Star.
London, England, 1831-02-25 00:00:00

THE LONDON UNIVERSITY.

Wednesday the Annual Otneraalleeting of the Proprietors of shares
in the London University was held in the Great Theatte of the Uni-
versity. frr the purpose of receiving a Report from the Council respect-
ing the affairs of the Establishment during the last year. The Warden
read the Keport of the Council. It stated that the capital of the Uni-
versity was 164,0001. of which 155,0001. had been received, and that
there were arrears in respect to calla on shares to the amount of 6,0001.
A Committee had been appointed to investigate the affairs of the esta-
blishment, with a view to economy. The Warden had voluntarily re-
linquished 2001. per annum. The number of students last year who
had been receiving instruction in the various branches of knowledge.)
was 510, or seventy less than in the previous year. The falling off had
been principally in the law classes. The Report noticed the resignation
of some of the Professors. The books in the library had been increased
to 9.598 volumes. A flattering statement was also given of thc pro-
;tress of thc elementary school. The Council regretted that the state of
the finances of the University called for the exertions of the Proprietors
in obtaining students, but expressed a confident hope that the greatest
difficulties which had impeded the Institution had been overcome.—
From the balance sheet it appeared that the receipts on shares, fees,
he. with the balance in hand up to the close of last year. were con-
sult-able, and that the expenditure was also large.--Mr. Warburton,
31.1). referred to the correspondence with the Warden and the Council
on the subject of salary, and said, that the fees by students could not
he estimated higher than 3.5001. per annum. The sum that was ne-
cessary for maintaining the effective offices of the institution was 5,0001.
so that there was a deficiency of 1,5001. He trusted exertions would
be used, by obtaining new students, to make up the deficiency, or great
reductions must be made.

KING'S COL LEO E.—The exterior of the buildings appear
to be nearly completed ; and to judge from the active pro-
gress which is making with the internal fittings, we see no
reason to doubt that the council will be enabled to redeem
its pledge of opening both the college and school in October.
'there have been added to the list of situations the following
professorships, &c.—Political Economy, N. W. Senior,
Esq ; English Law and Jurisprudence, J. J. Park, Esq
Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Rev. H. Mosely,
A.M. Lectureship of Commerce, Joseph Lowe, Eaq; Head-
mastership, the Rev. J. R. Major, A.M.
The University School has proved so eminently success-
ful, that it is proposed forthwith to raise a fund by subscrip-
tion, and build a school in the immediate neighbourhood of
the University, on a scale sufficiently large to receive a
greater number of pupils. The money is to be raised by
shares, and the share-holders will have a proportionate
abatement in the amount to be paid for the education of,
their children. The present house was taken as an experi-
ment ; and though the school has been so lately opened, the
number of pupils on the Ist of February, was equal to the
greatest number for which the establishment was originally
intended.—Athenceum.

Near the temple of Castor and Pollux at Pompeii, a
large house has recently been discovered, in which, among
other remarkable objects, there have been found a splendid
and entire mosaic ; a superb statue of Hercules, with a dog
reposing in his arms, together with several paintings on
walls, roofs, &c. in a masterly style, and excellent state a
preservation.

From Dr. Fischer's interesting work, recently published
in Berlin, "On the Pearl Fisheries in Russia," we learn
that the largest known pearl in the world is in the possession
of a Greek merchant of Moscow, of the name of Zezina. It
is perfectly round, and of the richest lustre, weighing twenty-
seven and a half carats. It was obtained from one of the
fisheries in the Fast Indies.

The largest suspension bridge in the world is in China,
near Kingtung, whore it forms a perfect road from the
top of one mountain to the other. It is formed of chains,
twenty-one in number, and bound together by other cross
chains. This bridge is more than 150 years old.
Da. ASK ENV.-TIIE GOLD-HEADED CAN E. The wi-
dow of Sir Lucas Pepys, hart. has lately presented to the
Royal College, a whole length model of Dr. Askew, taken
by one Cheque, a Chinese. Lady Pepys was the daughter
of Dr. Askew, to whom the gold-headed cane was bequeathed
by Dr. Mead. The figure is formed of unbaked potter's
clay, and is about twelve inches in height. He is repre-
sented in his• robes, seated upon a rock, and in his hand the
celebrated cane. The model is altogether pleasing, and
executed with the usual character and fidelity of the Chi-
nese.—Athentenuni.

CARRIAGE VENTILATIONS.—Whoever has had personal
experience of the miseries of travelling, packed in the in-
side of a stage coach, will know how to appreciate an in-
vention which will do away with the chief evil of this mode
of conveyance. A model of a carriage ventilation, said to
be the invention of a gentleman, has been made. It is sim-
ple in its construction, and may be adapted to any close car-
riage without being unsightly.
DOUBLE CROP OF POTATOES.--Amongst other mat-
ters which came under the consideration of the general
assembly of the Royal Society of Agriculture for Prussia,
held at Potsdam on the 10th of November last, were several
experiments which had been made on the cultivation of
grain, nutritious herbs, and potatoes, both by individual
members of the society, as well as in its own gardens. The
most interesting of the reports on these experiments was
that which stated, that the rind of an early potatoe, which'
had been inserted in ground already cropped off, had a pro-
lific produce.
CANALS AND RAILW vs.—Twenty tons weight of coals
may be drawn by canal two miles an hour, during ten hours
per day, by the labour of one horse and two men, or a man
and a boy ;20by 2 by 10-400, the canal power. But
thirty tons can be drawn by a loco-motive steam-engine, at
the rate of 15 miles an hour, for at least twenty hours in a
day ; 30 by 15 by 20-9000, the railway power.—The ratio
of 400 to 9000 is nearly that of 1 to 22 ; i. e. the loco-motive
engine will do, per day, the work of twenty-two horses and
forty-four men and boys.
The following summary of the quantity of metals exported
from London in 1830 is taken from a statement made on
official returns :

Spelter, 3,190 tons ; Quicksilver. 1.847,3861b5. Copprr, 4,498 tons ;
British, and 167 foreign ; Iron, 16,5.49 tons British. and 2.916 foreign ;
Lead, ?,787 tons Urirish, and 866 foreign ; Tin, 1496 tons British,
and .538 foreign ; Steel, 288 tons British, and 621 foreign.
From a comparison of this, with the statements of the
two preceding years, it appears that the exports of svelter
have been 700 tons less than in 1829, and 1,600 tons be-
low those of 1828. The exports of quicksilver have
been nearly double the average of the previous three
years. Those of British copper have exceeded the
preceding year by 605 tons; and 1828, by 1,514 tons.
Those of iron ate 2,416 tons less than the preceding year,
and 3,580 tons less than 1828. In lead, the exports have
been 510 tons mole than 1829, and 1,199 tons less than in
1828. The exports of tin exhibit a decrease of 129 tons on
the preceding year, and an increase of 283 tons on 1828.
Those of steel are three tons less than in 1829, and 107 tons
more than in 1828.

The imports in foreign copper appear to hare fallen off;
those of last year did not amount to a third of the preceding
year's. The imports in Spauibh lead have decreased like-
wise. There were 565 tons last year a6ainst 1,707 tons in
1829, and 2,300 tons in 1828. Bann tin presents a large
increase of imports, being 540 tons, a quantity equal to
the imports of the three previous years. With the excep-
tion of quicksilver, the amount of stocks of the articles
above enumerated were much the same on the 31st of De-
cember last as on the previous two years. The stock of
quicksilver has exceeded that of 1829 by 66b,6201b. and
that of 1828 by 635,2701 b.