The Press.
London, England, 1854-08-12 00:00:00

THE CHOLERA.

Ix the week that ended last Saturday the total number
of deaths registered in London was 1,456, exhibiting
a mortality considerably in excess of the average ; a
result arising from cholera, which continues to make
progress in the metropolis. The deaths ascribed to
the zymotic or epidemic class of diseases rose from
422 in the previous week to 731 in the last. Cholera,
which was fatal in the last three weeks of July in 5,
20, and 133 cases, destroyed last week 399 lives ; viz.,
145 children under 15 years of age, 213 persons be-
tween 15 and 60 years, and 41 who had reached 60
years of age and upwards. The dilease had made
greater progress at the same date in 1840, for in the
week that ended 4th August of that year the number
who died of it was 926. From diarrhoea and dysen-
tery the deaths in the last four week, have been 51,
68, 87, and 146. Of the 399 deaths from cholera
last week, 23 occurred in the west districts, 12 in the
north, 14 in the central, 60 in the east, and no less
than 290 on the south side of the river.

A deputation from the Westminster Hospital
waited upon Mr. Broderip, on Tuesday, for the pur-
pose of obtaining his advice in consequence of the
prevalence of diarrhoea and cholera in that neighbour-
hood, and of the numerous applications for relief by
the sufferers at that institution :
Dr. ROE stated that, during the last few days, diarrhea and
cholera had made such an alarming progress in Westminster,
that the committee thought it necessary to make an application
to the magistrates of that office, as, if the diseases extended, the
medical staff of the hospital would not be able to meet the de-
mands made upon them. He believed that the Board of Health
was extinct, and he was sorry to say that the funds of the insti-
tution were not sufficient to increase the number of the medical
officers.
Mr. BRODERIP stated that the Board of Health still continued
to do their duties, and would do so until the new board was
formed. He would be happy to assist them, but lie had no power.
Dr. HOE said it 118.1, moat important that some course should
be promptly taken, as there had been a rapid increase of cases in
the course of the last twenty-four hours. During that time above
seventy applications fur relief from persons attacked with
diarrhoea had been made at the hospital, and at twelve o'clock
that day a woman suffering from Asiatic cholera was admitted
who died at two o'clock.
Mr. BRODERIP: The Board of Health should be applied to,
and I have no doubt but they will afford you all the assistance
you require. Unfortunately the cholera is all over the world.
Mr. GILBERT : The hospital establishment is unequal to the
labour it has now to do. There may be to-morrow 120 cases,
and, if so, there ought to be au increase of the medical officers at
the hospital.
Mr. KNOX : The present staff is overworked, and in all pro-
bability the disease is only beginning. The committee are willing
to meet every case, even though such a course would be to add to
their liabilities. If diarrhea and cholera extend the staff must
be increased.
Mr. BRODERIP observed that he was sorry to hear that the
hospital was so poor, and that their staff was overworked, but he
had no powor to assist them. If they came before him to com-
plain against any nuisance he could go to work at once.
The deputation withdrew, thanking the magistrate
for his attention to their application, and stating that
they would attend at the Board of Health.

Three deaths have occurred at Plymouth on board
the hospital-ship Andromeda since Friday—namely,
two children named Elizabeth Murphy and Edward
Barnsley, and James Joseline, 60th Regiment. There
were sixteen sick cases remaining on Wednesday ;
twelve of these were cholera cases, of which four
were almost hopeless—viz., two soldiers, one woman,
and one sailor. Five cases of diarrhcea were under
treatment on board the receiving-ship Endymion.

The ship Dirigo, which lately returned to the
Mersey with cholera on board, sailed again on Wed-
nesday for Australia. She has been thoroughly
cleansed and fumigated, and takes out 420 passenger
emigrants, 250 of whom were among the number
originally embarked in her.

One of the medical journals of Paris gives what
professes to be an authentic report of the state of
the cholera in France up to the 6th inst. The
malady had invaded nearly half of the departments,
but the average number of deaths for the whole in
the first week of the month was only 500 per day. In
Paris, from the 2nd to the 6th, the deaths in the hos-
pitals were only twenty per day, and in private prac-
tice about the same number; so that the total upon
a population of more than a million was only forty
per day. For the cholera to exist at all, it would
hardly be lower in amount than this.

According to the last advices from Genoa, the total
number of cases of cholera there since the outbreak
has been 1,588; deaths, 656. The municipality are
unremitting in their efforts to mitigate the evils
arising from the pestilence. Several convents have
been placed at its disposal for the patients ; bread,
wine, and meat are distributed among the poor, and
work is being provided for the labouring classes.
The number of persons who bad left Genoa on ac-
count of the cholera amounted, up to the 2nd, to
30,684.
At Marseilles the epidemic has assumed a more
favourable form, and the mortality is fifty per cent.
less than during the last week. The recoveries,
moreover, are more numerous, and the sudden deaths

765

less frequent. The Mayor has made an appeal to the
generosity of his fellow-citizens to open a subscrip-
tion to relieve the immense suffering occasioned by
the prevailing epidemy. The appeal has been very
liberally responded to. Several of the minor public
functionaries, such as policemen and custom-house
officers, have fled from the town since the appearance
of the disease, and consequently forfeited their situa-
tions. A functionary of a higher order, namely, M.
Roussin, deputy-mayor of the city, having exhibited
symptoms of similar moral cowardice, the department
has suspended him from his functions. One baker
has been deprived of his licence for having closed his
shop and fled. Since the decline in the malady the
Prefect has published a decree recommending the
emigrants not to return too soon to the town, as their
return may cause a revival of the disease, as it did at
Arles, and occasion a further calamity.

