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LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

1829.]

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subscriptions should be immediately entered into, &c. However ample the subscriptions might be, he did not conceive it possible that an establishment could be formed commensurate with the highly important objects in view. He considered the establishment of the King's College only as a nucleus of a system of education which would soon be adopted throughout the kingdom, and that the clergy would have in their hauds the religious education of the people. The committee had had great difficulties to contend with, and that was the reason of the delay that had occurred.

Sir R. H. Inglis expressed his pleasure at observing, that the list of subscriptions had increased from 7000l. to 11,000l. A liberal subscription was entered into, and the meeting separated.

LONDON UNIVERSITY.

Literary and Scientific Intelligence. KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON. May 16. A numerous and highly distinguished meeting of the donors and subscribers to the proposed College was held in Freemasons' Hall, for the purpose of receiving a report, and determining upon the immediate erection of the College. There were present, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the chair, the Archbishop of York, and thirteen of the bench of bishops; the Deans of Westminster and St. Paul's; Lords Rolle, Abingdon, Selsea, and Bexley; Sir R. H. Inglis, and a long list of distinguished individuals, Clergy, &c. The right reverend Chairman, in a few words declaratory of the high importance of the subject, called upon Mr. Coleridge to read the report of the provisional committee. The report stated, that 126,000l. had been subscribed for, of which about 55,000l. was in donations, and the remainder subscriptions upon shares, upon which 51. per share had been paid. Government had liberally granted the ground on the east side of Somerset-house, a most eligible site, but bound the council to erect the new College, which would contain a chapel, hall, ten lecture-rooms, &c. in uniformity with Somerset-house. Mr. Smirke, the architect, had estimated the expense of the building at 140,000l.; the furniture 10,000l., and for the houses in the Strand which it would be necessary to have removed, 17,000l.; this, added to other items, would make a total of 170,000l., exclusive of furnishing the library and museum.-The building, it was added, would afford the amplest means of accommodating the students, of whom the senior classes were to be distinct from the junior. An abstract of the charter was then read, excluding all professors not of the established church, excepting those for Oriental literature and foreign languages. The report, which was received with much applause, particularly those parts excluding sectarians, and those for the immediate erection of the college, was ordered to be received and adopted.

The Bishop of Durham, in moving the adoption of the report, spoke at some length in support of the object in view-the providing a place where the youth of the metropolis could be educated in the principles of the established church. The Bishop of Lincoln, as being connected with one of the universities of the kingdom, wished to observe that those learned bodies felt the greatest pleasure at the prospect of the establishment of the King's College. The demand for liberal education had long been on the increase, and although the accommodations at the universities had been increased for three hundred additional students, still there was a great demand for room. The Bishop of London moved a resolution, to the effect that, in order that the institution might be completed on a scale commensurate with the importance of the objects contemplated,

May 23. The distribution of prizes and honours in the medical classes took place. The meeting was held in one of the principal lecture rooms, capable of holding 700 or 800 persons. The area in the centre was occupied by the council, the professors, and several distinguished visitors; among whom was the Duke of Somerset, Lord King, Lord Ebrington, Right Hon. Tho. Grenville, &c. The several professors came forward, and each in his turn read the mottoes to which the prizes had been awarded in his class. As each motto was read, the warden opened the sealed packet inscribed with the motto, and read the name of the student contained in it. The successful competitors were then conducted to the chair, and received from the hands of the Marquis of Lansdowne the prizes and certificates of honours awarded to them. The following is a list of the prize-men :

Physiology.-Gold medal, Mr. G. Atkinson, of Sheffield; 1st silver medal, Mr. R. Garner, of the Potteries, Staffordshire; and 2d ditto, Mr. B. Phillips, of Newport, Monmouthshire.

Anatomy.-Gold medal, Mr. J. Jones, of Kidderminster; 1st silver medal, Mr. B. Phillips; and 2d ditto, Mr. F. Duckham, of Falmouth.

Surgery.-Gold medal, Mr. B. Phillips; 1st silver medal, Mr. H. Cannan, of London; and 2d ditto, Mr. R. Garner.

Nature and treatment of Diseases.-Gold medal, Mr. G. Atkinson; 1st silver medal, Mr. W. M. Richards, of Norwood, Surrey; and 2d ditto, Mr. W. Gill, of Nottingham.

Midwifery.-Gold medal, Mr. G. Atkinson; 1st silver medal, Mr. Alfred Wainhouse, of Halifax, Yorkshire; and 2d ditto, Mr. W. G. S. Clack, of London.

Materia Medica.-Gold medal, Mr. R. Garner; 1st silver medal, Mr. F. Duckham; and 2d ditto, Mr. G. Atkinson.

