The Express.
London, England, 1848-02-11 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 11, 1848,

the nob. Si me rnere and and
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-
eft wheelies drlngest tho lever, another
De Mt NOW thas a that Xr.
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wNoillag amfav
.• the gialmansellona thormthhere fan
„am, Blies toes proved that Van be Its pare Mu
mttlnffmg decomposition ot =MI matter, is fatal; art M.
Frisco bbotobi, has Mr Or 1.100 of its ealeme.llol
&they a fag, and I mime la MO fa sollebent to dem a Meg.
Om soma warn to be then* so the Mb
„by with tam. The jeryretnehed thd
wain alba the tiessred deed her dierhas sod seer,
by gee nen and pi:Swoons Autism In Hayeementrt ism want
•
theregrlgo. Beebe, surgeon to the Lying-in Hospital, Limps*
gives the following account to the editor of the J Olderlia
Public Health, of a case which had come under his notion ese
ob ebb sir d retember, IStri, I was requested to visit •
was rajbasi at Itarawith-ternab Peithatetreet. I fair
eallidog Ms eleven attack°, thesatery: ant mann ifeellymingles
ta mo kethe when the smell ell there Moir pert at it benne
am ~we, arising nom the sod snippet, whieb were
ettnelth shon four feet from the On rashing Inquiry, I wee
Mend Ilbeserer anything me Mown Into it the stench
ma* to log thiestad threvaith the ha se, !Yea to the upper
room On fbisilsr after another sew occurred in this
Om ther sod two younger &linen were attuned
I vim ,the mother (who was near her sonfinement)soon
WINO open to the NYC dame; and then, to men the god cats-
tiro West children were seized 'tin. typhus fever, and
illotrthes nee took on typhoid symptoms. Item then were ems
hmobbabebboi in jeopardy by a moot unwarrantable nuleann;
Img eq boos gond that this Ls only one Menace among moray la
Ws town. Th• mother and youngest child with the infant died ; all
Iles gaga men epee* bat their recoveries were very tedious, until
I IM thannthered to another hone lathe neighbourhood, when In
tworpther he *, change in the father's We was most remark- •
ehle and dm
the children got rapidly better, but the pecuniary re- I
ac tbothelly were entirely annoyed by their lung illnem.
Ulm were Wend perm ill in two hones of the same terrace, and
doehtless from the nos cause.
He had absteinied from making an allueion to the lamenta-
bly long list of persons, whose duties as medical men, poor-
law officer, or then engaged in the service of religion, bad
called them into localities in houses where they received the
seeds of maladies which hurried them into the grave. One
name, however, prominently headed the hat, that of Dr.
Jordan Lynch. The other individuals he would not site, bat
he might be permitted to refer to an extract from a state-
ment which bad reached him from Neweastle.
A few short months ago Bishop Riddell, the Rev. J. Standen, and
Dr. Charlton, were in communication with the eutheritles of New-
caste, to represent to them the tilth, overcrowded, and infected eon.
oft eeigebouringy linen... The project was then
entertain.' of removing fever patients to a more open and elevated
part of the town, where, In some temporary or other building, their
chance of recovery would be greater, while the spread of the infection
amo the inhabitance would be kept:in check. A similar guereation
was mng
made ►by Mr. Greenhow at the time d the cholera. Dr. honing,
In the paper which he read in Newmetle, in 181 e, at the meeting of
the British Amocistoci gave a remarkable illastratioci of the success
of each a removal In the coam of the obese; but the proposal of June
Ito, in Rewentle, wan not adopted ; the ranitary condition of the
Infected diAtrict has since undergone little amendment, and the fever
W extended its ravages. The Rev. J. Standen is dead -the Right
Rev. Dr. Riddell is deed—martyrs to their self-denying devotiou to
the cause of suffering humanity.
Ho knew it would be slid that all those men died in their
vocation ; but it ought to be recollected that there hail been
no provision made by a munificent nation for the widows and
orphans left behind them by the class of men to whom he
referred. (Hear.) There was a gentleman whose name
would be familiar to many agricultural members—Mr.
Josiah Parkes be meant, who was engaged in some extensive
drainage operatioes, and who thus expressed his sentiments
upon this important subjict :
lemon la here, W. 'nether being dead; she wan buried yesterday.
• She was a nice, clean, hard-working, respectable women, and, what
is very vexing about her death in, that a nasty, filthy town drain,
I that nice under their house, has been the noose of it. I till Fewson
he Mould inform Lord Miirpeth of it. Such deaths are really awful,
and of very common °mores e. Fewson is my superintendent of
drainage in the l'hienivivark. Ile wren me that he fan
his father will fall a sacrifice also to the same thaws
lath that within *Apace of 30 yards 'spare there are 16 houses,
wherein there hove been 18 cases of fever, one of which, Mrs. Fenn,
•Ms died; and neveml others have han a very narrow escape. tine
sesdical gentleman, Mr. Walton. • nanntrate, who ham &needed 16
out of the 18 of the abovesnaraed fever coon is of the same opinion
es myself, that those fever canes are brought on by the bad state of '
the drain, winch is alongside of the 30 yanls square; in fact, Pew-
ma'. house, I believe, is partly built upon it. Tice drain is a public
' on, for the use of the rem part cif the town; in embed over about
le feet beyond the 30 square yards, but from the yards there are side-
in
drains and grate. without cropsols, and alio beyond the 30 feet it
an open drain, the clench fr- m witch is at all then yen. offensive
it 111 one of the worm divine we have ; but the whole drainage of the
town is very bed, very Mogr, with little fall, so that they always
contain large quantitiegof stagnant water and filth, which I fear no-
thing eon remove, except your Health of Towns Bid.
