26 NOVEMBER 1853, Page 3

'g4r Vruniarrs.

During the early part of the week Cambridge was the scene of con- siderable excitement. An announcement was made last Saturday, that Prince Albert intended to pay a visit—the first since his election as Chan- cellor of the University—in company with the Duke of Brabant. On Tuesday morning, their Royal Highnesses left Windsor at eight, and reached Cambridge a little before eleven o'clock. They were accom- panied by M. Van de Weyer, the Belgian Ambassador, and Colonel Gor- don ; and were met at Trinity College Lodge by Dr. Whewell, the Mas- ter, and Professor Sedgwick, the Vice-Master of the College. The weather was anything but propitious, both on Tuesday and Wednesday : a mist, varying in thickness, but permanent in duration, prevailed the whole time, and, besides obscuring the architectural beauties of the place, would no doubt imprint on their Royal Highnesses a somewhat sombre remem- brance of their visit, for Cambridge mists are, if possible, even more un- pleasant than London fogs. The weather, however, did not deter the adventurous Princes from making the utmost use of their time. Very soon after their arrival, they proceeded to Professor Sedgwick's lecture- room at the Geological Museum, and listened, with evident interest, to e brilliant extempore discourse by the venerable professor, on " Me- gatheria and Fossil Edentate." After this, their Royal Highnesses visited the different Colleges. Trinity College, containing the royal apart- ments in which the illustrious guests of the University took up their abode during their stay, had been inspected before going to the geological leo- ture. They now took St. John's College : at the entrance-gate they were received by the Master and Fellows, in scarlet and other robes, and by them conducted in succession to the Hall, Chapel, and Combination-rooms. In the latter are several excellent portraits of distinguished Johnians, among them Wilberforce and Herschel ; but these arc far surpassed, in number at least, by those in the Master's picture-gallery, which they next visited ; and after that the Library. The Prince and the Duke then walked through the courts, and in the cloisters ; everywhere met by an immense crowd of Under-graduates, members of the College, whose loyalty, if it is to be measured by their cheers, must be tremendous. As the Prince Chancellor walked along the gravel-paths in the beautiful grounds of the College, admiring and pointing out to his companion the magnificence of the new buildings disclosed in some fresh light at every turn, the Johni- ans seemed to forget how unanimously they voted against him in the con- test with Earl Powis for the Chancellorship : it was evident they loved the Prince well for himself, though on that occasion they were determined to have a Johnian for their Chancellor if they could.

After the visit to St. John's, the mist thickened, and the length of the visits to the other Colleges was considerably shortened. Jesus, with its splendid new chapel and ivy-covered courts—Sidney, famous as Crom- well's place of study—Magdalene, for Pepys—Catherine Hall, and Peter- house, the home of Gray's classic muse—were each in turn honoured with the presence of their distinguished Head ; until at length the party returned to Trinity Lodge, in time for the reception of members of the Senate, at five o'clock. The reception was attended by almost all the- Fellows of Colleges and Masters of Arts in Cambridge, and necessarily occupied a considerable time. At half-past seven, the Vice-Chancellor- entertained the Royal party, the Heads of Colleges, and the officers of- the University, at his Lodge at Trinity Hall. Before the reception, the Prince had visited the Fitz william Museum.

Early on Wednesday morning, the party was again in motion. King's College, with its unrivalled chapel, and splendid grounds and buildings, formed the chief attraction before eleven ; which hour was fixed for a Congregation in the Senate-house. Before and after this, as many more of the smaller Colleges were visited as could be made compatible with the other occupations of the day. Of these the most important was the Con- gregation in the Senate-house. Long before ten o'clock, the gates were besieged by an impatient crowd of Under-graduates, eager to secure their places in the gallery which by prescriptive right belongs to them. We need not describe the scene immediately before the opening of the gates, or the almost momentary filling of the galleries. The body of the Senate- house during the next hour was filled, more slowly, by members of the Senate, accompanied by numerous ladies, Doctors in their scarlet gowns, Fellow Commoners in blue and silver or black and gold, and clergymen and others, all in their full academical costume. The Bachelors and Under-graduates in the gallery kept up a deafening noise throughout the whole hour, as is their custom on all similar occasions-; now cheering the ce pr