Chymistry.-Gold medal, Count Calhariz, of Lisbon, son of the Marquis Palmella,

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Literary and Scientific Intelligence.

Portuguese Ambassador; 1st silver medal,
Mr. E. J. Quehett, of Langport, Somer-
setshire; and 2d ditto, Mr. H. Plank, of
London.

Practical Anatomy.-Gold medal, Mr. B. Phillips; 1st silver ditto, Mr. F. Duckham; and 2d ditto, Mr. J. Jones.

In addition to the prizes given by the Council, books were presented to Mr. Henry Cooper, of Tranby, near Hull, by the professors of materia medica, chymistry, and practical anatomy; and to Mr. W. Bartley, of Great Bedwyn, Wilts, by the professor of materia medica, in testimony of the excellent answering of these young gentlemen.

The Warden then stated, that there had been 183 students attending the medical classes during the session, of which 65 had been competitors for prizes and honours, and that 52 had been declared entitled to them by the conditions affixed to the questions delivered to the students at the different examinations.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.

The two gold medals (of the value of fifty guineas cach) which his Majesty graciously places every year at the disposal of the Royal Society of Literature, have been adjudged to Baron Silvestre de Sacy and to Mr. Roscoe-the former so eminent in the literature of France, and the latter so distinguished in that of his own country.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. April 6.-Dr. Hope, Vice President, delivered to Dr. Brewster the Keith prize, consisting of a medal and superb salver, for the discovery of two new fluids in minerals; and pointed out the immense advantage, as a mechanical agent, that might be derived from one of them, which expands thirty times more than water, and is converted into vapour by a change of temperature so small, that in one instance the heat of the mouth was sufficient to burst the rock crystal which contained the fluid, and wound the person who made the experiment. The Doctor observed, that if it could be obtained in sufficient quantity, it would entirely supersede the use of steam, and the natural heat of the human body would be the only fuel necessary to put the most powerful engine in motion.

LITERARY FUND.

May 13. The anniversary of this excellent charity was held this day at the Freemason's Tavern, the Duke of Somerset, the President, in the chair. About 120 persons were present; and among them many distinguished by literary talents and consideration in life. Speeches were delivered by the Noble Chairman, by Mr. Barbour the American Ambassador, by the Mexican Minister, by Sir G. Duckett (who in proposing the Lealth of the President, culogized the

[May,

Duke's patronage of literature), by Sir E.
Carrington, by Sir R. H. Inglis on behalf
of Oxford University, by Dr. Paris for that
of Cambridge, by Dr. Lardner for the Lon-
don University, by Mr. H. N. Coleridge for
the King's College, by Mr. Alderman Crow-
der for the City of London, and by others
on various toasts being given. Dr. Yates,
one of the Treasurers, gave a favourable re-
port of accessions made within the year to
the permanent fund, besides granting relief
to distressed authors, their widows and chil-
dren, to an amount larger than in any former
year.
A considerable list of new subscrip-
tions was also announced.

Plan for preventing Ships foundering at Sea.
By Ralph Watson, Esq. York-place, Port-

man-square.

*

Models of this simply-ingenious and highly-important discovery have been exhibited by its liberal inventor to several scientific and learned men during the last few weeks. We cannot but express our astonishment at the apathy which pervades the Admiralty and the commercial and shipping interests to its vast importance, being a perfect preventive to the sinking of all ships at sea, and consequent loss of life and property, and giving to every description of vessel all the preservative properties of a life-boat. Mr. Watson would certainly have been justified in attempting to raise enormous wealth by securing by patent the exclusive benefit resulting from his invention; but we cannot but suspect that his almost romantic liberality in wishing that the great blessings which his invention holds forth should be diffused as much as possible without any exclusive benefit to himself, has led to a suspicion that it will not produce that important practical effect which is so ardently to be desired. The models of Mr. Watson seem certainly to answer completely, and we trust the Admiralty, or the shipping commercial interest, will enable him to prove his success equally on a large scale. We will now enable our readers to form their own judgments by extracting a few passages from Mr. Watson's explanatory

statement:

It appears that three hundred and seventy-three ships and vessels of his Majesty's navy, exclusive of those in battle, have been lost by wreck, by fire (against which calamity also the plan affords every security, by encouraging the crew fearlessly to scuttle the ship, and thereby to extinguish the flames), or by foundering, between the years 1793 and 1826; and that the number of merchant ships and vessels lost, from either one or other of these calamities, averages at the very melancholy rate of one and a half vessel per day in each year.

1829.]

Scientific Intelligence.-Antiquarian Researches.

