The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-09 00:00:00

THE HEALTH OP LONDON.

From the return of the Registrar-General it
appears that in the week that ended last Saturday 1,147
deaths were registered in London. The average number for
corresponding weeks in ten previous years, corrected, is
1,167 ' • but if 411 deaths from cholera in the first week at
October, 1854, are excluded from the data on which the
calculation is made, it will be found that the rate of mor-
tality that prevailed last week was not below the average.
Measles was fatal in the week in only 7 cases, a rettlla
unusually low. There were 99 deaths from scarlatina,
besides 21 from diphtheria. Of 9 deaths from all causes in
the sub-district of Woolwich Dockyard, 3 were from diph-
theria, sod 2 from scarlatina. A woman and a child died
at 1, Harrington-terrace, Woolwich, of diphtheria. Four
children died from scarlatina in the subdistrict of Water-
loo.road, 2nd p at, in the poor portion of which the Regis.
trar, Mr. Laws, states that this disease is still extremely
prevalent. He adds that the mortality of his district has
been higher last quarter than in any corresponding period of
the last twelve years, excepting the time when cholera pre.
railed. A man. aged 19 years, died in liethatreet, City.
road, of " epistaxis" (3 weeks) ." and the daughter of a
surgeon in King's.road, Hulbon:, aged 14 years, died on
the 29th September of sunatroke after 3 weeks' illness.
Last week the births of 923 boys and cr.ks girls, in all
1,818 children, were registered in Lomita. In the ten me.
responding weeks of the yeses 1851-60 the average number
was 1,506.
. . . . . . . . . . .

_ _...__.
In the thirteen weeks that ended Saturday, Sept. *_t,
the total number of deaths registered in Loudon was 14,9;2.
It exceeded by 2,000 the number returned in the same
period of last year, when the weather was both cold and
wet, and therefore less favourable to the development of
summer cholera. In the three summer months of this year
the mean temperature of the air was 60.4 deg.; whereas in
those of 1860 it was 56.8 deg. Diarrhsea and cholera were
fatal in that ungenial season in only 786 cases; in the
corresponding period of the present year, when London
enjoyed fine weather they rose to 2,009. Of this latter num-
ber, no leas than 1,776 occurred to young persons, nearly all
of whom were infanta. Whooping-cough was also more fatal ;
for the deaths from this complaint in the two corresponding
quarters of 1860.1 were respectively 350 and 633. Croup ruses
from 106 to 177, diphtheria from 71 to 168, and typhus
from 311 to 429. But scarlatina exhibited no increases
while smallpox and measles showed a very material decline.
The facts seem to indicate that diphtheria is more de.
pendent on those load or atmosphenc causes that develop
or intensify whooping-cough and croup than on those by
which the scarlatina poison is quickened into action ; but
this is a point to be settled by more extended observation.
In the three corresponding quarters of 1859-60-61 the deaths
from small-pox were 287, 99, and 44. Both bronchitis,
which was fatal in 681 cases, and pneumonia, fatal in 562,
were attended by • higher mortality than is usual in the
summer quarter.
Scarlatina and diarrhoea appear to have prevailed most in
some of the southern districts. The former complaint was
the muse of 32 deaths in the two sub-districts of Waterloo.
road, and of 17 in the west subdistrict of Greenwich. The
latter (diarrhoea) was recorded in 29 cues in the subdistrict
of St. Saviour's, Southwark, in 24 in that of Leather markets
28 in St. Peter, Walworth, 38 in Waterloo-road, 48 in
Lambeth Church subdistricts, 36 in St. Paul, Deptford, 34
in Greenwich, 32 in Woolwich, 26 in Plumatead. (In the
north side of the river, lalingtou returned 113 deaths from
diarrhwa.

MEN POUND DROWNED IN YORK.-SUSPECTED
MURDER.

Some sensation was created iu York yesterday
morniegin consequence of a rumour that a man, suspected to
have been murdered, had been taken out of the river Foay
near the gas-house. It turned out to be correct that Mr. B.
Johnson, who carried on the business of a saddler in Peter.
gate, and who wax about sixty years of age, had been found
se described, and there was also no doubt that there was •
serious wound on his bead, which indicated violence, but
the extent of the injuries bad been greatly exaggerated. The
body was conveyed to a public-house in the neighbourhood,
where it was examined by Dr. Arthur ; awl at the inquest,
which was held yesterday afternoon, before the coroner
(J. P. Wood, Eisq.), it was shown that at 10 o'clock on
Monday night the deceased was seen in a stole of intoxica-
tion • few hundred yards from the place where Lis body
was found, that he feU on the back of his head, and
that he afterwards walked in the direction of the river.
Dr. Arthur was of opinion that this fall might have pro-
duoed the wound, and that death was caused by drowning.
There was uothing to indicate that there had been ant-thing
like a struggle on the banks of the river ; but in the Ammo
of direct toititnony, the jury returned an open verdict,
merely to the effect that the deceased had been found
drowned. They accompanied their verdict with a recommen•
dation that better protection should be afforded to tl e public
in that locality.
The dead body of a retired butcher awl farmer was taken
out of the river not far from the place in question on Mon-
day. His name is John Butler, anti there was an open verdict
in this case also.