He (Lord Morpeth) had received a report from Mr. Cros-
kelt, of which he would read an extract :
made inquirice of one of the mad practical men in Beverley, who
is well acquainted with the drainage of the nriglthierhoon, and it now
profeecenelly employed in the Anniston dminage, which runt from
near Beverley to the sea, and he, while quite admitting how open the
locality to which your lordehip's atte.ntiou has been called in to cum-
plaint, yet inures me that there are many worse instances in the
town, and that nothing but a general deepening of the drainage can
effectually remedy the evil under which the lowa, In this ropea,
labours. This can only be aecomptiehed through some ouch measure
as your lordship's Health of Towne Bill, and until that has been
'wood, and it is rendered compuliory en local authentic. to deal with
them evils, I feel inured your lordship would not attain any
satisfactory result by interfere'sc iu an individual case like that which
has been pointed out to you at Beverley.
And many other commuLications which he had received on
the subject corroborated the ointments just read. But were
those cases to which Mr. Parkes, Mr. Croshell, and others
referred extreme MY!? Was the drain derrib, dby the for-
mer gentlemae as having caused the death of one or more
individuals an isolated one? Did Beverley nand alone in
its unhealthiness? This could not, unfortuuately, be aate.ted.
la Suffolk the statistical and sanitary reports gave results
which, if not similar, were very coosidcrably worse.
lie would quote from Mr. Glyde's report, which stated
that the
Average annual deaths in Suffolk (from a calculation of mven youse,
were I In 51 ; in Ipswich, More than in IJ. If we nonce the popula-
tion during this period to have been 23,600, and the rate of mortality
to have been the game as Beverley and Yarmouth, the number
would have been 512 instead of 603, Allowing a low of 728
live in eight year. (This reference to ileverky Mows that
it is regarded as a favourable inotanee of a galubrietia town.)
Infantine mortality is considered one of the most impnrant
tests that cot be applied to prove the sanitary madame of a
tams In Whitby, 26 per cent. ; le Lanceeter, 29; Cork, 31 ; Ipowich,
39 per cent. die under 3 Tennant age. In loswich there are 103 streets
and lanes 15 of which are wail-ion. any drisinage, 19 with surface drains
onone side only, extending only partly through them; and 42 netts
and lanes not paved. . . . When there is no drainage dampens is •
general oomploint. Paper wee. on the wall, wider 'been, the cellar, and
Winn get mouldy in the cupbant. Several 011.... where 10 or 12 lemon
have privies In commun. The purity of the water which comes to the
town has been spoken of in high terms, and the ability to afford
abundance generally acknowirslated. Yet the water from the pumps
it complained of for its impurity, and many of the poorer dance
nave a great distance to fetch their water. tin the bead of expellee,
there were in 1612, 92 deaths above the average of limbieretield and
Beverley. The general tipellibY of thewat V. 10e. each amounted to
34;9,137/. Deaths were from consumption 41 above the average of
Engine!. Taking the duration of illness at nine menthe, the ex-
pense of sieknem at les. per week there is a lira fro excels at
deaths from consumption of 7213 f. If for every death their are 20
eases of sickness, an excess of 82 deaths would give 2,296 came of un-
neemeary sicken.. Tuke the avenge expense of each case of nick-
newt and medical at 10e., there ion loge from unneee vary sick aces of
1,1481. ; exam of rennin, 3691.; deaths from conaumption, 7281. ;
unnecessary sick, 1,144/.; total, 2,245/..•
But he would not take the house through those details as
regarded the united kingdom—he would content himself
with laying one or two caber before them, in order to exhibit
the condition of the highest and most wealthy provincial red
manufacturing town'. From the town of Newentle, Dr.
tleadlam wrote thus :
"Ile woe sorry to my that streets and suburbs were rising with the
fame dieadvantagem. Streets were built without neere, the ground
not even levelled, and the soil in the centre maturated with filth?' Mr.
Currie, lathe Working Men's Asecelation, mid, "lie and other mem-
bers of the committee were appalled by :he scenes they had wit-
nessed. tic had never conceives) that a locality existed in rati miser-
able u condition as standgute. There was not o privy in its whole
length or breadth." Mr. Galls reined in Westgate. The annual
value of the property WO 23,000/. ; little more of the property there
valued at 5,01011. wag reserved. Pceies gene an bad as San 'gate."
Dr. White, " The etutements of Mr. Currie and Mr. Galle were not
overcharged. The mircry of reindgate could not be conceived; it
must be men to be believed. Co one single room In that locality he
had seen 13 Wan of fever." Mr. Groenhue " They were too well
aware of the pressienoe of fever in Newcastle for some time put ;
during the whole of this time, while the gaol was acerounded by
fever, there had been even lest dimme than usual within its walls.
To what was thin to be alcribrated Simply to the adoption, within
the prison, ot those sanitary regulatioce which It was their object to
extend to the whole COMMUDity."
Dr. Leetsdale, in his report on Carlisle, says :
In the mmuranoe tablet of this country, the mortality in Carlisle
within the lag 20 years used to be eetimated at 1 in 34 of the inha-
bitants, being lower than the prevent average of the 15 healthiest
counties in this kingdom. Now, le 1441 it was one in 39, being ac-
tually higher than that of the average of the 15 unhealthiest wannest
If, as is now admitted, the healthy and natural standard of mortality
in Eagland and Wales Is 2 per cent per annum, or 1 in 50, it is en-
dent that Carlisle, with its rate of mortality 1 in 39, or more than 2/
per cent- per annum, Maude greatly in need cif sanitary improvement.
