The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-01 00:00:00

colonies would be a blessing, and whom, did its ineans per-
mit—which they did not at present---.the society would
readily assist in sending there. Cases such as that show Pf.
the absolute necessity of somef, such organfodimi,
hoped the means would be
—wineto enable the d society
more effectually -,and he
ThA ,meet them.
xcev Mr Cnorr, in seconding the motion, thought
they should Make it kLoVrn to the public—seeing the stream
of etoitration which ivsa proceeding to the States of Ame-
rica--4hat, with the assistance of the society, emigrants
'could tt at as cheap a rate to the Australian colonies as
they now get to New York.
The report having been accepted,

Mr MERRYVALE then moved a resolution to the effect
that, as a well-regulated system of emigration was calculated
to increase the prosperity of the mother country, and as the
society provided such a system, it was deserving of the sup-
port of the public.

The resolution having been seconded by Mr SPOTTIS-
WOOD, it was unanimously adopted.

The office-bearers of the toeiety for the current year were
then re•electr2.) and the proceedings terminated with a vote
of thanks to the noble chairman,

Threatened Extension of Church Rates.

---= - 4-

Yesterday- a deputation waited on Lord Palmer-
stOn, at Cambridge. house, to represent to his lordship
the necessity for so altering the Church-building
Acts Consolidation Bill as to carry out the intention
of Parliament in respect to church rates. The de•
putation consisted of the following members of
Parliament :—Lord Henley, Sir C Douglas, Sir F.
Crossley, Sir S. M. Pets, Mr Hadfield, Mr J. R.
Mills, Mr render, Mr Dillwyn, Mr. J. White, Mr
Sutton Western, Mr Dodson, Sir F. Goldsmid, Mr
Lawson, Mr Leathern, Mr Potter, Mr Ayrton, Mr
G. S. Lefevre, Mr Pilkington, Mr Hardcastle, Mr
Baines, Mr Alcock, Mr Paget, Mr Hibbert, Mr
Wickham, Mr Pease, Mr Denby Seymour, Mr P. A.
Taylor, and Col. Sykes. Sir Charles Douglas intro-
duced the business of the deputation, by reading a
statement respecting their object, which was de-
scribed as being, not to state general objections to
church rates, but to urge the necessity of inserting
in the bill now before Parliament, a clause distinctly
prohibiting the levy of church rates in new parishes.
The deputation submitted that a great injustice
would be done if the acts were consolidated without
giving effect to the intentions of the legislature. It
was also pointed out that the omission of any clauses
from the present bill would not redress the griev-
ance complained of ; while the consolidation of the
law would, practically, put an obstacle in the way
of further legislation. Finally, it was urged that
the opponents of church rates were not desirous of
taking away a power already exercised, but of pre-
venting power being placed in the hands of those to
whom it had expressly been declared it ought not
to be given. The general terms of the reply given
by Lord Palmerston induced many of the deputa-
tion to hope that the arguments now had some
weight. Though his lordship declined to give any
pledge, he stated distinctly that the object the Go-
vernment had in view was to consolidate the various
acts and not to introduce any amendments either on
the one side or the other. His lordship said that he
was informed by the Attorney-General that in the
opinion of the hon. and learned gentleman such would
really be the effect of the measure ; at all events that
was the intention of the Government. If the law was
doubtful at present, ithelon ged to the proper judicial
tribunals to determine the law. To remove the
doubt would bo in feet to alter the law; and that
was a course which the Government did not propose
to adopt. If the result of judicial decisions was to
show that the law was not what it ought to be, the
parties aggrieved would be at liberty to try and
bring about an amendment. It was said that by
consolidating existing laws new force was given to
them, but his lordship demurred to that proposition;
and as to the statement that the committee had made
certain alterations in the position of the clauses, if
they had done so that was not tantamount to making
an alteration in the law itself. His lordship pro-
mised to consult the Attorney-General and the
Home Secretary in reference to the views placed
before him by the deputation, and concluded by
reiterating that the object of the Government was
not by strategy to alter the law, but simply to bring
together the various enactments that were scattered
through keveral acts of parliament with reference to
the church building question—a state of the law
which was very inconvenient to those who had to
administer it. A conversation took place after the
statement of the noble earl. It was suggested that
as it was purely a church question, and would not
benefit dissenters, the latter had a right to ask the
Government to waive the present bill until the law
on the subject was settled, and that, as there
is a case now before the legal tribunals of the country
(Gough v. Jones) which turns upon the construction
of the acts, it would be unfair to bias that case in
any way. Lord Palmerston said that the deputa-
tion were asking for two pledges, first, that the
Government would postpone the Consolidation Act,
and then that they would alter the law. The
only pledge that he could give, however, was
that he would consult his colleagues about it.
One hon. member stated that there were not six
clauses of the bill as it stands which were
identical with tha corresponding clauses in the
old acts. His lordship asked whether the meaning
was altered,and the reply was that it certainly was.
Some further conversation took place, in which a
clause was read to his lordship which would pre-
vent the act giving power to levy rates for district
churches, and a confident hope 19.48 expressed that,
es both the prorate and the anti-rate parties were
desirous that no alteration should at present be
made in the law, the Government would allow the
bill to drop. It was also stated that the anti-
church -rate party was not fairly represented on the
committee of last session.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE,