Chancellor, the Queen, and the Royal Family ; now expressing their approbation or diapprobation of University celebrities in most significant style—now groaning the Emperor of Russia, and shouting furiously for the Turks—now cheering Professor Maurice's name, and hissing at one less fa- voured. But all this ceased just before the Prince Chancellor entered ; until, when he was fairly in, such shouts arose as only Cambridge or Ox- ford men can give utterance to. The scene in the Senate-house after this was very striking. The galleries crowded with Under-graduates, in caps and gowns and bands—the body of the hall thronged with Academicians in robes of all kinds, scarlet and blue and black—the Chancellor seated on his quasi throne, in his gorgeous robes of state—the Duke of Brabant in his uniform as a Belgian officer—the Heads of Houses on either side in their robes—relieved here and there by the presence of a colonel or a naval captain, and the ladies scattered among them, and on the raised seats at the sides of the hall—formed altogether a picture at once beauti- ful and imposing. The object of holding the Congregation was that the Prince Chancellor might confer a degree upon the Duke ; which he ac- cordingly did, an appropriate speech in Latin being previously made by the Public Orator. After the Duke had donned his scarlet cloak as a Doctor of Laws, the Prince conferred degrees upon several members of the University, who would otherwise have had to receive them from the hands of the 'Vice-Chancellor.

In the four hours' interval that ensued, the Princes listened to another lecture, this time by Professor Willis, on Mechanism ; visited the Uni- versity Library; inspected the Observatory, two miles distant from the town ; and visited several Colleges—among others, Christ's, which boasts among the names of its distinguished students that of Milton. At four o'clock they reached the railway station, and in a few minutes more were on their way back to Windsor.

In the year 1850, Lord Derby laid the foundation-stone of a building at Bury to be called the Bury Athenaeum. The building is now completed, and its opening was celebrated on Wednesday ; Lord Stanley occupying the chair, supported by the Bishop of Manchester, Mr. John Cheetham M.P., Dr. Vaughan, Mr. Edmund Grundy, and other gentlemen. Lord Stanley delivered the opening address; in the course of which he thus spoke of his father-

' There is one person whose name is connected with this building to whom I alone am not at liberty to advert : but this I will venture to say, in ray father's name, and I am sure I may say it with truth, there is no man in public life, let him belong to what political party he may, who is more deeply and sincerely interested in this great question—the great question of the age—the question of national instruction. There is no man more sin- cerely desirous to raise the working class in the social scale."

Lord Stanley stated, that out of the 50001. expended on the insti- tution, nearly 12001. had been the product of twelve subscriptions, and that nearly half of the whole amount had been subscribed in sums above five pounds. That support for such an institution is a kind of assistance which any man may be proud of offering, and which no man need be ashamed to receive. He enlarged on the advantages of such institutions, and the increase of happiness that springs from intellectual culture. Literature and science must be loved for their own sakes. The great end of education is not the vague prospect of future rewards, but in- creased power and happiness. He took especial pains to point out, that the means of such institutions are limited to removing "out of the path of the student, especially the poor student, all those ma- terial obstacles which would encumber and retard his progress." The Reverend Mr. Thorburn, in applauding the liberality of the house of Derby, prayed that it might " bring down upon that house, to the latest posterity, the compensations of Providence and the benedictions of society." Here he was interrupted by the Bishop of Manchester ; who said he was perfectly willing to pray that the " blessings " of Providence might rest upon them, but he could never consent to adopt the form that the " compensations " of Providence may do so. Mr. Thorburn imme- diately withdrew the expression ; saying that he believed the word "com- pensation " had simply been adopted from some of Bishop Butler's argu- ments.

The Bishop of Manchester took occasion to warn his audience against the dangers of secular education. He was perfectly ready to try that sys- tem if it could be shown that it was compatible with religious instruction ; but he believed it not to be so. He urged his hearers to take especial care in educating the young, otherwise they would find that institution an ungenial atmosphere. The Bishop remarked on the absence of the work- ing classes ; referred it to ignorance ; and said that the labour-disputes are not creditable to either party.

Sir Robert Peel has consented to deliver a lecture in five or six towns of the Midland Counties, in aid of a fund to employ a paid lecturer in connexion with the Midland Union of Mechanics' Institutions.

The Tynemonth Bribery Commission has adjourned its sittings until the 1st December. No evidence of direct bribery has yet been tendered, but there seems reason to believe that the treating was considerable.

