The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-29 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 29, 1852.

being satisfied that the French Emperor has no de-
sire to interrupt the relations of peace that now

exist.

sustai

THE RECENT HURRICANE.

The hurricane which burst forth on Sunday'night has
not been equalled, in point of severity and for extent of
havoc, since that which occasioned so much destruction
to life and property in 1839 ; and the large and early
attendance at Lloyd's yesterday too clearly indicated the
forebodings as to the disastrous results of the storm on
the coast. As the mails came in, most melancholy
wrecks were announced, until at length the "books"
communicated a frightful list of casualties.
The upper portion of the English Channel was the
scene of most terrific weather and numerous deplorable
events. With the violence of a hurricane the wind com-
menced blowing from the south-west, driving all out-
ward-bound ships back, and producing an incalculable
amount of mischief. Blowing as it did, this part of the
coast and the vicinity of the Downs were exposed to the
uninterrupted force of the tempest. Vessels were driven
from their anchors, and lost masts and sails, besides

g much other damage ; while some were over-
powered by the violence of the storm, and foundered
with every soul on board. As yet but slight details
have come to hand. Those that have been communi-
cated reveal a sad sacrifice of human life. Daybreak
on Monday morning disclosed two large ships in the
bay of Dungeness, between two and three miles to
the westward of the lighthouse. One proved to be
an emigrant vessel from Hamburgh, a barque apparently
of 500 tons burden, named the Louisa Emilia,
bound with emigrants to Rio Grande, in South America.
The boisterous character of the night had induced the
Coast Guard stationed at Lydd to taticipate some sad

