The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-10 00:00:00

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE

WEEK.

(From the Regu G
t ly Return.)
The weekly reportraisrs-uedenerb7sliee
authorityrk of tho Re-
gistrar-General states that the deaths in London in the
week that ended last Saturday numbered 1,179. If the
deaths from epidemic cholera in the thirty-sixth week of
1854 are excluded from the returns on which the calculation
is based, it will be found that the average rate of mortality
in the first week of September in ten years (1852-61) gives
1,160 deaths; and that the deaths now returned are not
much in excess of the estimated number. The deaths from
measles rose from 40, the average of the two previous weeks,
to 58 in the last week. This disease appears to be much
more prevalent in the eastern districts, and especially the
neighbourhood of Bethnal-green, than in any other por-
tion of the metropolis. In the Hackney-road sub-district,
it was returned in seven cases ; in Limehouse four were re-
turned. Scarlatina was fatal in 77 cases, four of which oc-
curred in the Kensington-town sub-district ; 11 in Pancras,
and Bin Rotherhithe. There were 54 deaths from typhus,
a number which exhibits a decline on those of some previ-
ous weeks. Diarrhcoa continues to decrease ; it rose to its
maximum, 123, in the third week of August, and fell to 83
last week. Two-thirds of this latter number occurred in
the east and south districts. Besides those from diarrhoea,
11 deaths, of which nine were those of infants, were refer-
red to cholera and choleraic diarrhoea. A man, aged 49
years, died in Silchester-mews, Kensington, from
" diarrhoea and vomiting (nine days), cholera (four days),
collapse (two days)." A police-constable, aged 25 years,
died on 16th August from " suffocation by three false teeth
being drawn into the glottis when he was running." A
widow died at the age of 95 years. Last week the births of
922 boys and 905 girls, in all 1,827 children, were registered
in London. In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years
1852-61 the average number (corrected) was 1,788.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height
of the barometer in the week was 29.702 in. The reading
rose to 29.91 in. on Sunday, and fell to 29'48 in. on Wed-
nesday. The mean temperature of the air in the week was
57 deg., which is 1.5 deg. below the average of the same
week in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The
highest day temperature was 71.9 deg. on Tuesday; the
lowest night temperature was 45'6 deg. on Friday. The
range of temperature in the week was therefore 26.3
dog. The mean daily range was 18.8 deg. The difference
in
till Tuesday afternoon,
between the mean dew point temperature and air tem-
perature was 6.1 deg. The mean degree
represented
b y 10f
humidity
o of
thoe
ai.
from
me wwainhBdi2c
blew
completeletiwmfeiiotn
wtah saturation
ein tnorth-eastes south-west,
sb et h
-west. The amount of
rain in the week was 0.39 in., a great part of which fell on
Wednesday; smaller quantities fell on almost every other
day. The mean of the highest temperatures of the water
of the Thames was 631 deg. ; the mean of the lowest was
61.5 deg.

