The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-31 00:00:00

SIONS.

two months, " can assign no cause." One registrar makes
the following statement :—" The deaths are below the
average. In the township of Workington, containing a
population of 6,122, the deaths during the last 9 years
have averaged 42 quarterly; this quarter they are 21.
In the other 9 townships, containing a population of
3,412, there have been only 4 deaths. Some ascribe the
decreased mortality to Providence ; others to improved
sanitary arrangements."
Various causes in operation undoubtedly contributed
to this happy result ; that if all the deaths of British
soldiers in the Crimea during the last 3 months were
added to the deaths in England, the sum would be less
by some 20,000 than the deaths registered in England
during the 3 summer months of 1854. More lives may be
saved by sanitary arrangements at home every year than
have ever perished abroad in the years of ourgreatest
losses in war ; and the enlightenedpeople of this k
dom will suffer no such embarrassment as the Registrar
of Workington has recorded if this result be realised, as
they know that - all effectual measures for the improve-
ment of the human race receive the blessing, because
they are the inspirations, of Divine Providence.

MIDD.

Charles Felix Lavers, 18, son of a lieutenant in the
navy, was indicted for having stolen the sum of 11/., the
money of the Rev. Fredk. Oakley, in the Roman Catho-
lic chapel in Duncan-terrace, Islington.
Mr. Gent appeared for the prosecution, Mr. Metcalfe
for the prisoner.
The prisoner had been engaged as one of the persons
officiating at Mr. Oakley's chapel. Mr. Oakley, for some
reason which did not transpire, intimated to him that he
was not to officiate any longer, but on the 21st he again
attended at the chapel. Mr. Oakley again told him that
he was not to officiate. The afternoon service on the
21st was brought to a close about a quarter past four
o'clock, and Mr. Oakley passed from the chapel to his
house adjoining. There is in the chapel an inner and an
outer sacristy, adjoining one of which is a reading room,
and in the inner sacristy there are two small rooms, in
one of which was kept the treasurer's box. About five
in the afternoon a youth named Mullins was in the
reading room, and hearing the sound of footsteps in the
inner sacristy he opened the door and looked in, but saw
no one. He closed the door and listened, and soon
heard footsteps again, and on looking in saw the pri-
soner advancing towards the door, and when he saw
Mullins, he said, " Holloa, is the reading-room open ?"
Mullins said it was, and asked him why he hid himself,
and he replied that he thought it was one of the priests.
They then left together and went to Devonshire-street.
When in the inner sacristy the prisoner had access to the
room the box was in. Shortly after prisoner and Mul-
lins left it was found that the box bad been broken open
and nearly all the money taken. Suspicion having fallen
upon the prisoner, probably from Mullinge having re-
lated what had occurred, he was given into custody. He
denied the charge, and went with them to Mr. Oakley's
house, where he was left alone'for a few minutes while the
treasurer went to speak to Mr. Oakley on the matter.
On his return the prisoner was searched, but ls. Bd. only
was found on him, besides a handkerchief and a pair of
gloves. It occurred to the treasurer, however, that as the
prison() shad been left alone in the library for some
minutes, he might have secreted something, and in look-
ing about he found an oyster knife, which Mr. Oakley
said was not his. The prisoner at the time made no re-
mark, but soon after said he had seen the knife about 6
weeks before with some other tools in the library. A
further search was made, and a chisel and a gimlet were
found. On comparison the knife was found to corres-
pond exactly with marks on the door where it had been
forced. The place where the knife was found was dusty,
but there was no dust on the knife, and it did not ap-
pear to have lain their long. The prisoner admitted the
knife was his.
Mr. Metcalfe contended that there was no tangible
proof against the prisoner. When on the 21st Mr. Oak-
ley told him peramptorily that he was not to assist, he
remained during the service and waited in the sacristy
to speak to Mr. Oakley, in the hope of hearing from him
the reason of his (prisoner's) being discharged. He was
therefore in the sacristy for a legitimate purpose, and if he
had committed the robbery, what had become of the money
—none of it had been traced, and the prisoner was
actually in custody before he had time to dispose of it.
As to the knife, was there any evidence to show that no
one else had an opportunity of using it to open the door?
The Assistant-Judge having summed up,
The jury retired, and, after a very short consultation,
they returned a verdict of acquittal. The announce-
ment of the verdict was received with some applause,
which, however, was speedily silenced.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE
WEEK.

