The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-29 00:00:00

SEPTEMBER 29, 1852.

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

The report of the Select Committee " appointed to
inquire into the operation of the laws relating to
Friendly Societies" has been issued. It is as follows
Your Committee appointed to inquire into the
operation of the' laws relating to friendly societies
have examined witnesses thereon, whose evidence
they have agreed to report to the House.
They proceeded first to inquire into the particulars
of those cases of alleged hardship or injustice which
have been brought under the notice of the House
during the present session by petitions from different
parties.

1. The Act of 1850, which is the existing law re-
gulating friendly societies, contains a proviso that it
shall not be lawful for any society established under
this Act to assure the payment of any sum exceeding
1001., nor any annuity exceeding 301. per annum,
nor a sum in sickness exceeding 20s. per week. It
also prohibits nomineeship to others than widowers,
widows, or children of members, and it reduces the
interest payable on future deposits made with the Na-
tional Debt Commissioners to 31. per annum instead
of 31. 16s. Oid.
One operation of these clauses has been to oblige
certain benevolent and useful societies at Dublin,
Cork, and Limerick, and certain other societies esta-
blished nearly a century ago in the north of Ireland
for providing an income for the ,ovvidovvs of Presby-
terian ministers, to suspend their transactions, because,
Ist. Those societies grant annuities to an extent
exceeding the limits of this Act.

2d. They grant them to nominees, such as sisters
and brothers, nephews and nieces, cousins, and
strangers in blood.

3d: They are reluctant to reduce their benefits to
suit the lower rate of interest.

Dr. Cooke and Dr. Montgomery appeared before
your Committee, and their evidence shows that their
society is the main dependence of the members of
their ministry, as a provision for their widows, and
that it bas existed nearly a century, was recognised
by the Irish Parliament, 36 George III.; was en-
rolled in 1809 under the 49 George III.; and that they
had been formally placed within the Friendly Societies
Act by 2 William IV., c. 37. They complain, be-
sides, that the Act requires tables, a bond from the
treasurer, that a member may not belong to two
societies, that societies should be forced to make re-
turns to the registrar, and that they should not be
allowed to lay out their money in land.
Your Committee see no good reason why the limi-
tation as to the amount of annuity on sickness may
not be withdrawn in the next Bill, if only care be
taken to require that the tables for such annuities,
where the amount of such annuity is certain, be cal-
culated by a competent actuary, and the contributions
be kept distinct.
On the other heads of complaint your Committee
think that the case of these long-established societies
is deserving of a special Act, and that it is not ad-
visable to alter the general law in order to accommo-
date their requirements, however unobjectionable or
praiseworthy they may be.
2. A petition has been presented from 83 assurance
companies, complaining that certain five friendly so-
cieties, established under the 10 Geo. IV., c. 56, be-
fore the year 1840—[Clergy Mutual, Friends Provi-
dent, Provident Clerks, National Benevolent, United
Kingdom Temperance]—claim to have the power to
make their policies, by a clause in the policy, pay-
able to widow or widower, or child of a member, to
any amount, and that such policies are exempt
from legacy and probate duty ; that these so-
cieties have ceased to possess the character for which
Parliament granted privileges; that they have an
unfair advantage, from being constituted under the
Friendly Societies' Act, which is equivalent to a
charter, being in reality trading life assurance com-
panies ; and they ask to have such societies confined
in their transactions to the limits prescribed by the
Act—namely, of 100 i., or compelled to be reconsti-
tuted in the same manner as other life companies.
Your Committee examined several witnesses in
support of this view, as well as other witnesses on the
part of the societies against whom the complaint was
laid, and they refer the House to the evidence, which
is of an interesting and curious nature.
It ought also to be borne in mind that the security
and good management of a society depend in no
small degree upon the amount of their transactions
and of their revenue ; and it is desirable, therefore, to
induce the poorer classes to insure in societies in
which the richer also insure ; and these five societies
have beyond question conduced in a very material
degree to extend downwards in the scale of society a
knowledge of the principle of mutual assurance and a
disposition to embrace the advantage of it.
The other alternative your Committee incline to
recommend to the attention of Parliament—namely,
to allow the privilege of exemption from stamps and
from probate and legacy duty to the policies of all life
assurance offices, as well as friendly societies, to the
amount of 500/.
This amount is taken because whatever limit may
be fixed upon that will virtually be the limit of the
provision made for their families amongst the great
mass of those parties whose interest is intended to be
advanced by any Legislative measure on this subject.
Your Committee refer to the very explicit evidence
of the chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue and
of Mr. Trevor to show that, in their opinion, the loss
to the public purse would be inconsiderable if put in
comparison with the national benefit which they be-
lieved would be achieved.

