The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-12 00:00:00

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Carpenter, Dr. W.—On the physiology of the en-
cephalon.
Searle, Dr.—On the identity of electricity and the
nervous power.

SECTION E.—STATISTICS.
The only paper read' as by Mr. Heywood, "On Ox-
ford Educational Statistics." It detailed the general
course of the system pursued in Oxford, comparing it
with Cambridge in various particulars. It stated that
the number of students at Oxford was rather dipiinish-
ing of late years. In the ten years, from 1818 to 1829,
the number averaged 415 per annum; in the next ten
years, 385; and in the seven years since 1839, it was
407. The lecturer attributed this to dogmatic theology
being taught in connexion with general literature, in-
stead of being confined to those for holy orders; and
this was the cause of most of the unsuccessful men being
in that plight. He also objected to so much stress being
laid on an intimate knowledge of Aristotle, and more
especially the abstruser parts of his ethics. The unsuc-
cessful candidates for the degree of B.A. were stated to
range from 111 to 140 per annum. Among the more re-
markable men of our time who had been double:first-class
men at Oxford, were Sir Robert Peel, Dr. Hampden,
Lord Sandon, Mr. C. Wood, and Mr. W. E. Gladstone;
but it was stated that few of our younger public men
figured in the Oxford records.
Dr. COOKE TAYLOR added a brief account of the
course pursued at Trinity College, Dublin, remarking
upon the viva voce examination of students there on en-
tering—a system which often produced some odd
answers. On one occasion the Rev. John Martin was
examining a class in hydrostatics, and asked a student
who was not very popular, " Mr. Spencer, what would
be the consequence if I thrust you into a pond ?" the
examiner's object being to test the student's knowledge
of the law that water rises in proportion to the weight of
the body immersed. The student not being able to give
a solution of the question, another was put to his neigh-
bour, Mr. Plunket, " What would be the consequence if
I thrust Mr. Spencer into a pond ?" "'Pon my word,
Sir," was the reply, " I think it would be of very little
consequence." Another student, being examined on
Locke where ho speaks of our relations to the Deity as
those which we most neglect, was asked what relations
were irst neglected ; the youth answered very coolly,
" Poo relations."

After a laugh at these anecdotes, a long conversation
ensued on the subject of the system of education pur-
sued hi the French and American universities. In the
latterahe chief feature noticed was their insisting less
than Mr own on the study of the dead languages.
Great praise was, awarded to the French schools for their
teaching so universally the art of drawing and design.
Dr. Cooke Taylor attributed much of the superiority of
the French in this art to the time they were able to
spare in consequence of the simplicity of their decimal
system, while our own barbarous and complicated
method of arithmetic and weights and measures con-
sumed so much time unnecessarily.
SECTION G.—MECHANICS.

Robinson, Dr. T. R.—Account of a modification in
Dr. TVhewell's anemometer.

Russell, Mr. Scott—Accounts of some recent experi-
ments on railway trains for the determination of the re-
sistance at high velocities.
Ricardo, Mr. M.—A description and models of self-
registering mechanism for recording the Velocity and
resistance of railway trains.
Phipps, Dr.—An account of the construction and
performance of two sailing vessels built on the wave
system.

Bodmer, Mr. J. G.—Description of an apparatus
for storing and preserving corn in large national gra-
naries.

The paper " On a new method of boring for artesian
wells," communicated to the association by M. Arago,
was read by Mr. C. Vignoles. It was accompanied by a
diagram. It appears that an intelligent artisan at Perpig-
nan, in France, named Fauvel, was led to the
discovery by noticing that in several cases of success in
boring for water with solid iron rods, so soon as the
spring was tapped all the triturated particles were
brought up without the use of the auger. He inferred,
therefore, that if the boring could be effected by a hol-
low tube about two inches less in diameter than the
width of the auger, communicating with auy injecting
force pump by a flexible tube from the surface, the same
result would follow to this mechanical application of
power as resulted from the natural power of the rising
column of water. Being a poor man, it was a long
time before he could get any interest taken for his in-
vention. At last, the fellow-workmen clubbed together
for the materials, and assisted him with their labour!
Success attended the first experiment. He competed
with the old system in one or two places, and produced
the most successful results in half the time ever accom-
plished before. The principle became so established
that Fauvel has now orders for, and in hand two hun-
dred artesian wells. Mr. Vignoles had not himself seen
these, but he was assured that one of 24 inches in
diameter had been completed, and one of six inches
diameter had been carried a depth of 540 feet. This
paper was listened to with great attention, the subject
being so important to the town of Southamptm.

