The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 9, 1861.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 8.

The Vice-Chancellor has informed the members
of the Senate that he has received the commands of
his Royal Highness the Chancellor of the Univer-
sity to ascertain whether there are any gentlemen
at Cambridge who would desire to compete for the
appointments mentioned in the subjoined communi-
cation which has been addressed to his Royal High-
ness by the Right Hon. Lord John Russell:—

" Foreign-office, March 30.
" Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint your Royal
Highness that I propose to nominate a certain num-
ber of candidates to compete before the Civil Ser-
vice Commissioners for the appointment of Student
Interpreter in China or Japan, and I shall have
great pleasure in including in the list of candidates
the names of three gentlemen of the University
over which your Royal Highness presides whom
your Royal Highness or the Vice-Chancellor may
recommend for that purpose, and whose age may be
within the prescribed limits of between 16 years
complete and 20 years complete.
" The object for which such appointments are
made is that the persons on whom they are conferred
should, in the first place, devote themselves to the
study of the Chinese or Japanese language, as the
case may be, and in the next place should qualify
themselves generally for the public service in China
or Japan, so that her Majesty's Government may
always have at their disposal persons competent to
discharge the duties intrusted to her Majesty's con-
sular officers in those countries.

" The salary which is assigned to the office of
Student Interpreter in either country is at the rate
of £2OO a year, to commence from the date of de-
parture from this country, the passage from Eng-
land to the place of destination being, moreover,
provided at the public expense.
" I enclose a statement of the subjects in regard
to which the relative capacity of the candidates
will be tested by the examination ; and I would
add that, as the climates of China and Japan are
considered to be more or less trying to English
constitutions, the probability that the health of
candidates will be such as to bear a residence in
those climates will be taken into consideration by
the Civil Service Commissioners.
"I have further to observe that candidates must
clearly understand that if they succeed in obtaining
one of the vacant appointments, of which, as re-
gards China, there are six, and, as regards Japan,
two to be filled up on the present occasion, their
retention in the public service, and their future ad.
vancement in it will depend entirely on the ability
which they may show after their arrival at their
destination, and on their general steadiness and
good conduct.
" I propose to leave the successful candidates, in
rotation, to elect whether they will take one of the
appointments in China or one of those in Japan.
" I have only to add that, if your Royal High-
ness should be disposed to avail yourself of my pre-
sent offer, I should be glad to be made acquainted,
as soon as possible, with the names of your candi-
dates, as I should wish that the examination should
take place as soon after the Ist of June as may suit
the Civil Service Commissioners.

"I have the honour to be, Sir,
" Your Royal Highness's most obedient humble
servant,

" J. RUSSELL."

sincerely hoped that they would long live to wear
their well-earned decoration. Col. Rea then fas-
tened the medal to the breast of each; remarking,
as he did so, that he trusted the example set the
other non-commissioned officers and men would
prove an inducement to all who then heard him to
preserve a good character in the service. Sergeant
Nicholls and Private Rose have both served in the
corps of Royal Marines upwards of 20 years, during
the whole of which period their conduct has been
roost exemplary.

Intelligence has been received at the depot of
the first battalion of the 24th Regiment, Chatham,
that the head-quarters may shortly be expected to
arrive in England, the regiment being now on its
passage home from India. The 24th :has been in
India nearly 15 years, the regiment having em-
barked from England in May, 1846. This fine
corps has seen a great deal of hard fighting, the
regiment having served throughout the Punjab
campaign of 1848-49, and been present at the bat-
tles of Sadoolapore, Chillianwallah, and Goojerat,
as also the passage of the Chenab. The 24th also
served against the mutineers in 1857-58, and was
present at the memorable defeat of the Jhelum
mutineers on the 7th of July, 1857. It has not yet
been announced at which station the Ist battalion
of the 24th will be quartered on its arrival in
England.

Cupolas for melting iron for Martin's shells are
in course of supply to the following batteries in
the Chatham district :—New Tavern Fort, Sheer-
ness ; Tilbury Fort, Gravesend ; Coal-house Point,
Essex ; and Shornmeade, Kent. A percentage of
Martin's liquid shells will be supplied to each of the
above forts to form a part of the au thorised proportion
of projectiles to be retained in store at each battery,
in readiness for immediate use.

hope that a system which answers no good end will
be presently reformed. There would be something
to say for it if it were particularly cheap, or if it
were particularly efficient, but it is neither one nor
the other. We have got some excellent vessels, no
doubt, but we have only got them at a time who'
it is doubtful whether they are not superseded by a
new class of ships, and at a probable cost which
drives the Commissioners to recommend that no ships
of the new class shall be constructed under the same
system. That is the condition of affairs. We do
not deny that, except in the event—by no means
impossible—of iron-plated ships sweeping every-
thing before them, we have got a very fine navy,
but this navy we only got by an abrupt and con-
vulsive effort, and for it we shall this week be
charged twelve millions sterling; whereas it ap-
pears plain that under a better system of Naval
Administration much of this charge might be re-
trenched. How long, then, in the face of estab-
lished convictions, are we to go on in the same way?
That is the simple form to which the great Dock-
yard question is now reduced.—Tines.