The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-13 00:00:00

you will impress upon your neighbours in adjoining
counties this same feeling, and if you will send up
petitions to this effect to both Houses of Parliament, I
will stake my political reputation that in a few
months more or less there is not a man in this room
who will not pay half the local taxation which he
does at present, and who will not be able to obtain
all the capital he requires at a moderate rate of in-
terest.—(Hear, hear.) These are my visws for the
present, and this is my answer to those who say we
don't know what we ask for.—(Cheers.) If I can
obtain these objects next session, I shall probably
ask for more—but at any rate I shall propose " Suc-
cess to the Royal Bucks Agricultural Asssociation"
with greater spirit than I now give it to you. The
lion. Member resumed his seat amid loud applause.
The prizes having been distributed,
Mr. J. L. BaowNE (of the Norfolk Circuit), in an
appropriqte speech, proposed " The health of the
county Members," coupling with the toast the name of
Mr. Disraeli.

Mr. Disa AEI.' said, on behalf of the Members of
the county I have to express those thanks which I am
sure they would themselves express, were they pre-
sent, for the honour you have done them. I am
bound to say that on all occasions I have received
from my colleague, Mr. Dupre, the most earnest, the
most cordial, and the most efficient assistance.—
(Cheers.) I mention that gentleman first, because,
being connected in political opinions, we are naturally
brought more together; but I am bound also to say,
that upon every occasion in which your local interests
have been concerned, upon application to Mr. Caven-
dish, whom I am happy to call my private friend, I
have always met with the same ready and gentlemanly
co-operation, and I am sure nothing but unavoidable
circumstances has prevented their being present on
this occasion. lam deeply sensible of the honour
you have bestowed upon me, but having already too
long trespassed on your time—(Cries of " No, no !")
—I will only say that I aspire to no higher honour
than to be the Member for the county of Bucking-
ham, and that the greatest wish of my life is to de-
serve your confidence.—(Cheers.)
Several other appropriate toasts were then drunk,
and the company separated at a late hour.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE AD-
VANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNISDAT.—The proceedings of
the nineteenth meeting of this association have com-
menced auspiciously. On the last occasion, when its
members assembled in Birmingham, it was reasonably
feared that, in consequence of the riots and fires in
the Bull-ring, which occurred only a few weeks
previously, failure was inevitable. There can be no
doubt that the untoward events which immediately
preceded the meeting of the Association of 1838 con-
siderably damaged its success; and apprehensions
were entertained that the scientific gentlemen of Bir-
mingham would hesitate before they again invited the
members of the Association to meet within its pre-
cincts. But these fears were ill-founded. The last
meeting of the British Association in Birmingham
was, in comparison, with some preceding ones in
other towns, successful, and, as shown upon the
present occasion, has not in the slightest degree
dispirited its local supporters. Suspicions of ill
success have also preceded the present meeting. It
was imagined that after the excitement produced by
the musical festivities of last week, that the public
mind could not be sufficiently subdued for the enter-
tainment and discussions of questions of abstract
and abstruse science. The reception-room—the pic-
ture gallery of the Society of Arts in New-street, ad-
mirably selected for such a purpose—dissipated this
notion, for amongst its visitors, yesterday and this
morning, might be found some of the most learned
and distinguished men of this and other countries.
The noblemen and gentlemen whose names are an-
nounced as having arrived are—The Marquis of
Northampton, Lord Lifford, the Earl of Harrowby,
the Right Rev. Bishop of Worcester, the Right Rev.
Bishop of Oxford, Sir David Brewster, E. R. Daniell,
Esq., Thomas Ellison, Esq., Robert Hutton, Esq.,
Robert Hunter, Esq., Rev. E. Stanley Ireland, John
Lee, LL.D., F.R.S., Robert M'Adams, Esq., Profes-
sor Phillips, W. Gilbert, F.R.S., W. Jukes, M.A.,
F.R.S., F. Russell, Esq., Dr. Rojet, F.R.S., Pro-
fessor Stevelly, Colonel Sabine, Colonel Sykes, G.
W. Ormerod, M.A., F.G.S., Joseph Hodgson,
F.R.S., General Consul for France, Sir H. de la
Beebe, James Heywood, Esq., M.P., Sir C. Lyell,
F.R.S., Professor Sedgwick, and Robert Stevenson,
Esq., M.P. Amongst those for whom letters are
waiting at the reception-room, at the time of writing
are Professor Wheatstone, Professor Walker, Pro•
lessor Willis, Professor Owen, the Dean of West•
minster, Lord Wrottersley, Professor Rogers, Professor
Stevelly, their Excellencies the French and Prussian
Ambassadors, Sir C. Malcolm, Dr. Latham, Dr. Lan-
caster, Sir C. Lemon, the Dean of Llandaff, M. D.
Hill, Esq., Q.C., Viscount Adare, Professor Alison,
Professor Anstead, Professor Allman, Captain Sir
Edward Beecher, Mr. F. S. Bolton, Chas. Bahington,
Esq., slid C. G. B. Daubeny, iII.D. The greatest
attention was paid to the strangers upon their entrance
into the recepta n room. Colonel Sabine and Professor
Phillips, the general secretaries, together with Capt.
Tindal, IV. Wills, E,q , Dr. Ball Fletcher, and J. T.
Chance, Esq , 13'eal secretaries, were indefatigable in
affording all information necessary for visitors.
The first general committee he'd its meeting in
the library of the Free Grammar School to-day, at
one o'clock, for the purpose of electing sectional offi-
cers, and the dispatch of business usually brought
before that body. The Marquis of Northampton
occupied the chair, having on his right the Rev. T.
R. Rchinson, D. 1)., M.R.1.A., F.R.A.S., the Pre-i-
-dent for the ensuing year, and J. Taylor, Esq., the
venerable treasurer of the association.

