The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-10 00:00:00

abuse of power that ought not to be tolerated, and
by every means efforts should be made to change
the aspect of affairs which permits such out•
rages on the good sense and good feel-
ings of the community_ The labourers are
often compelled to reside in unfit places,
beeause there are no proper habitations nearer at
hand, and thus it is more incumbent upon country
proprietors than town ones in a great measure to
see that the right and fitting steps are taken that
the poor should be properly housed and enabled to
live decently and correctly. If such cottages as
those that figured in the inquiry were described as
existing in a foreign land, many would exclaim in
horror, and be virtuously indignant, but they do
not look at home for sights that shock propriety,
and a state of things that is an offence to morality,
and an incentive to evil courses. If the term be
unpalateab!e. it is not at any rate an unprofitable
one, and it is to be trusted that a particular instance
of the want of proper cottages will not be passed as
a nine days' wonder, but that those who are inti-
mately and immediately concerned in the matter
will at once devote their energies to the task, and
render the cottage of an English labourer such a
dwelling as a working zaan may inhabit who re-
spects himself and desires the respect of his neigh-
bours. This desideratum is one which is earnestly
to be hoped for, and the welfare of the community
Idepends upon its fulfilment.

The Bath Meeting of the British

Association,

The preparations for the 34th annual meeting of
the British Association are now in a forward state.
Applications for tickets are pouring in from all
parts, and the attendance will be exceedingly
numerous. Amongst the eminent personages who
have already signified their intention to be present
at the meeting are the Earls of Cork, Enniskillen,
and Nelson, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the
Bishop of Oxford, Bishop Colenso, Lady Franklin,
Sir Roderick :Murchison, Sir John Bowring, Sir
W. Jardine, Sir Benjamin Brodie, Sir William
Armstrong, Sir E. Belcher, and many others.
The programme of the proceedings for the nine
days, as at present arranged, is annexed :
—Wednesday—Meeting of the general committee
in the Guildhall, at 1 p.m., for the election of sec-
tional officers, &c.; first general meeting in the
Theatre at eight p.m., whe❑ Sir W. G. Armstrong,
C. 8., LL.D., F.R.S., will resign the chair, and Sir
Charles Ly ell, Bart., M.A., D.C.L„ F.R.S., &c., will
assume the presidency, and deliver the inaugural
address. Thursday—The eight sections will open
at 11 a.m. in the rooms mentioned above. A conver-
sazione in the Assembly-rooms, commencing at 8
p.m. Friday—The sections as usual. Protessor Ros•
eoe's lecture in the Theatre on "The Chemical Action
of Light," at 3.30 p.m. Saturday—The sections as
usual, Excursion to Frome, Holwell, and the Vallis;
excursion to Stanton Drew and Radstock. Evening
banquet in the Guildhall, given by the mayor.
Monday—The sections as usual, Meeting of gene.
ral committee in the Assembly-rooms at 3 p.m. to
decide upon, the place of meeting in 1865. Dr
Livingtone's address concerning his explorations in
Africa during the last six years, in Theatre, at 8.30
p.m. Tuesday—The sections as usual. Microsco-
p•.cal soiree in the Assembly-rooms at 8 p.m. The
instruments collected will be insured during their
railway transit for not less than £6,000. Wednes-
day—Concluding general meeting at 3 p.m. in the
Assembly-rooms. Evening banquet i❑ the Guild.
hall, given by Mr Tite, I.P, Thursday—Excur-
sion to Bristol and Clifton ; excursion to Salisbury,
Old Sarum, and Stonehenge.—Bath Chronicle.

Health of the Army at Home.

