlms,
pointed out that, in all pursuits, no success was
achieved without patient study. The noble earl re
laced also a curious anecdote of Pitt, apropos of his
readiness of reply in debate :
No man had that gift of using in public speaking tin
right word in the right place—no man carried that gift tt
a higher degree of perfection, as all parties have owned
than Mr. Pitt. Now, my father had the honour to be con
netted in relationship with that great man—and, as such
he had the privilege of being in the h'use with him some
times for many weeks together. Presuming on that fami
liar intercourse, he told me, he ventured on one occasiot
to ask Mr. Pitt by what means—by what course of stud;
—be bad acquired that admirable readiness of speech—
that aptness of finding the right word. Mr. Pitt replier
that whatever readiness he might be thought to possess it
that respect he believed he derived very much from
practice his father—the great Lord Chatham—had en
joined on him. Lard Chatham had bid him take up an'
book in some foreign language with which be was wel
a..:quxinted,in Latin, Greek, or French, for example. Lon