DERELICT VESSELS AND SUFFERINGS OP
A mars COMPAN Y.

SHIELDS, TCIPSDAY.
The brig Orphelia, of Whitby, timber laden,
from Quebec, abandoned in the North Sea, water-logged, is
still drifting about, disniasted, something like one hundred
miles from the south coast of Northumberland. Sailing
vessels are constantly falling in with her. Some crews boned
her, and find her a deserted melancholy object upon the lonely
main; others hail her in the night time, but, of course,
receive no response. Two steamboats have left here in
search of her ; and if they sh iuld succeed in falling in with
her, and bringing her into port—which they may easily
do, as the weather is mdd—they will make a handsome
thing. Another timber laden vessel from Quebec to the
Tyuc is a derelict in the Atlantic ; she is the Hampton, of
Shields. She has been met with by many vessels on their
passage home. For some time it was feared that her crew
had taken to the boats and were lost, as nothing had been
heard of them; but that, fortunately, does not turn out to
be the case, for to-day the gLul tidings have been brought
to Shields that they have arrived all well at Quebec, having
been rescued by the ship Alice Wilson, from Liverpool to
Quebec. The listoptoo had been caught in a dreadful storm
and sprung a leak, and after the crow had been working 113
hours st the pumps the vessel was struck by &heavy sea and
capsised, us ithe 20th August. The crew, 14 in number,
succeeded in getting upon the broadside, where they
remained for hall an hour, when the deck load and every-
thing moveable disappeared off the deck. The maintop
was then cut away, and the ship righted a good deal, ea
the crew were enabled to take to the main rigging and top,
where they remained without provisions or water fur two
days, until they were rescued by the crew of the Alice
Wilson, who had to pull seven miles to leeward before they
could du so. The crew of the Hampton speak with great
gratitude of the kindness of Mr. Holt, the master of the
Alice Wilson, and his ship's company.

The chaplaincy of Gray's-inn has become vacant
by the death of the Rev. William Henry Hart, M.A., of
Magdalene College, Oxford. Mr. ilort, who was only
appointed last year, in the room of the Rev. W. G. Watson.
who was killed on the Pyrenee., wa. formerly curare of
Hawkburst, neer Stapiehurst.

There are 54 ships of war now under construc-
tion at the royal dockyards and other private yards, many of
which are in a very forward state for launching. These
vessels will carry an aggregate of 1,231 guns, are of 10,930•
horse power, and 95,255 tom.

DEATH OF LORD PoNSONEY. Intelligence Las
reached England of the death of Lord Ponsooby, which
took place on the 2nd instant in Bavaria. The deceased
nobleman was the posthumous sun of the late Major-
Ueneral the Hoe. Sir William Ponsonby, K.C.8., by the
sixth daughter of the first Lord Southampton, and was
born at Hampstead on the 6th February, 1816. He sue.
Leaded to the title as third baron on the death of his uncle
in ltir.s. The second baron was a distinguished diplomatist,
and was her Majesty's ambassador at Constantinople from
Irin to 1837, and at Vienna from 1:416 to ISM. Ile ob-
tained a viscountcy, which became extinct at his death,
while the barony reverted to the deceased peer. The heir
presumptive is his uncle, the Hon. Ueorge Ponsonby.
THE DRAIDWOIM TESTIMuNIAL FUND.—At a
meeting held at the Mansion House a few days ago by the
committee appointed to supeniutend the public sul”oriptioa
set on foot after the death of the chief of the Loudon Fire
Brigade, in the interest of his widow and family, Mr. Bs*
&ley, the secretary, reported that the nut available balsoos
of the subscriptions received amounted to 524 f. Ils.
From the moment it was publicly known that the directom
of the leading fire insurance companies intended to make a
suitable provision for the widow of Mr. Bniidwood, this
committee saw it was useless, and, indeed, unnecessary, to
proceed further with the testimonial fund, so-called,
sad they took the requisite steps for stopping the sub-
iicription, or rather it stopped of itself. At a recent meeting
they resolved that, having regard to the limited amoum. of
the fund, and to the liberal provision made by the Mimi:mos
companies for the widow and children, the .0261. odd would
he best applied towards the maintenance of the two aged
sisters of Mr. Brsidwood, who had by his death been de-
prival of the sole income on which they had been aceur
timed to depend. This application of the fund the com-
mittee conceive to be in acoordance with the spirit, if not
exactly with the letter, of the conditions on which it was
raised, and it is understood that the niouoy will be expeodid
iu the purchase of annuities to go in aid of the support of
the sisters.
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GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.—A meeting of re.
sideuts on this line of railway was held on Monday eve*.
ing at the Victoria Hotel, King's-croas. It appears that
the holders of season tickets consider they have seti.ins
ground of complaint against the company. On the let of
the present month the train leaving London at half.past
11 p.m. was taken off, also an earlier train, one being
started in the place of both ut 10 o'clock. The ticket•
holders complain that such en alteration is a breach of
faith with them, and that had they known that no pamen•
ger traffic would run after 10, they would never hive
taken up their resideurer4 un the line. In colealuence, the
general bo,ly of ticket-holders ark, to he called together next
.Nlond.iy for the purpose of inenonialimog the director• on
the subject.