So that if the average mortality of England and Wales
was taken at 2 in 100, the ratio of Carlisle was 21 per cent.,
showing that it was more unhealthy than the average of
places. The towns of Hull, Wolverhampton, Bradford,
Hertford, Ware, and many other pieces wheitee returns had
been received by pains-Biking persons, gave the same general
results, and he would now only quote the report which had
reached him from Sheffield, drawn up by James Heywood,
a chemist, and W. Lee, a civil engineer, resident there :
We wish we could tend language suffleintly strong to impress,
upon the council the absolute neceseity for immediate action. The
ease is deoperote, and euptheners would be criminal. After the fine
few days' experience In our recent inspection, we were able with on
awful precision, not only to detect the unhealthy setts of the town,
but the portions of the etreets and the partiaular houses in street
and in courts celestially liable to febrile and other disease. In
huadreds of these we were able at once to describe to the sufferers
all the symptoms of the disorders with which they were ntlheted.
The result of that importion is a conviction whin nothing can ever
remove or weaken, that halides all the Instances in which persons
ultimately recover from long sickness and consequent distress, 1,000
at least are destroyed every year in this town by drowns which
would have no existence under complete sanitary arrangement. To
realise in the aggregate this unnecessary amount of mortality, and to
=tette the conoomitsnt evils of domestic bereavement and peen-
aterramitment, struggling poverty and helpless pauperism
following in its train, must meal the mind of every member of the
council, and lead to the meet strenuous efforts in the application of
meths' measures.
They go on to say :
That the water supply, cleaning, and paring, are at present in the
hands of three distinct bodies under the authority of as many distinct
sets of parliament. (Hear.) The sewage, though much has been
dorm dwiag the last rears, is illegitimate. All these must be
harmoniousl fewy
worked together as parts of the same system; and we
are firmly convinced that this caned) be done by placing them, and
all other sanitary arrengements. ender the oontrol of one public body.
We believe that in feeds, and several other large town, the seetkaal
Raids un.doos of life, oppose this transfer of their present linnet
ppoo en ; but common sense dictates, that In Sheffield, and all other
impwoeposated towns, the municipal council Is the only body to when
these important powers should be entrusted.
With regard to a particular part of Sheffield they sea j_
The emspools here are generally full and the accumulation etedlint
so great, that the house adjoining is seldom occupied and samsor
tenantable. It who remarkable fact, that scarcely any of this dile=
born in the yard were attempted to berought earn to mew
rity, for out of the four bourn which It contains (one generally empty)
no lees than thirty children have died within the last forty years.
In regard to another place, they say:
Sixteen we of fever, and one of death, have assorted In the
adjo=bouses within a few months and four cal, of fever, and
two , in booms whose windows are directly opposite to the
Point where drainage from this house manes into Edwnistreet. It
is worthy of remark, that no such cases have occurred in places

further removed gem this Weems M Mime is
widow& We weld =sra=ef the lihetter lOW
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esue nalflaNna--14114a. lessr), sal a Mad swage" sif ester; the sub.
rya et messeelsmto fit the Few* egen *di% mg own
loped* of gym k o to the arable d Mews; slim see
0.11.10.0 Isiah sea wed eel milked, with peak
end Wee poetess distriele; tad. "Ones"all.
pleas pew teemstles.
He bed writ serried the house, in an imperfect and he
hared imssmidsite manner, into emu of the places which
demesded tie care and attention of the legislature. He had
relbesed to the pions which anon of
the fuel that fed the
Almelo and forges where the iron and steel were shaped,
end which then wafted those products to foreign shores He
had drawn attention to the towns whence were produced
idiom counties, manufactures which on the banks
of the Volga were able to compete with the flout
fabric,' of the looms of Aga, and which tlothed the
Cr, tof the furthest tropics. Should it be said—and if it
id let it be so no longer—that thou vast hives of in-
dustry, the homes of the men who performed that labour,
should be pre-eminent as the seats of filth, disease, and de-
gradation in their worst and most hideous forms? Were
boil and exertions the most unsparing to be surrounded by
the deadening enervating influence of disease? Was there
no herculean strength that could strangle the noisome
reptiles that infested those places? He ask. don behalf of
the labour of Britain all those appliances which the ad-
vanced knowledge of the kingdom could afford. He did
not ask the legislature to stifle it with government
Interferences or with overmuch looking after, but rather to
leave it to ite legitimate development. What he did ask
was, that the proper path should be taken, and the ablest
heads engaged in the task of remedying the evils he bad
pointed out. He begged to move fur leave to bring in the
Colonel SIBTHORP obeerved that a great reluctance had
already been show* by the government to subject the metro-
polis to the wholesome regulations which the noble lord had
just detailed as being applicable to the other cities and towns
of England and Wales. That circumstance arose, in his
opinion, front the disposition to favour his constituents en-
tertained by the noble lord at the head of the ministry.
Lord DUNCAN said that on the subject of sanitary
regulations, there was very general excitement, and
that excitement would be increased tenfold when it was
known that the noble lord's bill contained no allusion to that
all-important subject, the window-tax. (Hear, hear.) He
was anxious to hear why the noble lord on the present woo-
den omitted all mention of " that once familiar wiled." lie
(Lord Duncan) held in his hand a copy of the speech deli-
vered by the noble lord at Wakefield, immediately after his
election, July, 1846. The noble lord then said, among other
mitten, that " The dwellings of the working classes are far
other than I should wish them to be. They are capable of
immense improvement, by increasing their facilities for the
reception of fresh air, good water, anti increased light."
He recollected having read in " Gulliver's Travels" that
when he (Gulliver) went to Laputa he found the inhabitants
to immersed in philosophical calculations as to require the
constant attendance of ii.depper to recall them to sublunary
matters. He (Lord Duncan) would act as flapper to the
noble lord, and endeavour to recall his attention to what he
and his colleagues had stated and publiihed on former °ca-
tions. The noble lord bad said little about improved ventila-
tion in dwellings ; but it appeared from a recent legal deci-
sion that that was a subject calling for immediate attention.