FLANDERS and HAMBURGII MAILS

GRATZ, AUG. 31.—The disaster by which Upper
Styria has: been visited, unhappily is not the only one
which has befallen this country during the last fort-
night ; within the last eleven days there has been a
constant heavy rain, which occasionally fell in torrents,
accompanied by loud peals of thunder and vivid flashes
of lightening. The rivers, and even the streams,
are in consequence unusually swollen, and are
causing considerable destruction in every part
through which their course lies. Our principal river,.
which has risen to a height not known since the year
1827, threatens destruction to the railway at various
points, and has already interrupted the communication
with Marburg. Great fears are entertained for the
district lying between Gratz and Eilly, as well as for
the great tunnels of St. Egiddy, where the water has
for several days forced its way through the sides
and the vaulted roof. While portions of land have
been washed away by the rain in various places of
the Veldon, the waters continue to wear away the em-
baikments of the railway, and it is not difficult to fore-
see the impediments which will be caused by the line
wherever it passes through mountainous districts which
abound in rivers. As the storm has not yet abated,
it is feared that greater damage may yet be occasioned.
It is probable that the King will return to Brussels
at the latter end of next week.
The Journal de Frankfort states that the King of
Belgium had arrived at Baden, the same day as the
Duke de Montpensier, as well as the Queen of the
Netherlands.

The Journal des Debats states that the Infant Don
Henry, who has resided for some time at Ostend, is
about to leave this place for Ghent. The Prince is ac-
companied by Mr. Calvet, his aide.de-camp. During
his stay at Ostend his Royal Highness lived in a private
house, and led a very retired life. His name appears in
the list of visitors as the Count d'Aris, a landholder of
Madrid.
ST. PETERSBIIRGIT, SEPT. I.—lntelligence from the
theatre of war in the Caucasus, dated Kislowodsk,
Aug. 17, states that the enemy has not ventured upon
any decisive steps since the last accounts of July 22.
On the 3rd of August, however, on the line opposite
Staniza Troizk, the liiialaks, amounting to 300 chosen
men, some of whom were mounted and the rest on foot,
made an attempt to repeat the attack of the 21st of July.
The judicious measures adopted by Colonel Stepzoff and
Major Artinjeff made these mountaineers pay dear for
their boldness. In the meanwhile a reserve corps of 100
Cossacks, under the command of Sharitzkin, attacked
the enemy, whose strength was three times as great as his
own, with such impetuosity, that the Karabakalis,
overpowered by this bold attack, sought their escape by
flight through almost inwenetrable forests. They car-
ried with them a very considerable number of dead and
wounded, and left seven mutilated corpses, with their
weapons and horses, on the scene of action. About the
middle of July a number of hostile bands assembled
in
the south of Daghistan, with the view of pe-
netrating into the upper part of the circle
of Dscharobelokan on the territory of the former
Sultan of Jelissne, but their plan was discovered, and
they were obliged to return home after a short but very
decisive engagement. The fortifications are everywhere
proceeding with the greatest rapidity, thus the inhabi-
tants are kept in check, but 61 families have already
placed themselves under the protection of the Govern-
ment. On July 27 the lightning struck a powder magazine
at the fortification of Salak, all the works were injured,
and several buildings destroyed, an officer and 4 soldiers
were killed, and 33 men wounded. The enemy thought
that an opportunity was thus afforded of entering Salak,
and appeared in great numbers on the neighbouring
heights. They 'erected a battery and opened a fire, but
by the energetic measures of the commanding officers they
were compelled to retreat with great loss, after several
futile attacks. Disasters of another and no less serious kind
have taken place in various parts, owing to the unusual
enlargement of the rivers, caused by the melting of the
immense masses of snow which fell in the past winter,
as well as by the continued heavy falls of rain.
Intelligence has just been received that Count Argo,-
tinski, with his right wing, has had a successful engage-
ment with Daniel Beek, at Kaiserruh.—Hamburg Papers,
Sept. 8.

BELGIAN FUNDS.-13Eussms, SEPT. 9.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent ..............
Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent • • • • • • • •
Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per Cent....
Ditto Three per Cent •••• • • • •
Ditto Thirty-seven Millions, ditto • . • •
Ditto, ditto, 1840 •
Ditto, ditto, 1842 ..
Ditto, 1844. 99%
Ditto, 1836.........
Ditto, 1838 ......... ....... .. • . • • • • ..
Ditto of the City, 1832 .
Ditto, 1843 • . • • ..
Bank ofßelgium.. .. • . ..... ••
—Brussels Papers, Sept. 9.
Cent AUSTRIANietam
5 per
1%16
34
ppeerr
CCeenntt..
ttttoo
.•
158
Ditto, 1839 .• —1••• •• •• •••••••• •• • • 127%
Bank Shares ..
Esterhazy's Loan • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • •
11AMBURGII BORSENHALLE, SEPT. G.
Bills. Money.
Austrian 5 per Cents •• •••••••• • • • • •• 112
Bank Shares • . • • • • • • • • • • 1570
Anglo-Russian Loan
Russian 5 per Cent., !lamb. Certificate. 100%
Ditto Ist serleslnseription•• •• ••.• • • 192% -1-
Ditto,Ylope and Co., 3d and 4th series•• 97
Ditto, in Certificate .• . ...... • • 9734
New 4 per Cent., hope and Co. ......
Ditto Stieglitz
Spanish New 5 per Cent l9 19
Ditto 3 per Cent 32%
Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 2% per Cent ••
Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent. ••• • • 59
Ditto 3 per Cent • •• •• ...... • •
Polish New 4 per Cent. Loan, 1844.• 1934
Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent ••• • ••
National Bank Shares • • • • • • • • • "• " "

FOREIGN OnoNs.—A vessel, arrived from 2 1
—or-
deaux, has brought 1,800 strings of onions, the produc-
tion of France.