The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-25 00:00:00

HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

from the Hooghly, 16 miles from Calcutta. If we
can fancy a European city in the hottest days of a
sultry summer, with a very scanty supply of impure
water, and the drainage entirely destroyed, we shall
not wonder that the City of Palaces has not been
hitherto regarded as a city of health. The health
officer has recently issued his first report, and
gives some account of his labours in the
native town which has always been a grievous
stumbling-block in the way of sanitary reform. It
has been divided into sanitary divisions, each in
charge of a regular staff. All offensive matter is
removed outside the city and burnt, unwholesome
trades have been removed, drains opened and
cleaned, and a vigorous clearance made in every way,
while a supervision has been held over the food im-
ported from Europe, much of which was of a very
doubtful character. As for the dangers and incon-
veniences arising from the overcrowding of the port,
these are hoped to be modified by the labours of the
committee, which Sir JOHN LAWRENCE appointed
some time since to examine into the subject. The
chief engineer of the East Indian Railway has pro-
posed that the line should be taken across the
liooghly a few miles above the city, so as to run
into the terminus of Sealdah, where it is intended to
concentrate the railways, and from which lines are
to run south of the city to take up the foreign
steamer traffic. There are some objections raised to
other parts of the scheme, but its principle appears
to be sound. It is only to be hoped that the autho-
rities will give it full and fair consideration, and not
be biased by the wishes of any one clique or party,
but take into consideration the natural character-
istics of the place, so as to make the
most of the advantages ready to their
hands, and weigh the opinions of practical
men who know the requirements of the traffic and
the peculiarities of the ports. The extension of the
railway system is an important element in the civi-
lisation of India, as well as in the improvement of
Anglo-Indian health, seeing that a few days or
weeks' change is now no longer an expensive and
tedious process. But, notwithstanding Sir C.
WOOD'S self-satisfaction as to his own good deeds
in this direction, it seems that he has not afforded
the railways all the encouragement and assistance
that he might have done, and that, despite the
great and increasing traffic between Calcutta and
Delhi, the railway facilities have been increased very
slowly. So vast is the pressure that the rail way
officials consider there is great risk of collision. The
Governor-General has sanctioned an expenditure of
£lOO,OOO to double the line from Luckee Serai,
near Patna, up to the Jumna, and has addressed
Sir CHARLES WOOD, who has hitherto stood
in the way. The same non-progressive
baronet has objected to the establishment of a
Telegraph Company, though the excessive pressure
on the telegraphs already at work is a matter of
general complaint and causes great inconvenience.
When we get a few more drags off the wheels and
really allow India to enjoy free competition and
internal liberty, we shall be able in some degree to
appreciate what the country would be were its re-
sources actually developed.

THIS DAY.—Morning, 2h. Om.—Afternoon, 2h. 24m.
o-Mo ow.-Morning, 2h. 47m.—Afternoon, 3h. 12m.

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Yesterday due honour was paid to an anniversary
always interesting to loyal Englishmen, and the
number and splendour of the State banquets and
other festivals held in commemoration of QUEEN
VICTORIA'S birthday were gratifying evidence of the
regard and respect in which our Sovereign is held.
It is especially pleasant to a people which likes to
respect its rulers for their characters and conduct as
well as for their position to see the young Heir
Apparent devoting himself betimes to those
gracious duties which ordinarily fall to the
reigning monarch, and showing in various ways
that he has inherited those tastes and talents
which long made the name of Prince ALBERT
conspicuous in the world of science and art. The
Prince of WALES yesterday paid a most interesting
visit, and one which, as a matter of national import-
ance, and one of the chief wonders of this age of
skill and enterprise, it was fitting he should honour
with his presence. His visit to the Great Eastern for
the inspection of the arrangements for conveying the
Atlantic telegraph to its submarine destination wa'S not
a mere complimentary matter of course, but his care-
ful examination and inquiry showed that he fully
appreciated the immense importance and difficulty
of the undertaking. It is one upon whose suc-
cessful prosecution Englishmen have long set their
hearts, and should it, as there is every reasonable
ground to hope, succeed this time, the young Prince
will be gratified that he should havo afforded the
encouragement of his visit to its skilful and inde-
fatigable constructors.