If Parliament should adopt this proposal, it will of
course be necessary to guard the privilege from
abuse, by annexing conditions to all societies or as-
surance companies, which may avail themselves of it ;
amongst which the most prominent should be, that a
minute and strict return of the pecuniary condition,
and annual accounts of each should be made, to be
laid before Parliament.
It may also be found that, irrespective of any pe-
cuniary advantage, such a plan may be the means of
checking the formation of delusive and ill-founded
schemes for establishing life assurance companies ; and
this is a subject of so important and critical a nature,
that although your Committee do not feel justified by
the terms of their reference to enter upon it in detail,
they yet think it right to press it upon the notice of
the House.

Your Committee examined Mr. Pratt, the registrar
of Friendly Societies,'about the tenure of his office,
and the constitution of it. He states that he is the
sole depository of all the various mass of miscellaneous
matter which in the last twenty years has been
poured in from above 10,000 societies ; and he
suggests that a board should be formed, for the pur-
pose of superintending the management of friendly
societies, and of affording advice and information
when applied to; of furnishing correct rules and
tables at a mall expense, for which they would em-
ploy eminent actuaries, or the Institute of Actuaries,
and of requiring societies which are possessed of le-
gislative privileges to act up to the rules on which
they were established.

The last witness who gave evidence before your
Committee was Sir Alexander Spearman, the Comp-
troller-General of the National Debt Office. His
evidence is particularly deserving of the serious at-
tention of the House.

He states that his office has at present no means of
checking or verifying any sums transmitted by any
society to him for investment, beyond a simple decla-
ration, tendered at the same time with the money ;
that the interest payable is higher than that which
the Government receives ; that the risk is great in
case the funds were to go down, that the societies
might draw out their money, and
.the difference be-
tween the price when sold and when it is invested,
would be so much loss to the country; that sums
have seldom been drawn out when once invested with
the National Debt Commissioners, and it is open to
surmise that the claims which ought to be met from that
money so invested, have been liquidated from other
means, and so the capital which bears a very high in-
terest has remained untouched, to the prejudice of the
public revenue; that the total amount of capital be-
longing to Friendly Societies so invested is 2,393,0001.
at an interest, part of 4/. lls. 3d. and part of 3/. 165.,
whereas the average rate of interest realised during
the last 12 years has been only 3/. 4s. 9d., and that
the total loss, if the whole were sold out and paid off
at the present price of stocks, would be 127,0001.
That, in the case of the Clergy Mutual Society, if
the accounts with them were closed at present, the
revenue, on the contrary, would have gained a profit
of 5,900/.

Sir A. Spearman agrees with Mr. Tidd Pratt in his
suggestion of a board, so far as to desire that a larger
number of persons should have cognizance of the
he thinks that it is the
management of his office;
interest of friendly societies that they should be placed
under greater control than at present ;
and that the
existing state of things as regards the registering
merely of the name and rules, is unsatisfactory in 8
public point of view.

In the opinion of your
committee the subject of in-
vestments and of interest
to be maturely considered,payable upon them requires
so as on the one side to
protect the revenue,
ha and on
with parties who the other to keetpiofait
of
Acts of Parliament.veAacted u.snedvefdetohtelysan
wantedn to
obtain a more full investigationo
w er 1
of the accounts of all
societies investing through the National Debt Office,
and of requiring that such investments shall be sub-
ject to reduction in proportion to the just demands
which ought to be payable from them.
All these subjects ought to be examined and
settled whenever a Bill shall be brought in for render-
ing permanent the law relating to friendly societies,
which at present has a limited duration.
1 It does not appear to your Committee that these
five societies have been acting contrary to law. The
Act under which they are enrolled declares in its
preamble that it is expedient to give protection and
' encouragement to the formation of friendly so-
cieties, and enacts that any number of persons, with-
out distinguishing any particular class or condition,
may form themselves into a society. To societies so
I
established that Act gave privileges of in
—West at 3/,

16s. Old. per annum, exemption from stamp duties,
priority of payment from executors of persons dying
in their debt, and exemption from probate duty to the
amount of 201.
The Act 3 and 4 Viet., c. 73, took away all ex-
emption from stamp duty, and power to invest in
savings' banks or with National Debt Commissioners,
from the societies granting an assurance above 2001.,
and as a compensation for these privileges, it allowed
in direct terms a power of assuring to any party a life
policy by nomination.
The existing Act, which passed in 1850, restricted
this:last remaining privilege of nomination to the case
of a widow, widower, or child, but imposed no re-
striction of amount in their case.

