The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-06 00:00:00

THE PREVENTION OF INFANTICIDE.

In Section C (Repression of Crime) an interesting dis-
, cussion took place upon the best means of preventing in-
fanticide.
The discussion was opened br Dr. LANICESIIII4 coroner
for the central district of Middlesex, who stated that he
would confine his remarks to the murder of children newly
born, though the murder of children who had lived for a
few weeks, or months, or even for a year was not uncom-
mon. In 1863 he had held 84 inquests on newly-born
children ; in 1864, 100 ; and in 1805, 114. That included
all cases of death, whether caused by natural causes or
otherwise. InlB63.however,s3 verdictaof wilful murder were
returned in such cases ; in 1864, 56 verdicts ; and in 1865,
61 verdicts. Thus is three year., in his district alone,
' 170 verdicts of wilful murder bad been returned.
He did not think that 70 was too high a number to fix as
, the yearly number of cases of wilful murders occurring in
central Middlesex, which came under his cognizance. Then
came the question whether that included all cases of
wilful murder. When it was remembered that the eases
that came before the oarceer's court were only Shame that
had been caluasily put away—thrown into some neigh-

boanag street or pond—it bad always appeared to him that
a very large number of infanta were successfully put away
and concealed. It was not improbable, that foreevvccyy
body discovered another was ineoes;fully aooosaiad
Adopting that calculation ha had endeavoured to show to
what extent the crime of infanticide prevailed in this
country. His figures bad been questioned, and he
himself abased for his calculations; and ha had been
quite disgusted with • paragraph which never ought
to have appeared in a respectable paper, entitled
" Coroners' Arithmetic." (lieu, liner.) His figures might
perhaps be too high or too low, but his theories ought not
to be Laughed at upon that account. (Chem.) His crime
Leon was that in England and Wales there could not be
fewer than 1,000 eases of infanticide annually. He had
no sysom of prevention to bring forward, bat he might be
allowed to suggest that the attention of moralists and
philanthropists should be drawn to the fearful practice of
immorality which that Milne brought before them. Young
women should be taught the !sinfulness of unchastity, and
each a change in the law as would compel fathers more
generally to support their illegitimate children, should
take place. That would remove one great temptation to
infanticide, and would help to save the lives of both
mothers and children. And, with regard to saving the
life of the mother, he thought it could be shown that that
was a most important point, for a very large pro-
portion of mothers who had borne those murdered
children had lost their lives in the attempt to em-
cee! their shame and crime. He calculated that one
mother in eighty-four of those who concealed the birth,
and their infanta lost their lives in doing so. In the
majority of awes these mothers were domestic servants,
sleeping by themselves, and in almost all cares they had
no ono with them in the hour of nature's peril. Amongst
the remedies proposed, one was for the establishment d
institutions where women who bad been seduced might
be taken care of, and kept during their confinement. He
believed that Institutions of that character were capable of
doing • certain amount of good, and that they were de-
ep=of support. In conclusion Dr. Lankester ex-
his approval of the conclusions arrived at upon the
subject by the royal commiesioners on capital punishment.
A. paper on the same subject by Mr. Samoan was next
read. It contained • very elaborate statement of the law
both in past ages ani in the present time upon the sub-
ject, and proposed that charitable institutions to receive
illegitimate children should be founded, and empowered to
compell both parents to contribute to their support.
Mr. Aare urn and Mr. BEACIBRIDOZ addressed the Dee-
, tion upon the subject of Dr. Lankester's paper, and in
I doing so referred in complimentary term* to the labours of
its author.