_saster, and they made the usual arrangements to
render relief to vessels in distress. The night was one
of the most awful description. The helpless ship was
driven on the sands, which stretch out some miles from
the shore, and, out of upwards of 80 souls who were on
board, not more than 40 were preserved, and they were
only saved by clinging to pieces of the wreck, and after
an immense amount of suffering. They were got ashore
in the most pitiable condition, and lost everything they
were possessed of in the world. As for the ship, a few
hours lashing and beating of the sea sufficed to decide
her fate. At daylight she had broken up, and the coast
was strewn with portions of her hull and cargo. The
Coast Guard on duty at Lydd rendered all the aid they
could. Some of the bodies of the unfortunate emigrants
were washed up, and were promptly removed to await a
coroner's inquest. This is the most calamitous wreck
that has occurred on this point of the coast for
some time. The other vessel which was wrecked
in the bay was the Annechina Jantina, bound to Rouen,
from Rotterdam. She was cast on the beach about
the same period as the emigrant-ship, but her crew, after
some difficulty, were preserved. To the eastward of
Dungeness, towards the South Foreland, sad havoc
occurred. During Sunday night a large three-masted
ship and two other vessels, supposed to be schooners,
foundered in the Downs, with all their hands, as is
imagined. Had they been observed, it is very doubtful
whether help could have been rendered them. Within
a short distance of Lyme Regis a fine emigrant-ship,
called the Heroine, Mr. Le Rich master, which only
left the Thames a short time since for Port Philip, was
totally lost, and although the disaster was attended with
some sacrifice of life, it is most providential, considering
the terrible character of the weather, that it did not
prove fatal to many more of those on board. Some
noble fellows volunteered to man a boat to go off to
their aid. Procuring a craft belonging to the Frances,
revenue cutter, the men, comprising Mr William Bridle,
master of the Primrose, Henry Cox, mate of the Honiton
packet, and three of the Frances's crew, named Black,
Hearne, and Harvey, pulled off to the relief of the ship's
boats, which were beating towards the port. They had
not got far out, however, when a heavy sea struck and
filled the boat, and, melancholy to relate, with the ex-
ception of Mr. Bridle, the whole of the courageous fel-
lows perished. The two boats from the Heroine suc-
ceeded in reaching the harbour, but the passengers and
crew were in a very exhausted condition. The ship
foundered in the course of the afternoon ; comparatively
little has been saved of her. The fishing boats on this
range of coast have suffered greatly.
In the midst of the terrific gale of wind which raged
along the south coast on Sunday night and Monday, a
Portuguese vessel named the Bonne Femme, bound from
Hamburgh to Lisbon, became unmanageable, and, in
spite of the efforts of her master and crew, went ashore
on the beach about half-way between Hove and Shore-
ham, at half-past 8 o'clock a.m. Fortunately, she was
but lightly laden, having on board a cargo of only 12
pianos, besides ballast, and, consequently, she was
washed by the breakers high up on the shingle; and the
entire crew, consisting of 9 hands in all, besides the mas-
ter and his wife, all Portuguese, were able to reach the
shore in safety. The woman escaped nearly in a state
of nudity, and the whole of the poor fellows were taken
to a public-house at Hove, where they soon recovered
the effects of their disaster. In spite of the waves
breaking over the vessel all the morning, the crew were
enabled before the end of the day to recover a great
quantity of their clothes and other property; and it is
hoped that, if the wind abates before the next tide, the
vessel may yet be saved from going to pieces. The sea
was running far too high to admit the launching the
Brighton life-boat, even had its services been required.
Lieut. Pratt, of the coastguard, however, was soon upon
the spot with an efficient staff of men. The gale con-
tinued unabated at noon yesterday, and another small
vessel was descried off Kingston, making signals of
distress, but it was hoped she would be able to make the
harbour at New Shoreham. Many of the shops along
the esplanade, and other parts which lie exposed to the
sea and wind (which is W.S.W.), closed all day as on
Sunday, and chimney-pots were seen flying about in
every direction.
At a late hour on Sunday night a severe gale began to
blow at Portsmouth from the S.S.W., and as the night
advanced it so increased in violence as to become a per-
fect hurricane. The wind was accompanied by deluges
of rain, which flooded the streets and the moats of the
fortifications. At an early hour this morning guns, evi-
dently from some vessel in distress, were heard, but
owing to the high wind it was almost impossible to
ascertain from what direction they proceeded. They,
however, doubtless proceeded from a trader, named the
Flowers of Ugie, Captain Mather, bound from Sunder-
land to Carthagena, which, unfortunately, was driven
on the Deans, a dangerous bank about five miles to the
eastward of this port. The crew, in order to ease and
lighten her, cut away her masts about 4 this morning,
and used every other effort in their power to save the
vessel, cargo, and their own lives. They were, however,
ultimately comEelled to abandon her, taking refuge on
board a pilot-boat, by which they were safely brought
into this port at noon to-day. The hull of the aban-
doned vessel was knocked about all day on the Deans
till this afternoon, when all remnant of her dis-
appeared. Another merchant vessel, the Beethoven,
from Bremen to Lisbon, found herself in a very perilous
position in Stokes Bay. She accordingly displayed a
signal of distress, when her Majesty's steamer Fury, at
Spithead, was ordered down to her assistance. The
Fury got up steam and went down to her, and this
afternoon towed her up to the anchorage at the Mother-
bank. No report has yet been received of the amount
of damage this vessel has suffered. The ships compo-
sing the squadron at Spithead have struck lower yards
and topmasts. It is feared that when further reports
come in from the Channel, very numerous and serious
casualities will be found to have resulted from the vio-
lent weather of last night and this morning.
The unfortunate ship totally lost to the eastward of
Plymouth on Monday morning, during the terrific storm
which prevailed from the southward, is estimated to
burden about 400 tons. It is supposed that the master
was endeavouring to make the port of Plymouth from
the eastward, and, having caught sight of the break-
water light inside the range of the Great Mew-stone, he
erroneously considered himself in the fair way for the
harbour, and did not discover his error until the ship
became entangled on the dangerous reefs connected
with the Great and Little Mew-stones, or the Slimer's
Rocks, inside. In either case she would be imme-
diately dashed to pieces, and all her ill-fated crew
would perish. A portion of her wreck was washed
ashore in Oker Bay on Wembury Church beach, which
is west of the river Yealm. It consists of the stern frame,
with a part of the tuck. The frame is painted black,
and has on it, in large white letters, " Ocean Queen,
of London." From the description of those parts of the
cargo washed ashore it is conjectured that she was bound
for the West Indies. They comprise quantities of un-
bleached calico in pieces 40 or more yards long, ladies'
dresses, women's straw bonnets and turnovers, thousands
of reels of fine cotton thread, wrappers, men's shirts and
woollen Scotch caps, sperm candles, new wooden hoops,
empty casks, marked "Bass's ale," and numbers of ham-
pers, one having attached to it a label, with the words,
"From F. Walton, iron chandler and oil merchant, 283,
Wapping, London ;" several pieces of deal board, being
part headings of casks, marked "A. L." in a diamond,
followed by " C." ; also candle boxes, marked "M. F.
X P." over "B. B. C.," and numbered, one of them,
"1064." Mr. Barnes, R.N., chief officer of Coast
Guard in Wembury, and Captain Thompson, Queen's
harbour-master at Bovisand, are adopting measures for
securing anything of value which may be drifted ashore.
Lloyd's List, of the 4th instant, states that the Ocean
Queen, 209 tons register, Captain Horn, belonging to

