The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-16 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVENING CONCERTS.

The first part of the programme of last night's concert
was entirely of an operatic character, comprising a se-
lection of the best airs from favourite operas. Another
feature was the appearance of Mr. Sims Reeves, who
sang " Oh, I can bear my fate no longer," from Der
Preischutz, and "La donna e mobile, rom Verdi's
last opera, Rigoletto. He was in excellent voice, and
was very warmly received by the audience. The second
part was principally composed of well-known pieces by
English composers, the only novelty being Hatton's
song, " Good bye, sweetheart," in which Mr. Sims
Reeves was unanimously encored. The others were
such familiar friends as " Sweet home," " Tom Bowl-
ing," "The deep, deep sea," " The meeting of the
waters," and the like. The vocal artists were Miss Re-
becca Imes, Miss Stabbach, Miss Ransford, Miss
Thirlwall, Miss Hemming, Miss Laurie Baxter, Mr.
Sling Reeves,, Mr. Leffler, and Mr. Donald Bing.
Mdlle, Graver executed Mendelssohn's pianoforte con-
certo in D minor ; and Mr. Viotti Collins and Mr.
George Collins played a duet on vioiin and violoncello,
" Rule Britannia," in such a brilliant style as to elicit
an encore. Herr Meyer Lutz condurted. The audience
filled the hall in every part.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD, FEB. 15.

The result of the Vice-Chancellor's visit to London be-
came known this morning. Lord Derby entirely accepts
the scheme for a new constitution proposed by the Heads,
and wishes every effort to be made to bring up persons from
the country to vote for it. The Government have granted
a postponement of their_Uniyertiity, measure from Monday
next to the Friday following, in order to allow time for
Convocation to express an opinion upon the scheme of the
Heads. It is supposed that the form of a petition to the
Queen will be promulgated to-morrow, and that the assent
of Convocation to it will be asked on Tuesday or Wed-
nesday next. The exact nature of the new constitution
has not yet transpired. It has undergone constant
alterations from day to day, and little more is known of
it with any certainty than that it aims at maintaining
the separate existence and supreme authority of the
existing Hebdomadal Board.

Sir William Heathcote has been engaged during the
greater part of the day in calling and leaving cards at
the common rooms, and on the Heads of the different
colleges. He dines this evening with the Vice-Chan-
cellor. To-morrow he will be entertained at breakfast
in Trinity College, and will dine with the Warden of
All Souls', On Friday he will breakfast in Balliol.

GENERAL POST-OFFICE.—The Lords of the Treasury
have consented to appropriate the fund arising from un-
claimed money orders and from unclaimed property in
dead letters to the payment of part of the premium on
the policies of such of the officers of the Post-office, in
any part of the united kingdom, as may insure their
lives. This fund now amounts to about 1,6001. a-year,
and th-re is an accumulation from past years of
about 15,0001. which is also to be applied to this pur-
pose.
MAIL SERVICE BETWEEN DOVER AND CALAIS AND
OSTEND.--A tender has been accepted for the perform-
ance of the mail service between Dover and Calais, and
Dover and Ostend, by a private company. The contract
is concluded for a space of four years, commencing from
the Ist of October next, at the rate of 15,0001. per
annum, after which it may be determined by either of
the contracting parties giving twelve months' notice.—
Dow,r Chronicle.

BEERSHOP-KEEPERS AND PUBLICANS.—A return has
lately been printed, by order of the House of Lords, of
the number of beershop-keepers and publicans on the
electoral list. The return is incomplete from the want of
information on the subject.
THE GREAT DIAMOND.—The extraordinary diamond
alluded to in the daily papers as having lately been re-
ceived at the Bank of England, from Rio de Janeiro,
was yesterday submitted to the inspection of her Majesty
the Queen by the consignees, Messrs. Dovey and Ben-
jamin. The diamond weighs 254} carat., and we un-
derstand it is of the purest water, and likely, when
polished, to exceed in size and brilliancy the celebrated
" Koh-i-noor."
SERIOUS STEAM-BOAT COLLISION ON THE RIVER.—
GRAVESEND, Feb. 15.—Early yesterday morning, almost
at the top of high water, a very serious collision took
place in the Lower Hope, some six miles below here, be,
tween the Hope screw steam-ship, one of the African
Steam Navigation Company's fleet, and the American
ship Glenburn, Captain Springer, which was nearly cut
down to the water's edge, and run ashore, in order to
prevent her foundering. The Hope was on her way
round from Plymouth, where she had landed the Afri-
can mail, and was proceeding up the river to her sta-
tion in the pool. The Glenburn was going d.wri in tow
of a tug, bound to Newport, in the Bristol Channel,
where she would take in a cargo. Both the Hope and
the tug had the usual lights exhibited, and on ap-
proaching each other their helms, as we have been in-
formed, were put aport, in compliance with the Admi-
ralty regulation. From some circumstance, however,
as yet not correctly ascertained, they came in fearful
contact, the bow of the Hope striking the Glenburn
nearly amidships on the larboard side, and cutting her
down considerably, to, the tent almost of the hatch on
deck. The steamer' ex
engines had been stopped and
reversed, had they have been otherwise the consequences
might have been far more serious. It was quickly dis-
covered that the ship was fast making water, and as
her sinking was apparent, it was determined to run
her ashore on the Kent side. whicli wasaccomplishe 1.
Captain Springer sustained injury at the moment of the
collision by being thrown over a spar. The Hope escaped
damage,. except seine small extent of injury at her bow,
and afterwards proceeded up the river.