Sir ELIIDLET WILMOT agreed that Dr. Lint:ester de- ;
served the highest credit for the time and attention which ;
he had paid to the question. He did not, however, agree
with all the cosoluaions arrived at by him, and especially
with his estimate that for every ohild whcee murder had
been discovered, another had been successfully concealed.
His own opinion was that they should consider whether
the time bad not arrived when, considering the state of
society and of law reform, they should make the crime of
seduction—for it was a most heinous crime—subject to
leldiT procedure, and the offender liable to the penalties of
misdemeanour. (Loud applause.)
Dr. ![war WALKER, of New York, a female physician
of 11 Tears' experience, thought that one great cause of
infante:de was that virtuous women did not sympathise
sufficiently with their fallen sisters. Instead of debarring
women who had sinned from honourable society, the men
who bad caused them to sin should be shut out from the
company of virtuous and respectable women. (Applause.)
The Rev. HENRY SULLY suggested that when • man and
woman came together the act should be considered as
equivalent to marriage ; and if the man was married pre-
viously he should be prosecuted for bigamy. At present,
in the eye of the law, it was the consummation of the
marriage, and not the performance of • mere ceremony be-
fore the clergyman or registrar, that constituted marriage.
Miss GOUGH, the Rev. W. Base, and other persons con-
tinued the discussion.
Mr. T. CHAMBERS, 11. P., thought that the proposal of
Mr. Solly would cause the greatest incentive to sin that
they could possibly conceive. No boy at home from Eton
or Harrow but would be liable to become the victim of
some wicked and designing woman. (Applanse.) His own
opinion was, that the woman should be taught that as
society was at present constituted, all the shame and suf-
fering would have to be borne by herself. He advocated
the adoption of more stringent measures in law for the
punishment of infanticide.
Dr. LANKENTEIL in replying to the discussion, said that
be had traced the crime of infanticide to domestic servants.
It was in those districts of London where the largest
number of servants was kept that the greatest number of
child murders were committed, and he thought that the
cause was to a great extent the distance maintained in
families between mistresses and servants. lie appealed to
the women of England to cleanse their own households of
this great crime, and they could do so by maintaining the
zooerintendence of one woman over another, by which the
prevented. It had been
known,
ghhadet
neverh be
n most
titiee C
murderedet u au
dhl letYri
child.
tea II 0 d• woman was once
s
After a few remarks from Mr. Culling Danbury, M.P.,
the discussion was brought to a close.

THE REFORM LEAGUE. —At the weekly meeting
of the council of the Reform League, held last evening at
the offices, No. g, Adelphi-terrace, Mr. J. IS. Langley iu
the chair, Mr. Mantle proposed the following resolution :
" That the Reform League, having been specially instituted
to obtain registered residential manhood suffrage and vote
by ballot, this council does not deem it within its province
to entertain any modification of that platform, neither is
this council prepared to recommend to the members of the
league to modify their platform. At the same time this
councilis prepared to look with no unfriendly eye or. any
honest advance in the direction of manhood suffrage."
Several amendments to the resolution, but similar to it in
spirit, were introduced. A long discussion took place, in
the course of which the speakers asserted that nothing but
manhood suffrage protected by the ballot would satisfy
the league, and that no countenance should be given to
' " timid " reformers in the north of England, or to any
party or person in favour of trimming. Mr. Mantle's
resolution, with the exception of the last paragraph, was
ultimately carried, with an addendum previously introduced
I by Mr. Lucraft, in the shape of an amendment, and which
was to the effect that all persona asking for an explanation
of the efforts of the league be referred to the platform of
the league, viz., manhood suffrage and the ballot.
KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON. -THE EVENING
LAttslM.—Yestertley evening there was a large gathering
in King's College Chapel, for the purpose of formally
opening the winter session of the evening classes—a depart-
' ment of the college which has hitherto met with great
success. There was a full choir, bet not a full choral
service. The sermon was preached by the Rev. DT. Jelf,
the principal of the college, who selected for his text the
4th chapter of St. Paul's hit Epistle to the Coeinthians,
7th verse, "Who maketh thee to differ from another ?"
He enlarged upon the danger of intellectual and spiritual
pride, and insisted upon the somewhat doubtful prodoei-
tion that no man by thought could add to his intellectual
stature. He spoke in terms of thankfulness of the successes
which the college had achieved, and reminded those
present that within its walls the Bible was not placed below
either the most ordinary or the highest literature. It
might not be put prominently forward in those evening
classes, but still it was the pervading principle of all the
teaching that was given there. He cautioned the young
men who were about entering upon their studies, in con-
nection with those evening classes,against literary vauities,
literary rivalries, literary malice, the gratified pride of
literary success, and the mortification of literary failure.
The hymn, " The Song of Praise," having been sung with
much heartiness, Dr. Jelf dismissed the congregation
with the benediction.
GOVERNMENT INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES.—The
following additional post-offices will be open on and after
the Bth October for the receipt of proposals for the insur-
ance of lives or the purchase of government annuities,
under the act 27 and Viet., cap. 43 ; and for the receipt
of the premiums, becoming due to the Poetwaster-General,
from tune to time, under contracts for the insurance of
lives or the purchase of government annuities, and for the
payrrent of any sums which shall become payable by the
Poetinaster-General under the said contracts:—More-
cambe (Lancaster), Moulton (Northampton), Mumbles
(Swansea), Seacombe (Birkenhead), Tani, N. 8., Waterloo
(Liverpool), Wat.on (He-t:ord). These offices will be
open for such purposes during the hours appointed for the
transaction of money order business. A liand-lnll contain-
ing the principal rules of the government insurance and
annuity office and of the Post-office saving banks has been
printed for gratuitous distribution, and copies may be
obtained at the above named offices. The measure will,
from time hotline, be extended to other poet-offices than
those named above, and due notice will be given of such
extensions. If application be made to any postmaster for
the extension of the measure to Lie office, be will at once
report the circumstance to the secretary.
CRYSTAL PALACE SATURDAY CONCERTS.—These
favoluiteconcerts recommence this afternoon in the newly-
arranged concert halL The vocalists are Mdlle. Enequist
and Mies Elvira Behrens ; and the solo pianoforte, Herr
Fritz Hartvigson, of Copenhagen. Mr. Manna, conductor.
The programme includes • symphony of Beethoven, an
overture of Mendelsohn, and novelties by Schubert and
Me beer
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to weaken, the system.

