The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-14 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.

The frost, which set in again with great severity
on Friday night last, has continued up to our going to
press with more or less intensity. By Saturday morning
the thermometer registered 26 deg., or 6 below freezing
point, but after the heavy fall of snow it rose to 33 deg.,
again falling at night to 16 deg. Yesterday morning
opened clear and fine, and so the weather continued
throughout the day, the thermometer at the Receiving-
house in Hyde-park at noon standing at 38 deg. AA the
day wore on, however, the atmosphere became much colder,
the thermometer at five o'clock having fallen to 26 deg.,
with the wind from the north-west. The fineness of the
morning caused large numbers of people to assemble in
the various parks, but the ice on the waters was very weak,
owing to the wind having kept the surface of the water
in constant motion, and preventing its being
frozen, except in the more sheltered parts.
There was hardly any ice on the Serpentine, and
the water in the Regent's-park, the long water in Ken-
sington-gardens, and the ornamental water in St. James's-
park were only partially frozen over, and printed placards
were posted up by order of the Humane Society warning
persons of the dangerous condition of the ice. Despite
this warning, and the personal cautions given by the ice-
men on duty, several foolhardy men and boys ventured
upon it, the majority of whom fell in before they had been
on many minutes. At the Regent's-park water, and at
the long water in Kensington-gardens, where the water is
about 9 feet deep, several persons were only saved from
drowning by great efforts on the part of the icemen and
the use of the appiratus. In St. Jamee's-park a number
of the more thoughtless amongst the people amused them-
selves by throwing halfpence on the ice, and inducing boys
to go on after them, and then when they broke through
indulging in a hearty laugh at their plight. The
water here is so shallow, however, that there is no
fear of lose of life taking place by drowning. In
the afternoon the crowds assembled in the parks were
very large. Regent's-park was thronged by promenader.,
while the banks of the Serpentine and Kensington-gar-
dens presented an animated appearance from the great
numbers of persons, in carriages and on foot, who assem-
bled in great force to view the evolutions of the skaters,
of whom, however, there were none on the Serpentine,
and but few on the long water. The members of the
Skating Club, who have • spacious tent erected by the
side of this water, met in considerable number, but the
weak state of the ice determined them to forego their
favourite sport until a more favourable opportunity. The
icemen reported that if it continues to freeze during
the night the ice will be in a good con-
dition for a moderate number of skaters to-day,
but not for any large number of people.
The number of persons in St. James's-park from two
until five o'clock was very great, the keeper. reporting that
upwards of 50,000 people had passed in at the various
gates during those hours. The great proportion of these
persons were respectable tradesmen and mechanics with
their families, but there was also an immense assemblage
of " roughs" of both sexes. Not being able to amuse
themselves on the ice they found amusement in other
ways, by snowballing and bonneting each other, varied
by • sham fight here and there, which collecting a crowd
gave the light-fingered gentry an opportunity of plying
their vocation. When tired of their rough play with each
other, as might be expected in the absence of the police,
they turned their attention to any respectably dressed
persons, male or female, who came in their way, and mal-
treated and insulted them in the most disgraceful way,
few e4caping without the loss of hat, shawl, pin, or some
other article. The foot-bridge over the ornamental water,
however, was the chief scene of their exploits. This bridge
on these occasions is always crowded by people passing
from one side of the enclosure to the other. Gangs of
these roughs and thieves assembled to the number of
several hundreds at each end of the bridge, and at a given
signal, when the bridge was crowded with respectably-
dressed persons, they rushed on pell.mell, hustling and
bonneting all who came in their way, watches, purees,
and pins, changing owners with extraordinary quickness.
This disgraceful scene was repeated about every half-hour
until it grew dark. The park-keepers did all they could to
repress the disorderly scene ; but they were comparatively
powerless. A dozen police-constables would have been
effective for the purpose but they were not there, and so
the roughs had uncontrolled possession of the park until,
all respectable people having left at dusk, there was no
more plunder to be obtained or game to be hunted down.

SMALLPDX IN THZ METHOPOLIZ.—On Saturday
Dr. Laukester held an inquest at the Elephant and Castle,
Camden-town, on the body of Alice Maid Lambert, aged
two years and ten months, of 14, Diaper's-place, Hamp-
stead-road, who died of smallpox, and who was at the time
of death unvaccinated. Upon the opening of the court the
coroner stated that he held inquests in these cases because
he believed smallpox to be one of the most preventible of
dances, and because it was the only means of letting the
public know what might be done in the matter. He cou-
sidered it • disgrace that London, unlike other cities of
the world, should be so severely visited by the epidemic,
and he pointed out to the jury that, but for the laxity
with which the law on the subject had been put in force,
verdicts of manslaughter might be found against the
parents of many of the children who died unvaccinated.
He wished the press to clear him of the statement falsely
attributed to him that verelicts;of manslaughter could
be found against boards of guardians. Mr. Thompson.
district medical officer, after giving evidence as
to the cause of death, said in the Lambert
family three children were at that time ill of smallpox,
and live of them had had it. The pariah did not prose-
cute jorsons who neglected to carry out the law re-
specting vaccination, and there was no house to house
visitation to ascertain whether or no it was carried into
effect. When, however, persons registered their children,
they received a notice to have them vaccinate,' within
these months. There was a smallpox hospital at High-
gate, to which witness sent some of his patients.
The coroner said it had been stated to him that this
smallpox hospital was full, and that patients were turned
away. In consequence of this the cholera hospital in
Marylebone bad been appropriated for the use of smallpox
patients, and 27 cases had already been received into it.
In St. Giles's an infirmary ward is the workhouse had been
set apart fur smallpox. The father of the deceased, who
was a cabdriver, having given unimportant evidence, Eliza
Ann Lambert, the mother of the deceased, deposed that
she had eight children alive, of whom she had only had
one vaccinated. That child became so ill through it that
she would not have any more vaccinated. She bad regis.
tered all her children bat the last, and had only received
one notice to vaccinate. When one of her boya was taken
with the smallpox she applied at the relief office for •
medical order, but the man pushed her out, and said she
was too late then, and he did not know when she could
get one. She did not apply fur an order for deceased, but
engaged a doctor to attend, who refused to continue his
visits when called upon. She applied for an order for the
other children after one had died, and bad a great deal of
difficulty in getting it. They refused it till she said that
one child had died. A lengthened examination took place
upon the statement made by witness, and at its conclusion
a special verdict was passed :—" That deceased's death
was caused by smallpox, accelerated by neglect of vacci-
nation, and want of proper medical attendance." The
jury also paused a special resolution drawing the attention
of the parochial authorities to the charges made.
Piwerr ON MILK. —ln a compensation case,
"Scott r. The Metropolitan District itAlway," heard on
Friday before Mr. Humphreys, the Middlesex coroner,
some evidence was given on the profit made on milk. The
claimant lived s• Brampton, and his plaits were from 3jd.
to 4d. per quart. He served the highest class. He admitted
that he put some water to it, and said his customers liked
water with their milk. His profits were 500 f. a year. Mr.
Coleridge, Q.C., and Mr. Gibbons were for the claimant ;
Mr. Renew for the company. The jury gave 6301. as
seuipensatices.