The Clergy Alutual Society seems to have been the
first which undertook a large description of insurance
under the Act of 1829, by issuing policies to the ex-
tent, first of 1,000/., afterwards of 5,0001. The pre-
sent number of their policies is above 2,000, and the
average amount is about 9501. Their capital is
525,0001., cf which 315,0001. is invested with the
National Debt Commissioners. The expense of ma-
nagement is four per cent., nothing is paid for agency.
Annual income, 60,0001. per annum.
The Friends' Provident Association, at Bradford,
has a capital of 350,000/., of which 96,0001. is in-
vested with the National Debt Commissioners. Mem-
bers, 2,079. Average amount of policies, 700. Ex-
tent of life assurance, 2,0001.

The Provident Clerks' Society was established in
1840. Has a benevolent fund attached for granting
loans, annuities, and gratuities, raised by 10 per
tentage on all profits, and a small subscription from
each member. Capital, 84,0001. in Three per Cents.
stock, and 6,4501. on mortgage. Average amount of
policies, 1921. Number of members, 2,735.
The National Benevolent Institution was esta-
blished in 1835. The annual income arising from
interest on capital,
prie;io7. s is 167,000/. ; the
9333'0004 ; the capital is about 800,000/„ of which
Com-
missioners.
average
ail' invested with the National Debt Com-
The number of members 9,300, and the
extent of wliofuent of the policies is about 5001. The
assurance is 5,0001.
The United
established eleven
their policies is 1307,ars ;
ago the average amount of
Kingdom Temperance Society was
Although it appeara that these societies possess and
exercise privileges and
can allege specific statutes, passed for the encourage-
merit and protection of f; ptions for which they
they
societies, it appears
to your Committee, that as
outgrown the particular class ofeybjp*
have manifestly
in the contemplation of Parliament°
totes were passed, and have become whena
elactseadwcthilcihfewearse.
those eta-
surance offices, they ought to be
equal footing, in respect of such exemptions, an
other assurance companies ; either by being wde-
prived of those privileges, or by extending them to
all alike.

There are grave considerations which should make
Parliament hesitate before it proceeds to adopt the
former alternative.

To make provision for a wife or family out of the
savings of a salary, or wages, or small income, is an
object which ought unquestionably to be fostered
and encouraged. This would be checked and damped
if an advantage hitherto offered should now be with-
held.

But it is said, confine these exemptions to societies
which do not issue policies above 1001. or 2001. If
this were done, so far as these five societies com-
plained of are concerned, they would indeed lose the
privilege which they hold under the specific authority
of Acts of Parliament; but they would still continue
their transactions, and would be in the anomalous posi-
tion of being constituted under friendly societies Acts,
but destitute of all the benefits conferred by such
Acts.

STATUE of the DUKE of WELLINGTON

at MANCHESTER.

