The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-23 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL.

CAMBRIDGE, MAT 21.—MATHEMATICAL STUDIES.
—The Board of Mathematical Studies have laid before the
Vice-Chancellor a long and important report, copies of
which the latter has re-issued to the University. Its great
length precludes its insertion in detail, but the most im-
portant points of it are as follows:—From information re-
ceived from the Moderators for the current year, it appears
that there were 176 candidates for honours this year, of
whom 10 were 'ejected and 17 sent down to the poll ; 5 of
these so sent down were finally rejected is the pull. Last
pear none of the candidates were rejected, and only 7
judged unworthy of an honour; yet the Moderators do not
think that the standard has been raised, but " they believe
that the increase in the number of those who failed to get a
place in the Tripos is to be attributed partly to the small-
ness of the number who failed last year, and portly to the
additional requirements for the Ordinary Degree which
came into force this year, by which some may have been de-
terred from becoming candidates for the Ordinary Degree."
The Moderators proceed to detail their proceedings in order
to ascertain the number of candidates who have done them-
selves credit by their solutions of book-work, papers, and of
riders, and the result given is that those who acquitted
themselves creditably in book-work is 89, in riders 32.
The report then proceeds :—" A further inquiry has been
made, how many obtained their marks during the whole
examination chiefly for book-work, and how many chiefly
for riders. In forming this comparison the problem papers
have been classed with the riders. It is found that only 13
obtained more marks for riders than for book-work; five of
these were among the first six wranglers. There were
65 whose marks for riders exceeded the half of their
marks for book-work : of these 40 were wran
glers, that is, all the wranglers but one, 15
were senior optimes, and 10 were junior optimes."
At the request of the boards, Mr. Orkin, one of the exa-
miners for the current year, has furnished a careful analysis
of the examination in January. There were 167 candidates,
and in Euclid none of them obtained less than 10 per cent.
of the whole number of marks for book-work, but 36 less
than 10 per cent. for deductions ; for bookwork 35 obtained
full marks, but not one did so for deductions, and only one
reached %/per cent. The average number of marks ob-
tained in book-work was 83, in deductions 12.6,;in the whole
paper 51.6, and by the first division of 83 (in the whole
paper) 51.8; while by the second division of 84 it was 51.5
per cent. 71 failed in obtaining half the total number of
marks allowed for the paper. Mr. Baskin thinks it neces-
sary that the 4th and remainder of the 6th books should be
added to those at present required for the ordinary degree,
but the board are not es present inclined to make any re-
commendation to that effect. In Mechanics and Hydrosta-
tics not one candidate obtained lees than 10 per
cent. of the whole number of marks for book-
work, but 39 obtained lees than 10 per cent.
for examples, and for book-work 39 obtained 90 per cent.
and .5 obtained 100 per cent., but one only reached so high
as 80 per cent. for examples. The average number of marks
was 83 per cent. for book-work and 22.8 for examples,
and 51.6 for the whole paper. In arithmetic and algebra
two obtained lees than 10 per cent. of the whole number of
marks for arithmetic, and 23 for algebra ; one obtained full
marks in both subjects, and five reached as high as 90 per
cent. for arithmetic and two for algebra. The average
number of marks 47.4 per cent. for arithmetic, 34.9 for
algebra, and 41.2 for the whole paper. 110 obtained
less than half the number of marks allowed
for the paper. On these melte Mr. Gsakin remarks:—
"
The non-requirement from students of an exposition of
principles, with proofs of rules and explanation of processes
rn arithmetic at the previous examination in 1851, appears
Ito have been followed by the most unsatisfactory malts if
we may judge from the analysis of the performanesa of the
saws students when subjected to the examination in the
same subject for the B.A. degree in 1853. If, however, I
am not mistaken in the opinions I have expressed, I think
it a matter for grave consideration with the university au-
thorities, supposing that arithmetic and other branches of
elementary mathematics are to be retained as a poetise of
discipline' studies, whether proper measures ought not to
be taken without delay to render them effective dos the pus-

T WMl:fire!! HEBRIW SCIIOLARSIIIPB.—The vacancies
in the shove-nutted scholarships have been filled lip u
under:-1. L. Loathes, BA., Jesus College ;2.E. B. Ro-
gers, BA., King's College. A gratuity of 3W. was ad-
judged to E. B. Whyley, Incepting M.A., of Trinity

ADMISSION OF THE JEWS TO PARLIAMENT.

On Saturday a deputation of gentlemen connected
with the City of London attended at the Paymaster-Gene-
ral's office, in Whitehall, for the purpose of receiving from
Lord John Russell an explanation of tbs views and inten-
tions of the government with regard to the admission of
Jews to seats in the legislature. At the interview a few
days previously the noble lord intimated that he would be
prepared on Saturday to state. what measures it was in-
tended to adopt upon Use subject. Among the gentlemen
present were Mr. Gregeon, M.P., Mr. Dillon, Mr. R. W.
Crawford, Alderman Wire, Mr. Travers, Mr. W. J. Hall,
Mr. Rock, Mr. Benumb, and Mr. Sidney Smith.
At half-past one. the hour fixed for receiving the de-
putation, a note was transmitted from the noble lord to
Mr. Dillon, apologising for being unable to see the gen-
tlemen in consequence of the length of time daring
whiah he bad been detained by other parties, and being
obliged to attend a Cabinet Council then on the point of
assembling. The noble lord expressed it as his opinion that
no step ought to be taken by the government until they
had ascertained—first, the nature, and secondly, the fate,
of the bill announced by Lord Lyndhurst, upon the subject
of the oaths of abjuration. His advice was that nothing
should be done until they had ascertained the nature and
result of that measure. The noble lord added, that al-
though he was' then attending the council, he would be
happy to answer any question they wished to put to him.
A note was in consequence sent to Lord John Russell,
stating that all they required to know was the nature of
Lord Lyndhurst's bill, and whether it was likely to meet
the views of the deputation. In reply, the noble lord stated
that he did not know the nature of the bill, as it bad not
yet been printed; and therefore he could not answer the
question.
The gentlemen forming the deputation, who had been
introduced to Lord John Russell's reception-room while the
correspondence was in progress, then retired.

AUSTRALIAN MAILS.—The following notice has
been issued hy the Postmaster-General .—" Mails for New
South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Van Diemen's
Land will be made up at this oftlee on the morning of the
4th of next month, to be conveyed by the clipper barque
Stratford, under a contract with the Postmarter-General,
and all letters, &e., for the colonies above mentioned wit :eh
are not addressed to be forwarded by another veriaeloola
be despatched by the Stratford. The. .packet rate bf
postage will be chargeable on all letters traornsittea the
Stratford, but no amp will be made on nawipapen.`
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