The anniversary meeting of the Royal Geographi-
cal Society took place on Monday last, when Sir
RODERICK MURCHISON, the President, occupied the
chair. The proceedings were very interesting, and
well worthy of attention. The President's address
embraced the topics suitable to the occasion, and
afforded general satisfaction. Nothing is more in-
teresting of its kind than to trace the progress of
i geography, and nowhere can such a theme be more
appropriate than in a country like this. Explora-
tion has been carried to an extent in these days that
would have amazed and astounded our forefathers,
and each great exploit serves only to nerve others
with fresh zeal and renewed ardour. Sir R. MUR-
CHISON had a wide field for his discourse, and he
made the most of his opportunity. The thirty-five
years during which the Geographical Society has
been in existence have indeed been momentous ones,
and the want of such an institution to increase and
perfect our knowledge of geography has been more
and more felt during each successive year. It is
wonderful to contemplate the effects produced by
the energy and enterprise of modern days, and the
President did well to point out as one of the more
striking consequences,that " nearly 2 -3 ds of Australia
have now been either settled or partially explored,
while the population, which in the year 1830
amounted only to about 50,000, has risen to nearly
1,500,000 inhabitants." There is every reason for
the assertion that before this generation passes
away there will be an intercourse established be-
tween Australia and our East Indian possessions,
China, and Japan. It must have been a satisfac-

tion for Sir R. MURCHISON to advert to a passage
in a farewell address of his, in which he prophesied
that the energy of British colonists would
connect the Australian possessions with the
rich marts of the Eastern hemisphere. Some
wise individuals doubted the accuracy of this prog-
nostication, but time has shown them their mis-
take. Because much has been done, however, it
will not do'to imagine that there is any reason
to give up all efforts ; and those who have time
and opportunity to pursue this inspiriting and in-
teresting work will find, as the PRESIDENT said,
" countless unexplored fields." Enormous tracts
in Australia have yet to be visited, and in America
much is waiting for the explorer's energy to dis-
cover and make known to the generality of
mankind. Both North and South America
possess abundant scope for the disco-
veries of science ; and as for Asia, the
cradle of the human race, Sir R. MURCHISON has
shown that there the eye of the geographer may
rest on as many terra incognita as in desolated
Africa or America. China and Japan form prolific
subjects for contemplation. The learned President
concluded by mentioning that a very considerable
expedition had been sent to that part of Africa
which was the subject of so much discussion, and
where SPEKE and BURTON had made their disco-
veries. The projected expeditionto the North Pole
was also alluded to, and the President observed that
they had communications with the Imperial Aca-
demy of Sciences at St. Petersburg ; and that the
Russian Academicians concur in the opinion of the
Royal Geographical Society with respect to the
advisability of such an undertaking. There is
truth in the remark of Sir R. MURCHISON that there
are too many people now-a-days who " see no merit
in any advancement of knowledge if it does not
carry with it political profit ;" yet, as he says, they
have the satisfaction of being sustained by the
science of Europe ; and certainly the progress of
the Society is such as to encourage all who take part
in it, and to hold out the confident expectation that
it will go on and prosper,to the credit of its members
and the general advancement and enlightenment
of the community.

LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1865.