CAMBRIDGE, May 31.

At a congregation this day it was proposed by
special grace to pass honorary degrees in law upon
those whose names have already been published—
to wit : the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cam-
bridge, Prince Louis of Hesse, Earl Granville, the
Duke of Manchester, Earl Stanhope, Earl Spencer,
Earl Carnarvon, Viscount Eversley, Lord Palmer-
ston, Lord Leigh, Lord Harris, Sir E. B. B. Lytton,
Sir William Page Wood, Sir Charles Eastlake,
General Knollys, the Dean of Westminster, Mr.
Hope, M.P., and Mr. Watson, president of the
Royal College of Physicians. Opposition was
offered to several of these graces,but the one propos-
ing to confer the honorary degree upon the Duke
of Manchester was carried by 133 placets to 5 non-
placets. The grace proposing to confer the honorary
degree upon Lord Leigh was noneplaceted, but
carried by 127 placets to 4 nonmplacets. The pro-
position to confer the honorary degree upon the
Rev. tha Dean of Westminster was at once non-
placeted, and that amid cheers and hisses from the
galleries where undergraduates most do congregate.
The poll being taken, however, there appeared--
placets, 120; non-placets, 19. This, a result not
formally announced, but understood, was received
with loud cheers. Voting followed with regard to
the recommendations of the library and astro-
nomical syndicates, and the changes proposed; these
were all matters of detail, and call for no observa-
tion. Grace 33, however, proposed to carry into
effect the late recommendations of the syndicate in
regard to the proposed changes in the ordinary B.A.
examination, and the pass examinations having re
ference thereto. The grace proposing the adoption
of the scheme was rejected by 54 non-placets to 47
placets.
SURGERY.—Examined and approved for the de-
gree of Master in Surgery—Alfred Godson, M.A.,
Trinity College.
I,aw.—Bachelors of Law Examination, Easter
Term—Examined and approved—Ballock, Christ's ;
Cordeaux, Christ's ; Haldane, Trinity ; Henslowe,
Emmen. ; Ds. Jardine, Christ& ; Lidderdale, St.
Peter's ; Martin, Trinity Hall ; Ds. Mozeley, King's;
Nicho:s, Sr. John's ; Ross, E., Trinity. I. T. Abdy,
LL.D. ; F. W. Gibbs, M.A, ; Henry Davidson,
M.A.; L. T. Baines, M.S.
At the congregation mentioned above the follow-
ing degrees were conferred—M.A., Augustus Henry
Hunt, St. Peter's College; Wm. Henry Hutchinson,
Pembroke College; Fred. Um. Blumberg, Caius
College; Wm. Clavell Ingram, Jesus College ; Chas.
Tremlow Royds, Christ's College; John Eaetes,
Sidney College. L M.M.,
Peter's College. James Geo. Wm. Marshall, St.
M.A., of Dubl!n,
was admitted ad eundem gradum.

Alleged Poisoning of Three Children,

'Yesterday morning Mr W. Carter, the Surrey coroner,
resumed tho investigation into the alhged poisoning of three
children. of Itcnry and Ann Webber.

The jury, which was originally empannelled in a cottage
near Spa Bottom, between Esher and Cobham, re-assembled
at the White Lion Inn, Cobham-street.