An individual named John Wilson, residing in Penryn, had
lately appealed against a charge of 6/. 17s. 2d. for 23 win-
dows, two of which were merely plates of perforated nine,
placed in opposite aides of the pantry for the purpose of
procuring a thorough draft. The commissioners remitted
the charge, as the zinc windows were merely placed for the
purposes of ventilation, but the surveyor appealed to the
judges, and Judges Haute, Cresswell, and Rolle decided
that, according to the law of the land, the man was liable
and must be fined for non-payment (Hear, hear.) He
could tell the noble lord that there were strong feelings
abroad on the subject to which he had alluded, and
that no sanitary bill would be popular which did not deal
with them however they might be—as he acknowledged
they were—surrounded with difficulties.
Mr. HORShiAN was grateful to the noble lord for what
he had done on the present, as well u on former occasions,
pod he hoped that his measure, which was large and com-
prehensive, would meet with better success during the pre-
sent year than it had in the last. He truetod that the
efficiency of the measure would not he impaired by any en-
due economy in the officere' salaries. He had heard that
the salary of the chief commissioner was to be fixed at
1,0001. He feared that was too low, and he hoped that the
noble lord would not be deterred by any outcry about pa- '
teenage from making the salaries .uch as would secure'
efficiency in every department. While he gave the noble I
lord every credit for his bill, he must still return to what
was an old grievance of hip—he meant the subject of inter
meats in towns. (Hear, hear.) The subject was one of''
ouch importance, that be could not help pressing it on the
government as an indispensable supplement to the present
bill. (Hear, hear.) He trusted that the noble lord would
excuse him for asking for some information re,pecting the
supplemental bills. lle trusted that it the noble lord found
the progress of these measures obstructed by any difficulties,
he would at once inform the house, and he could assure him
of the tidiest support from the house and the public (Hear.
hear.) If it was merely a question of clergymen's fees, he
was sure that public feeling was so strong as to prevent any
question of economy standing in the way of an equitable ar-
rangement. He trusted that the noble lord would, on the
second readily; of the bill, be prepared with some statement
en the 'abject. (Hear.)
Capt. PECHELL had also omissions to complain of. (A
laugh.) He alluded to a grievance under which the town
which he had the honour to represent laboured, namely, the
mode of electing local commissioners. lie trusted that
during the progress of the bill that matter would be put on
j a proper footing.
IMr. HUME said that no ens could have heard the state-
ment of the noble lord without taking shame to himself for
allowing such abuses to last 40 long. (Hear, hear.) He re-
joiced to see that at last there was some prospect of a re-
medy ; bat he would suggest to the government that, as
their measare would entail great local expense, they ought
to find some substitute for that most oppressive of local ira •
poets—the window tax. (Hear, bear.) It was no use
attempting to remove evils unless they began with the
cause. (Hear, hear.) There was nothing so good for the
health as the light of the sun, and all they could do would
not banish noxious effluvia unless they let plenty of sun and
air into every nook and corner. In fact, it was no use
attempting any sanitary improvements until they removed
the window tax altogether. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.")
He trusted that the sense of the house would he directly
taken on the question. (Hear.)
The Earl of LINCOLN would have refrained from obser-
vation until the second reading of the bill, were it not that
so many members, having commenced with laudations of the
noble lord's bill, had concluded by complaining of its
numerous omissions. (Hear, hear.) He should not follow
that example. He had risen merely for the purpose of pro-
totting against such observation.. So far from there being
any jut grounds for complaints, he considered that the
noble lord bad acted wisely in not encumbering his measure
with extraneous matters. When the bill came to be printed
it 'would be found that its details were comprehensive
enough, and if the noble lord should succeed in passing
it, he would have made a most valuable commencement
in the course of sanitary reform. (Hear, bear.) It did not
follow that because subjects which had been alluded to were
not included, they would not follow hereafter. With regard
to the window tax, nobody could doubt that as an abstract
principle it would be very desirable to get rid of it ; but he
feared that in proposing its abolition, the noble lord would
fiud some impediments from his right honourable colleague
on his left (the Chancellor of the Exchequer). It was a
question which should be dealt with by itself ; and although
a sanitary bill with the window tax abolished would be more
perlect than one without it, he thought they should take
what they
could get, and leave other matters for future con-
sideration. lie (the Earl of Lincoln) could, if so disposed,
point out five or six omissions from the noble lord's bill, but I
he did not complain if it were not at once as perfect as could
be wished. As far as he could judge, the bill was a conside-
rable improvement or the measure of last year, both with
respect to the selection of the area for drainage, and the
greater limitation of the central authority. In his opinion
if the house passed the bill, a favourable result might be an-
ticipated from its operation.
Mr. SLANEY, who was but imperfectly heard, said, that
he looked upon the present measure as one of justice and wise
policy, and he hoped to tee it carried to asuccesaful issue.
Mr. WAK LEY had not heard the statement of the noble
lord (blorpeth), and therefore could scarcely offer any opi-
nion as to the details of the bit : ; but front what he had
heard, though the measure might contain much good, he
believed it fell far short of what it ought to be, or what the
public expected, and that instead of bring received with
public approbation, it would be mot, in the towns at least,
with public scorn. He had been informed that the metro-
polis was to be excluded from the operation of this bill.
Lord MORPETIi—That will form the subject of a sepa-
rate measure.

