The Sun.
London, England, 1837-05-23 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON.

On Saturday a General Meeting of Proprietors was held
in the Amphitheatre of the University, for the purpose of
electing a Vice-President of the College, and 19 Members of
COuncil, to co-operate with the President, Treasurer, and
three Members of Council named in the Charter, thus consti.
toting a Court of 24 members. The meeting was rather
thinly attended.
The Duke of SOMERSET, on being called to the chair, bridly
opened the business of the day.
The following are the names of the Proprietors who were
proposed for election:—The Chairman for Vice-President.
For the Council—Mr. James Booth, Dr. Boot, Mr. Samuel
Duckworth, Mr. Ewart, M.P., Mr. J. L. Goldsmid, Mr. G.
B. Greenock, Mr. E. N. Hurt, -Mr. R. Hutton, Mr. J. p, Leader, Sir Charles Lemon, Bart., M.P., Mr. J. R. Mills,
Mr. J. L. Prevost, Mr. J. Romilly, Mr. H. C. Rcbinson,
Mr. E. Strutt, M. P., Mr. T. Thorn :21y, M. P., Mr. H. War-
burton, M. Mr. Weymouth, Mr. J. Wood. The pro-
posers were the Duke of Somerset, Dr. Lushington, Mr.
Tooke, and two other gentlemen.
Before the balloting commenced, some objection was made
to the proposed institution of a Professorship of Chinese,
according to the terms agreed upon with the trustees of the
late Dr. Morrison, when the arrangements for the transfer of
his library to the College were being made.
Mr. HANKY rose to vindicate tho appoirattent, and entered
into an interesting account of the travels, s'cudies, labnnrs,'tne.
rite, and especially the patriotism vfnich distinguished Dr.
Morrison. When the Doctor Went to India he succeeded
Sir George Staunton as translator to the local government.
Ho was distinguished by his zealous efforts for the propa.
gation of Christianity in China ; and it was to his exer-
tions that the Chinese and English public were indebted for
Pie institution of the Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca,
which had existed about thirty years, and where between
thirty and forty_natives were now learning the langua
g easbloef
the far west. In the course of these labours Dr. Morrison
collected the library now under consideration, end a few
years since be came to this country, in the hope of being to form an arrangement with some English Literary Asso-
ciation for the establishment of a Professorship fel- teaching
the Chinese language. To effect this the Doctor proposed to
make a free-will offering of his library, which bad cost hint
not less than 2,0004 ; not succeeding, however, be left Ent,s,_
land, leaving the library in the hands of three trustees (of
which lie, Mr. H., was one), with power to sell it; hut though
the trustees had frequently offered it to public bodies, they aid
not succeed in effecting a sale. He ( Mr. H.) had considered
this the more disgraceful to England, for while she, having;
such an extensive and valuable intercourse with China,' gave
our countrymen no national opportunities to learn the Chinese
language, France, Prtissia, and other European Powers, hay_
ing no connection with China, had, however, appointed Pro-
f ssors under their respective governments for teaching Chi-
nese to their countrymen. Dr. Morrison died while acocmnany-
ing Lord Napier on his way,to Canton, and not leavinsuffiej„t
funds for the support of his family, the trustees ..roposed that
Government should purchase the library.. preliminaries
out on. A catalogue was desired by
s4ord Palmerston, .but
after the lause of some time an ans".%:er was received to the effect
that the Lords of the Tre.t;ury would not feel justified in
buying it with the pub:.O" money. The truqces then got up
a public subscripts ~,1 for the family, and complied with Dr.
Morrison's_ pa`..elotic desire, that the library should not be
lost to taigiand,
by offering it to the' London University, on
condition that the Council would institute a Chinese Profes-
sesso or:nip, hie,' had been agreed to, and under which a pro-.
would receive sixty pounds a-year for five years, and
n' longer.
Colonel Joxes had no objection to the purchase of the
library, and the appointment of the Chinese professor, if the
University could afford it. The Council had plunged them-
selves into disputes with the proprietors, in consequence of
chaks having been promised to professors who could not be re-
munerated, and they had appointed a gentleman to one chair
ho bad now not a single student—he referred to the Profes-
sor. of Political Economy.---( Laughter. )
TLe balloting having been now finished, the above-named
gmtlemen were declared elected. Thanks were then voted
to the Chairman, now Vice-President, and the weting
ed