It appeared from the evidence taken on the first occasion,
that Henry Webber was a sawyer, residing with his wife and
five children at a lodge adjoining the residence of Captain
Bretterton, midway between Esher and Cobham, On Wed-
nesday, the 20th of last month, Sohn Webber, one of the
children, aged five years, was suddenly seized with violent
vomiting and purging, and he died in 18 hours, without
having been seen by a medical man. On the same day
Henry, a boy aged 14 years, was attacked with precisely
similar symptoms, but medicine being given him, he ulti •
mately recovered. On Friday, the 22d, Eliza, aged two years
and six months, was taken ill in the same way, and she
died in 15 hours. None of the children had eaten food, other
than their regular sustenance. Henry 'Webber was too ill
upon the first occasion to be examined, but by great care
has survived, and gave minute evidence as to the action of
the poison.
Henry Webber, aged 14 years, deposed-4 reside with
my father at Spa Bottom. His present wife is not my
mother. Eliz t was my half-sister. I was taken ill on the
Saturday before the Thursday on which she died. My head
ached very much. I was not sick. I felt unwell in the
bowels at seven o'clock in the morning. My brother John
was lying dead at that time, atA he had been taken ill in
the bowels at first in the way I was. I had medicine given
me on the Thursday night, and it was in the form of a
powder. My stepmother gave me the powder, mixed in a
tea cup, and she said she had given Eliza some powder too.
I saw a powder given to John on Monday night. I gave it
to my stepmother, but I did not see her mix it. Neither I
nor my brother or sister had eaten anything in the woods.
Our usual food was bread and butter or dripping, and beet.
We had tea to drink, and we never wanted food. My father
and mother were not in the habit of quarrelling. All the
children were treated alike. I never heard my stepmother
make any threat. She used to beat me and her own chil-
dren when we deserved it.

Dr. Albert J. Bernays, Professor of Chemistry and Phy-
siological Chemist at St. Thomas's Hospital, said that he
received from a police -constable, a jar containing the sto-
mach and intestines of Eliza Webber. He made an
analysis, assisted,by Dr. Lees. The examination of the con-
tents of the stomach was without result. In the tissues of
the stomach there was found arsenic. It was distinctly
present, but in a very small quantity. The purging and
vomiting would have the effect of removing the larger quan-
tity of arsenic had it been taken into the body. It was, in
his opinion, totally impossible that the arsenic could have
been conveyed in the chalk mixture given by Mr. Smith.
Looking at the evidence, he should say that some of the
symptoms were consistent with poisoning by arsenic, and
others were not, which certainly raised a doubt in his mind
whether arsenic had caused the death.

Dr A. S.,vaine Taylor, F.8,,C.5., Professor of Chemistry
and Medical Jurisprudence at Guy's Hospital, was then
sworn, and he said that he received from a police officer 4
oz. of blood, and the liver and heart, both kidneys, a por-
tion of the brain, and the bladder of the deceased child Eliza
Webber. In the brain and heart he found no traces of mine-
ral poison of any kind. He took 12 oz. of the liver and found
no trace, not the thousandth part of a grain of arsenic.
When a person died from arsenic traces of it could be found
in 4 oz, of liver, that was when the person died in the same
space of time alter the taking of arsenic, as the illness of
this child had lasted. He deemed it unnecessaey to examine
the bladder and kidneys, as when arsenic was not found in
the liver, it was never traceable in these organs. He got
about 4 oz, of evacuation. He tested them and found no
arsenic, but there was a trace of mercury, which was to be
seen on the copper gauz; produced.

The Coroner said that a small quantityof calomelhad been
prescribed for the child by the surgeon called in. Would
that have accounted for the appearance of mercury ?

Dr, Taylor said undoubtedly it would, He tested and found
that the mercury was not due to the presence of corrosive
sublimate, He had entirely failed to find poison. But he
could not give an opinion as to the cause of death until he
heard all the evidence as to the symptoms present before
death.

The Coroner then read over at length the evidence in
question, which showed that all three cuiltiren had been at-
tacked in precisely the same manner.

Professor Taylor said that after hearing all the evidence,
and bearing in mind the results of the analysis, he cams to
the satie conclusion as Mr. Smith, that the child died from
it fiammation of the stomach and intestines, not caused by
mineral poison. He might say that children were very sus-
ceptible to inflammatory action arising from the effusion of
cesspools. Contiguous to Weber's-lodge was a cesspool,
which, though perhaps not necessarily emitting a xious
swell, ought to be removed. He was inclined to consider
that such was the cause of the singular attack from which
the two children died. But even if he had found arsenic
in the quantity racutioned by Dr. Bernays, he would still
consider that the poison had not caused the death, but that
it was due to gastro-entceritis.

The Corner having summed up,
The jury returned a verdict "That deeeaseds' deaths
arose from gastro-enteritis the result of natural causes."

AQUATICS.

ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB.