The acknowledgment of an evil is the first step
towards its alleviation, and accordingly, when once
the unhealthy condition of our Indian capital was
openly admitted to affect the public wellbeing, there
was hope that some steps would be taken by the
necessary authorities for the introduction of sanitary
reform. There were, it is true, tremendous diffi-
culties to contend against. There was old-estab-
lished prejudice in the way, and that supineness and
love of dirt which seem to be especially congenial
to the Bengalese character ; there were the long
years of neglect on our own part, the indifference or
dislike to change of the Anglo-Indians, besides the
fear of interfering with native religious prejudice,
which was inclined to regard any effort on behalf of
public health or general cleanliness as a direct
attack upon their faith. Still it was not likely,
when, one after another, our most distinguished
public public servants fell victims to an exhausting
climate and to the pestilential diseases generated by
a disregard of all sanitary laws that would be fatal
in
a temperate zone, that some effort would not be
made to stay the sacrifice. Many of the dangers
of Calcutta were due to the difficulties attend-
ing the vast increase of the traffic of the
port and the inefficient arrangements for
it ; many more to
the vicinity of the na-
tive town, and the rigorous observance of pesti-
lential customs, such as flinging the dead into the
river, so that corpses floated up and down with -the
tide, a prey to the birds and beasts. But others
were due to an absolute disregard of what, among
ourselves, would be held as the first requisites of a
civilised city. If London had no better system of
water supply and of drainage than Calcutta has had
for many years, we should certainly expect the
Registrar's tables to show a different amount of sick-
ness and mortality. Of late, however, a change has
been instituted, and if there still remains much to be
done, we may be thankful at least that the work is
set on foot, and that the movement, if slow, is in the
right direction. One of the most important steps
WS yet taken is the establishment of a system of
regular drainage, which, when completed, will have
a most -beneficial effect. Scarcely second to this i$
the design for a supply of pure water, to be raised

The Liberal-Conservative working-men of
Brighton dined together yesterday, and some in-
teresting speeches were made. Mr. MOOR, M.P.,
addressed them at some length. He declared that he
had not sought to come forward, and that it was only
on account of solicitation that he had been induced
to exchange the retirement of a private life for the
duties and responsibilities of a public one. He thus
htood beide them as one of their representatives in

Parliament. The hon. member gave an interesting LATEST .ENTELLIGENCE —" No goods shall be sold in an insurrectionary
account of his previous career, having been, as he state by or to, nor any transportation held with,
(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)
informed his hearers, " for a long period of his life +any person or persons not loyal to the Government
of the United States. Proof of loyalty must be the
across the Atlantic engaged in public life." He was
for some time a member of the Colonial Parliament, SPA.IN. taking or subscribing the following, or evidence, to
MADRID, MAY 25.
be filed, that it or one similar in purport and mean-
but he very accurately defined the difference which ing has been taken, viz.:--" I, , do solemnly
existed between the observances there taking place and swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I will
the House of Commons. In an amusing manner he henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend
described whathe thought to be the most correct form the Constitution of the United States, and all laws
made in pursuance thereto."
of procedure under the circumstances, to keep his eyes The 14th and last paragraph of the order pro-
and ears open and his mouth shut until he obtained vides that these regulations shall go into force on
a position and standing. Mr. MOOR spoke very and after the 10th day of May, 1865, and shall
fairly on most points ; he was decidedly opposed to supersede and annul all previous regulations bearing
church rates, and declared that he would rather upon the same subject.
not have his Church supported by other sects, and
that an entire abolition of the church rates would,
he believed, ultimately tend to the benefit and
welfare of the Church of England. He also ap-
proved of the Union Chargeability Bill, conducing
as it did to the interest of the poor. To " fair,
true, and honest reform" Mr. MOOR said that he
had no objection whatever, but he did not like
piece-meal legislation like Mr. BAINES'S one-bar-
relled Reform Bill. The hon. member gave a
graphic sketch of some of the opinions entertained
by the Liberals, and showed how inconsistent
and incomplete they were, and how much they
differed from each other in material points. Those
who are vehemently in favour of the six-pound
franchise do not care to extend the privilege to
lodgers, and some of the extreme party who would
advocate manhood and womanhood suffrage are
opposed to the ballot. Taken on the whole, it can-
not be said that Mr. Moon's speech was not a fair
one, and it seemed to afford great pleasure to those
who heard it. The distinctions of party are now so
very faintly marked that more real Liberalism will
often be met in so-called Conservative speeches
than in the shuffling remarks of those who put for-
ward a cause with pretentiousness that they really
dislike, and trust to their opponents to get rid of.