Mr. WAKLEY—But why was it not included in this
bill ; and when was the separate bill for the metropolis to
came ? The public required that where the greatest amount
of nuisance existed, there the remedy should be at once ap-
plied. It was in the stinking end filthy metropolis that
sanitary reform was most wanted. (Hem.) But it was al-
ways thus with a whig government. Whenever a case arose
in which they were required to act with determination they
yielded to the difficulties which appeared to confront them,
and shrunk from their duty. (Hear.) They feared the op-
position of the corporation of London, consequently the me-
tropolis was excluded from this bill. in the same way the
noble lord dreaded that if he interfered with the baneful prse-
tice of burying in churchyards the church would oppose
him, so he touched it not. (Hear.) Then, again, as to the
window tax. Was it not absurd to talk of the imp.xtance
of giving light and air as a means of improving the pubEc
health, while light and air were subject to a heavy tax ? The
great "anitary measure wanted in toe towns was the repeal
Odra window-tax but so far from this, the people were to
be mulcted is additional burdens by this =mime, while
the iniquitous and oppressive window tax remained. (Heu.)
The fact was, this sanitary measure had been worked up in
Somerset-house, where the gruel diet tables were prepared.
If the poor had plenty of pure air they would want
something to feed on ; for if the appetite occasioned by
pun, air were not gratified the body would consume heel!.
It was monstrous for government to pretend to introduce a
measure of sanitary improvement, while the odious and de-
testable window tax was permitted to remain. This he
could mum the noble lord would be the feeling throughout
all the towns in the kingdom. Because the noble lord had
not the courage to include the nasty corporation of London
in the present bill, therefore the metropolitan boroughs were
also to be excluded. But why should turtle soup have so
much influence ? (Hear, hear, and a laugh). The noble lord
was fully aware of the poisonous results of the practice of
intermural interments, but he dared not incur the hostility
of the church, wbo had a vested interest in the burial of the
dead. Was it possible that a people like the English public
could be satisfied with such a measure aa this, which did a

wed but where much was re-
little when a,lithitilen.7l(Tittqul:k;ar.) He called upon the
forwardpl apply t o
shouldthe minor
Itrievar's by which the health and comfort of the
metropolis.t
atten tiAonfetowerdahyast
h:gbeetli re-
quited
general
nciocin:nib—rPT ecorysth'iritieliie"l7tBl:'o6 eeae:dbju ater
subject,
tht4Sehreh notdthof bring
t hate mon-
:eel
since the noble
' Islington, respecting • fever hospital which was sibout to b 3
centre of that parish.
?thWasstAhriitmdtphwiewhion
' swP:Lfeurti:hra teseunthwnicohesi;ebalismair-loolsreclident:ti ring.takaaHewepoownwalaberiadedsetPhiunit proposed4°iscantitrom phrofe-
ntion
brieuil.tgwotethiswe oodvdeing"Smith, one of the members of the health of
populated district, and yet the noble lord, knowing it and
Whyf
knowing also that the building was about to be immediately
hted:wnui*thoestyPirnuskilli"wavindi°oallnen7ekin:olif eldasureoi.sfnhtegYsiveseer:ilisnawnttha'aihoelvePry"mPellideti°nt of atothirckltroy-
ommenced, in bringing forward a measure for promoting
the health of towns took no powers to prevent such an evil.
Why, what a miserably defective measure was this. (Hear,
hear.) Could such a thing as was here proposed for haling-
ton happen in Peri, ? There, there was a body constantly
sitting to receive representations on all matters affecting the
public health. When nuisances were pointed out either as
cutting or about to be created subcommittees were ap-
t t andhde weretrht ,ipnaugit' dodfoi ftwhtnhi
seokyri
awere
v enkte:el:hdaet
noble
on
bcbei:.
rd
general and comprehensive bill for the whole country. In
P°lciTinh?udenritedreisrluetoilederuil'ir bill esthe whole question, and bring forward one
this he might lately, rely on the good sense of the people,
who, if he would be just to them, would be just to him, and I
uphold him in carrying through such a measure against all
opposition. (Hear, hear.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY)_ considered that the corporation
of the City of Loados did not deserve the aspersions cast
upon it by the hon. member fur Finsbury. He believed
London was the first community in the kingdom that had at-
tempted to grapple withethe evils of the sanitary question.
All the streets, by-,trees, and courts in the City had been
sewered at an immense expense, and the commissioners of
sewers who represented the City were most solicitous to avail
themselves of csery known and practical improvement
mince the sanitary state of London. He amid assure the
house that the corporation of London would not present an
obstacle to the noble lord's measures when he should be pee-
deal with the metropolis, of which the City
roarrre n) d
an intral part, and must necessarily be included
in any general system of sewerage. Tae hon. and
gallant member for Lincoln bad included the ward of
Billingsgate, which he (Mr. Ald. Sydney) represented in
the Court of Aldermen, it the same category as St. Giles's
in respect to its sanitary condition. He could assure the
more
and tallest member that no part of the metropolis was
more healthy than the ward of Billingsgate. (Hear.)
When the noble lord brought forward his bill for the me-
tropolis he hoped he would go further than be had now
done, and take into consideration the propriety of removing
the window tax, and also whether it would not be possible
to remove gaols and markets altogether from the neigh-
bourhood of our crowded streets. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. WYLD observed that at a recent meeting of the com-
missioners of sewers it had been stated that a bl,ck plan of
London was about to be prepared, which would cost 60,0001.
He had taken great pains to estimate the cost of such a
plan, and found it would not be less than five times that
amount. He feared if the same course was to be carried out
in other matters this sanitary measure would prove a
very expensive one. There was, however, no neer:slaty
for such a plan.
Mr. MAUNSELL inquired whether it was intended to
bring in the measure for Ireland before it was found to work
well in this country or not ?
Lord MORFETII—What I said was, that when the plea
was approved and adopted in this country, I hoped the See
cretary fur Ireland would propose a similar measure for Ire-
land.
Mr. MAUNSELL.—Daring the present session ?
Lord MORPETH hoped it would be during the present
session.
