The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-09 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

The annual dinner of the members and friends of
the Smithfield Club took place last evening at the
Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-
inn-fields, when upwards of 100 gentlemen partici-
pated in the festivities of the occasion.
His Grace the Duke of Richmond, the President,
occupied the chair, and was supported by Lord
Berners, Vice-President ; Mr. C. T. Tower, the
Father of the Club ; Mr. Alderman Mechi, Mr.
Brandreth, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. C. Barnett, Mr.
It. Millward, Mr. H. Wilson, Mr. K. Westbrook
Baker, Professor Simmonds, Mr. Sanday, Mr. Torr,
Mr. Quartley, Mr. Jonas Webb, Mr. John Hudson,
Mr. Druce, Mr. B. E. Bennett, Mr. T. Brandreth
Gibbs, the lonorary Secretary, and a large number
of eminent agriculturists.
The noble CHAIRMAN, in proposing " The health
of her Majesty the Queen," said he felt it his duty
to announce to the members of the Club that her
Majesty had expressed her most deep regret that
she was not in a position to be at their show this
year. (Applause.) He believed there was never
a Monarch who sat upon the throne of these realms
who was more anxious for the welfare of her sub-
jects than her present Majesty, and her Majesty's
conduct in private life was a great example to them
all. The sympathy the Queen expressed for our
soldiers and sailors in the late war had endeared
her to every heart. He had, therefore, no hesita-
tion in proposing " The health of her Majesty."
(Loud and long continued applause, amid which
the toast was drunk.)
The noble PRESIDENT next gave, " The Prince
Consort and the rest of the Royal Family."
His Royal Highness, under the powers awarded by
the Club to himself as President, that upon his in-
vitation Royalty might be admitted to view the
show either before or after the award of the
judges, had availed himself of the opportunity
of visiting the show on Saturday last. His Royal
Highness spent a good deal of time in going
round, and he was greatly interested and very
much pleased with the show. Indeed, his Royal
Highness took a very deep interest at all times
in that Club, at the shows of which he was a con-
stant contributor. (Cheers.) The Prince of Wales
had entered the army and Prince Alfred the navy,
and it was quite right that those who' were destined
some day to be at the top of the tree should see a
little of the roughs as well as the smooths of life.
Although Prince Alfred as a midshipman might
find it good fun on a fine day to be at sea on board
a man-of-war ship, there would be times when he
would find it rather rough. At all events the step
taken showed that her Majesty and the Prince
Consort were anxious to devote their children to
the service of their country.
The toast was responded to amid repeated ap-
plause.
The Duke of RICHMOND next proposed " The
Smithfield Cattle Club and success to it." He had
great pleasure that he could congratulate the Smith-
field Club upon its success, for it was a great suc-
cess to say that they were enabled to distribute in
prizes over £l,OOO per annum, pay all their expenses,
and yet have a balance in hand. The advantages
conferred by the Smithfield Club were not confined
to England alone. -They had not only an enor-
mous number of ';isitors from every part of England
to their show, or from Scotland or Ireland, but
they had visitors from far distant countries, who
came to London at this period of the year to see
what the farmers of England have been able to do
for the benefit of the country. He (the noble
chairman) said that he considered the show of the
Smithfield Cattle Club of the present year a very
creditable one. (Hear, hoar.) It was true they
had not those large fat animals which they were in
the habit of showing in former years, but all must
admit that there was greater attention paid to the
symmetry and quality of the animals than formerly.
(Hear, hear.) There could be no doubt but that
the Smithfield Club was of the greatest advantage
and benefit to the farmers of England, for it had
induced the farmers to pay more attention to their
stock than they used to do, and the result
that it was more remunerativ to them as well
as of advantage to the public.e He would appeal
to them all whether they had any chance
The
whatever with bad stock. (Hear, hear.)
improvement in stock had not been confined
to England, through the instrumentality of the
Club, but it had extended to many of her Majesty's
colonial possessions. (Cheers.) He hoped that the
club would continue to prosper, and he would en-'
courage those who had not been successful compe-
titors on this occasion not to be down-hearted. It
might be expected that old stagers like himself
should carry off sonic of the prizes—(hear, hear,
and a laugh)—but he was happy to say that he
found among the successful competitors this year
the names of gentlemen he had never before seen
or heard of, and, therefore no one should despair.
(Hear.) As a warm friend of the agricultural in-
terest, he must say that he believed that it was very
deeply indebted to the institution of which he had
the honour to be the president, and therefore he
had great pleasure in giving them, " Success to the
Smithfield Cattle Club." (Loud and general ap-
plause, amid which the toast was drunk.)
The gold medals were here distributed to the
successful exhibitors, and their healths were seve-
rally drunk amid applause.
Lord BERNERS proposed " The Health of the
noble President," which was most enthusiasticr"
responded to.
The Duke of RICHMOND said that he never fei
greater delight than when he had an opportunity
of meeting the tenant farmers of England. (Cheers.)
He had frequently said it, and he repeated again