Mr. James Shepherd, of 1, Lime-street-square, cleared
for Jamaica. The ship Magician, of Liverpool, which
left London three weeks since with passengers for Syd-
ney, put back-here to-day with loss of sails, bulwarks,
and roundhouse, boats stove, steering wheel broken, &c.
Yesterday, to the westward, she saw a barque with her

foremast gone, running before the wind.
The eastern coast experienced the hurricane with all
its severity. The direction of the wind being right upon
the land, almost as great injury was done ashore to pro-
perty as among the coasters. Abreast of Aldborough
the Corinthian, a fine brig, belonging to Newcastle, was
driven from her anchors by the violence of the gale. She
drifted in, struck the Thorp Point, and was speedily
dashed to pieces. Nothing could be done to rescue the
poor creatures who formed her crew, and they were all
drowned. On the same night a Dutch vessel, called De
Jogger, bound to London, was thrown on the main at
Orfordness, and dashed to pieces. Some of her hands
Yarmouth Roads suffered much from the
storm. Great damage was done to the shipping. Tlle
Pioneer, Mr. Taylor master, on her way to the Tyne
from London, foundered, and four of her hands went
down with her. The others were preserved by the
lifeboat. The Active, of Stockton, also went down
off Caistor, and one or two others are reported to
have sunk in the lower part of the roads. The vici-
nity of the Humber also had several casualties. The
Yorkshire coast at the prominent headland known as
Flamborough-head, was exposed to the full fury of
the wind. Such a storm had not been experienced
there for a number of years. The Omega schooner„
belonging to Southwold, was carried ashore to the
southward of Bridlington. The lifeboat was promptly
launched, in the hope of saving the unfortunate crew,
but it failed in reaching them, and the poor fellows met
with a watery grave. Similar disastrous intelligence
has been received from higher up the north coast. The
hurricane seems to have visited the several ports alike,
and with very little moderation.
The accounts from the Welch coast speak of the storm
in that part of the kingdom having been very severe.
In Morecombe-bay the gale was as heavy from the
south-west. A schooner was driven ashore with all on
board dead, with the exception of one man. The works
of the breakwater sustained much damage, and the light-
house was washed away. Higher up this rang* of coast
many wrecks happened, and the south pier and light-
house at Maryport are reported to have been broken up.
In addition to what has already been reported as to
the damage done by the late gale of wind, it has been
ascertained that great injury has been done to the trees
in Hyde-park and Kensington-gardens, and in the
grounds of the market-gardeners in the neighbourhood
of the metropolis, and also at Chiswick, Isleworth,
Twickenham, &c.
In Richmond-park several large trees were uprooted,
and Kew-gardens did not escape.
At Hammersmith several stacks of chimneys were
blown down, and at the Hanwell railway station the
force of the wind blew down a signal post, which fell
across the line, but was removed by great exertion be-