The annual reports—statistical, sanitary, and
medical—from the Army Medical Department
have been issued in relation to
.the year
1852. The average strength of non-commis.
sioned officers and men in the army serving in the
United Kingdom was 78,173—and for every 1,000
of mean strength there were in the year 919 ad-
missions into hospital, 53.45 constantly sick, and
8.72 died. Al,l these numbers are lower than the
average of ",,he two previous years. The reduction
in the rortality was chiefly in miasmatic and re-
spiratory diseases. Venereal diseases, though de-
cidedly less prevalent than in the two previous
years, continued to hold a very prominent place as
causes of inefficiency, the admissions into hospital
still reaching to a number about equal to a third of
the entire force. At Colchester the admissions were
as high as 464 per 1000 men of mean strength, at
Manchester 455, at Canterbury 441. The total in-
efficiency from the cause was equal to the loss of
every man in the home force for eight days, or the
constant loss of two regiments out of 78,000 men.
Intemperance also causes a considerable amount
of inefficiency ; in the cavalry depots the admis-
sions into hospital from intemperance and delirium
tremens reached 13-17 per 1,000 of mean strength.
Corporal punishment ranged between 6.4 per 1,000
in the Military Train, and 0.6 in the Foot Guards,
but in none of the arms except the Military Train
and depot battalions, did it amount toltwo in a
thousand of the force. The mortality of the cavalry,
artillery, Military Train and Infantry regiments
was below the civil population of healthy districts
in England at the egos, but the mortality is kept
under by the process of invaliding. The invaliding,
however, was much lees than in the previous year,
and amounted to only 41.27 per 1,000 or 3,226 in
all. The mortality in the fegiments on the average
of three years was lower than in civil life under 25
years of age, the same as in civil life between 25 and
30, but considerably higher at the more ad-
vanced ages. In the French army serving
in France in the same year, 1862, the num•
ber constantly non-effective from sickness
and the sick time to each soldier were almost
identical with those of the British army at home.
The deaths of non-commissioned officers and men
n the army serving in France amounted to 9.59

per 1,000, or 0.87 Above that of England. It ap-
pears a legitimate inference from the French re-
turns that the cases of venereal diseaso in the year
were at least as numerous, in proportion, as in the
British army.

THE NEW MARSHAL OF FRANCE.—Gen. B'izline,
who has just been appointed to the dignity of a
marshal of France, comes from a military family, whose
fame he has done much to maintain. His early lessons in
the art of war were obtained in Africa, where he gained the
Cross of Honour on the field of battle. In 1837 he was de-
tached, and served with the foreign legion, but afterwards
returned to Africa, where he received the rank of captain,
and saw further service. In 18-I8 ho was promoted to the
rank of lieutenant-colonel; in IMO he was placed at the
head of the foreign legion, and at the commencement of the
war in the Crimea, he was chosen to command the brigade
of infantry formed of this corps. During the siege of Sebas-
topol the bulletins of Generals Canrobert and Pellissier more
ithan
organisation.o n
Afters testimony mt
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retreaty to his
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appointed governor of the place, and in Sept., Mob:, was
promoted to be general of division. In Oct. following ho
was placed at the head of the expeditionary corps destined
to act against Kinburn. services in the Crimea were,
of course, soon afterwards ended ; but on his return to
France, high commands were conferred on him. Ile is
commander of the Legion of Honour.
FALSE ALARM OF FIRE AT THE ADELPIII THHATRE.
—At half-past eight last evening, during the per-
formance of "The Woman of Business," and while Mr
Phillips, Mr J. L. Toole, and Mr Stephenson were on the
stage, a sudden panic ra_i through the audience owing to
cries of "Fire 1" from persons in the gallery, and the
audience suddenly rose with a view to rush out of the
house, although they were assured by Mr J. W. Anson
(the treasurer), the police on duty at the theatre, and Mr
Stephenson and Mr Phillips that there was no cause for
alarm, that no fire existed in any part of the theatre, and
that the smoke which had caused the alarm arose from a
wood fire in a chimney of an adjoining baker's, which had
penetrated thrcugh one of the open windows. Unfortu-
nately, the alarm spread outside that the theatre was en
fire, and engines from the Chandos and Farringdon stations
arrived, adding to the unnecessary consternation. By order
of Mr Anson the firemen were refused admission, it being
considered that their appearance would cause a second
panic. The audience being at length satisfied resumed their
seats, and the performances were continued. One gentleman
had his shoulder dislocated,