In to-day's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies,
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in reply to a ques-
tion put to him by a member, said that in the
Budget Turin bad been designated as the residence
of the Spanish Ambassador, because the Court of
King Victor Emmanuel was still in that city when
the Budget was drawn up. Nothing had as yet been
decided by the Council of Ministers in reference to
the future residence of the ambassador. He added

that the salary of a Spanish ambassador to Francis
11. of Naples had been suppressed, but that out of
respect to the ex-King and attachj of the Spanish
embassy at Rome would fulfil the duties of Spanish
representative to that monarch.

THE CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.
The following telegram has been received by
Reuter's Telegram Company (Limited) from the
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-
pany, May 25 :

MARSEILLES, MAY 25.
The Nijanza, with the above mails, arrived here
at 8 a.m. to-day.
The mails leave for London at 11 30 a.m.

HEALTH OF LONDON,

(From the Registrar-General's Weekly Return.)

In the week that ended on Saturday, May 20, the
births in London and ten other large towns of the
United Kingdom were 4,364 ; the deaths 2,542.
The annual rate of mortality in the week in those
11 towns was 23 per 1,000 persons living ; slightly
higher than the rate that prevailed in the previous
week.

In London the births of 1,083 boys and 1,109
girls, in all 2,191 children, were registered in the
corresponding weeks of 10 years 1855-64 ; the ave-
rage number, corrected for increase of population,
was 1,917.

'AYS.

The deaths in London in the same period were
168, a number almost identical with that in the

previous week (1,167). The average number for
the 20th week in 10 years (corrected) is 1,268. The
deaths in the present return are less by 100 than the
estimated amount.

Zymotic diseases proved fatal to 258 persons.
Twelve deaths occurred from smallpox, 12 from
measles, 24 from scarlatina, 7 from diphtheria, 60
from whooping-cough, and 43 from typhus.
One hundred and ninety-eight persons died from
phthisis, 94 from bronchitis, 48 from pneumonia, 48
from diseases of the heart, and 145 from diseases of
the brain and nervous system.
A carter, aged 19, died on May 2 at St. George's
Hospital from having been run over by a cart. An
engineer's turner, aged 29, died on May 5 at St.
Thomas's Hospital from having been run over by
an omnibus. A tobacco manufacturer, aged 68,
died on May 13 at St. Bartholomew's Hospital from
compound fracture of both legs, caused by an omni-
bus passing over him in Skinner-street, Holborn.
The widow of a clergyman died at Burton-cres-
cent, St. Pancras, at the age (as stated) of 104.
The rate of mortality last week was 20 per 1,000
in London, 24 in Edinburgh, and 25 in Dublin, 31
in Liverpool, 30 in Manchester, 28 in Salford, 17 in
Birmingham, 28 in Leeds, 17 in Bristol, 28 in Hull,
and 32 in Glasgow. The rate in Vienna was 41
per 1,000 during the week ending the 6th instant,
when the temperature was 1 deg. Fahrenheit higher
than in the same week in London, where the rate
was 21 per 1,000.
In Liverpool the births were 385, the deaths 283 ;
in Manchester, births 286, deaths 202 ; in Salford,
births 89, deaths 60 ; in Birmingham, births 297,
deaths 109 ; Leeds, births 252, deaths 120 ; Bris-
tol, births 102, deaths 53 ; Hull, births 86, deaths
55 ; Edinburgh, births 119, deaths 81 ; Glasgow,
births 355, deaths 258 ; Dublin, births 201, deaths
153. There were 444 deaths in Vienna during the
week ending the 6th inst.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.851 in.
The barometrical reading increased from 29.45 in. on
Monday to 30.22 in. on Saturday. The mean temper-

ature of the air in the week was 53.7 deg., which
is 11 deg. above the average of the same week in
50 years (as determinalby Mr. Glaisher). The lowest
night temperature was 39.2 deg. on Tuesday. The
entire range of temperature in the week was, there-
fore, 33.6 deg. The mean of the highest tempera-
tures of the water of the Thames was 581 deg. ; that
of the lowest was 56.9 deg. The difference between
the mean dew point temperature and air temperature
was 9 deg. The mean degree of humidity of the
air was 73, complete saturation being represented by
100. Rain fell to the amount of 016 in., which is
equivalent to a fall of 16 tons of rain per acre. The
general direction of the wind was south-west. At
Glasgow rain fell to the amount of 0.47 in., equal to
47 tons of rain per acre. At Leeds the rain fall was
only 00.4 in., equal to 4 tons of rain per acre.