THE LATE MINISTERS AND REFORM.

On the receipt of an invitation to attend the
reform banquet at Manchester, Mr. Brand has returned
the following answer :
Bir,—lt is with regret that, on public grounds, I feel
bound to decline the invitation of the Executive of the
National Reform Union to attend the Reform banquet at
Manchester next month. I hold it to be my duty, as
liberal member of parliament, to wait and watch the
action of the present government with respect to the Re-
form questican. Three ovum an open to the germs.
mint :
4.

1.
alLThey may deem to deal lab the Worm Tow
1 at

2. They may propose an illusory or pernitiona
• ---

"3. They maie liapese a manure, if not good, VI
least capable of made so.
"It seems to me t the line to be taken by the liberal
party is clear. If the government take the last and bob
muse' we ought to support the second raiding of their
bill, and endeavour to improve it in committee. On the
other hand, if the government take either the first or
second wares. it will be for parliament to pass judgment
upon them.—Believe me, yours obediently,
• Glynde, Oet. 3. " H. BRAND.
"T. D. Idol E•q., National Reform Union,
Manchester."

THE CHOLERA.

The follow•ng is the official return of deaths from
cholera and dienh s registered ca Thursday, Oct. 4
Cholera. Diarrhoea.

West districts
North distriets 3
Central districts
But districts 9
South districts 7

Total in London

MANSION-HOUSE RELIEF COMMITTEE.
Yesterday the Working Committee held a meet-
ing at the 11million-house. 13ir Mordaunt Wells reported
that from the sum of 5001. recently set apart from the
.and, on the motion of the Lo-d Mayor, to enable poor
widows whims Mishap& had died of cholera, leaving child-
ren deoendent upon them, to redeem little articles they
had been compelled to pledge in their affliction and dim-
trees, 241 widows bad been assisted in that way with Pt.
each, and he believed, in every case, that sum would be
found sufficient for the purpose. With respect to the
orphans, the result of a meeting he had on Thursday with
Mr. 'Pilsen, repreeerting the Bishop of London's com-
mittee, went to show that the two committees valid
have to assist in providing for 1,730 orphans
In all, or 615 each, out of the 10,0001. they
bad set apart for that purpose. In all OLINs
these were children of parents who had never
r mired parocb;al relief except in occasional instance
where the mother bad been compelled to resort
to the pariah in the dire die-zees brought upon the family
by the visitation of cholera. He had been in frequent
communication with the local committees on the subject,
and had thus ascertained the exact number of children
made orphans by the epidemic in each district, and the
rrcumstances of each family. That morning he had had
an interview with Mr. Wier= and Mr. Currie, repre-
senting the local relief committee in the Poplar dirtriet,
aril from them he understood that a most satisfactory
arrangement was being made. There 153 children reduced
to orphanage by cholera, exclusive altogether of the
pauper class, had to be provided for, and in some cases
where the Mansion-house commit tee were prepared to expenu
401. in reipect of those orphans, the local committee would
supplement that by 401. (Hear, hear.) Altogether the local
committee would supplement the Mansion-house grant
for the support of those 153 orphans, by MO/. out of their
ow pockets. (Hear, hear.) dome of the children were
go'ng into the country, others were to be parcelled out
strong relatives, with an allowance to be spread over a
given number c 4 years, and dispensed by trustees. The
scheme contained a little history of every family and
child, and was admirable in every way. On Monday he
should ask the committee to vote the money at once with
respect to Poplar, anti be hoped before another week
elapsed, they would have disputed of the whole orphan
question in respect to all the rest of the districts. The
Lord Mayor sad that question disposed of, they would
then wind up their affairs. lie added, amid expressions
of approbation from the whole committee, that Sir
Mordaunt Wells, in the labour and attention he had be-
stowed on the subject, had laid the committee, sad
especially the poor orphans, under perpetual obligations to
him.

