The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-23 00:00:00

WOOLWICH, OCT. 22.—The Black Eagle steam-
vessel, Master-Commander S. B. Cook, arrived at
Woolwich on Saturday afternoon, from Portsmouth.
Commodore Henry Eden, superintendent of this
dockyard, has been engaged to day in making ar-
rangements for the service afloat which will be em-
ploy ed on the 30th inst., when her Majesty and Prince
Albert will proceed by water to open the new Coal-
Exchange, near the Custom-house.

Mr. ...Slare, the eminent ship builder at Black wall,
having offered the use of a handsome steam-yacht,
fitted with paddle wheels, the length of the vessel
being 100 feet by 12 feet broad, Mr Petley, Master-
Commander of the Lightning, has been appointed to
command her on the occasion, and will proceed in
advance of the royal barge to see that the river way
is clear.

The Fairy and Elfin steam-vessels are hourly
expected at Woolwich to be in attendance, in case
their services should be rt quired, but it is doubtful
whether the Fairy will be taken above London bridge.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD, OCT. 22.—Dean Ireland's Professor of
the Exegesis of the Holy Scripture (the Provost of
Oriel) is obliged to defer his lecture at the Cla-
rendon to two o'clock on Thursday, the 25th inst.
The Savilian Professor of Astronomy (Mr. Donkin,
of University College), proly,ses to begin a Course of
Lectures on Saturday next, the 27th instant, at two
o'clock.

Members of the University who wish to attend are
requested to call on the Professor on Thursday, the
25th, between one and three o'clock.

The Boden Professor of Sanscrit (Horace Wilson,
Esq., of Exeter College), will commence his lectures
on Tuesday, the 6th of November, at the Clarendon,
at two o'clock.

The Senior Proctor, Mr. May, of New College, has
given notice that he will receive the names of candi-
dates for examination this term, either from themselves
or their tutors, on Thursday, the 25th instant, from
two o'clock to four ; Friday, the 26th, from one to
three. Each candidate must give in a list, signed
with his name, of the subjects and books in which he
offers himself to be examined, together with certifi-
cates of his having responded, and having sat in the
schools. .N.B. The matriculation paper is also
rsquired.

PURIFICATION of the RIVER THAMES.

Yesterday Mr. Dover, of New-street, Spring gar-
dens, the projector of a scheme for deputrifying the
sewage of London, in order to prevent the contami-
nation of the river by the sewers, and the consequent
evils to public health which flow from its pollution,
rave a further exhibition of his experiments for testing
the soundness of his views. The outlines of Mr.
Dover's plan have already appeared in this journal ;
but we may mention that it is proposed to construct
works at the exit of each sewer into the Thames to
intercept the sewage, and effect its deodorization and
filtration, and after undergoing this two-fold process,
the water will be allowed freely to discharge itself
into the river. The sewage is to be pumped up by
steam-power into tanks or vats of one to three thou-
sand gallons each, and disinfected progressively whilst
filling. As soon as the tank is full, the contents
will be ready for.filtering by ascent, and then the resi-
duum is to be removed from the works in order to
be converted into an inodorous fertiliser termed
" British guano," the value of which is estimated as
more than equivalent to the outlay upon the
in the worla,
machinery, and labour necessary fur producing it.
The experiment on this occasion was made upona
quantity of pestilential sewage taken d
presence
of some of the spectators from an adjacent seer; and
f
the result was that the water came o.rth from the
apparatus apparently effaecdtuellydeaptutrtireuetadb,
attributable
ebutto stillthe
and retaining an acid taste smell,
disinfecting agent employed. In this state we were
assured that the effect of the water upon the human
frame would be rather medicinal than otherwise. It
is not quite so clear as the water supplied by the dif-
ferent metropolitan companies, but still it is fully
adapted to the grand and paramount purpose of keep-
ing the river free from its present deleterious impuri-
ties ; and when mixed with the limpid stream flowing
down from the lock of Teddington in the proportion
which naturally flows from that source, it is con-
sidered that the innocuous acid taste and odour which
we mentioned above will be greatly diminished.
Upon the whole the experiment yesterday—which
was very simple and conducted with the most perfect
candour and openness—proved successful.

TUE NICARAGUA QUESTION.—We have intelligence
from Nicaragua to the 20th of August. The New York
company for the construction of the canal had obtained
an absolute and unconditional grant from the Nicaraguan
Government; and, until the completion of the canal,
were to have the exclusive right of navigation of the
San Juan liver and the Lakes Nicaragua and Leon. It
is reported, that when the English Vice-Consul heard of
this, he wrote to the Nicaraguan Government, complain-
ing of their having asserted that a revolution had been
stirred up by British agents, and treating it as a cause of
offence. The Government are said to have replied that
they would appeal to the United States Government for
protection.
IMPROVEMENT IN STEAMERS.—Mr. Humphries,
the chief engineer of her Majesty's dockyard, Woolwich,
has prepared a plan for fitting the centres of paddle-
wheels on the shaft, which will, doubtless, be applied to
the steamers now in coarse of fitting.