( From the Registrar• General's Report.)

The mortality in London is much below the usual
average rate which prevails within its limits. The deaths
of 903 persons were registered in the week that ended
on Saturday, Oct. 27, while the corrected average of the
corresponding weeks of the previous ten years was 1,079.
The weekly deaths would amount to 836 in London if
the annual rate of mortality did not exceed the natural
rate of 17 deaths in 1,000; so in the present week 67
deaths by unnatural causes have been recorded.
Of the 903 persons who died, 437 were under 20 years
of age, 129 were 20 and under 40, 155 were 40 to 60,
158 were 60 to 80, and 24 were 80 years of age and up-
wards.
219 persons died of zymotic diseases, including 7 by
cholera, 10 by smallpox, 58 by scarlatina, 49 by typhus
or by the various forms of fever.
The death of the late Secretary of State for the Colo-
nies, in the Belgrave sub-district, at the age of 45, is
referred to " gastric fever and low peritonitis."
Two men died from peritonitis in St. George's Hospi-
tal, which is in the same aub•district ; a baker, aged 26,
from Cheyne-walk, Chelsea, and a gilder, aged 31, from
Thomas-street, Oxford-street.
The ravages of scarlatina in St. Pancras, where it has
caused 13 deaths, require investigation.
The deaths from diarrhea have fallen from 154 weekly,
in August to 51, 44, 41 in October, and in the last week

to 27.
Eighteen persons died of cancer, 119 of consumption,
54 of apoplexy and paralysis, 35 of diseases of the heart,
and 19 of dropsy, 105 of bronchitis and pneumonia ; 9
women died in childbirth. 27 violent deaths were re-
gistered.
In the week the births of 737 boys and 790 girls, in
all 1,527 children were registered in London. In the
ten corresponding weeks of the years 1845.54 the average
number was 1,411. _ _ _

The moon was at the full on Thursday ; the barome-
ter, which was at 30.051 inches on Monday, fell down
to 29.037 inches on Friday ; the daily mean tempera-
ture was 50.2 degrees, or 2.1 degrees above the average,
but fluctuated from 56.9 degrees to 41.1 degrees during
the week. The temperature on the grass was below the
freezing point of water during two or probably three
nights. On Wednesday night the temperature of the
Thames was 12.1 degrees above the temperature of the
air. The main dew point was 47.2 degrees, acd the
difference between that and the air 3.0 degrees. The
wind veered about and changed from N.W. to S.W. ;
from calm with dense fog on Monday to storm on Thurs-
day, when 235 miles of wind passed over Greenwich in
squalls blowing hard, and once with a force of 141bs. on
a square foot. 0.60 inches of rain fell on four days of
the week ; and 0.47 inches of this quantity fell on Fri-
day. Electricity was strong and positive throughout
the week. A solar halo was visible on Saturday.

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS:
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED
IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, OCT. 27
Zymotic Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat
Tubercular Diseases
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 4O
Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of
Respiration
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
Diseases of the Skin, &c.
Malformations
Premature Birth and Debility
Atrophy
Old Age
Sudden
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 3O
Causes not specified

12
2S
35

DIATEIS sons ALL CAusis 903
Population Deaths in corre- Deaths
Enumerated. spending week in the

MI. ' of 1854. Weak,
West Districts
North Districts 490,396
Central Districts 393,256
East Districts 485,522
South Districts

Totals
Males

1,228
462

Females

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

Males
Females

.... 737
.... 790

Total 1,527

THE SUN, LONDON. WEDNE!SDAY EVT