The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-07 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD, June 6.—ln a Congregation held this day at
two o'clock the statute requiring all elections, except
those for members of Parliament, to take place in full
term was submitted and approved.
At the same time the statute allowing graduates of the
University holding employments in the colonies to take
higher degrees without returning to England, in which
a slight alteration has been made by the Council, was
promulgated afresh. On this no discussion took place.
The Fee Statute was then promulgated for the second
time. The Warden of Merton (Dr. Marsham) rose and
proposed an amendment to the effect, " That the annual
payment made by all members of the University to the
Bodleian Library should be discontinued." He thought
a substitute might be found by taking in lieu of this pay-
ment a portion of the annual profits of the press. Mr.
Rogers, of Magdalen Hall, regretted that- no attention
. .

had been paid- to the amendments which he had sug-
gested for the purpose of lightening the burdens of non-
residents. As a statute for the benefit of persons re-
siding abroad bad just been received with favour, he
would propose that members of congregation resident
abroad should be excused the annual payment. The prin-
cipal of Brasenose (Dr. Cradock) remarked on the non-
adoption of the amendment which he had proposed at
the former promulgation. He should not again propose
it, but he should feel it his duty to offer all legitimate
opposition to the passing of the statute in its present
shape. Mr. Gurdon, of Christ Church, agreed with
some of the suggestions which had been made with
regard to lightening the burdens of non-residents:
___

He thought that they could not fairly be callei
upon for contributions towards the paving and
lighting of the town. Dr. Pusey expressed his re-
gret that some additional relief had not been granted to
poor members of the University. As a scale of fees ac-
cording to rank bad been maintained for matriculation,
he thought some similar difference in the fees upon de-
grees might have been kept. He thought it would be
very unwise to stint the Bodleian Library. Mr. Mar-
riott, of Oriel, agreed in the spirit of many of the pro-
positions made, especially with regard to the relief of
poor students ; hut thought the present statute should
be accepted as a fair instalment of reform in the matter.
He did not look upon it as final, or deny that,
when the University could see its way clear, another
revision might be desirable. The Master of Pem-
broke defended the Council from the charge of neg-
lecting the amendments laid before it, and spoke gene-
rally in favour of the statute on the points which had
been attacked. Ho thought non-residents were not un-
fairly taxed ; they were interested in the general welfare
of the University, and so even in what had been called
"local" objects. The residents were now taxed heavily,
to the amount of V. a-year, for poor-rates, a burden from
which non-residents were exempt. He thought it might
be desirable for the University, when rich enough, to
endow the Bodleian Library ; and he believed this object
would one day be attained by means of the press profits;
but until this could be done he thought it would be un-
wise to make a remission of the present payment. The
Warden of Wadham, who acted as Vice-Chancellor, ob-
served that the press profits depended mainly on
the privilege with regard to Bibles and Prayer-books
possessed by the University, the tenure of which was very
uncertain. The Warden of Merton and Mr. Rogers ex-
plained. No other member rising, the Congregation was
dissolved.
The Chancellor's prizes have been awarded as follows :
English Essay—George Charles Brodrick, Fellow of
Merton.
Latin Essay—John E. White, Fellow of New College.
Latin Poem—Robinson Ellis, Scholar of Balliol.
The Newdigate has been gained by Mr. Edward Hay-
don Osborn, Bible Clerk of St. John's.
Two prizes were this year assigned by the Chancellor
for the most meritorious among the unsuccessful candi-
dates. They have been conferred on Mr. Thomas
Clayton, 8.A., late scholar of Trinity, for his English
essay, and on Mr. Robert Henderson, exhibitioner of
University College.
The Professor of Political Economy (Mr. Rickards)
will deliver his second lecture on the funding system
and the financial policy applicable to a state of war, on
Saturday, the 9th of June, at one o'clock, at the Cla-
rendon.
Mr. Thomas Edward Brown, 8.A., Fellow of Oriel
College, Oxford, has been elected Vice-Principal of King
William's College, Isle of Man.

LATER DEPARTURE OF MAILS FOB INDIA, VIA MAR-
SEILLES.—GENERAL POST-OFFICE, June.—The Overland
Mail for the Mediterranean, India, &c., via Marseilles,
will in future be made up and despatched from London
on the mornings of the 10th and 26th of each month,
instead of on the evenings of the 9th and 25th, as here-
tofore ; except when the 10th and 26th of the month
fall on a Sunday, on which occasions the mails will be
despatched from London on the morning of the follow-
ing day.
SUICIDE OF A LIFE GI7AIIDSI&AN.—OR Tuesday last
Henry Amory Pratt, the celebrated rough-rider in the
2d Regiment of Life Guards quartered at Windsor, blew
his brains out with his carbine, half the head and the
whole of the face, except the upper lip being literally
blown to pieces and the skull emptied of the brain. The
following are briefly the particulars of this melancholy
affair, as gleaned from a coroner's inquest held at the
hospital yesterday morning, before Mr. Thomas Martin,
coroner for the borough of Windsor :—Joseph Symes, a
private in the regiment, was going to attend a stable
hparade
hg
he
at
wanaosnoise
silittleen dl
iubkceeef
dog r ertooas
oni xpi
neogn'
,c
thel
a 0
nC kd
8:
toonor
neThulooeuos
sdke_ai
nydg
omoiornr:f irenoagmw,
WitnessH is carbin
callede,
toe *ap inalliadm Gam-
ble, an officer's servant, who was .
the deceased lying on the floor covered with blood, ands
r thehandospi:tal seageant. William
Passing at the time,
a his
wnedr
were lying
v ig,bahl
roydwshniws
eosnpi
aide.
enf
.0.
and slept deceased nearly
2Doenynearsis, oinnethofe threegbimanedn,t,
in the same room
with him. Considered his mind had been unsound during
He was a man of good conduct,
the last 12 months.
which was testified by five good-conduct stripes which
he wore. Last saw,
when
eendeceased on Monday night about
the head, and said he had felte vi ass oquailtleday,
and appeared deliriou
10 o'clock in bed, he complained of giddiness in
account for it. Deceasedh afterwards soke incoherently
i
sergeant produced the
proved carbine found in the storehouse,
from its number to have belonged to the
deceased, sober. and
The h could
h o p nott
a 1
ed, the exploded cap being still it. Mr -F. T.
on •
Buckland, assistant surgeon, stated that, from the nature
of the wound, the deceased must have placed the muzzle
of the carbine at the back of the mouth, and that the
piece was loaded with blank cartridge only, which would
account for the shattered state of the bead. Had the
piece been loaded with ball, there would have been traces
of its having passed out at tie back of the head. The
jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of
"Temporary insanity." The unfortunate man was 44
years of age, and had been in Om reg.-cant about 23
years.