SCOTLAND.
A deputation from a committee of the friends of a national system of education, headed by Mr. Black, waited on the Lord Advocate on Tues- day to request that a bill should be introduced into Parliament for the abolition of the test, which they considered an insuperable obstacle to the introduction of any improvement on the parochial system, and they were persuaded that till this obstacle was removed the country would have to submit to the present sectarian and inefficient system. The Lord-Advocate said that if the Government would consent, he would bring in such a bill. Success, however, will depend on public support.
Colonel Mure, of Caldwell, has been elected Rector of the University of St. Andrews. His opponent was Sir Ralph Anstnither. The result of the poll was—Mure, 73 ; Anstruther, 61.
The Reverend Dr. Cook was elected assessor. He was opposed by Lord Kinnaird, but defeated him by 72 to 69.
The steamer Eagle, on her voyage from Glasgow to Londonderry, was struck by the Pladda, a water-logged timber ship, and sank shortly after- wards. The Eagle, it seems, was passing the Pladda at a sufficient distance to ensure safety, when the sailing ship refused to obey her helm, and swinging round fell heavily on the port side of the Eagle, hitting her amid- ships. It was not known at first whether the Eagle or the Pladda were the more seriously injured, so that the passengers who might twice have gone on board the Pladda refrained from doing so. Some, however, did so. Seeing the steamer sinking, the life-boat was got out, but before it could be used the steamer went down, leaving her passengers struggling in the water. There were sheep on board, and by holding on to them more than one life was saved. Boats picked up the survivors, thirty-four in number, and the Pladda people took them in. It is supposed that twenty have perished.
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