In reply to a question from Mr. WILLIAMS—
Lord MORPETH said that he had already stated that the
resent bill did not exclude any part of England or Wales,
but that before its provisions could be extended to the
metropolis some supplementary measures would be necessary
which would he introduced at a future period.
Mr. B. OSBORNE asked if the measure for the metro
polis would be brought in during the present session.
Lord MORPETH expected to be able to bring in a bill as
to the sewerage of the metropolis within a short period, and
when the sanitary commisoon should have reported he
hoped he should be enabled to bring in the general sanitary
bill for the metropolis.
Mr. B. OSBORNE.—During the present tendon ?
Lord MORPETH hoped that the first bill would be intro-
' duced in the course sit a few days, and the other some time
before the expiration of the session?
Mr. REYNOLDS regretted the present measure did not
extend to Ireland and Scotland.
Viscount EBRINGTON, in reference to what had fallen
from the hon. member for Finsbury with regard to Paris,
thought the system prevailing in that city, where cesspools
universally prevailed, where there was hardly a sewer, and
where, until within the last few years, there was scarcely a
water-closet, was not one to be followed here. Imperfect as
London was. the sanitary condition of Paris was much worse.
Mr. HODGES fully approved of the measure, and
thought the noble lord bad exercised a wise discretion in
excluding the metropolis from its provisions, seeing that
the sewerage for the metropolis would be based on a totally
different system from that of the counties.
Mr. BROTIIERTON, though most desirous for the re-
peal of the window tax, did not consider this measure would
suff, r so much from that omisoion as some hoc. gentlemen
appeared to think. Out 0E5,04525 houses in'this country.
only 447,420 were assessed to the window duty, leaving no
less than 4,611,105 wholly unaffected by it.
Lord MORPETH expressed the satisfaction he felt at the
mariner in which his statement had been received, and
hoped he might look upon it as ominous of the future
success of the bill. The only comment he could
at all feel disposed to quarrel with was that made
by the hon. member who had not heard the statement,
I and who, he was convinced, when he saw the measure.
would Le less general in his condemnation of it. He agreed
that it WAS most desirable to apply the same principles of
legisl ohm, in this matter, to the metropolis as to all other
parts of the country—but there were peculiar circumstances
and peculiar difficulties to be encountered in respect to the
metrolhiso.weh,iecrk
stronglyender of edseoppainraiotne
that,l
legislation necessary.
cnoecestaxyd,
Lon-
.
He was,
don would be in advance of the rest of the kingdom in its
sanitary progress, and prove a model for the country in
general in respect to sanitary reform. (Hear.) The sub-
ject of the fever hospitals in towns to which his attention
had been drawn, should receive the fullest consideration.
Looking at the rights of property involved, and the danger
of conveying fever patients through the crowded streets of
towns, that was a question which could not be decided off-
hand. Then, with regard to burials, it would scarcely be
prudent to encounter, in the present bill, the vexed
question which must be met before any general
measure on that subject could possibly be established.
Under this bill, however, not only would It be in the power
of the central board to prohibit the use, for the purpose of in-
terment, of any burial ground declared to be deogerous to
the health of the public, but the burial of any corpse or
corpses within the walls or underneath any church or chapel
was prohibited, neither could any new churchyard or burial
ground be opened without an express license first obtained.
It was also provided that houses should be obtained for de-
positing the dead previous to interment, the want of which
had in many cases been attended with great inconvenience.
The government was subject in this matter, as in alt others,
to that law of humanity which prevented their doing every-
thing at once, and did they attempt to do so it was more
than probable that they would succeed in doing nothing.
The motion was then agreed to, end the bill ordered to be
brought in. Subsequently the bill was brought in, read a
first time, and ordered to be printed.
ABINGDON ELECTION.
_ .

The Sreauxe. announced that it was not intended to pro-
ceed with the petition against the return of Sir F. Thesiger
for the boriugh of Abingdon.
REMOVAL OF THE POOR.
Mr. BAINES moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend
the proceedure in respect of orders for the removal of the poor
in England and Wales, and appeal therefrom. What he
proposed was, that instead of the examinations being sent by
the removing parishes, there should be sent a statement of
the grounds of removal on the one side, and of appeal on the
other; the sessions having the power of amending that
statement so that any technical errors might be corrected.
The bill would also give power to amend the order et re-
moval itself in certain points, so as not to pnjudioe the par-
ties concerned, or the truth or justice of the ease. It would
also vest in the sessions the power oi deciding absolutely upon
the question of the sufficiency of the statements of the grounds
of removal and appeal; so that the magistrates would not
have their decisions taken by certiorari or mandamus to the
Queen's Bench, and much litigation would thereby be spared
to parishes. There would however be an exception to this
where the session stated a special case for the Queen's Bench.
At present the parish could not abandon the order for
removal once an appeal was entered, and he proposed to alter
that by allowing it to be abandoned any time before or after
the entry of appeal.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not
object to the introduction of the bill, and hoped it would have
the effect anticipated, of checking litigation, but he feared it
would lead to renewed litigation.—Leave given to bring in
the bill.
COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH CHINA.