CAMBRIDGE, DEC. 7.
ASTRONOMY—MUNIFICENT GIFT.
The Vice-Chancellor has great pleasure in an-
nouncing to the members of the senate that the
representatives of the late Rev. Richard Sheep-
shanks, M.A., Fellow of Trinity College, have
offered £lO,OOO stock, 3 per Cent. Consols, for
the promotion of the science of astronomy in the
university. The terms on which this munificent
gift is offered for the acceptance of the university
will be learnt from the subjoined letter addressedto
the Vice-Chancellor by the Astronomer Royal :
"Royal Observatory, Greenwich, Dec. 2, 1858."
" Sir,—l am requested by the representatives of
the late Rev. Richard Sheepshanks, M.A., Fellow
of Trinity College, to state to you that they are
desirous of offering for the acceptance of the uni-
versity an endowment of £lO,OOO stock in the Three
per Centum Consolidated Annuities (together with
one year's interest on the same, which will be
due on Jan. 5, 1859, and will then be available
'under the proposed regulations for the employ-
ment of interest), for the following several
purposes, namely, for the establishment of an
astronomical exhibition in Trinity College; for the
promotion of the science of astronomy in the Uni-
versity of Cambridge ; and for the rendering effi-
cient the Cambridge Observatory for the benefit of
astronomy, or of terrestrial magnetism or meteoro-
logy, or of such other sciences as usually arc or may
be continuously followed in an observatory.
" It is proposed, with regard to one-sixth
part of the above-mentioned stock, that the prin-
cipal shall in no wise be touched, but that the
entire annual proceeds shall be applied every
year to the maintenance of an exhibition to
be called " The Sheepshanks Astronomical Exhi-
bition ;' which exhibition shall be given to that
undergraduate of the University of Cambridge,
elected by the master and seniors of Trinity Col-
lege, who shall be found, upon notice of com-
petition publicly given, and examination held by
them or by persons appointed by them, to be
best versed. in astronomy, theoretical and prac-
tical ; and the person so elected, if not a student
of Trinity College, shall thereupon become a
student of Trinity College ; and shall retain the
exhibitions for three years, on condition that he
shall keep, by residence, every university term- of
that time ; except so far as he may have permission
of non-residence granted to him by the master and
seniors of Trinity College.
" It is further proposed, with regard to the re-
maining five-sixths part of the above-mentioned
stock, that the original principal shall in no
wise be touched; but that the entire annual pro-
ceeds thereof, and also any interest which may
arise from the investment year by year of the un-
expended portions of the annual proceeds and
previous interest, and also any sums which may
arise from the sale of such investments (if such
sale shall be thought necessary), shall be employed
cs follows :