Extraordinary Scene on the Edinburgh and

Glasgow Railway.

TERRIFIC THUNDERSTORM AND WATERSPOUT.
The thunderstorm which on Monday seemed
brooding over the city developed itself with terrible
intensity in an easterly direction, and gave rise to a
scene of an extraordinary description on the Edin-
burgh and Glasgow line, at a short distance east of
Croy station, occasioning a feeling of the utmost
alarm amongst those who were its unexpected wit-
nesses, and whose lives for a time were placed in
considerable danger. From the information which
we have been able to gather, it appears that as the
4 o'clock express train from Edinburgh to Glasgow
was nearing Croy station, and speeding along the
line which at this point is carried through a deep
cutting, the engine-driver was signalled when pass-
ing the 4.15 p.m. express from Glasgow to proceed
cautiously. Shortly after the warning had been
given a fearful noise was heard ; flashes of lightning
gleamed through the hazy air, followed by quick
crashes of thunder ; the carriages of the train were
at the same time assailed with what seemed to the
affrighted passengers within a terrific shower of
hail, and in an instant a perfect deluge of water
came sweeping down from the shelving rocks on
either side of the cutting. A waterspout had evi-
dently burst in the vicinity of the line, and before
the speed of the train could be diminished to any
considerable extent it shot right into the centre of
the suddenly-released waters, which, foaming and
seething, rushed into the cutting in solid sheets. The
water gradually rose outside the carriages, reaching
in a short time the footboard,and afterwards floating
the first-class compartments, while the hissing noise
which was produced through contact with the works
of the engine tended to increase the feeling of con-
sternation and alarm which already prevailed amongst
the passengers. The difficulties of the situation were
still further complicated by the sudden descent of a
quantity of stonework from the heights above,
arising, probably, from the giving way of a dry
stone dike, which, spreading across the rails, de-
stroyed any hope that might have been entertained
of a passage being effected down the line after the
water had cleared away. All this was the work of a
few minutes. The passengers had been suddenly
placed in a most critical position, and the safety
with which they were enabled to tide it over--no
personal injuries having been sustained—was pro-
bably owing to the presence of mind of the engine-
driver, who, when he saw the turn which affairs
were taking, at once fixed his damper over the fur-
nace, thus preventing the ingress of the water, and
avoiding the explosion which might otherwise have
followed. The train was by and by backed out of
the water ; and while it was evident that the jour-
ney to Glasgow must be for some time delayed all
positive danger was at an end. The waterspout had
evidentlyibeen limited to a comparatively narrow
area, within which, however, it had operated with
terrible force, for on reaching Croy it was found
• that here the elemental strife had been even more
alarming while it lasted. The telegraph wires along
the line had been destroyed, so that communication
with Glasgow was cut off.—Glasgow Herald.
be -?

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND.—The Board of Trade
has issued the annual account of this fund. The
pensions payable at the end of 1864 to masters and seamen,
and widows and children, were 16,950 in number, amount-
ing together to £63,018 ; 1,429 pensions, amounting to
£3,723, expired in the year 1864 ; and 729 now pensions,
amounting to £2,750, were created. Sums amounting to
£27,514 were received by the Board of Trade in 1864 from
masters of vessels, colonial collectors of Customs, and Bri-
tish Consuls, for wages and effects of 4,283 deceased sea-
men; and sums amounting to £18,078 were paid to the re-
latives and representatives of 2,173 deceased seamen; bu
there is still an unclaimed balance in hand amounting to
£65,125, and continually increasing. The sum of £8,463,
amount unclaimed received before 1858, was paid into the
Exchequer in 1864.
CRYSTAL PALACE.—ONE SHILLING DAY.—
WEDNESDAY, May 24.—Admissions on payment, 13,957 ;
ditto by kenou tickets, 6,402; total visitors, 20,359. •