A meeting called by circular by the Mayor, Mr.
Robert Barnes, was held yesterday afternoon at the
Town-hall, in anchester, for the purpose of consi-
dering the propriety of erecting a permanent memo-
rial of the late Duke of Wellington. The meeting
was attended by many of the most influential people
in the town. The Earl of Ellesmere and the Earl of
Wilton arrived before the commencement of the pro-
ceedings, and the Bishop of Manchester arrived
shortly after. The Mayor of Manchester was unable
to be present, illness obliging him to go to Harro-
gate ; Sir John Potter, therefore, officiated for him.
In opening the proceedings, Sir Joliet said they
were brought together by the demise of England's
greatest son—of a man alike distinguished by the
wisdom of his counsels in the field and his counsels
in the senate—a man who, by his brilliant victories,
raised the name of England to a height it had never
before attained—and who by his victories had secured
to us more than thirty years of continuous and com-
plete peace.—(Cheers.) Whether as a statesman or
a general, all must feel that the Duke of Wellington
would ever rank foremost amongst the heroes of
Europe. It was felt two years ago that something
should be done to testify the gratitude of the commu-
nity for the services Sir Robert Peel conferred upon
us, and surely it was a duty now to make equal, nay
greater, efforts to commemorate in Manchester, the
centre of the peaceful industry of England, the
memory of the man to whose achievements we owed
the peace upon which every domestic and commercial
blessing had rested.—(Cheers.)
Mr. THOMAS BAZLET proposed the following reso-
lution :—" That in order to testify the high admiration
entertained by this community for the exalted talents
and distinguished public services of the late lamented
Duke of Wellington (as a soldier and as a statesman),
it is, in the opinion of this meeting, desirable
that a statue should be erected in Manchester,
by public subscription, to his memory; in grateful
recognition, as well of his transcendent genius and
undoubted courage, which,
under Providence, secured
to himself the reputation of the greatest general of the
age, and to his country the enjoyment of prosperity
and liberty, as of the deliberative wisdom, disinte-
rested judgment, and noble spirit of patriotism which
ever directed his endeavours to perpetuate and extend
the invaluable blessings of peace."—(Cheers.) He
remarked that of the loss which the nation had sus-
tained in the death of the Duke of Wellington, hap-
pily there only prevailed in the vast community one
opinion, and that was well embodied in the sentiment
of regret, and of desire that the glorious deeds of the
great Duke should be had in memory, and that a
permanent record should be raised to remind posterity
of the deeds he had done, and to perpetuate the grati-
tude of the age and generation in which he had ex-
isted. Having quoted the words of Lord John Rus-
sell at Stirling, Mr. Bazley proposed the resolution.
The Mayor of SALFORD (Mr. Ashton) seconded the
resolution, and expressed on behalf of the inhabitants
of that borough the pleasure they had in joining in
the testimonial to one who had benefited both
boroughs alike. He was happy to find it was in-
tended to place the statue in front of the Royal in-
firmary, in company with that of Sir Robert Peel,
and (he had been further delighted to learn from a
private source) in company with a statue of the Duke
of Bridgewater, another of the great benefactors of
Manchester. It seemed to him that the site was
chosen well for placing the memorials of three of the
greatest benefactors of the land in front of the most
noble institution they had for the amelioration of the
suffering of the poor.
A short discussion then ensued as to whether the
unequivocal feelinge.on
character of the memorial should be decided by tbemeeting. There was an
mani-
fested that it should he a statue—whether etheer eq° 51
•
The resolution was carried
munacno
or otherwise, to be left with
The Rev. Canon CLIFTON;ernes of a
number of gentlemen to
act
as
committee. He
stated that it was to be understood that it was not de-
sired to confine the subscription o the
districts, iterwasw right town of Man.
chester. As Manchestt:e
centre of the ma-
dimmm° theuits t ef
nufacturing
manufacturing districts
be erected should be the joint contribution of all the
that the statue to
of all the neighbouring boroughs had been summoned
to with it. The mayorsd
to the meetin that gon seconding the resolution,
Mr. J. C. Hunlz, in
Pour firms and individuals who
read a list of twentr
each. Several would have given
had contributed 100/. 1
ground.
thought that 100 . was a very fair
more, but
limit. The
peered in it. Mr. Hunter expressed
intaawrnsess of the Earl of Wilton, and the Earl
of Ellesmere
his dance that with a good canvassing committee
w coo 1
d should be raised.
Arr. M. Ross moved that the names of several fo-
° on 6.
might an
reig
• nere, Germans, Portuguese, and Spaniards, resi-
dent in the town, should be added to the committee.
He knew that they were anxious to join with their
English friends in testifying their respect to the me-
mory of the great deceased.
The resolution was then put and carried. Another
resolution of .a formal character was passed, and the
business of the meeting concluded with a vote of
thanks to Sir John Potter, moved and seconded by
the Earls of WILTON and ELLESMERE.

Some subscriptions were banded in, and at the close
of the business the subscription list stood at 2,5501.