"The principle of the invention is the unerring law of nature, namely, that whatever is specifically lighter than the quantity of water which its own bulk will displace by immersion, will swim; a position exemplified by various proofs, but by none more aptly than that of the organic arrangement of fish; for the buoyant or floating power of the whale (whose weight is known to exceed 100 tons) and of all other fishes which swim, is solely dependent upon an air bladder with which they are furnished; as, in the event of this bladder being perforated, the fish, from its greater specific gravity than the sea, instantly sinks, and never again floats. The invention itself is the employment of tubes made of copper (or of any other substance, if found to be equally secure), of a cylindrical form, terminating at each extremity by convex or semi-globular ends; the whole to be hermetically sealed, and to contain, in number and capacity, a bulk, or quantity of atmospheric air equal to counterbalance that extra portion of the weight, or specific gravity of the ship and her contents, which otherwise, in case of leak, and the ship filling with water, would cause her to sink. These safety tubes it is designed to place in the spaces between the beams of the decks, also between the timbers, or ribs, the shelf-pieces, and the planking, and in all other places below the decks, which may be thus occupied without inconvenience. Again, it is conceived that tubes, of half-cylinder form, might be attached, in sundry places, to the exterior of

453

the ship. From presenting a uniform circular surface, the safety tubes, when immersed, would be perfectly secure against the pressure of the water occasioned by the weight of the ship; and, from spreading their buoyant power uniformly over the whole range of the ship's decks, they, in the event of the ship filling, are calculated to preserve her equilibrium, or centre of gravity.

"With a view of affording a practical elucidation of the plan, the inventor has constructed a model in due proportion to the dimensions, and to the actual weight of an eighty gun ship, when equipped for a four months' voyage. This model, having a leak in her bottom, when placed in water without the safety tubes, sinks; but with the safety tubes affixed to the main, the middle, and the lower decks, it floats, and with a power of buoyancy so great, that, upon its being forcibly pressed under water, it rises to that same point of elevation at which it before rested, namely, with the main deck above the surface.

"Tubes of this description, by an extension of their diameter and number, might be applied in the support of floating rafts, for moveable batteries; and in sustaining, on rivers, floating manufactories of all descriptious, and to any extent, where the current of water would afford the means of deriving all the beneficial results of the most powerful water-wheel; indeed, the purposes to which the employment of this buoyant power might be applied, are almost innumerable.'

ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES.

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.
April 23. Hudson Gurney, Esq. V.P. in

the chair.

It was unanimously voted, "That the the thanks of the Society be returned to James Heywood Markland, Esq. for the great zeal, ability, and attention to the welfare of the Society uniformly displayed by him during the period in which he has holden the office of Director."

April 30. Mr. Gurney in the chair.

The Rev. Charles Drury, Rector of a portion of Pontesbury, Salop, was elected Fellow.

John Bowyer Nichols, Esq. F.S.A. exhibited to the Society a curious volume of original drawings, by the late Mr. John Carter, F.S.A. of an ancient piece of tapestry in St. Mary Hall, Coventry, representing, on one side of a figure of the Virgin in glory, King Henry VI. Humphrey Duke of Gloucester, Cardinal Beaufort, and several other courtiers; and on the other his Queen and several ladies; with a set of male saints above the former, and of female saints above the latter. See Mr. Carter's own description of this tapestry in vol. LXX. p. 1148. We are

informed that two coloured engravings of the lower portions of the tapestry have been published by Mr. Bradley, of Pall-Mall.

A communication from the late Edmund Turnor, Esq. F.S.A. (dated March 3) announced the discovery of another Roman bath on the south bank of the river Witham, near Stoke Rochford. It has been investigated by Sir Philip Vere Broke, K.C.B. whose own account was inclosed. This, with those already described in the Archæologia, vol. xxI. p. 26-32, is the fourth found during the last twelve years within six miles of the line of the Ermine-street.

Some Remarks on Cromlechs and Circles of Stones by John Britton, Esq. F.S.A. then concluded the readings of the evening, accompanying the exhibition of thirteen folio drawings, beautifully executed in watercolours by Messrs. Shepherd, Cattermole, Hyett, &c., representing, 1. Cromlechs (five of the most remarkable); 2. Simple Circles; 3. Compound Circles (Abury, Stonehenge, &c.)

This evening the Society for the first time prolonged its sitting for a converzatione. In consequence of a memorial addressed to the

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Antiquarian Researches.-Champollion's Expedition.

President and Council, they have given orders for this arrangement (with coffee, &c.) on every Thursday evening; and the plan has already been found to be productive of much additional gratification from the exhibition of several curious articles, and books of prints and drawings by Dr. Meyrick, Mr. Britton, Mr. Balmanno, &c.