Several candidates are already spoken of as likely to come forward for East Gloucestershire. The Liberals name Mr. E. Holland of Dumbleton, Sir William Russell, and the Honourable Mr. Ponsonby, son of Lord de Manley ; the Tories speak of Mr. W. S. Miles, late Member for Bristol, Sir Michael Hicks Hicks-Beach, and Mr. Hope, late Member for Glouces- ter city.

Mr. Walter de Winton, of Maestrigh Castle, nominated by the Judges the first on the list to be Sheriff of Radnorshire, is an infant ; but he will be of age before the " pricking " of the list of Sheriffs.—Globe.

The initiative has just been taken for the establishment in Cornwall of a School of Mines, for the improvement and education of miners and mechanics in the county. Sir William Molesworth and other influential persons connected with the district appear to promote the measure.

The Burnley Board of Guardians, foreseeing that the many cases of destitution brought on by the strikes would be followed by demands for relief, wrote to the Poor-law Board for instructions ; as they felt that the jr,,TORt themselves, must define "what extent rateable id the unio is liable to the support of the working classes

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ployment." Lord Courtney has replied for inquiry into each particular case.

be, whether the case is one of actual deatitu- the pecuniary means of subsistence for him-

self and his family, from whatsoever funds those means may be derived, or where he may, if he pleases, immediately obtain work, and so earn the means of subsistence, the Board are of opinion that he ought not to be considered as actually destitute. If, on the other hand, he has neither money nor work, and is really without the present means of obtaining either, so that aid from the poor-rates is absolutely necessary for the subsistence of himself and his family, the Guardians ought to relieve him. Every case' as the Board have already stated, ought to be carefully investigated in all circumstances and the Board confidently trust that the Guardians will make such investi- gation with patience and firmness, and in the calm and equitable spirit espe- cially befitting such an inquiry."

He also states that the Board expects an adherence to the general re- lief order, especially articles 5 and 6 ; unless in special circumstances, when all departures from the regulations must be reported to the Board in the prescribed form.

The Burnley manufacturers have met and considered the posture of affairs with respect to the " lock-out," a great portion of the workpeople having expressed a wish to resume their employment if terms could be agreed upon. The masters have issued an address, stating that the de- pressed state of trade would dispose them to continue the closing of their mills ; but, in consideration for the workpeople, they are willing to open them, on certain terms, at a risk of lose to themselves. They will have no contributions sent from their workpeople to support turn-outs elsewhere: not that they will extort any promise, but they will stop their mills again if they find that such contributions are made. They cannot hope to work full time, unless a great improvement in the prospects of trade take place. If a sufficient number of hands return to work, they will open their mills next Monday. This address was pretty well received, except by the weavers. It is expected that there will be willing workers sufficient to set the mills going on the 28th.

When the Preston weavers met on Monday, it was announced that the receipts were 2001. more than they had ever yet been—namely, 22001. A meeting of delegates from various trades has been held at Manches- ter, to concert measures for a general combination of workpeople for mu- tual support in contests with employers. It was resolved, that a "La- bour Parliament " should be instituted ; the members to consist of per- sons elected by the labouring classes in the various localities. This body is not to interfere with the present trades-unions and combinations of working men.

"The duties of the Parliament shall be to organize machinery, where- by support may be rendered to the people now on strike or locked-out by the manufacturers, by raising a national subscription of the most extensive cha- racter; to lay down a specific plan of action for the guidance of the working classes in their contest with employers ; and to propound a means_by which labour may be emancipated from the undue influence of capital, and become independent, self-employing, and remunerative, without the necessity of strikes."

The bottlemakers of the Tyne and Wear have struck for an advance of wages. A number of "indentured" workmen who turned out with the rest have been sent to prison by the South Shields Magistrates.

