The Sun.
London, England, 1812-03-03 00:00:00

OxPoith FEt.

•On Sunday last (the instant) the folipiking.
Gentlemen were ordained by the Lord Bishop of Winthes-
ter : Deacons— G. Calvert, B. A. and F. W 1. Vickery,
B. A. University College; G. M. Chissold, B. A. Lincoln
College; J. Dean, M. A. and C: A. Maddock, B. A. of
Brazen-nose College ; E. Barlee, B. A. St. 'John's College;
0. Collings, B. A. Worcester. College; A. Creighton, B.A.
Lincoln College; Mr. Johr.ston.—Priests—T. Coles, M.A.
University College; D. Ruell, B. A. St. Edmund's Hall;
W. Austen, B. A. Brazen-nose College.
On Wednesday last tne Rev. J. J. Conybeare,
M. A. and Student of Christ Church, was unanimously
eleded Professor of Poetry, in the place of the Rev. E. Co.
plestone, B. D. And Fellow of Oriel College.

On Thursday the following Gentle-mat were a -
mined t 6 Degrees:--Bachelor in Divinity-=Rev. R. Cliol-
mely, M. A. of Corpus ,Clitisti College. Masters of Arts—
Rev. G. L. Blount, M. A. of St. lohn's College, Care-
bridge, admitted ad eundem ; Rcv. 1. A. Pertly, of Mag-
dalen Hall; Rev. I. Coles, of University College ; Nlr. F.
Farrel' and Mr. %V. L. Farrer, of Brazen-nose College.—
Bachelors of Arts—Mr. C. Erie, and Mr. C. 1. Bain, of
New College.

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION,-TheLiure given
by Dr. Davy on Saturday last, treated of radiant or
etherial mailer, -under the different heads of—Rays
producing Light, Rays producing Heat, and Rays
producing Chemical Effects. • Mr. Davy observed,
sh it in the French System of Chemistry, the coM-
binations of caloric and light with bodies, were de-
scribed as if these substances were known to have
a distinct specific existence, and were capable of
combining with ponderable bodies, in the same way
that ponderable bodies combine with each other;
but this he stated was the language of hypothesis,
which should always be kept distinct from the de-
scription of facts. Various effeas of the radiation of
light and heat were illustrated by experiments. Black
surfaces a ppearto radiate heat with nearly three times
more intensity than polished surfaces of metal. If a
polished. tin vessel be filled with boiling water, and
another vessel of the same shape and size be also
fi.led With water at the same temperature—if the
surface of the latter be coated with lamp-black, it is
found that, if two thermometers be placed at equal
distances from each other, that opposed to the black
vessel rises higher and more rapidly than that placed
at an equal distance from the polished surface. The
application of this principle in various processes
might be of much practical use in the heating or
cooling of liquors. The different effeas of the radia-
tion and refrangibility of light were then deScribed,
and the discoveries of Dr. Herschel were stated, by
which it appears, that when the solar beam passes
!brought the pasta, beyond the visible rays at the
red end, there were invisible rays producing heat,
the thermometer rising two Cieg!-ees higher, at about
half an inch distance, beyond the visible rays at the
red end, that) when acted upon by red rays. Ist the
contrary end of the spectrum, beyond the termina-
tion of the visible violet rays, there are found to be
rays that have the power of changing the colour of
metallic oxyds, one end of the spectrum separating
oxygen from bodies, the other separating hydrogen.
-In this respect the power of the different ends
of the spectrum appeared to he analogous to the dif-
ferent poles of the voltaic pile, and to produce sirni-
lar chemical effeas. The polarity of light- seeined
also evinced by its effeas in passing through Iceland
crystal : also when light passes through other re-
fracting substances, there is a certain angle at which
one part of the rays only pass through, and the
Others are refleeted. These different effeas seemed
to depend on the polar:ay of the particles by which
they were attraaed at one degree of inclination, and
repelled at another. The supposition which had
been advanced, that the particles of light were oc-
tahedrons, each of which had a peculiar axis of
polarity, would agree with the phenomena of dou-
ble
refraElion.

A question respeeting the nature of light has long
divided the opinion of philosophers. Are the effect's
of light produced by certain undulation's of an ethe-
rial medium, -or by the motion of particles moving
with an inconceivable velocity in Strait lines? The
latter was the opinion of Newton, and Mr. Davy said
that he thought it was more satisfadory, as agreeing
bever with the observable phenomena of the passage
of light through various substances. Mat ter he con-
ceived might be arranged -under four divisions—So-
lids in which the attrad ion of the particles exceeds
the repulsive power—Fluids : in which -these two
powers were equal—Gaseous substances : in which
the repulsive power exceeds the attractive, but not
in that degree to destroy their action on each other—
and radiant or etherial matter : in which the repul-
sive force of the particles separated them with incon-
ceivable velocity from each other, and impelled them
in right lines through space. The different efleets of
colour, Newton had attributed to the different size of
the particles, and on the same cause Mr. D. observed,
it probably depended that the radiant heat from the
son passed through glass, whilst the rays of heat from
culinary fire being larger, would not pass through.
It was the opinion of Newton, that elementary par-
ticles of [natter of all substances were homogene-
ous, its different properties depending on the dif-
ferent arrangement of these particles; Mr. Davy ob-
served, if ever we are permitted to penetrate the
mysteries of nature, and to trace chemical and me-
chanical causes to the same source, it will probably
be etTeded by a more accurate acquaintance with
the laws which regulate the phenomena of radiant
matter.

NAVAL APPOINTMENTS.—C3ptain Puitney Mal-
coim, to the San Joseph, as Captain
.of the Channel fleet.
Capt. I'. G,. Shortland, to the Royal Oak. Lapt. Sir M.
Seymour, Bart. to the Hannibal. Capt. Pyrrt, to the Nie-
men.' Capt. Giflard, to the Sheldrake. Capt. the lion. I.
A.Maude, to the Nemesis. Capt.G roves, to the Prince Fre-
derick. Capt. N. Thompson, to the Bombay, Capt. Fel-
lowes, to the Fawn. Lieut. T. Level!, to the Osprey.
Lieut. Sir J. G. Sinclair; Bart. to. the Diana. Lieut. Kirt-
Icy, to the Ocean. Lieut. Burchili, to the Hannibal. Lieuts.
M. M. Wroot anLl Betty, to the Zephyr. Lieut. Thew, to
the Orion. Lieut. Fausset, to the Plantagenet. Lieut.
'Vasco, to. the Daring. Lieut. Jones, to the CreSsy. Lieut.
Pearl, to the Cornet. Lieutenant ackson, to the Valiant.
Mr. gartield, Master, to the Rosamond. Mr. D. Welsh,
tb be Lieutenant of the Savage. Mr. Purdie, Surgeon of the
Abercrombie, to the Settlement ,of Sierra Leone. Mr.
Henry, Surgeon, to the Abercrombie. Mr.illarewood, Sur-
geon, n the Pomone. Mr. john Duke, Surgeon, to the
. RoSamOnd. John Bogues, Purser, from the Saracen to
;the Thais. Mr.;fi. Beattey, Purser, from the Conqueror to
the London. Mr, Goddard, Purser, from.the Excellent to
the Trafalgar. 'Mi. John Shea, Purser,'lrom the Thunderer
to the'RUssell. Mr.' G.; Debt's, Purser, to the Derwent.
I\lr. Wmi Wills. Purser.'from the Hydra to the Thunderer.
Mr. Robert S. Sutton,, Purser, from the Success to the van-
guard; Mr. Jolts Penville,. Purser, frOut tho,Hercules to
Me Cornwall.