The meeting was very thinly attended. This might
be attributable to its simple formality. There were
not present more than a dozen gentlemen, connected
by residence or profession with the town of Bir-
mingham.
As usual upon such occasions, Mr. Phillips, the
secretary and chemical professor, read the minutes of
the last two meetings of the association, the last of
which took place in South Wales. They were duly
confirmed.
Colonel SABINE said he had a few words to address
to the committee. In considering the arrangements
necessary to make for the present meeting, they had
made an omission which he and the council were
anxious to supply. When the British Association
held their meeting in Birmingham ten years ago, they
were received with the greatest courtesy and kindness
by a reverend gentleman, then the head master of the
school in which they were assembled. That reverend
gentleman, Dr. Lee, was now Bishop of Manchester.
He begged leave to move that the Bishop of Man-
chester be added to the list of vice presidents.
Sir R. J. MuecuisoN seconded the nomination of
Dr. Lee, which was carried unanimously.
Mr. PHILLIPS, the secretary, next proceeded to read
the report fur the last year. It referred chiefly and
more particularly to the observatories, and magnetical
and meteorological apparatuses at Toronto and Kew.
In connexion with this subject the re-
port stated that the council had great pleasure
in announcing to the general committee that her
Majesty's Government, on the joint application of the
Marquis of Northampton and Sir John Herschel, had
granted to Mr. Ronalds a pecuniary recompense of
2501. per annum for the invention of his method of
constructing self-registering magnetical and meteoro-
logical apparatus. The report proceeded to state that
this grant was made in consequence of the arrange-
ment of the British Association ; and as the apparatus
had been constructed, and its successful operation
shown at the observatory of the Association, of which
Mr. Ronalds was the superintendent, the council had
deemed it proper to make this formal announcement;
but they were glad, at the same time, of taking the
opportunity of expressing the satisfaction with which
they had learned that the ingenious inventions of Mr.
Brooks had also received a pecuniary recompense from
the Government. The committee also regretted that
they were unable to announce the publication either
of Professor Forbes's researches in the lEgean Sea,
or of the Mountjoy Observations, for which purpose
grants of public money had been sanctioned by her
Majesty's Government, at the recommendation of the
British Association.
Professor Plucker, of Bonn, Dr. Silgestrom, of
Stockholm, and Professor IL D. Rogers, of Philadel-
phia, were added to the list of the corresponding
members of the association.
The statement of accounts, read by Mr. Taylor,
the treasurer, showed that the receipts of the last
year were 1,961/. 2s. 9J.; and that, after paying the
current expenses, there is at present a balance in the
treasurer's hands of 3601. 75. The Association has
also in band stock in the Three per Cent. Consols, to
the amount of 3,5001.
There were, it appeared, numerous applications
from various towns in the kingdom, for the holding
of the meetings of the Association in the next, and
even in succeeding years. Edinburgh, Bath, and
Derby, claim preference for 1850 ; Belfast for 1850
or 1851 ; Manchester for 1852 ; and Hull as early as
possible.
Colonel SABINE, apparently to the regret of his
associates, announced his resignation of the office of
secretery, and left the appointment of his successor
altogether in the hands of the general committee.
o successor was appointed, nor even mentioned.
The officers of the various sections were next ap-
pointed. Professor Sedgwick was excused from the
office to which he was elected in consequence of
expected domestic engagements.
The retirement of the old President (Lord North-
ampton), and the inauguration of the new one (the
Rev. Dr. Robinson), take place at the Town-hall
to-night.

THE I. 0. U. CoLumir.—A creditor was lately
asked what tho Duke of York's Column was erected iu
honour of ? " I don't know," he said, " unless it's ale
Great Unpaid." Punch.