The colliers in the Birmingham district have all returned to work.;, .y;

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Another murder, accompanied by highway robbery, has been committed at noonday, in West Norfolk, about twelve or fourteen miles from the spot where a man was shot down and robbed by Groom, who was executed in Norwich last year. The person whose untimely end we have now to record was a silversmith and jeweller, residing in the parish of St. Stephen's, Norwich. His name was Lorenzo Bella. He was a native of Baden Baden, and is supposed to have no relative in this country. He had two assistants in his shop at Norwich, to whom he left the care of his business while he travelled through the country to obtain orders and to sell his jewellery, re- ceiving payments by instalments, if desired. He usually carried a case of jewellery in a bag suspended from a stick on his shoulder, and several watches in his pockets ; and he frequently had a good deal of money about him. Yesterday week, about one o'clock, he was seen walking from Wel- lingham to Tittleshall. Shortly afterwards, several persons noticed blood in the road, at a place where the road ran between two plantations. At first little heed was taken of this. Later in the afternoon, Mr. Robinson, a butcher, examined the spot more narrowly ; other persons came up; a trail of blood was discovered ; and the corpse of Belie was tracked to'a ditch, whither it had been dragged through a fence. The head was nearly severed from the body by a wound in the back of the neck, and the front was fright- fully mangled ; the instrument of death was lying hard by—a woodman's axe, the blade of which was covered with blood and hair. The murdered man had been stripped of his money—probably 301.; the box of jewellery had been taken from the bag, but it remained unopened ; a watch was in the pocket, still going. At first there was no clue to the assassin. One Webster, a butcher of Wellingham, said he had seen a man near the plantation'at one o'clock. Subsequently, Webster said he knew the man—William Thompson, a young labourer at Tittleshall, who was often employed to fell timber. Late at night two constables arrested Thompson, in bed. He dressed himself in different clothes from those he had worn during the day. The constables found a pair of trousers the legs of which and the left pocket were soaked with blood ; also a shirt and jacket with blood-marks, and a pair of high- lows with blood on the lace-holes. They asked the prisoner for his axe— he could not produce it, and he gave no explanation. Next day, Webster identified Thompson. And two men stated that they had seen him hurrying away from the plantation : they asked him the hour, and he pulled out a hunting-watch, and replied it was half-past one. 'This watch was not found at first, nor any money, at the prisoner's house ; but during the afternoon of Friday he had paid several small debts, exhibiting a purse with gold and silver in it. A subsequent search detected the hunt- ing-watch hidden in an oven ; and in other places were discovered two more watches, two five-pound notes, five pounds in gold and silver, a bunch of watch-keys, and another of larger keys. Thompson owed money to Mr. Belie on account of a watch. His character is not good. When the body was carried sway in a cart, the supposed murderer walked behind it very unconcernedly. A Coroner's Jury has returned a verdict of "Wilful murder" against Thomp- son; and he has also been committed by the Magistrates. A policemen stated, that while he was reading the Bible to Thompson, he admitted his guilt, expressed his sorrow, and hoped he would have time to repent; but when other persons came into the room, he denied that he had made any admissions. Before the Magistrates he appeared sullen and hardened.

An extraordinary outrage has been committed at Warmeworth, near Don- caster, by some persons unknown. Under cloud of night, they smashed the windows of the parish-church and forced an entrance • broke the communion- rails, smashed the font, destroyed cushions, books, and seats ; and pulled off the top slab of a tomb in the churchyard.

The sitting of the County Court in Tiverton Town-hall, last week, met with an alarming interruption. The ceiling was in an unsafe state ; a chan- delier had been removed, and a prop put under a heavy beam ; but these pre- cautions proved insufficient, for the beam fell, the judge narrowly escaping hurt from it. In their alarm numbers of persons rushed to the doors to es- cape, and several were badly bruised in the confusion.

Six boys have been killed, and others seriously hurt, by the falling-in of two old houses at Plymouth. The buildings were to have been pulled down ; and they had been weakened by the removal of some of the wood-work. The boys were playing in the place when the whole mass fell in.

The inquest on the persons killed by the explosion of a boiler at Black- burn terminated with a verdict of "Manslaughter" against William IIes- keth, the owner of the mill, and Edward Sharpies, the engineman, who lost his own life.

The Circus at Brighton was burnt down early on Sunday morning. It had recently been occupied by the proprietor of some " dissolving views," and all his apparatus was destroyed.

St. George's Bazaar in Liverpool was burnt down on Tuesday night. The property of the poor stall-keepers was all consumed. A subscription for them, as they were not insured, has been headed by the Mayor.

During the first three days of the week a fog seems to have prevailed through a great extent of country. At Stourbridge, on Monday, several persons fell into the canal. Two sisters named Payton, going home, walked into the water; one was rescued alive, by two young men named Webb. Another pair of sisters, named Reece, soon after walked into the water. The Webbe rushed in after them, but were not able to save the two Reeces from drowning. The same fate befell two young men and two boys at other spots.