fore the arrival of any trains.
At Carlisle the wind blew a perfect hurricane ; a wool-
spinning factory belonging to Mr. M'Night was reduced
to ruins. Several yards of the roof of a house in English-
street were blown off, and several chimneys thrown
down. Some portions of the city were strewn with sign-
boards, tiles, slates, &c. The floods are still very high,
and a vast extent of ground continues under water.
At Exeter chimneys were thrown down, and many
houses were unroofed. The mail to Budleigh-Salterton
was unable to proceed in consequence of the obstruction
caused by numbers of fallen trees.
At Ivybridge some large oaks were blown down, and
some damage was done to the railway station.
At Carnarvon so great was the force of the gale, that
the quay wall was breached in four places by the waters

of the Straits, and great alarm was caused, and many
fears entertained for the safety of the shipping, some of
which were sunk, and others driven from their moorings.
The hurricane was very alarming in the neighbour-
hood of Winslow. Trees were blown down, roofs were
removed from houses, and the trains on the Bucking-
hamshire railway were much impeded in their course.
The damage was considerable, but, happily, we have not
heard of any loss of life.
_ _ .

At Banbury it did considerable damage, blowing down
a building at the Oxford and Birmingham railway sta-
tion, on which line also the trains were impeded. It
was less violent in the neighbourhood of Bicester.
In the county of Durham great damage was done to
houses, timber, and farm property. The wind arose
with great violence between 4 and 5 o'clock, accompanied
with rain, and continued for about three hours to rage
with great fury, carrying before it sheds, corn and hay
stacks, prostrating persons, and snapping off large trees
between two and three feet in diameter.
The steeple of Trinity Church, Stockton-on-Tees, was
blown down, and falling on the roof, broke through it,
carrying away in iLs fall the gallery beneath, and smash-
ing the seats in the aisle. Fortunately the beautiful organ
escaped, the. mass of materials falling within a few feet of
it. The roof on the western side was uncovered by the
hurricane, and the slates scattered around to the dis-
tance of a hundred yards. The steeple of Middlesbo-
rough Church has also been damaged, part of it being
blown down, injuring in, its fall the roof, &c. Several
houses have been overturned at Hartlepool. The family
of Mr. Marshall Fowler, of Preston-hall, near Stock-
tOn, had a narrow escape. A tall chimney-stack that
had stood for 25 years was blown over, and fell through
the roof and floor into the room below, where two chil-
dren were sleeping. The rubbish fell all around them,
and a heavy stone fell within three inches of the head
of one of the children : fortunately, they were not hurt.
At Egglescliffe several fine trees in the churchyard that
had stood for 200 years were blown down. All round
the country may be seen hay and corn stacks overturned
and scattered about, houses unroofed, and chimney-
stacks blown down. We have not heard of any loss of

At Gloneester the storm of wind and rain was one of the

most fearful that has ever visited that part. The wind set

--
directly up the flat vale of Glocester from the Bristol Chan-
nel, and notwithstanding that the trees are leafless, many
in the vale were completely torn from their roots and

--
moved from their position. In the cits tiles and chiii;

_
ney-pots were flying about in all directions, several chim-
neys were blown down, and the tower of St. Mary de
Crypt Church rocked fearfully. On• Monday, at day-
light, a large fissure was observed at the top of the
tower, which for some time was considered in danger.
The tide rushed up the Severn in an immense body of
water, rolling over its banks, and over the low meadows,
which are now again lying under water from excess of
rain in this county, and in Worcestershire and Shrop-
shire. It is stated that an embankment on the South
Wales Railway, close to the sea side near Llanelly, has
been carried away by the sea, Which in spring tides rolls