R
swasveougEhr°elidß:latt
wthlifiwe AT INEWARK.—If.
lioresnlolExntfobnasungee' Newark, on
e Thursdayapressiveot
want or confidence in the present ministry, and pledging
those present to agitate in favour of a full and free repre-
sentation of the people, accompanied by the ballot.
THE BRECICNOCI Euteriun.—Lord A. Churchill
has issued the following address to the electors and non-
electors of the borough of llrecknock and town of Lllywel:
" Gentlemen,—ln bidding you farewell (I trust only for a
short period) I wish to return my cordial and sincere
thanks fur the support you gave rue at the election just
closed. The result although disappointing is not dis-
couraging, nor can it be considered as indicating any
altered state of your political opinions, which have always
been liberal and progressive. The contest has been con-
ducted by me, and by the liberal party, upon the purest
principles, and when we consider the great territorial in-
fluences in the county that were brought to defeat my
election for your borough, it reflects the highest credit on
the 102 who so nobly stood forward to assert their inde-
pendence and their right to the free choice of their repre-
sentative in parliament. The defeat of the liberal party
on this occasion can only be tensporary, and ahoultr lead
to renewed exertions, so that at the next election it may
be enabled to return to the House of Commons a repre-
sentative whom political opinions will he in accordance ,
with your own.—l have the honour to remain, gentlemen,
yours faithfully, Atrial S. CHURCHILL."
THE YARMOUTH ELECrIoN COMMISSION.—At
their meeting yesterday the commissioners heard several
witnesses, each of whom appeared to have nearly the same
tale to tell. Almost the whole day was occupied in hearing
voters describe how they received lit. or 18/., or some
other amount, for voting for the liberal or the conservative
candidate. One w ituess, whose evidence had been given
in a very hoarse voice, was simply mute when one of the
commissioners asked him what he thought a pure election
in Yarmouth would be like. Another adjournment took
place.
LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.—The half-yearly
meeting of the town and country directors of the London
Missionary Society was held yesterday, under the chair-
manship of Mr. G. F. White. The importance of the sub.
jecta under consideration brought a large number of the
directors together. The illness which had in so sad
a manner laid Dr. Tidman aside, naturdly occupied
a first place in the thoughts and attention of the
meeting. The deepest regret and synsiestby with the
honoured foreign secretary were universally expressed,
and it was desired on all hands that everything should be
done to promote the comfort of one who had served the
society with so much ability and zeal for twenty-seven
Tears. A resolution was eventually passed expressing
in the warmest terms the sympathy of the directors
with their foreign secretes,/ urn ier his affliction,
their sense of obligation for his labours, and the
hope that his life and strength may be spared. The
directors declared it to be their duty and privilege to con-
tinue to Dr. Tidman his full oflis.ial salary as long as lie
lives, leaving it to the London board to make any other
arrangements on this head. We are glad to hear that Dr.
Tidman's health is somewhat improved. His name will, of
course, be retained as one of ti.e foreign seer taries and,
though he will be relieved of the respessmilsilities of Office,
all the friends of the society heartily hope that it may have
the benefit of his advice and counsel in years to come.—
Patriot.
Fon.r.les-emcz, Ocr. 3.—The Queen has been
pleased to approve of Senor Guillermo Marthin as con-
sul-general in the United Kingdom for tho United States
of Colombia.—Gazette.
EAST LONDON WATERWORKS.—At the half-yearly
meeting of this company on Thursday, considerable dis-
cussion took place in reference to the alleged impurity of
the water supplied to the eastern districts of the metro-
polis. Ie answer to questions, from shareholders, the chair-
man stated that the water supplied to How, llrouiley,&c.,
where cholera had moat prevailed, ar. pr. okely the some
as that supplied to Clapton, Stamford &c., where it
had least prevailed ' • and that from the first outbreak of
cholera to the present time no change whatever had been
made either in the quality or mode of supply of the com-
pany's water—facts which seemed to the board of directors
corelosive that the violent outbreak of cholera in the
eastern district, and now its almost entire extinction there
and appearance in 'other districts, were owing to causes
quite independent of the water supply.
EXPORTS OF BRITISH • GOODS FROM LIVERPOOL.
—The total value of British goods exported from Liver-
pool in the month of August, 1568. was 8,368,245/.
against 7,025,050/., 6,941,0301., and 6,641,469/. for thi
corresponding months of years 1865, 1864, and 1863. The
declared value of exports from this port to the United
States for the mouth of August, 1866, was 2,323,966/.,
against 1,792,9751., 579,4651., and 1,133.7721. for the cor-
responding month of years 1865, 1864, and 1663. To the
Aostsalian colonies, for the mouth of August, 1806,
250,3591., against 132,0091.,141,9201., and 91,6851., for the
corresponding month of years 1865, 1864, and 1863.
CirreraE PALacz. ONE SHILLING DAY.—
FRIDAY. Ocr. s.—Admissions on payment, 1,579; ditto
by moos tisksts, 951. Total visitors. 2.530.