The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-15 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

SUDDEN DEATH OF THE VEN. THE ARCHDEACON OF
ELY.—The deepest regret pervades the whole of the Uni-
versity of Cambridge in consequence of the sudden demise
of the Yen. Archdeacon France, fellow and President of St.
John's College, and. Archdeacon of Ely. The venerable
archdeacon, who was in the 48th year of his age, was to all
appearance in his usual health on Wednesday. Yesterday
morning, about 7 o'clock, he was discovered by his atten-
dant in bed in a strong fit. The best medical aid was im-
mediately summoned, but despite every effort, Mr. France
never rallied, but gradually sunk, and expired about one
o'clock. Mr. Franca took his degree in 1840, as first classic,
and during his long and active University career has com-
manded the respect and esteem of all with whom he came
in contact.

ILLNESS OF THE BISHOP OF PETERBOROTIGH.—We re-
gret we have to announce the sudden and serious illness of
the Bishop of Peterborough. His lordship was out of doors
on Tuesday, but on the following day was prostrated by a
severe attack of bronchitis. The physicians in attendance
(Drs. Walker and Paley) scarcely expected that the vene-
rable peer would last through the night, and the absent
members of his lordship's family were at once sent tor.
Yesterday the report of the medical gentlemen was a little
more favourable, the bishop having passed a good night
and slightly rallied. His lordship's condition, however,
still causes great uneasiness to his friends. The Bishop of
Peterborough is in his 84th year, and was advanced to the
see in 1830.

" A Catholic Congress," says the Salut Public of
Lyons, "will be again held this year at Malines, in Bel-
gium, which will last from the 29th August to the 3d Sept.
An exhibition of religious objects of art will take place at
the same time."

A fatal accident happened two days ago to M.
Lebrethon, a merchant, residing in the Rue des Quais, at
Caen (Calvados). He was looking out of a garret window,
when by some means he lost his balance, and fell head-
foremost into the court below, and was killed on the spot.

MAILS FOR THE CHANNEL ISLANDS.-01 the
2d of May, and thenceforward until the end of
October, the supplementary mails to and from Jersey and
Guernsey, via Weymouth, will be forwarded three times a
week. (See "British Postal Guide," page 161, I aragraph
147.) The service via Southampton, and via Weymouth,
will be as follows -outhampton—Letters despatched
from London—Monday evening, Wednesday evening, and
Friday evening. Letters delivered in London—Tuesday
morning, Thursday morning, and Saturday morning. Via
Weymouth —Letters despatched from London—Tuesday
evening, Thursday evening, and Saturday evening.
Letters delivered in London—Monday morning, Wednes-
day morning, and Friday morning.—By command of the
Postmaster-General, JOHN TILLEY, Secretary. General
Post cffice, 16th April, 1864.
The Court of Assizes of the Gironde has just beet
engaged three days in trying five young men,
named Vergne, Clemenson, Journiac, Potie, and Blondel,
all old offenders, and a woman named Coussin, forming an
organised band of housebreakers who committed nearly 30
burglaries and other robberies, at Bordeaux and its envi-
rons, during the autumn of last year. Journiao was the
captain of the band, and managed matters with so much
skill that the police were for months unable to find any
trace of the perpetrators of the important robberies which
regularly occurred at intervals of about 48 hours; but in
the night of the 29th Oct. a police agent saw three men
attempting to force an entrance into a house in the Rue
Judaique, at Bordeaux, and succeeded in apprehending one
of them, the prisoner Vergne, who still had about his person
the housebreaking instruments which he had been using.
Finding the evidence c inclusive against him, Vergne de-
termined to make disclosures, which led to the arrest of
nearly all the band excepting Coussin, the husband of
the female prisoner. In their lodgings and hiding.
places an immense quantity of stolen property
was found, consisting chiefly of plate and jewellery, which
was produced in court and claimed by the persons from
whom the different articles had been stolen. On one of the
prisoners was found a paper containing the statutes of the
band, which provided that every member should implicitly
obey the orders of the captain under penalty of expulsion,
and should give up to bim the proceeds of every robbery to
be shared among the members, and every new member
on admission shouid undergo a form of baptism.
receive a new name, and swear implicit obedience. Jour-
niac, the captain, defended himself with the greatest cool-
ness and skill, but the confessions of the others and the col-
lateral evidence clearly established the charge against him.
It was proved that Journaic selected the houses that
were to be robbed, and always took care that the crime
should be committed in the absence of the inmates,
To make sure that a house was temporarily uninhabited,
Journiac used to insert a small piece of paper between
the door and the door-post, and if this paper remained
undisturbed, it was a sure sign that the door had not
been opened, and the robbery was accordingly effected.
The jury acquitted the female prisoner, but found all the
others guilty, and gave Blondel and Potie the benefit of
extenuating circumstances. The court accordingly con-
demned Journiac, Vergne, and Clemenson to 20 years' hard
labour; retie to six years's imprisonment; and Blondel to
five years of the same punishment. During the last day's
sitting the public prosecutor stated that he had received a
telegraphic despatch from Genoa, announcing the arrest of
Coussin, and that he would be tried at the next assizes,
ACCIDENT IN THE RACING FIELD.—On Tues-
day a serious accident bold Captain Stevenson, of Hemmer,
while he was riding bis own horse Trent, in the Leomin-
ster Steeplechase. In jumping a fence the horse fell, and
threw the captain with great force over his head. The un-
fortunate gentleman was picked up in a state of insensibi-
lity. Medical assistance was at hand, and ho was placed in
his carriage and conveyed home. We learn that the gallant
captain lies in a precarious state, with severe injuries to the

spine.
The Council of the Bank of France have just
published their return for the past month, 'file
million has been increased by £933,332, the dis-
counts £56,000, and the notes in circulation
£533 332. On the other hand, a decrease of
£744,000 is shown in the advances, of £72,000 in
the Treasury balances, and of £368,000 in the
current accounts.
The only bullion operations of importance at the
Bank yesterday was a withdrawal of 120,000 save-
reigns for Alezaudria,