The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-18 00:00:00

MAYNOOTII AND THE POPE.

The following answer to an address presented from the
College of St. Patrick, Maynooth, to his Holiness, on the
occasion of his Jubilee, has been lately received, and bears
the autograph signature of "Pius IX." :----" To our be-
loved sons, the president, vice-president, officers, pro-
fessors, and students of the Boman Catholic College
of St. Patrick, Maynooth, Ireland.—Pius P.P. IX.—
Beloved children, health and apostolic benediction.
Many things have combined to render your expressions
of love and duty, as well as the offering which accom-
panied them, most pleasing to us. For, in the first place,
the homage of children is of its own nature always grate-
ful to a parent, and every manifestation of the spirit of
Catholic unity must needs be most acceptable to the
Vicar of Christ. In the next place, as the proper education
of youth depends on the professors of literature and of the
strict sciences, and as the hope of society, religious as well
as civil, is centred in their pupils, exemplary devotion
to this Holy See on the part of both, whilst affording un-
doubted proof of sound doctrine and piety, is also most
auspicious for our holy religion. Lastly, the very enume-
ration contained in your address of the remarkable and illus-
trious events by which, notwithstanding the efforts of the
powers of hell and human malice to the contrary, Divine
Providence has in these latter times either protected or
wonderfully illustrated His Church, shows that your faith
is so flourishing that everything good and happy may
be expected from it. With joy and gratitude, therefore,
we have received your homage, your gifts, and aspirations,
which leave us nothing further to desire than that you
will earnestly endeavour to maintain and most zealously
cherish your present admirable dispositions. We have
accordingly besought God to vouchsafe to confirm what
He has wrought in you, and to enrich you still more with
His bounteous gifts of grace. As a pledge of these, and
a token of our gratitude and fatherly affection, we most
lovingly bestow on you our apostolical benediction.—
Given at St. Peter's, Rome, this 14th day of July,
1869, in the twenty-fourth year of our pontificate.—
Pius P.P. IX."

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

EXETER, TUESDAY.

Whilst sportsmen are busy amongst the grouse upon the
moors the members of the British Association are
assembling in this ancient cathedral city for their thirty-
ninth annual meeting. How much the pleasantness, not
to say the success, of these reunions is contingent upon the
character of the places where they are held, is appreciable
only by those who habitually attend them. Sir John
Bowring, who stood chief sponsor for Exeter, promised so
much in its behalf when at Norwich last year the claims
of the various towns desiring a visit from the association were
under discussion, that, unless their sojourn here is pre-
eminently enjoyable, scores of irate philosophers and men
of science will, like the forty thousand Cornish miners in
the old West Country ditty, "soon know the reason
why." Prospectively, things look healthy. This city,
so quaint in construction and so picturesque in situation,
is in many respects admirably adapted for the purposes
of such a gathering as the present. In one direction there
may be a failing ; indeed there are indications of it
already, and that is in the matter of beds. The hotels of
the city appear to have let not only all their own cham-
bers, but also those of their neighbours weeks ago. Who
are the sagacious visitors who pitch upon their quarters
so long before the actual day of meeting arrives? How-
ever deep their devotion to science, they always appear
able to spot the best accommodation in the town and to
allocate it to themselves, by means of the penny post, in
a manner which is simply aggravating to those who
arrive before them, but arrive only to be rele-
gated to inferior domiciles. There was every
appearance last night of every bed being full, so
where those who come this evening or to-morrow intend to
sleep, unless it be in the railway station, is a matter which
will be a tolerably difficult riddle for them to solve. For-
tunately, to balance the fewness and smallness of the
hotels in the city there are a considerable number of
lodging-house keepers residing especially in the
outskirts whose rooms may be made available,
at what prices the end of the meeting will
disclose. The accommodation question apart there is
nothing whatever to indicate that the convenience of the
visitors will not be quite as well served here as in any of
the numerous towns to which they have gone since 1831.
Indeed, when it is remembered how great was the struggle
made by the people of Exeter to get the association here,
it may be safely predicted that they will leave no stone
unturned to carry out in a manner as nearly perfect as
possible the details of the arrangements they have devised.
It was three years and a half ago that the first step was
taken to tempt the philosophers to Exeter, where they
had never been before. At that time Plymouth was in
the field as a rival, although the association had
held already one of its meetings there in the
year 1841. When it became really only a ques-
tion which of the two towns of the West would be

