The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-02 00:00:00

HEALTH OA LONDON.

The weekly return of births and deaths in London,
issued by authority of the Registrar-General, states that the
late severe weather has not failed to produce its usual effect
in an augmented rate of mortality, though the increase
shown as yet by the returns is not of formidable amount,
The death" in London which were 1,208 and 1,20 resew,
lively in the two previous weeks, rose iu the last week of
the year to 1,407. The average number of death's& obtained
from returns of the fifty•second week in each of the last ten
years 1850-9, and corrected for increase of population, is
1,525. The deaths of last week were, therefore, more than
100 below the estimated amount

InDecember of 1859 there were two cold weeks, the
second and third ; in the fourth week, when the mean tem-
perature of the air was as high as 45.3 deg., the deaths rose
to 1,677. In the December of 1860 the last two weeks have
been distinguished by the coldness of the weather, which
has now relaxed, but may still be followed, as in 1859, by an
increased number of deaths. In December, 1859, the lowest
point attained by the thermometer at Greenwich was 14
dep. on the 19th ; theloweet point intim period thathasnow
elapsed was 8 dep. on Christmas day ; the next lowest was
10 dep. on Saturday the 29th.
The deaths from pulmonary diseases, exclusive of:phthisiy
were in the previous week 270 ; last week they were 348.
For the ten weeks (of 1860-9) corresponding with last week
the average number after correction for increase of impala-
tion is 325. In the last two weeks the deaths by bronchitis
rose from 146 to 217 ; those by pneumonia from 89 to 95;
those by phthisis from 136 to 171. Scarlatina was fatal
last week in 45 cases, 4 of which 'occurred in the west
sub-district of Islington. Measles was fatal in 49 cases,
of which 4 occurred in the south sub-district of St.
Giles, 3 in the Colman-street sub-district. There were
7 deaths from syphilis, 4 from intemperance. Thirteen
persons of whom 12 were children died by bursa and scalds;
of these, two children, one the eon of • lamplighter, the
other that of • railway labourer, were burnt by their
clothes taking fire. The sou of • shoemaker, aged 3
years, was scalded fatally by drinking water from a kettle.
A Chelsea pensioner, aged 70 years, was suffocated by the
impaction of meat in the tenches. Seven nonagenarians
died in the week, of whom five were women.
. . _ .

Last week the births of 734 boys sad 754 girls, in all
1,488 children, were registered in London. In the eta
=responding weeks of the years 1850-59 the average
number was 1,655.
. . . .

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height
of the barometer in the week was 29,540 in. The readings
rose from 29.18 in. on Tuesday to 30.23 in. on Saturday.
The mean temperature of the air in the week was 25.9
dogs., which is 11 deg'. below the average of the same week
in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The mean
daily temperature was below the average through.
out the week, and on four days it was from
11 dogs. to 16 dogs. below the average. The hi
point attained in the week by a thermometer in the
was 35 deg. on Wednesday and Friday. The lowest points
were 8 `legs. and 10 dogs. on Tuesday and Saturday
respectively. The range of temperature in the week
was therefore 27 dogs. The mean daily range was
12.9 deg. A thermometer on the grass fell to 2 degs.
on Tuesday. The difference between the mean dcw-point
temperature and air temperature was 6'9 degs. The mean
degree of humidity was 74, complete saturation being repre-
sented by 100. On Saturday the humidity was only 61.
Melted snow in the week measured 018 in. The minimum
temperature 8 dogs. took place at 7h. on the morning of
Christmas. After 12 o'clock p.m. on Saturday a rapidthaw
set in.

KIIMINGTON (St Mary, Paddington).—At 1, Chelmsford.
terrace, on 21st December, the son of a &away-fitter, aged
8 years, " phthiaia ; brain weighed 3lba 8 or." Post mort.
MAILYLICJIONZ (St. Mary).—Found dead at 8, Horace.
street, on the 29th November, the widow of a labourer.
aged 65 yews, " diseued heart ; fatty degeneration, aggro..
vated by want and destitution." (Inquest.) Poet mort.
&miter (Shadwell).—At Wapping, on the 17th Decent.
ber, a single woman, aged 52 yearn, • disease of heart acce-
lerated by exposure to the inclemency of weather!".
(Inquest).
GILLFSWICH (Woolwich Arsenal).—At Woolwich Cam.
moo, on 22nd December, a domestic servant, aged 18 years.
"suicide by poison (cyanide of potassium); temporary de-
rangement. (Inquest.)

THE GRAIN MovitmENT.—The statistics' of tho
grain movement are of pressing importance, from their inti-
mate bearing upon the state of our moue, market. We find
that the imports of wheat in November were 988,024 qrs.,
against :327,278 in November, 1859, and 273,902 in Novem-
ber, 1858. The mere increase in the imports of wheat on
the month, as compared with last year, makes a difference
of about one and three-quarters millions sterling in the
general balance of trade as between England and foreign
countries. The quantity of flour imported in the month
war 515,148 cwta., against 174,111 last year, showing like-
wise a great increase. For the eleven months the importe
of wheat have been 5,014,236 qrs., against 3,729,318 qre.
last year. The difference against us on the eleven months'
transactions in wheat is not lee, than 3,000,0001. The
cloven months' imports of flour have risen front
3,130,937 cede. in 1859 to 4,327.639 cwt.'. in the present year.
And, as the great bulk of the increase, both se regards
wheat and flour, is from the United States, the adverse
balance is not ifficult of explanation. —Money Market
Review.

--- •
EXPORTATION OF BARE FROM ALORRIA.--BOARD
or TRAM; WOLTIOIALL, Dec. 31.—The Right Hon. the
Lords of the Committee of Airy Council for Trade hays
received from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs •
copy of a French Imperial Decree, dated the 15th instant,
abolishing the prohibition of the export of bark for tanning
from Algeria.--Ganitte.
TIDE TIRRORA OF RAILWAY TRATRLLING.
Nord goys that since the murder of M. Poinsot on the
chemin de fer de l'Eet there has been a sort of panic among
railway travellers, and that while formerly they used to
spread themselves pretty equally through the aamages of
a train, they huddle together now like frightened sheep-
An amusing story is told in illustration of this. An attor-
ney of Marseilles. starting at night, in the express, found
every carriage full. A new one was attached to the train,
however, and with many misgiving, he ensconced in this..
Immediately before the train started the door opened and
another man mused up in a desk sprang in. The two
from their corners eyed each other suspiciously in
tedrainred°freslitientatroao
the dim t et the carriage. Each afraid to sleep,
spent his time in spying his companion, and exhibiting
room the
spockettion pistol..i the At last_
yt.he i
two recognised each o Old friends.