" The annual proceeds, interest, and produce of
sales of investments are not to be applied directly
or indirectly to the benefit of the professor or
other principal director of the Cambridge Obser-
vatory, or to the erection of buildings for the resi-
dence of any person whatever ; but to the causing
to be made the best possible observations and cal-
culations for advancing the science of astronomy
(whether physical or gravitational or mensurative),
or the sciences of terrestrial magnetism and mete-
orology, ot• other sciences usually pursued continu-
ously in an observatory ; or to the erection of
buildings or procuring of instruments proper for
and appropriated to those observations ; or to the
payment of actual observers and actual computers
personally employed on the observations and cal-
culations.
" For the due control of these moneys it is pro-
posed that the entire endowment of £lO,OOO stock
be invested in the names of the trustees : the trustees
being the master, fellows, and scholars of Trinity
College, together with Mr. G. B. Airy, Astrono-
mer Royal, during his life, and afterwards the
master, fellows, and scholars of Trinity College for
ever ; but that the immediate expenditure of the
sums annually available be entrusted to the obser-
vatory syndicate, or other body appointed annually
to this management by grace of the senate (which
syndicate or other body so constituted is hereafter
denominated the managing body).
" And it is proposedthat the following course be
pursued every year for supplying the managing
body with the funds which may be required for the
purpose of the endowment, and for the audit of
accounts :
" On any convenient day in the month of Novem-
ber or December of every year the managing body
shall, through their chairman, present to the
trustees, through the master of Trinity College, a
statement of the several purposes for which money
will be required during the next year, and
of the ,estimated sums necessary to effect those pur-
poses ; and the trustees shall take the statement into
their consideration ; and if it appears in the judg-
ment of the trustees that the purposes so specified are
included among- the purposes for which the applica-
tion of funds annually available is permitted by the
regulations above described, and not otherwise
then the trustees, as soon as can conveniently be
done after the payment of the January dividends, and
possible not later than the 20th day of January
following their receipt of the said statement, shall
pay to the vice-chancellor, to be expended by
directions of the managing body, the total sum
required, or so mnch as can be raised by the annual
proceeds and the interest of investments and the
sale of investments. And, on occasion of the next
application of the managing body to the trustees,
an account with proper vouchers shall be rendered
by the managing body, of the disbursement of the
sums received from the trustees. And any sums
which remain unexpended in the hands of the
managing body shall be refunded to the trustees,
or shall be carried to the next account as a debt of
the managing body to the trustees. And, if the
trustees approve of the account, the master of
Trinity College shall attach his signature to it, and
this shall be held to be a complete discharge of all
responsibility of the managing body towards the

xustees.
" After payment by the trustees of the sums re-
quired by the managing body, the trustees, as soon
as may conveniently be done, shall ascertain the
amount remaining in their hands, and shall invest
the same in the Three per Centum Consolidated.
Annuities in the name of the trustees.
"At some time in every year, on a day to be
named by the vice-chancellor, the trustees shall lay
before the auditors of the accounts of the univer-
sity a statement, accompanied with proper
vouchers, of all the money transactions of the trus-
tees in reference to this endowment during the
preceding year ; including as receipts. the balance
in hand from the last account, the sums received.
by annual proceeds and interest and sale of invest-
ments, and the moneys refunded. by the vice-than-
cellar or the managing body ; and including as
payments the stipend of the Sheepshanks Astrono-
mical,
the sums paid on the demand of the ma-
nagin,g body, a thethe balance in aa paid i
ant
thet h e
tph
nu r
ee he af spe r ofe
stock_
sums •
smiting the account ; and when such account is
approved -and signed
aby the auditors, the trustees
shall be discharged
and to whomsoever, a
salil.egraeisspondsaslilbtill.iatii-s
awchtiaatnesv einr
the moneys of this endowment to the date of such
approval and signature.
" lam further authorised by the representatives
of Mr. Sheepshanks to state that, in the event of
the university accepting this endowment, imme-
diate steps will be taken by the representatives for
giving legal foe to the endowment and to the
provisions above detailed.
" I have now to request that you will be pleased
to lay this communication before the senate, with a
view of obtaining the acceptance or otherwise of
this endowment bye' the university ; and tat you
will have the goodness to make me acquainted.
with their decision.—I have the honour to be, sir,
your very obedient servant,
" G. B. AIRY.
-11,)
"The Rev. W. 11. Bateson, D.D.
Master of St. John's College, &e.,
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge."
aity

Mr. G. G. Scott (whose design for the new
Foreign-oillee has been selected by Goverment) is the
grandson of the Rev. Mr. Scott, the commentator, the
fliend of Newton awl Cowper, and the author of that re-
markable piece of biography the «Force of Truth."