RAILROADS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE following summary of the value of shares, &e.,
in the various railroads of the United States, with

the accruing revenues and prospective value as pro-
perty, has been collected by the Philadelphia corre-
spondent of the Morning Chronicle :
The Pennsylvanian Railroad, which has only been in
operation about two jeers, forms the chief portion of the
great system between Philadelphia. Pittsburg, and the
West. This road has 12,000,000 dollars of capital paid in,
out of 18,000,000 dollars agreed for. The portion of its
stock held in England is 1,100,000 dollars. It has issued
bonds for 3,000,000 dollars, of which 2,500,000 dollars are
held in England. Up to the present time, interest at the
rate of 8 per cent. per annum has been regularly paid by
the company on their stock, and a similar interest regu-
larly on their bonds. This road is more than prosperous,
in proof of which an official statement exhibits the earnings
of the railroad, and the expenses of the management,
during the half year ending June 30, 1854 :
Earnings, 1,880,324 dollars ; expenses, 988,048 dollars ;
net profits, 893,375 dollars.
Same month in 1853 --
Earnings, 1,459,133 dollars; expenses, 797,777 dollars;
net profits, 001,350 dollars.
From this it appears that the net profits of the company
have been 893,372 dollars fur the first halt' of the present
year—equal to the interest of U per cent. per annum on
29,779,107 dollars.
The Camden and Amboy Company own two railroads and
a canal. The Camden and Amboy Railroad, between Phila-
delphia and New York, has no competition, having been
chartered by the Legislature of New Jersey for a certain
number of years. It has a paid-in capital of 3,000,06') Jul.
lam none of the stock being held by foreigners. But it
has issued bouds to the extent of 7,784,000 dollars, of
which 2,411,750 dollars we held in England. This road
pays 12 per cent. on its stock annually, also 0 per cent. on
its bonds, with scrupulous regularity. It also pays transit
and passenger duties to the State of New Jersey, last year
amounting to 150,545 dollars.
The Belvidere and Delaware Railroad has issued bonds
for 1,000,000 dollars, all held by foreigners, mainly in Eng
land. This line has only been in operation fur a few
months, but is a favourite.
No official statistics can be obtained of the Delaware and
Raritan Canal, further than the statement that a large
amount of its stock and bonds is held in England. This
canal is the inland navigation between New York and Phi-
ladelphia, and so great is its success that it pays 12 per
cent. per annum to its stockholders.
The above two roads and canal are owned by the Cam-
den and Amboy Company.
The Philadelphia anti Reading Railroad, commonly
known as the Reading Railroad, is empowered by charter
to have an unlimited capital. Its paid-in capital is 7,310,000
dollars, of which 2,000,000 dollars are held by foreigners.
Its outstanding bonds amount to 9,353,0U0 dollars, of
which 0,000,000 dollars are held by foreigners. All the
stock and bonds owned abroad are probably held in Eng-
land. This company passed over their last dividend un
stock, but the interest on the Reading bonds is regularly
paid.
The committee of directors engaged in investigating the
Schuyler over-issues of New York and Newhaven have not
yet finished their labours, but have made no further frau-
dulent discoveries.
The directors of the New York Central Railroad have
just issued a statement of its business attain to the stock-
holders, from which it appears that the receipts fur fifteen
months ending on the Ist of July were :—Passengers,
3,994,000 dollars; freight, 2,780,000 dollars; spacial re-
ceipts, 54,000 dollars. Total, 0,809,000 dollars. The dis-
bursements for the same time were 3,557,000 dollars.
Interest on debt and sinking fund, 883,000 dollars, leaving
a balance of profit of 2,371,000 dollars, out of which
2,007,000 dollars had been paid for dividends.

THE ABERDEEN ELECTION is ordered to commence
on the 22nd inst. The vacancy is caused by the re-
tirement of Admiral Gordon, brother to the Premier,
who has accepted a command. Lord Haddo, eldest
son of the Premier, has addressed the electors as a
candidate. There are reports that his return will be
contested by Lord March, eldest son of the Duke of

Richmond. -
A STROK.a or Goon Fusion was announced a few ittil
since to a labouring man of the name of Mitchell, w
e
working in a hedge-bottom, near Oainsborough, and who
was called from his employment to hear the interesting in-
formation that a relative had left him persona and other
property to the value of something like 29,0001. Mitchell had
only seen his benefactor once or twice in his life, and hat
not the slightest intimation of the good fortune that
awaited him. lie is a married man with a large family