The Press.
London, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS show a mor•
tality much below the average. Catarrhal affections
prevail, and three deaths from influenza have been
recorded. 1,036 deaths were registered in the week
that. ended on Saturday, 16th February, or 115 less
in number than the deaths in the previous week.
Last week the births of 849 boys and 854 girls, in ail
1,703 children, were registered in London. In the
ten corresponding weeks of the years 1846-55 the
average number was 1,517.
THE EQUALISATION OF THE CITY POOR RATE
was considered at a public meeting held on Wednes-
day evening at Anderton's hotel. Mr. Stevens, City
surveyor, presided, and explained the object of the
meeting, which was to obtain some equalisation of
the poor rate paid by the City with those paid by
other districts. Several gentlemen addressed the
meeting, pointing out that in the eastern districts,
where the poor abounded, the inhabitants were
highly rated for their support, while the western
districts of London scarcely contributed anything
towards the support of the poor. Resolutions in ac
cordance with the object of the meeting were passed,
and a committee promised to carry them out.
THE ROYAL GENERAL ANNUITY SOCIETY held its
annual festival on Wednesday evening, at the
London Tavern. Mr. W. S. Lindsay, as chairman,
in his statement of the prospects of the society, said
that the annuities of 2/. ss. to each man and it. 15s.
to each woman had from want of means been re-
duced to 1/. 15s. and 1/. 4s. There were at present
upon the funds of the society fifty-nine pensioners,
including merchants, solicitors, widows and spinsters,
&c., and he earnestly appealed to the public for sup-
port of so admirable an institution.

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING Of the Refuge for
Destitute Children Institution was held on Wednes-
day, at the Music hall, Store street. From the
returns it appeared that thirty boys and thirty.seven
girls had been admitted during the past year, while
the affairs of the society were in a most satisfac-
tory state.
A BOARD OF TRADE return of wrecks off the sea-
coasts of the United Kingdom for the past yesr,
shows a total of 1,141 vessels, of which 963 were
English, 116 foreign, and eleven colonial ships. Of
these 576 occurred off the east coast, 251 on the
west, and 117 on the south coast of England ; 127 off
the Irish coast, sixteen off the Scilly and Channel
Islands, and thirty four off the northern islands.
The number of lives lost was 469, against 1,549 of
the year previous.
THE JURIDICAL SocrETy held their first anniver-
sary meeting on Monday evening. The Solicitor-
General, Sir R. Bethell, was to have delivered the
annual address, but being detained by important
business in the House of Commons, Mr. Wilcock,
Q.C., was called to the chair. Nothing beyond pri•
vale business was transacted during the evening.
The Rev. F. D. Maurice was elected an hon. mem-
ber. The following gentlemen were elected officers
of the society for the present year :—The office of
president will either devolve upon Mr. Baron Bram.
well or her Majesty's Solicitor-General. Vice-Presi-
dents, in addition to those elected last year, Mr
Daniel, Q.C., Mr. Turner, Q.C., Lord Stanley, M.P.,
Forbes Winslow, M.D., 1).C.L., and Mr. Jebb.