THE INFERNAL MACHINE.—The 111oniteur de
l'Armee says—" It has been reported that the conspiracy
against the life of the President was hatched at Toulon,
where the machine is said to have been constructed. It was
calculated to make 800 victims. According to the same
version, arrests are said to have been made simultaneously
at Marseilles and Toulon, and it is added that the authors
of the plot form part of a secret society called Les Ven-
geurs.'
QUEENSToWN, SIINDAY.—Within the last week no
fewer than 150 vessels, corn-laden, have arrived; some have
left for other ports, but about 80 still remain. A vessel is
also lying here, the Lord Auckland transport, having on
board 260 convicts, taken from the Spike Island convict de-
pot, about to sail for Van Diemen's Land. These
men have
been presented with tickets of leave for good character, and
on arrival in that colony are to be permitted to turn their at-
tention to any pursuit they please. The expense of sending
out these men will fall little short of 20,000/.
home or colonial Government ig to pay for their trausit
aevilaitiO ;9 Ph Whether the
(imm

• 1.
*

.-- t lk
D 41117 Dillb i •y- -
' HEALTH OF LON „ . , AVE,R
(From the Reg ..,.....et#, „•:.. ,i. t.)
Last week 1,077 415ir 03tprfit rftudilrad in the
metropolitan districts. ' fkos,wide.Foorti4on the
return of the preceding • - Ivo:. ,' i tOer was
213; but this is chiefly . o ....: :. .. *4.many
it
of which occurred at p •7. `,-4
.;g: ..' 4 ere not
registered till the end of t ,'''''Oe.'-', Itti 10 cor-
responding weeks of the r . •:42151 e average
number of deaths was 1,042, which, with a correcticn
for the increase ofApopulation, becomes 1,146.
Patel cases prodUced by epidemic diseases amount
in the present return to 271, nearly the same as in
the previous week. The mortality arising from
measles at the present time is unusually low, only
two and five cases respectively
having been registered
in the last two weeks. Scarlatina, however, makes
progress, as is shown by the steady increase
of deaths referred to since July ; the numbers during
the last eight weeks were, 38, 47, 49, 51, 53, 58, 67,
and :83. In a case that occurred at 14, Dean's-
place, Vauxhall-bridge-road, the cause of death is
entered thus—" Malignant scarlatina (3 days) ; im-
perfect drainage. Diarrhoea, which continues to de-
cline, was fatal last week to 61 children and 11
adults; cholera, to 7 persons; typhus, remittent
fever, B:c., to 45.

The following are the seven deaths from cholera
registered in the week :

In Fulham, at 9, North-row, North-end, on Sep-
tember 22, the daughter of a labourer, aged 2 years,
" summer cholera (4 days ); serous efrusion on brain
(one day).".
.. _

At Bishopsgate, on the 19th of Sep.
teniber, the son of a musiCian, aged 2 years," cholera
infantum (11 days)." Mr. Spencer, the registrar of
St. Botolph, says that " this is a close and crowded
place, with little ventilation, and occupied by very
poor persons ' • a drain is in the middle of it, which is
frequently choked up and emits offensive effluvia."
In Haggerstone West, at 14, Whitmore-road, on
the 18th of September, the son of a baker, aged one
year, " infantile cholera (10 weeks)."
In Mile-end Old Town, Upper, at 11, Bedford-
place, on the 13th September, the daughter of a
cheesemonger, aged 4 years, " cholera (12 hours.)"
In Lambeth, in first part of Waterloo sub-district,
at 8, Bond-place, on the 19th of September, a general
dealer, aged 56 years, " bilious cholera."
In Peckham, at 2, Batten's-yard, High-street, on
the 23d of September, the widow of an organist, aged
64 years " cholera (16 days)."
At Queen-street, Lewisham, on the 19th of Sep-
tember, the son of a labourer, aged 17 days, "cholera
infantum" (one week).

' On the 25th of September, at 4, Wood's-yard,
South. Hackney, the daughter of a labourer, aged
six months, died of " diarrhcea" (30 days). The
medical attendant and parish surgeon writes on the
certificate—" There is a most offensive smell from a
pig and cow yard in this court; there is no drainage
or proper water; there is one pump , for gill the
houses, but the water is so bad that the inhabitants
cannot use it."
At 10, Brunswick-street, Homerton, an the 24th
of September, a printer, aged 20
,•.ears, " typhus (17
days),
streets adjoining
observes—A, The houses in Brunswick-street and
bmmorrhage from the bowels." Mr. Steib
back of the house in which this man died is in a most
are badly drained. The yard at the
filthy state from the refuse water not being able to
pass away. A constant stench assails your nostrils
as you enter the passage,
occupied by two and three fanaiSs."
and most of the houses are
At 4, Harrow-alley, Aldgate, on the 25th of Sept,
the son of a butler, aged 2i years, died of " encepha-
litis; serous effusion (4 days)." The medical at-
tendant states on his certificate that " this house is
surrounded by slaughter-houses, and is unfit for
human habitation. The Irish poor persist In residing
in these filthy localities, although forewarned of the
consequences, of which they are indeed quite regard-
less. The blood is always found vitiated, owing to the
want of proper ventilation and food."