up to its foot.
PLYMOUTH, MONDAY.--During the whole of the day
yesterday there was a fearful gale from S.S.W. To-
wards evening it increased. The Princina, Spanish
steamer, lying alongside Millbay Pier, drifted, her ropes
not being good, and ran foul of the Pontoon-bridge, and
ed her stern. She was
rceamrroievdedarobatowwastperi n
r t
faorddaniag
repairs.
The Camilla, Irish
steamer, was at the pier, but sustained no damage. The
broke adrift in Millbay;
Bamnredont
tthaher
yer sl,
ar, oti
rise
eeßr, r ix
of
withth the
am schooner,etc,iodael
scoals,
iass
aperfect wreck. The mo-
quite 14 feet in. Millbay.
At 5 a.m. a portion of the wall on Millbay Pier was
washed down, and some bags of rice, butter, and some
empty barrels, were swept off, all of which, except a few
bags of rice have been returned. The Sultan, Capt. Reed,
with wheat, broke adrift in the Sound, and became a
wreck on the back of Mount Batten ; crew and part of
cargo saved. The Ocean Queen, London, bound to the East
Indies, with cargo, was wrecked in Wembury Bay Sound,
only her stern boards shown, on which all souls perished;
a small yacht was sunk, and other damage done. The
weather now moderate. The Forerunner, African mail
steamer, still in the Sound. The Adelaide, Australian
mail steamer, not likely to sail before Thursday. Eleven
bodies have been washed on shore from the wreck of the
Sunday night. An inquest will be held at Wembury
Ocean Queen, which was lost during the tempest on
to-morrow, by Mr. Bone.
DEVONPORT, DEC. 27.—The weather here last night
was tremendous, blowing a complete gale all night, the
wind veering from S.W. to N.W., and back again to
S.W., with torrents of rain. The Queen, in the Sound,
with her lower yards and topmasts struck, dragged the
west arm of her moorings about twice her length. The
greatest sea has been caused by this gale that we have
had for many years. The cranes on the breakwater
are nearly all down. The merchant ships in the
Sound have held on (thanks to the breakwater) with
the exception of the schooner Sutton of London Ried,
master, laden with wheat, bound to London; she has I
drifted on the Batten Point, and is a total wreck with
bottom out; all hands saved, but one seaman had his leg
broken. The tide being so high has caused the disaster
all the worse. Mr. Gill's pier at Mill Bay is a complete
wreck, and the new works (the docks) are completely
demolished. Some thousands of pounds worth of pro-
perty and labour are lost by this gale to Messrs. Gill
and Company. The barque William Metcalfe, laden
with timber for the dockyard, has dragged her anchor,
and is alongside the dockyard, but willbe got off. About

three-fourtks of the south part of the roof of the north
shed in the dockyard, composed of galvanised iron, was
taken clean off, and carried over the other half into the
bricklayers'-yard, rolled up like a scroll. A great many
houses in the town have suffered severely, and the streets
in some places are covered with broken slates. Several
barges and boats are on shore above New Passage, and
their gear washed up Weston Mill Lake. We have a
report of a ship, with all hands lost, in Bigbury Bay.
No doubt, after such a gale, the accounts will be heart-
rending. It is now moderate-5 p.m.

