gbe Jrobintes.
The Oxford Commemoration took place on Wednesday. At a Convocation held in the Theatre of the University, the honorary degree of D.C.L. was conferred upon Sir Charles Mansfield Clarke, M.D., Sir William Jackson Hooker K.G.H. late Regius Professor of Botany in the University of Glasgow, and Mr. Edward Goulburn, Sergeant-at-law, one of the Commissioners of the Court of Bankrupts. At the same time the Reverend James Chapman, D.D., Lord_ Bishopof Columba was admitted ad eundeni. The Professor of Poetry deli- vered a long oration and prizes were distributed for essays and poems. The procession of boats took place in the evening; but the unfavourable weather di- minished the number of spectators.
The Northampton and Peterborough Railway was opened on Saturday.
We believe it is contemplated to establish a line of steam communication be- tween Liverpool and Brazil.—Liverpool Times.
We hear that in several parts of Sussex the farmers have ploughed up their wheat-fields, in consequence of the devastations of the wire-worm.--Brightou Herald.
We regret to say, that we hear from our correspondents in all quarters that the prospects of the wheat-crops are most unpromising. In many .places in the Eastern and Midland counties the wire-worm has done immense mischief; and in others, the plant has suffered so much from the long frosts and cold weather, that hundreds of acres are being ploughed up altogether.—Liverpool Chronicle.
Mr. Seton, the gentleman who was wounded in the Gosport duel, was muck worse at the end of last week. Mr. Listonand Mr. Potter arrived from London on Friday night, to consult with the local surgeons in attendance as to operating upon a tumour which had formed on the lower part of the abdomen. On Satur- day the operation was performed, the external iliac artery being taken up. This. gave the patient temporary ease; but during the night he suffered dreadfully. Early on Monday morning a decided change for the worse took place, and the• patient expired in the evening
inquest .
The nquest was held on Wednesday, and, by adjournment, on Thursday. Mr., Hollingsworth, the proprietor of the K'ing's Rooms, Southsea Beach, and Lien- tenant Savage, a steward of the soiree, gave evidence at great length o f what they observed on the night of the soiree, when the quarrel occurred; It, ut it threw no light on the matter. To Mr. Savage, who abstained from interference, Mr. Mawkey said the business could not be arranged there; he had rcc ived in the room an injury—not an insult. Mr. Seton danced with Mrs. Hawkey twice. Mr. Jenkins, a surgeon of Gosport, who attended Mr. Seton, described minutely the treatment of the patient, the nature of the wound, the formation of an anettetemal tumour in the groin, and the operation upon it in order to take up the injured artery. The other medical witnesses were Dr. Allen, Dr. Mortimer, and Dr. Stewart. The immediate cause of death was inflammation of the peritoneum, con- sequent on the operation; but there is no doubt that the false aneurism would ultimately have killed the patient had the operation not been performed. Mr. Seton made a statement to Dr. Stewart relative to the duel: he said, "I am aware of my danger, from your opinion, as well as that of the other medical gen- tlemen, and were I to die to morrow I know not why I was shot "; and this he repeated several days after. Mrs. Stansmore, Mr. Hawkey's landlady, mentioned circumstances whiCh showed him to have entertained a dislike to Mr. Seton. He asked her, one day, should Mr. Seton call while he was out, to go into the room, as Mrs. Hawkey was afraid of Mr. Seton because he had insulted her. A pas- senger in the street heard him say to a friend, on the 20th May, " I will shoot him as I would a partridge." On that day, lie bought a pair. of pistols at a silversmith's, for which he paid ten guineas; being particular in choosing good ones. With the same pistols, apparently, lie practised at a target in a shooting- gallery; and be was observed to mark one of the pistols that shot particularly well saying that it was " a damned good pistol." Pointing to one of the holes he had made in the target, he said, " that would have done for the Yes- terday, the inquest was adjourned till Tuesday week, to give the Police time for further inquiry.
Several railway accidents happened last week. A cattle-driver was killed at the Middleton station of the Manchester and Leeds Railway, by carelessly crossing the line at night. A mail-train knocked him down, and nearly severed his right arm and leg from his body: he died in a few minutes. A labourer employed on the Dover Railway was killed near Ashford, an engine cutting his left leg clean off below the knee. Another accident occurred at the Ashford station on the fol- lowing day; when a man who shifts the points fell in leaping from an engine, which passed over his foot: he is in a very precarious state.
On Monday, an engine became detached from a train on the Brandling Junction Railway, near Gateshead; four of the carriages were thrown down an embankment and turned over; while others were broken. Many of the passengers were bruised, and some had bones fractured, but no one was killed.
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