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Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 39, 23 September 1867, Page 236

Water Preserved in a Vase eob 1,800 Years. —A letter from Naples, in the Etendard, mentions the following curious fact: —“Lately wnilst excavations were being made at Pompeii in the presence of several persons of distinction, the workman discovered a bronze vase hermetically closed and enveloped in a thick crystallised crust. That having ' been broken and the lid.raised, the interior of the vessel was found to contain a considerable quantity of water. As no marks of oxidation appeared within the vase, some persons present ventured to drink some of liquid, and all unanimously agreed in pronouncing it clear, fresh, and of remarkable softness. As the d struction of Pompeii by the ashes of Vesuvius dates from the year 79 of our era, the water in question has been preserved for nearly 1,800 years.

Lord Granville, the Chancellor of the Univerity of London, presided at .the ceremony of admitting to degrees the graduates of the past year,, and conferring on the successful candidate's for honor the distinctions they bad won. Lord Granville is very clever at work of this kind, and was never either more successful or amusing than on this occassion. ; He answered the criticisms' of one of the ablest censors of the London University. .—an Irish pamphleteer—who had attacked the University for dispensing with colle giate conditions of residence, and for admitting so, many to matriculation who never go on to their degree. -,Lofd Granville’s reply -was conclusive. As. to the non-requirement of. collegiate residence, he pointed out that' while an-extra-col-legiate competition for the students- of the colleges it, did not diminish, .but, rather increased, the actual number of collegiate students who apply for degrees—so-remov-ing a real grievance .which attended, those, too poor for any ;but private education,

and not contributing to lower the value attached to collegiate teaching. As to the number of matriculated students who do not proceed to the degrees, he showed this " was due to the character of the matriculation examination, which is regarded as one of the completest tests of thoroughness of school education that is applied in this country, and is, therefore, naturally valued by numbers who could in no case think of graduating. Lord Granville said that he had been' charged by an Episcopal opponent in the House of Lords with incompetence to discuss the subject of education, on the ground that he had no children. “ A recent circumstance,” said his Lordship, with the perfect coolness of his caste, “ has put me in a better position; but I cannot say that it has changed. a single * view I ever held upon the subject of education.” Was a baby ever turned to more admirable oratorical account ? The ladies were deeply moved, and were evidently engaged for some time after in mentally fondling it—matriculating it with honors. —Spectator.