Mr. CARDWELL rose to bring under the notice of the
house the report of the select committee appointed in 1847, to
take into consideration the present state of our commercial
relations with China. He felt that a report of sa much im-
portance ought not to be allowed to slumber; and therefore
did he feel justified in calling the attention of the house to
it in the absence of his noble friend who had so ably pro-
posed it. The anticipations which had been formed of ex-
tended intercourse with the east, and of its affording fresh
outlets for the great and increasing manufacturing power of
this country, had not been fulfilled, although, in some re-
spects, our trade with China appeared to justify them. In 1827
our exports to China amounted to nearly 610,0001.; in 1843
they hail grown to nearly 1,500,8001.; and in 1845 to
2,394.0001. Nevertheless, when, 15 years ago, the trade of
the eastern empire was opened to competition, we did ven-
ture to believe that, with a population of upwards of
300,000,900, comprising a very large aliquot part of the
population of the globe, living under such different circum-
stances from ourselves, with respect to their productions on
the one hand, and their wants on the other—a people net
destitute of civilisation, but distinguished by much industry
and a spirit of commerce, we did promise ourselves that our
export trade with such a people would have by this time
greatly exceeded 2,400,0001. In that respect, then, our
anticipations had not been realised. Such as the trade with
China had been, however, a very large portion of it had

fal'en to Great Britain ; and it was most important to our
domestic interests that we should, so far as possible, tunes.
rage end increase it. The return of the imports of Chia&
in 1845 was 20,000,000 dollar,, of which no less than
16,000,000 were imported in British ships, nearly 3,000,000,
in American ships, and the remainder in ships of all the
rest of the world. There was, besides, a very large trade ig
opium, the greater part of which belonged to dependencies
of this country, giving an additional sum of 23.000,000 of
dollars ; so that, out of a trade amounting to 43,000,000 dot,
tars, scarcely 4,000,000 belonged to other than this country.
In 1843 there was a remarkable increase in our trade wick
China contrasted with previous years,and in 184.3 a still greater.
But the committee stated in the first page of their report,
that that increase of trade had been attended with no corm.
apoading benefit to England, inasmuch as it had been ca.
reed on at a loss of from 30 to 40 per cent. They found that
notwithstanding that loss, the trade had gone ou increasing
for three or four years. The explanation was this: the trade
was first in the hands of the British merchants, who, not
finding it remunerative, abandoned it. Then it was taken
up by the British manufacturer., in their anxiety to fled an
outlet for their increased produce. Their attempt being also
unsuccessful, it was taken up by the natives of Chian them.
selves, for the purpose of finding a market for their own
produce, but they too found it unremunerativc. It therefore
followed that unless we were abl, to proceed in another
.. —..

direction, our trade with China must be Contracted to thoss
limits only which would prove remunerative. The returns for
tour merchandise were comprised in the three pried*
articles of silver, silk, and tea—the annual export of silver
being 2000,0001. The' British consul, writing in April,
1847, said, " how long the Chinese will be able to sustain
this continual drain of 2,000,0001. of precious metal, it is im-
possible to my; but it is a well-established fact that the
export of tea to Ragland cannot be increased under the pre-
sent system of duties ; and unless a new opening be found
for a larger amount of Chinese exports to our markets, a
gradual reduction must take place either in the quantity cc
the prices of our goods in China. It is beyond calculate=
to what extent the Chinese would perch , e our woollens sad
cottons if we would take their produm in return." This
was fully confirmed by Sir J. Davis, who said that the in.
port trad . of China depended wholly upon their expert
trade; that consequently the increase of their exports
would create a corresponding increase in their import,
Now it was owing to the rate of duties levied by us on tee
which prevented our taking a larger quantity ot that article
—duties amounting, on the average, to upwards of 200 me
sent. upon the cost price. He had been informed of a them
Ma baying been purchased in Liverpool, and which ultt.
Nudely went for the use of a poor-house in Cork, upon which
the duty amounted to 1,000 per cent, on the price. Bat to
the consumer it made a still greater difference than the nee
amount of the duty, because the greater the duty the gemew
the capital required; and as there must be a profit on tape
tal, it was not surprising to find • witness telling the com-
mittee that a duty of 2s. 2d. to the revenue was an addities
to the consumer of 2s. 9d. on the price of the tea. Bethel,
In a very large proportion of instancts, the profit alone apse
the duty would exceed the coot of the tea. Lathe house
observe who were next to us in the trade—the Amides%
who levied no duty upon tee, while we had a duty varying
from 200 to the exceptional cases of 1,000 per ceut. The
hen. gentleman then quoted the commercial circular of
Hdmahed and Ketley of Liverpool, dated Dec. 31,1847,
showing that, while our cotton trade with Chins had dm
creased, by about one third, between 1837 and 1846, that of
the United Sates had increased and was still increasing. It
was of importance to watch with vigilance how far
we could supply the markets of Chine in return for their ex-
porta. 'fhe committee stated that the revenue we derived
In 1316 of 5,110,0001. could not be permanently relied on, as
the trade was not remunerative to the importer. In 1842 it
barely exceeded 4,000,0001.; in 1343 it did not reach
4,500,0004 ; and in 1847, he had reason to believe,
for he had nut the (diked return, that it would barely
reach 5,000,0001. ; although in 1846 it bad been up-
wards of that amount. Our exports of cotton cloths
in 1644 was 1,460,0001.; in 1815, 1,510,0001.; and
in 1846 they fell to 940,0001., and in 1847 to 838,0001.
He found, with regard to shipments of cotton cloth from
Liverpool to China, in the year 1845, they had smote ted to
112,000,000 yards ; in 1846, they fell to 76,000,000 yards;
and in 1847 they had come down to 56,000,000 yards, being
just one-half of what they had been in the year 184,5. If
such had been the case, it followed that this diminution of
exports bad led to a diminution of imports, and that conse-
quently the revenue his diminished. Therefore it was that
while the committee had reported, that so important an item
of revenue could not be lightly dealt with, they reported
that they had the strongest reason to believe that the
then existing amount of revenue from this smarm
could not permanently be expected. The committee then
had tumid its attention to the consideration of what would
be the effect of any change in the amount of duty ; and on
this point some statistics and eilcu:atious, w.ich showed the
changes in prices which had been effected by an alteration of
the duties in former times, had been furnished, and were to
be found at page 443 of thine reports. From these statistics
it appeared that in 1782 the duty on tea was at the rate of
.56 per cent., and at that time the number of pounds con-
sumed had 'seen about 6,000,000. In 1784 the duty was re-
! dnced to 121. 10s. per cent., sod the quantity consumed rose
to 10,000,000 lbs. That duty continued up to 1795,
when the consumption had risen to 21,000,000 the.