On the 23d of September, at 13, Upper Cornwell_
street, St. George's-in-the-East, a painter, aged 42,
died of "inflammation and enlargement of the muscles
of the neck (one week), vomiting of blood." The me-
dical attendant in this case writes as follows on his
certificate :—" Three months ago this man received
Burt under the chin, from which time he had fre-
quently complained. A week ago he came to our
surgery, complaining of something like a crumb of
bread in the windpipe. Nothing could be discovered ;
inflammation around the muscles of the neck, with
some difficulty of breathing, came on, and resisted all
treatment. On Thursday morning early he was
found dead in the yard of his residence, having
brought up a large quantity of blood. No post-
mortem inquiry took place."
The following is an extract from Mr. Bensted'a re-
turn for the sub-district of St. John, in the district of
St. Olave :—" On September 27, at 4, College-street,
the daughter of a mariner, aged 1 year, died of pneu-
monia (one week): On September 22, at 8, Horse-
lydown-lane, the daughter of a printer, aged 10
years, died of pneumonia (one week)! On the 22d
of September, at 1, Potter's-fields, a mercantile clerk,
aged 53 years, pneumonia (one week).' Thesree
persons were seiz-d with the came complaint within a
few hours, all lived near each other, and all died at the
end of one week's illness."

A gentleman, aged 74 year., died of " stone in the
bladder (several years) ; lithotrity and effects of chlo-
roform; disease of prostrate." Two persons died of car-
buncle, viz., a whitesmitb, aged 63, who was brought
from Cow-cross-streets, and died on the 22d Sep-
tember in St. Bartholomew's Hospital ; and the widow
of a master mariner, aged 71 years, who died on the
21st of September, at 25, Grosvenor-street, of " car-
buncle (3 weeks), cerebral congestion (3 days)." A
sign and label writer died on the 15th of September,
at 6, Green-street, Leicester-square, of " general de-
bility, with diarrheres (2 months)," at the remarkable'
age (as stated) of 102 years and 7 months.
STATE OF THE W EATtlEtt ausixo THE PAST WBEK

SUNDAY.—The sky was overcaqs throughout the day;
cirrostratus. Rain fell heavily during the earlier portion of
the morning.
MONDAY.—The sky was one-third pact covered till 10h.
A.M., three-fourths covered till after noon, and during the re-
mainder of the day the amount of cloud was variable;
cumuli, cumulostrati, and cirrostrati. Frequent showers of
rain fell.
TIMSDAY.—The sky was overcast till noon, three-fourths
were covered till 7h. P.m., and clear afterwards; cumuli,
cumulostrati, and cirostrati.
noon, one half covered till 6h. P.M., T,l till near
WEDNESDAY.—The sky Wag free from c‘ou-
afterwards; cumuli, cumulostrati, and cirrostrati.
a very thick
Tlluttsnay.--During the whole of this day at short dis-
mist was prevalent, obscuring obects fromsvt Tr
5 i ivetsible.
tances. At night the moon's place wa—g the horizon thick
FRIDAY.—A dense fog till lob.
A.tvards noon the day
during the greater tof the day. -
par y -from cloud, and wholly so
and generally overcast
became fine, the sky partially free
tatl)Av.—The morning was at night.
;„i„. as misty. a thin fog was pre-
SAT
valent. The sky was free fromliitad near the horizon. The
cloud from 10h. A.m., with
the exception of a few enTu
fog began to collect before mid-
night was clear, but a thin
night.
ELECTRICITY:—Sept. 2d Positive, with moderate ten-
2,
sion during the in
d-"fng.
The mean or a thermometer placed on the
Dreadnoughtmain-
reain Hospital Ship. and read each day at
mast of the g. 20; and the mean reading at 9h. P.m. was
9h. ex. was - readings at the Royal Observatory for the
. mean
~ 7 the
5" ot'imes were 53.1° and 51.-6° respectively.
na,ll„B,r-, d' gof the barometer increased from 29.14 in. at
"" - a in-
of the week to 29.51 in. by 9h. P.M. on the
beginning
the
19th; decreased to 29.39 in. by 3h. P.M. on the 20th; in-
29ed
90 ito
n..by the end 30.35 in. by 9of theh. A.M
week. . on the 24th; and decreased
creas
to '