IRELAND.
In Ireland the amount of injury caused by the storm
is considerable. Happily the number of casualties to
persons is small. Indeed it is remarkable that with
chimneys and roofs falling in, houses tumbling to the
ground, and trees torn up, so few personal injuries have
been sustained. The most deplorable calamity happened
at Milltown, about two miles from the city. A large
tree was blown down on the gate-house of a factory ; it
carried down the roof, floor, and walls, burying the in-
mates—six in number—underneath. Three of them were
suffocated, viz.—Mrs. Ryan and her two children ; the
others effected, their escape with but trifling injuries. In
Mabbot-street, a man named Talbot was blown down
and severely injured in the head. At the Viceregal
grounds in the' Phoenix Park, twelve elm trees were
prostrated. Along the Grand Canal several large trees
were blown down, and for a time stopped the
traffic. The Exhibition building in course of erection
escaped with comparatively little damage. A few of the
iron arches, which had not been permanently fixed in
their places, were blown down. A great number of
extraordinary escapes are reported, from whole stacks
of chimneys having fallen, carrying away the roofs of
the houses, and in many instances tumbling literally
about the heads of persons in bed without doing them
any harm. Several fine trees are down in the demesne
of Lord Charlemont, at Clontarf—a locality which
suffered a good deal owing to the wind being from the
south-west. The losses in that locality consist in the
demolition of chimney-stalks, walls, glass, and the fall-
ing of trees. In York-street, in this city, the chimneys
of Mr. O'Hara, tavern-keeper, fell into a bed-room in
which were three children, but all escaped. At Kings-
town the storm did considerable damage. About eight
o'clock yesterday morning the schooner Argyle, of Glas-
gow, 75 tons, dragged her anchor, was driven on the
eastern pier, and after some hours of battering, sank.
Her masts are visible above the water. The crew had
I ample time and means to escape. Nearly 100 large
trees are reported to have been blown down in the
neighbourhood of Kingstown. The anemometer, or
wind gauge, on the western pier, erected by the Board
of Works, had registered the gale up to two o'clock on
Saturday morning, when the velocity was at the rate of
47 miles within the hour. The cups for catching the
wind were then blown off, and the further intensity of
the wind remains unknown.
In Dublin, the roof of the house of Mr. Atkinson, of
Usher's-quay, was blown down, and damage to the
amount of 5001. sustained. Several policemen were
blown down and hurt seriously. The roof of a house
in Beresford-street was blown down ; a family of six per-
sons were covered with the ruins, from which they were
relieved by the police, and conveyed to Richmond Hos-
pital. All were more or less bruised, but none so seriously
as to endanger their lives. About 120 feet of Mr. Pim's
factory chimney, of Greenmount, was blown down. The
roof of Lady Blaney's house, at Haddington-terrace, re-
ceived considerable injury. In Kingstown, the damage
done by the storm was considerable. The police of the
Locality have supplied the following return :
Houses blown down ... ... •• •
Ditto partly blown down ...
Chimneys blown do
Chimneys partly blown down
Walls blown down ... .• • •• •
Trees blown down... ... •• • •• •
Hay and corn ricks blown down ...
Houses partially injured ... •. • •• •
Houses unroofed ... ..•
This report takes no notice of the immense
quantity of window glass broken or of chimney-pots
blown down.
A large amount of damage was likewise done by the
gale to the Phoenix Park. In the Viceregal demesne 15
trees were blown down ; 12 panes of glass were broken
in the Lodge, and a stack of chimneys fell into his
Excellency's dressing-room. Six panes of glass were
broken in the Chief Secretary's lodge, and 17 trees were
felled in the demesne ; and at the Under Secretary's 6
panes of glass were broken, and 4 large trees were levelled
with the ground. A large quantity of lead and slates
were stripped off the roof of the Mountjoy Prison ; and Sts
a stack of chimneys fell at the residence of S. Wilkie, st.
Esq., at the Phoenix Park, in addition to a great
number of slates and a quantity of lead which was blown 2a.
off the roof. In the open portion of the park about 15
30 elm trees were uprooted at distant intervals, and •
400 perches of the wooden palisading levelled with the
ground.
LIMERICK.—The storm has done considerable damage 3
in Limerick. The tide rose seven feet above the level of 5
the quays, inundating the habitations along the entire 7
range, extending to Henry-street, Lower Cecil-street, 6
Bedford-row, Brunswick-street, and Arthur's-quay. The c
tempest raged with violence throughout, and seaweed if
and rushes were washed ashore in abundance. The 2(
shipping being well moored and "fended," weathered
the gale gallantly. As far as has been ascertained, only si
one life was lost. A young man named Vaughan, a
painter and glazier, while returning home, was lifted
from the ground in Mary-street, cast against a wall, and s
his brains dashed out. The Kilrush steamer Garryowen,
arrived this afternoon, brought tidings that the Asia, of S
Shields, drifted from her moorings at Tarbert, and is S
ashore at the Red Gap, inside Boland's rock. The Eliza,
of Port Maddock, from Sligo to London, with oats, is
ashore at Scattery Island, and a total wreck. An Aus-
trian barque lies at Grass Island, bottom uppermost— E
name as yet unknown. A Norwegian and Greek
.ship
ashore at same place. Thirty sail turf-boats were cast 1
ashore over the banks of the river at Grass Island and E
Corrigaholt—crews saved. The Rose, steamer, from `i
London, arrived here to-day, after encountering the 1.
violent storms of Friday night and this morning, sustain-
ing no injury, but had a fearful Passage. There was a 1
rumour current to-day which lam enabled to contradict,
namely, that 40 persons were drowned while crossing
the Shannon in a turf-boat. The entire country, for
miles around, is inundated to such an extent as to pre-
vent coaches and passenger cars from travelling.

