The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-24 00:00:00

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PAPER
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The total deaths in London in-46 wlek gat
ended on Saturday were 1,419. The number is
almost the same as that of the previous week, but
it exhibits an important decrease on the heavy re-
turns that were made in the latter half of. Nov. and
in the first week of the present month. The mean
temperature of the air has been six degrees higher
in the three weeks of December that have new
elapsed than it was in the last three weeks of the
previous month.
But though the mortality has decreased it is still
rather high, for last week 78 deaths occurred above
the number that would have been returned if the
average rate of mortality fora week near the vvinter
solstice had prevailed.
Small-pox decidedly appears on the increase ;
the deaths from it in the last three weeks were re-
spectively 10, 22, 34. Nine of the 34 were returned
as having occurred in the Small-pox Hospital.
Measles, was fatal to 79 children, the corrected
average being 36. Four cases of this latter com-
plaint occurred in the sub-district of Belgrave, 8 in
Islington, 5 in the sub-district of St. Peter, Wal-
worth. Tnere were 69 deaths from scarlatina and
20 from diphtheria. There were 70 from typhus,
26 of which cases were returned us " fever," 16 as
typhus, 14 as typhoid fever ; the remainder as
gastric fever, &c. •
Bronchitis carried off 181 persons, 69 of whom
were 60 years old or upwards; whilst the deaths
referred to pneumonia, which is fatal chiefly to chil-
dren, were not more than 80. Bronchitis has de-
clined slowly since the weather became warmer ;
pneumonia fell rapidly when the cold ceased. The
mortality under bronchitis has greatly exceeded
that which was referred to pneumonia.
Eight nonagenarians died in the week, the oldest
having attained the age of 98 years.
A child died from spasm of the glottis, in Bruns-
wick Mews, St. George, Bloomsbury. It was found
by a coroner's jury that death had been "accelerated
by the impure atmosphere of a mews."
Last week the births of 973 boys and 950 girls, in
all 1,923 children, were registered in London. In
the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1852-61
the average number (corrected) was 1,753.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.977 in.
The mean daily reading was above 30 in. on every
day of the week, except the last two. The baro-
meter rose to 30.27 in. on Sunday, and fell to 29.37
on Saturday. The mean temperature of the air in
the week was 42.1 deg., which is 2,3 deg. above the
average of the same week in 43 years (as determined
by Mr. Glaisher). The lowest- night temperature
was 33.7 deg. on Sunday, and it was almost as low
on Monday and Thursday. The highest day tem-
perature was 52 deg. on Wednesday. The range in
the week was therefore 18.3 deg. The mean daily
range was 11.1 deg. The difference between the
mean dew-point temperature and air temperature
was 4.3 deg. The mean degree of humidity of the air
was 86, complete saturation being represented by
100, which point was nearly approached on Tuesday
and two subsequent days. The wind blew from
the south-west till Friday, when it turned to north-
west. On Friday and Saturday it blew with a
pressure which reached 121 b to the square foot on
the former day, and 171 b on the latter. Rain fell
on Wednesday and Thursday to the amount of 0.22
in, being the whole that was measured in the week.
A fine aurora was seen on Sunday night. The mean
of the highest temperature of the Thames was 43.9
deg., that of the lowest 40.9 deg

DEST.RUC7IVE FIRE A 1 DAVIS'S WHARF.

Early yesterday afternoon the outbreak of an-
other fire at the extensive waterside premises
known as Davis's Wharf, Horsleydown, in a line
with Tooley-street and opposite the Tower of Lon-
don, created much excitement amongst the shipping
in the upper part of the Pool, and on both sides of
the river. It appears to have originated from some
unaccountable cause in the jute or D warehouse,
situated at the rear of the main buildings, and sepa.
rated from them by a narrow roadway. In this build-
ing were stored some thousand bales of jute stacked
up to the roof, there being no floors. It is reported
that the men had just returned from dinner when the
alarm was raised that the jute was on fire, and on
some of the principals going to the spot they found
several stacks of jute in flames. No light being per-
mitted in this part of the building, it is difficult to
account for the origin. As many hands as could be
mustered at the time were instantly set to work to
throw bucketsful of water on the blazing jute, but
unfortunately their services were of little avail, for
the fire travelled so quickly from stack to stack, and
the smoke was so overpowering, that the men had
to retire.

The fact of the outbreak having been communi-
cated to the brigade stations, the steam land and.
other engines quickly arrived, as also the two float-
ing engines. As is usually the case at large fires on
this side of the water, there was a laxity of water
to work the land engines. Much alarm prevailed
in case the flames should extend to the large ware-
house of the wharf, which contained a very large
stock of oil, tallow, &c., and that a similar catastrophe
to that which happened about 20 years ago might
occur, when the wharf and immediate neighbour-
hood were destroyed. The firemen, however, worked
with their usual zeal, under the direction of Capt.
Shaw, the superintendent of the force, and the con-
flagration was prevented extending beyond that
portion of the warehouse where it originated.
During the height of the fire Capt. Sbaw received
a serious injury to his hand by a slate falling from
the roof.

The official report states that upwards of 2,000
bales of jute and hemp were destroyed, and also the
roof of the D warehouse. The owners of the wharf,
Messrs. Curling and Co., are insured in several
offices. A somewhat similar fire took place in an
adjacent warehouse in the autumn of last year.

7WO PERSONS SHOT-GUN ACCIDENT,

On Monday morning a gun accident occurred in
Montague-street, Worthing, to the son of Mr. Nor-
ton Smith, of Fairfield-house, whereby two persons
sustained injuries, but which fortunately are not of a
v.-ry serious nature. It appears that the youth, who
is spending his holidays (Mr. Piggott's establish-
ment, where he is a pupil, having commenced the
winter vacation), was passing through Montague-
street with a loaded gun, and when near Montague
Hall, by some mischance—he says his dog, in pas-
sing, knocked the gun out of his hand—it fell upon
the ground, and immediately exp'oded, the dis-
charge, which consisted of small shot, taking
effect partly on the pavement, and partly upon two
individuals, who happened to be about 12 or
18 yards distant at the time. These were a boy
named Knight, errand lad to Mr. Wyatt, and a man
named Tupper, lately a keeper. The shot liberally
besprinkled the former, and penetrated in various
places, inflicting a rather severe wound in the left
cheek, as well as others on the right cheek and the
left hand; the latter was shot, not to such an ex-
tent, however, in the leg and hand. Tne occur-
rence caused considerable alarm in the neighbour-
hood, and particularly to the three parties concerned,
one of whom for a moment evidently fancied himself
" kilt intirely," but was soon assured the case was
not quite so bad as he imagined. The owner of the
gun at once took the injured bey to Dr. Sharpe's,
where his wounds were carefully dressed, and found
to be of no alarming nature. As to the precise
mrnner in which the misfortune was occasioned,
explanations were not very satisfactory ; nor as to
how a loaded gun, carefully carried —as it ought to
be in the public streets—could have been knocked
out of the hand and discharged in the way described.
We trust, however, the occurrence will be
a Warn-
ing to amateur sportsmen, if obliged to carry wea-
pons charged through the thoroughfares, to ne-
glect no precaution to ensure the safety of the pub-.
lie and themselves.—Sussex Express.

A letter from Rome, under date cf the 16th inst.,
states that the Pontifical government has authorised the
return of such of its subjects as have left the country in
consequence of being compromised by the political events
of the last few years, They will, however, be called upon
to explain to the Pontifical authorities at the frontier the
reasons of their departure and their return.