The first regatta of the above distinguished club this sea-
son took place yesterday, and was one of the finest matches
on record, although is is much to be regretted that the rain
which fell heavily during the afternoon marred much of the
pleasure which would otherwise have been experienced in
witnessing it. There were four prizes for competition for
the first class—cutters exceeding 35 tons, a prize value 100
soya for the first boat—and 50 sovs for the second. For
the third class, exceeding 12 and not exceeding 20 tons, a
prize of 40 s,)vs, and 20 sovs for the second boat—and the
following had been entered and started :

First Class,
Yachts. Tons. Owners.
1. Moequito 69 .„ M. T. Ouldsworth

2. Surge 54 Mr. W. W. F. Hay

3. Astarte

4. Volante 6O .. Mr. 11. Maudslay

5. Vindex

Third Class.
1, Vampire 20 .. Capt, J. E, Commerell, RN,
2. Satanella .... 13 .-, Capt. 13. Bennett

3, Dudu l5 .. Captains Baldock and Rudge
4. Zerlina
5, Alexandra l5 .. Mr. G, Harrison

Half a minute time per ton for difference of tonnage.
The course originally intended for the larger craft was
from Gravesend round the Mouse Light and back, and for
the smaller reund the Note Light and back, but owing to
the wind being dead on end and the flood having begun well
to make ere the larger class got more than 3 miles below
the Nore, the course was reversed and they turned round
the steamer, which was there anchored for the purpose, the
lesser yachts going nearly the entire distance. The Prin-
cess of Wales steamer had been chartered by the club for
the conveyance of members of the club and their friends,
and left London-bridge at ten in the morning with a
very large and fashionable party. The vessel proceeded
direct to Gravesend at full speed, where at two o'clock the
noble commodore, Lord Alfred Paget, ordered a gun to be
fired for the fleet to get in readiness, which was succeeded
by a second, in five minutes afterwards, to start.
Of the above fleet the Mosquito, the far-famed clipper of
former years, then the property of Lord Loridesborough, has
not been engaged of late in match sailing, but although
built about 15 years ago, her owner gallantly entered her
in this race to contend against the new clippers of the pre-
sent day. There she wae,back in her old form, and well she
played her part in the great race which followed. The Surge
is an entirely new boat, by Tepe, of Fairlie, last year, and
was very successful in the Irish Channel. The Astarte was
also new from the hands cf Roy, of Southampton, and the
Volante and Vindex are both well known as very fine wea-
therly craft, the former of' the two being an old boat. In the
third class the Vampire has fur years been well known as
the most formidable boat of her class ; the Satanella is a
new boat, by Aldons ; the Dudu, a new boat, by Hatcher;
the Zerlina, a new boat, by Panhill, and the Alexandra,
a boat of last year, by Mr Harrison, her owner. Besides the
Prince of Wales there were two other steamers and the fol-
lowing fleet of gentlemen's yachts accompanying the races:
—The Stella, Cyclone, Antagonist, Aquiline, Mars, Violet,
Agatha, Med ea, Night Thought, Syren, Whirlwind, Phenix,
Minos, Phantom, Fleur-de-lis, Blue Bell, and others.
When the signal was fired simultaneously for the start of
both classes, the seamanship on board the yachts was worthy
of this great club, and soon their elegant spars were covered
with canvas. We may treat of the first class at some length,
but the third class were soon lost in the attention bestowed
on the larger craft. The Volante was very quick to get her
canvas up, Surge next, then Mosquito and Vindex, The
Surge was lira away, the Mars second, the Vindex third.
There was at the time a nice wind from E.N.E., which
freshened into a whole sail breeze. They all made a board
directly to the northward, the Vindex smartly setting her
topsail, which was immediately followed by the Surge
doing the same ; the Mosquito, which had a nice berth at
the start, leading the )(index, Surge, and Volante, the latter
racing close in shore. The Musq'rito and Surge now began
to steal away from the others. The Astarte had gone about
astern of all the others first. The Mosquito immediately drew
away from the Surge, and the order by the Lower Pier at
Gravesend was Mosquito, Surge, Volante, Astarte last.
Nearing East Thbury the Mosquito was leading by some
lengths, the Volante and Vindex crossing each other on
different boards. Soon after this the Mosquito was two
beards ahead of the second boat, and showing her fine turn-
ing prop rties as in days of yore. The Surge was at this
time fourth, and the Astarte last. In the lower part of the
Reach the Mosquito bad slightly increased her lead. The
Astarte and the Volaete were now engaged in a very fine
race, when the Volante was by accident unfortunately put
hors de combat. The Volante it was thought did not turn
so fast to windward as formerly, and the Astarte having dis-
posed of the Surge by passing her on the same tack, had
become almost level with the Volante. The Astarte going
about under the lee of the Volante, and not being quick
enough her boom caught the topmast stay of the Volante,