selected for 1869, the heart of Exeter was filled with hope,
which hope was materially increased when, at the con-
ference between the representatives of the two boroughs,
it was agreed that the claims of the rivals should be sub-
mitted to an independent arbitration. The referees
selected were the Duke of Buccleuch, Professor Phillips,
and Mr. Grove. The controversy, which though most cour-
teouslyconducted,was a very severe one,was virtuallysettled
by a letter from Mr. Grove to Sir John Bowring, sug-
gesting that Plymouth should withdraw its own, and
should support the invitation of Exeter. As soon as the
formal acceptance of the invitation was given at Norwich
a large and influential executive committee was formed in
this city, and the sum of £2,500 was subscribed towards
the expenses that would of necessity be incurred. But
the committee had this difficulty to combat—any
town entertaining the British Association must
provide a hall that will seat something like two
thousand persons. In all the city no building of
such dimensions existed, and therefore there was no help
for it but to erect one. Instead of a temporary structure,
which was at first in contemplation, it was determined to
subscribe for and build a permanent hall. This has
been done, or rather is being done, for as visitors
passed the Victoria Hall to-day they saw the workmen
busily engaged completing their operations. It is in this
Hall that the president, Professor Stokes, delivers the
inaugural address to-morrow evening, at eight o'clock. At
one time fears were expressed that the building having
been so hurriedly put together would not be safe for a
crowd, but the fears were groundless, as has been
proved by careful professional examination. The great
hall of what are known as the Royal Public
Rooms have been appropriated as the reception-room,
and fitted up as a club for the convenience of the members.
One prohibition the local committee have made, and that
is against smoking in this building. To meet the require-
ments of those who cannot be happy without their pipe or
their cigar two rooms have been specially engaged at
two hotels in proximity to the reception-room,
where they may indulge to their hearts' content,
At Norwich, it will be remembered, there was a smoking-
room under the same roof as the reception-room, and
though it was very convenient for smokers it was a source
of some annoyance to those who dislike the habit. By-
the-bye, the local committee would seem to have been under
some apprehension that their authority would be counten-
anced unless they put the case strongly, for the hills they
have issued relative to smoking run to the effect that they
(the committee) are sure that gentlemen— which word is
underscored—will not after having seen the notice attempt
to break through the rule laid down. For the business of
the sections seven different buildings, ranging from an
hospital to a schoolroom, have been secured in different
parts of the city. In these business will commence at
eleven on Thursday morning. The following is the list
of the sections :

Section A.—Mathematical and Physical Science—Pre-
sident, Professor Sylvester, F.R.S., &c. Vice-Pre-
sidelits, Professor Adams, F.R.S., and W. R. Grove,
Esq., Q.C., F.R.S., &c. At the Grammar School, High-
street.
Section 13.—Chemical Science—President, Dr. Debug,
F.R.S. Vice-Presidents, Professor Odling, F.R.S., a,nd
Professor Williamson, F.R.S. At the Albert Memorial
Museum. _

Section C.—Geology—President, Professor Harkness,
FF..RR:Ss:,
anVdilcveiPpreesnigdeeinlyts,,F.l. Godwin-Austen, Esq.,
Section 1). —Biology—President, S. demorpgeeraßncueskHaL
F.R.S. Vice-Presidents, C. Spence Bate, F.R.S.;andgE.:
'.l'ylor,B.
E.—Geography—President, h
Epgirsacpopyal_Sprechosos i
clt
Vice-Presidents, Sir George
Grey,
y
Section e,ni,
.c•SirBB,
and artle FA* rerGe.
Findlay, Esq., F.R.G.S. Victoria Hall.
Hall.
Section F. —Economic Science and Statistics—President,
the Right Hon. Sir Stafford 11. Northcote, Bart., M.P.
Vice-Presidents, 'l'. D. Aclaud, Esq., M.P. and Colonel
Sykes, M.P. ,F.R. S. Athenaeum.
Section G.—Mechanical Science—President, C. W.
Siemens, Rig., F.I.S. 'Vice-Presidents G. P. Bidder,
Esq., F. R.G.S., and C. Vignoles,Esq.,F.ll. s. St. John's
I ospital.
Judiciously combining pleasure with business, provision
has been made for two soirc'es, one on Thursday evening,
in the Albert Memorial Museum, a very handsome new
building just completed in Queen-street, and the other on
Tuesday evening, August 21, in the same place. Excur-
sions to Plymouth and Devonport, Honiton, and Gittisham
Hill, will be made on Saturday, and to Torquay, North
Coast of Devon, Taunton, and Watchet on Thursday
week. On Wednesday week the Mayor gives a public
luncheon. In addition to the address of the President twc
lectures will be delivered on the evenings of Friday and
Monday. The first will be by Professor Phillips, on
" Vesuvius," and the second by Mr. J. Norman Lockyer,
on "The Sun." A popular lecture, especially for working
men, will be delivered on Saturday evening by Professor
William Allen Miller, on "The Modes of Determining
the Composition of the Sun and other Heavenly Bodies
by the Spectrum."
Amongst the association visitors is Miss Baurrdeest, v
Burdett Cicaourtti
who is the guest of the Rev. Prebendary Barnes,
Heavitree.

THE CHARGE OF BRIBING DETECTIVES!,

At the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday, before the
Recorder, Richards, a police-inspector, in the employ of,
the London and Brighton Railway Coinpany, and 'William
Critchley, described as a jeweller, were indicted for,
bribing Sergeants Ham and Granger, two detectives. The
case for the prosecution was that two persons were in
custody for felony, and that the two prisoners endeavoured;
by administering bribes of £lO to each of the officers
named above to get them—in their own phraseology—t°'
" turn up " the case. Both Ham and Granger swore most
positively that they received £lO each for the purpose
named, and their superior officer was called and spoke t°'
receiving the sum from Ham. Though subject to a severe
cross-examination by Serjeant Ballantiue, Ham's testimony
remained unshaken. Some of his answers tend to sbeW
from what conditionin life a City detective springs. The
witness stated that he had been in the force ten
years, out of which he had been six years sergeant;
He had been a ploughman, a milkman, a grocer,
a soldier, and a cheesemonger. Serjeant Ballantine, for
the defence, contended that the evidence, being entirely,
uncorroborated, was unworthy of belief. His lordship
summed up, and the jury found the prisoners guiltPi
They were sentenced to two years' hard labour each.