The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-05 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD, JUNE 3.—ln a convocation to be holden
on Saturday, the 10th of June, at ten o'clock, it will
be proposed to grant to the Lord Bishop of Frede-
rickton 1001., to be expended in the purchase of theo-
logical books printed at the University Press, in aid
of a library for the use of the clergy and theological
students of that diocese.

The mathematical examination for honours will
commence on Tuesday, the 20th instant.
MUSICAL FESTIVAL.—We understand that Madame
radolini, Mdlle. Schwartz, Miss Birch, Mr. Sims
Reeves, and other distinguished vocalists, are engaged
for the ensuing. Oxford Musical Festival, which will
commence with the oratorio of the Creation,on Tuesday,
the 4th of July, at the Sheldonian Theatre. A grand
miscellaneous concert will be given on Wednesday
the .sth, which, we hear, will finish the musical fes-
tival, as it is not the intention of the stewards to give
a concert on the Thursday, as formerly.

INTERESTING DISCOVERT.—On Friday last an
ancient coffin, of Caen stone, was discovered in a field
near Prested Hall wood, Messing, near Kelvedon, on the
farm of Mr. Samuel Moore, by a man who was engaged
in land ditching. The top flagstone was only about 18
inches below the surface of the ground; and the man was
apprised of some unusual obstacle to his operations by
the hollow sounds which followed the blows of the pick.
axe. By direction of. Mr. Moore, who was informed of
he circumstance, the earth was removed round the spot,
so as to lay bare the coffin, which was found to be sever;
reef long, and about eighteen inches deep, the covering
being formed of three flagstones, which had apparently
oeen cemented on. The skeleton which it contained was
in an almost perfect state when first opened, but all e-
i!ept the principal bones crumbled to dust on
exposure x
'to
the air; the teeth were in beautiful preservation. Mr.
Patmore, surgeon, of Kelvedon, visited the sopo.at soon
m
After the discovery, and pronounced the remain
e
those of a young person about 19 years of age, but of
which sex, owing to the state of decay, he wasl unable to
state. The coffin, which is of oblong;hapea
the
n epofous
ion from north to south. No inscriptiono'r date h
ld
be found upon any part of the coffin to indicate
iner rank or generation of its now mouldering occuepan°rt.
It has since been removed to the residence of Mr. Moore,
where many have gratified their curiosity- by view. in the
relic of a far back age.--Essex Standard. g
THE LATE FIRE IN WHITECHAPEL.—Ever since
yuesday night a considerable body of fire has remained
in the ruins of Messrs. Brown and Co.'s chicory factory,
Mary-street, Whitechapel, which it will be remem-
bered*
was destroyed by fire that evening. The firemen
have, in consequence, been employed in throwing water
upon the place, both by night and day; but owing to
the great altitude of the building very little water could
be thrown upon the • upper wall, and the bond tim-
ber, upon being wholly destroyed, so weakened the
walls, that between eleven and twelve o'clock
on Friday morning the principal portion of the
factory fell with a tremendous crash. Several tons
weight of bricks fell upon the adjoining house, occupied
by Mr. J. Round, a japanner, which forced in the roof
and carried away the floors, besides destroying every-
thing in the house. Another house, belonging to Mr.
Bertram, the brewer, in the Brewhouse-yard, was also
forced in, and several of the out-buildings, belonging to
the same party, were partially destroyed. The various
parties working in the yard narrowly escaped with their
lives. As soon as the dust and smoke had in some mea-
sure cleared away, a terrible sight presented itself. In
the midst of the hot bricks was to be seen a man, buried
up to the neck. He cried out to the people to assist him,
and several parties having, at the risk of losing their
own lives, gone to his aid, they, after considerable diffi-
culty, succeeded in getting the unfortunate man out.
He was then perfectly insensible, his thighs were broken,
and his head was cut open. Without delay he was re-
moved to the London Hospital, but from the serious na-
ture of the injuries he has received, there is very little
chance of his recovery.
FALLING IN OF A SUSPENSION BRIDGE. -- We
regret to say that the handsome and useful structure
across the Forth, which was erected seventeen years
ego by the late Colonel Graham, of Meikiewood, fell
into the river on Monday last, in consequence of the dry
rot having seized the principal timbers. The bridge was
erected on the thrust and tension principle, which is the
same as that which sustains the tube lately erected
across the Conway, having a span of 400 feet. The
span of Meiklewood•bridge was 101 feet ;. and, as a
proof of the strength of this principle of structure,
the bridge continued to carry heavily loaded carts for
months, if not for years, after the dry rot had so
pervaded the main timbers that almost the whole body
of the beams were decayed. On the Thursday pre-
ceding the fall, five carts, heavily loaded with barley,
passed along the bridge with safety. Slight symp-
toms of the decay were observed on Saturday. The
bridge fell when there was no person upon it, and when
parties sent to inspect it were just approaching.—Sll7-
ling Journal.
MEETINGS or Womess.—A meeting of women,
which was rather numerously attended, took place on the
Recreation-ground, Weltord-road, on Monday evening,
but was dispersed almost immediately bya heavy shower
of rain, and an arrangement was made for another meet-
ing in the same plea) on the following evening ; none,
however, took place, though some few groups of persons
were to be seen near the spot about the usual tune for
such gatherings.—Leicester Chronicle.