235

THE CASE OF MR. KIRWAN.—We are informed tha
a reprieve has been received by the keeper of the gaol in
which Mr. Kirwan is confined, and that the capital
sentence will not be carried into effect.
A BARBAROUS MURDER was committed at Hythe,
near Southampton, on Christmas eve. A labouring
man, named Rand, as he was returning from the village
of Hythe to his house on a common close by, was mur-
dered and robbed. It was ascertained that three men
of bad character passed by Rand as he was going home.
Two of them were apprehended. They declared their
innocence, but stated that their companion, a young
man named George Dumper, a notorious poacher, left
them after they passed Rand, and they knew not what
he did, nor what had become of him. A pursuit was
made after Dumper, and he was hunted down by some
country people on Sunday in a wood in the neighbour-
hood. On his apprehension, blood was found on his
smock-frock. Rand's age was about 57. It is believed
that he had not above ss. on him when he was murdered.
HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.—In the
week that ended last Saturday the number of deaths re-
gistered in the metropolis was only 871. In the previous
week it was 1,041 ; the present return therefore shows
a decrease of 170. In the ten corresponding weeks of
the years 1842-51 the average number of deaths was
1,138, which, if a correction is made for increase of po-
pulation, gives a mortality of 1,252 for the present time. 10
The mortality was lower last week than in any of the 25
corresponding weeks ; and so far as a conclusion can be ~1,;)
drawn from former experience, the present state of the "'I
public health must be considered satisfactory. Fatal cases St.
arising from epidemic diseases declined from 211 in the 20
preceding week to 162 in the last ; those from diseases of 12
the respiratory organs fell in the same time from 161 to
130. The corrected average for the former class is 255, that 5
for the latter 254 ; hence it appears that a great diminu- St.
tion has recently occurred in the mortality of both,
Last week small-pox was fatal in only three cases. 17,
measles in 11, hooping-cough in 23, croup in 5;. semis- "
tina declined to 50, typhus to 39 ; diarrhcea to 12. In-
fluenza carried off 3 children, 3 persons between 15 and
60 years, and one person 80 years old. Last week the
births of 708 boys and 643 girls, in all 1,351 children,
were registered in London. In the seven corresponding
weeks of 1845-51 the average number was 1,255. At 11
the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of 11
the barometer in the week was 29.746 in. The mean
temperature of the week was 46.8 deg., which is 7.8
deg. above the average of the same week in ten years.
The mean daily temperature was above the average on
every day of the week. It was highest on Monday,
when it rose to 51.4 deer., which is 11.8 deg. above the
average, and lowest on Thursday, when it fell to 39.8
deg., which is 1.1 deg. above the average. It rose on
Friday and Saturday to about 49 deg., or 11 deg. above
the average. On Thursday the wind was E.S.E. •in
the rest of the week generally in the south-west. The
mean difference between the dew point temperature and
air temperature was 6.1 deg.
CENSUS OF IRELAND.—The returns of the Irish cen-
sus of 1851 for the counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan
have just been issued. It appears that the area of the
former county is 417,735 acres 6 roods 21 perches, and
its population in 1851 ..was 116,007, against 156,481.
The number of houses in 1841 was 27,858 • in 1851,
21,330. The area of the latter county is 317,733 acres
1 rood 6 poles, and its population in 1841 was 200,407 ;
in 1851, 141,758. The number of houses in 1841 was
134,769 ;in 1851, 27,316.