He quoted this for the purpose of showing
that there existed some reason to believe that, by a judicious
change in the existing duty, the consumption would increase
and the revenue thereby be kept up. As to the quantities of
tea consumed, he founu, in the evidence taken before the
committee and annexed to their report, that in families where
expense was not an object the average might be taken at
121bs. per head. In the workhouses it was 3 ilbs. per head.
To emigrants 41be. 3oz. per head was allowed. In the navy
it was 41bs. 4oz. per head, besides cocoa. In Australia there
was reason to believe the consumption was exceedingly
large, being at the rate of 81b. or 91b. per head ; while in the
United Kingdom the average was only about lib, 10oz. per
head, being about one-half of the ordinary allowance granted
inthe workhouses. He thought it could not be contended
that there did not exist a capability of ircreasing the
demand for tea among the population of this country pro-
vided it could be brought within their reach on the ground
of expense. But then some calculations had been presented
to the committee to show what would be the effect upon the
revenue which an increased consumption would occasion.
Those who wished the duty to be reduced had contended
that the reduction ought to be from 2s. 2)d. to Is., and they
stated that if the same money now spent on tea should be
spent when the duty was reduced to Is., that duty on
24,000,000 lbs. would yield 1,200,0001., which, added to the
existing amount yielded to the revenue, viz., 1.200,0001.,
would give in the first year of the reduction 3,500,0001.
from the article of tea. But then if 32,000 tons of sugar
was taken as the additional supply necessaryfor the
additional consumption of tee, taking that quantity
et a duty of 145., it would yield about 455,0001.
thus showing the total revenue to be expected from the tea
and sugar to amount to about 3,962,0001. Another point had
been brought under the notice of the committee, which,
however, he (Mr. Cardwell) did not take as the basis of any
computation, because itwould give a result more sanguine
than he should venture to encourage. It had, however, been
stated in evidence that in 184-4 a change had taken place in
the Isle of Man in the mode of collecting the ditty there
levied on tea, the effect of which had been (es the committee
were told) to diminish the cost of that article by Is. 6d.
per lb. In 1841 the consumption there was 75.000 the., and
in 1846 it had risen to 138,0001 M. While he (Mr. Card-
well) admitted that it would have been rash on
the part of the committee to hare made this the
basis of their computation of the probable in-
! grease of consumption in the whole of the
united kingdom, yet he was of opinion that he was bound
not to close the case without thus calling attention to the
succus in the operation of a change in the duty on the same
article. But he might be asked where was the money—
where the resources to come from which the population of
this country were to spend in sugar to be used with the le-
creased consumption of tea ? His answer was that if this
country imported 24,000,000 lbs. additional of tea there
would be an addition to the exports of 1,000,000!., of which
two-thirds would be spent in the wages of the &trines of
England, and this addition would go to their other means of
purchasing tea and our. ir. If then such a change stimulated
industry it would add to the imports and exports and in-
crease the demand for other articles which eourtoute
the comforts of the working dames, and which contribute to
the treasury a revenue of which the Chancellor of the
Exchequer would feel the advantages. Those advautages it
was impossible tocalculete in any preci.e figures, but it would
be unjust to leave the matter wholly out of condderation.
But then the committ.e had been told by some of the wit-
nesses who had been examined tend the some objection had
been frequently raised. that the supply of tea might be ex-
pected to fall abort, and that an increased demand for Bag-
land might raise the price of that article in China; and that
the result would be that the value being thus made higher
here, the public would not have the benefit of the reduction
of duty. On that point, however, the committee had est-
i mined several witnesses at great length, as wool I be seen by
i a reference to the repair. They had had the advantage of
1 exantuuter Mr. Parker, who had spentsome time in Chinon
• mission of a different character, and who was well acquaint-
ed with that country; they had also examined the hon. mem-
ber for Ashburton, for South Lancashire (Mr. W. Brown),
and for Dartmouth (Mr. Moffatt), and many others of great
experience, and all these witnesses stated that they had not
the slightest fear that any demand made by this country in
China tor the article of tea would tend to cause anything him
a scarcity of supply. On the contrary, the committee had
been told that though the enormous population of China
were themselves great consumers, and that as they, would
take commodities which this country could furnish on a
much greater scale, the small additional drain the change
would cause could not possibly increase the price of tea,
because the laud was abundant, the facility of cultivation
was great ; and the committee had reason to believe that
whatever else might cause a failure, it would certainly not
be owing to any diminution in the growth of tea to meet the
demand of this country. Another matter had arises before
the committee, about which some little was said. On that
matter the committee had the advantage of the presence of
the hon. member for Sheffield (Mr. Parker), who watched
the proceedings with a view to ascertain how far a diminu-
tion of the tea duties would injure the revenue, by leading
to a diminution in the consumption of spirits. The hon.
member had moved for and obtained a return, which
! showed that the population of the United Kingdom,
amounting to 26,700,000, consumed annually 24,000,000
gallons of spirits; and that in Scotland, in 1845, there
were entered for home consumption, 6,500,000 gallons of
spirits for a population of 2,600,000. In last, the conaump-
lion of spirits in the whole of the United Kingdom, was
shown to be 28,000,000 gains. He (Mr. Cardwell) did not
know why the reduction of the tea duties would diminish
the produce to the exchequer of the duty on spirits; but
with all respect for the exchequer, he should certainly be
pleased if, by a reduction of the tea duties,
those arising from spirits should fall off, and in
soh an event he should be most ready to support the
Chancellor of the Exchequer in a committee of ways and

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