May 7. H. Hallam, Esq. V.P. in the chair. T. J. Pettigrew, Esq. F.R.S. and S.A. exhibited an alabaster carving, supposed to be part of an altar-piece, found at Shrowton in Wiltshire. It is about two feet in height, and a work of the age of Edward the Third. It consists of a standing figure in the Virgin, of uncommon beauty for the period of its sculpture, surrounded by a glory of the form of the vesica piscis, and supported by angels at the four corners; and at the top surmounted by a small representation of the Trinity, figured by three persons under one crown. There are considerable remains of the gilding.

An Essay by James Logan, Esq. was read, containing "A Description of the Cavalry of the Celts, their Arms, and mode of Warfare, with Observations on their Tactics;" containing many remarkable particulars of their treatment of horses, their war-chariots, &c.

May 14. Mr. Gurney in the chair.

A communication was read from Francis Martin, Esq. F.S.A. Windsor Herald, accompanying the exhibition of a pedigree roll of the family of Steward of Cambridgeshire, originally written in the reign of Henry VII. with additions of the age of Elizabeth. Its interest consists in the manner in which it illustrates Sir Richard Worsley's seal ring, of which an enlarged engraving is given in the fourth volume of the Archæologia, with dissertations by Dean Milles, and Mr. Brooke, Somerset Herald. That seal (it will be recollected) exhibits a kuight, having a shield with the fess chequy of Stewart slung on his shoulder, engaged in a contest with a lion, which, whilst his sword lies broken at his feet, he is attacking with a knotted club. In the sky an arm, clothed in the lilies of France, is handing down another shield of Stewart, with the augmentation of an inescutcheon, bearing a lion debruised with the knotted staff, heraldically described as a bend ragulée. The whole design is enclosed within a border, familiar as the double tressure which occurs in the arms of Scotland. On the pedigree roll there is an illumination of the same design (probably of an earlier date, as the seal is presumed to have been engraved about the time of Charles II.), the only difference being that the picture is square instend of oval. This illumination occurs at the side of a copy of the grant by which Charles the Sixth of France, granted in 1384, to Alexander Stewart the augmentation of arms before described, in consideration of

[May,

the services of his father, Andrew, to the crown of France. Of this grant Mr. Brooke saw only a brief notice; it proves that Dean Milles was nearly correct in his explanation of the design of the ring, which was intended to represent Bruce driving the lion of Baliol from within the tressure of Scotland, and it gives a remarkable derivation of tressure from the French words tres assurée.

J. B. Nichols, Esq. F.S.A. exhibited to the Society a series of drawings by the late Mr. John Carter, F.S.A. from the antient tapestries formerly in the Painted Chamber and Prince's Chamber in the palace of Westminster. The former consisted of five subjects, representing the siege of Troy; and the latter of three subjects, the birth of some royal infant, and two battle pieces of excellent design. A full account of these tapestries, by Mr. Carter, will be found in our vol. LXX. pp. 423, 527, 624, 627. Some years after their removal from the Painted Chamber, the tapestries representing the siege of Troy were sold about 1820 for 104. to the late Charles Yarnold, Esq. in Great St. Helen's, and after his death, in March 1825, were included in the catalogue of his collection of curiosities, which were dispersed by auction by Mr. Southgate June 11 that year, when the tapestries of the siege of Troy were bought by Mr. Matheman for 71.; and what were described in the Catalogue as the Plantagenet tapestries, were bought for 60 guineas by Mr. Teschemacher. May 21. Mr. Gurney in the chair.

A dissertation by S. R. Meyrick, LL.D. was read in illustration of a Saxon fibula of bronze, about four inches in length, and of the shape of a Calvary cross; in which Dr. Meyrick took occasion to notice the various forms in which the cross was represented in the early centuries of the Christian æra.

At the conversazione Bernard Brocas, Esq. exhibited the banner which one of his ancestors bore at the battles of Edgehill and Newbury. It bears, in a scroll ornament, the motto CONSTANTER ET FIDELITER. Also a banner of James the Second, of crimson, with the initials J. R. under a crown worked in gold lace; and the very splendid standard which Bonaparte presented to the National Guard of the Isle of Elba, covered with gold eagles, bees, and other ornaments.

CHAMPOLLION'S EGYPTIAN EXPEDITION.

In our last we noticed the arrival of this expedition at Ouadi-Halfa. A letter has since been received from Champollion, dated He quitted QuadiYpsamboul, Jan. 12. Halfa and the second cataract on the 1st of the month. He slept at Gharbi-Serré; and the following day, at noon, he landed on the right bank of the Nile to examine the excavations of Maschakit, a little to the south of the temple of Thoth at Ghebel-Addeh. He was obliged to ascend an almost perpen