M. Chacornac has published the following fur-
ther remarks en this new visitor, still visible in the
heavens, but hastening on to the southern hemi-
sphere :—" The comet continues to present interest-
ing phases in the development of its aigrets. Ob-
serving attentively the form of the jets which
proceed from it at intervals, I have just remarked
a stranger fact than those already described in the
preceding notes. In the last, I mentioned that one
of these jets or rays pointed first in the direction of
the sun, spread out then in the direction contrary
to the movement of the comet; then on the follow-
ing day it was observed making an angle with the
direction of the night before. The recent fine
weather having given me the opportunity for whole
nights to notice the changes of the various vaporous
jets which have proceeded from the nucleus, I will
relate the phenomena in their proper order. In the
first place, it is necessary to say that the ray which
was the night before pointed towards the sun was
not the same which was seen the next day bending
in an opposite direction to the movement of the
comet. This last was a new ray emitted by the
nucleus in the same jdirection. Between the 17th
and 20th August, from alternately exact rectilinear,
or curved and diffuse lines which the rays pre-
sented, I suspected the identity of these two jets;
but, according to the opinion of Bessel, who had
remarked a change in the axis of the aigret of
Halley's comet, I thought there might be some
movement analogous to that of the comet itself, and
all the appearances seemed to confirm this analogy.
Three nights, which were completely clouded, left
me of this opinion. The 22d August being again
fine, I persevered in observing from nine o'clock at
night to four o'clock in the morning, the slightest
variation which a jet directed towards the sun ex-
hibited, and I think I have discovered its true na-
ture. During the night of the 25th to the 26th,
having been able to repeat the same observations
on another jet, which I again saw the evening of
the same day, I will relate briefly the true expla-
nation of the phenomena. The nucleus of the comet
emits, in the direction of the sun, a vaporous jet,
from which there appears to proceed particles of
cometary matter, in the same way as a jet of steam
escapes from a machine. This preserves during a
certain time a rectilinear form, which seem to in-
dicate a considerable force of projection emanating
from the nucleus. Soon after it curves slightly and
presents the appearance of an arched cone, exhibit-
ing a good deal of analogy to a cornucopia, such as
they are usually represented. At this moment the
gaseous particles accumulate at the extremity of the
jet nearest the sun in the form of rounded
,clouds,
and this appearance seems to indicate that at this
distance from the nucleus the force of projection is
subdued by some resistance opposed to it. Some
hours later this luminous jet assumes a diffuse
aspect, and shows that the emission from the nucleus
has ceased to continue in this direction. At the
moment that it begins to change, and in an angle
inclined 30 deg. towards the east, one perceives the
first traces of a new ray, whose development pre-
sents the same phases as the preceding one. Six-
teen hours later one observes a new ray in the di-
rection of the first tract seen the night before, and
this last continuing to change in this interval of
time, appears dispersed in the hemispherical enve-
lope, like a fog, hardly preserving traces of its ori-
ginal form and direction. In these successive trans-
formations the new ray presents afterwards the
same appearance as the one parallel to the radius
vector. From the time of the perihelium passage
of the comet jet which nearly corresponded with
the radius vector inclined by degrees to the west-
ward to that point in which the other ray was
found on the 30th August, precisely in the direc-
tion opposed to the tail of the comet."

AN ACCOUNT OF 7HE LA7E BALLOON
ASCENT AT TVOLVEI?HAMPTON.

MR. GLAISHER'S OBSERVATIONS.

On the earth at lh. 3m. the temperature of the
air was 59 deg., at the height of one mile it was 39
deg., and shortly afterwards we entered a cloud of
about 1,100 feet in thickness, in which the tempe-
rature of the air fell to 361 deg., and the wet bulb
thermometer read the same, showing that the air
here was saturated with moisture. On emerging
from the cloud at lh. 17m. we came into a flood of
light, with a beautiful blue sky, without a cloud
above us, and a magnificent sea of cloud below, its
surface being varied with endless hills, hillocks,
mountain chains, and many snow white masses ris-
ing from it. I here tried to take a view with the
camera, but we were rising with too great rapidity,
and going round and round too quickly to enable
me to do so; the flood of light, however, was so
great, that all I should have needed would have
been a momentary exposure, as Dr_ Hill-Norris had
kindly furnished me with extremely sensitive dry
plates for the purpose.
When we reached two miles in height, at lh.
21m., the temperature had fallen to the freezing
point. We were three miles high at lh. 28m., with
a temperature of 18 deg. ; at lh. 39m. we had reached
four miles, and the temperature was 8 deg. ; in ten
minutes more we had reached the fifth mile, and
the temperature had passed below zero, and then
read minus 2 deg., and at this point no dew was ob-
served on Regnault's Hygrometer when cooled
down to minus 30 deg. Up to this time I had taken
the observations with comfort. I had experienced
no difficulty in breathing, whilst Mr. Coxwell, in
consequence of the necessary exertions he had to
make, had breathed with difficulty for some time.
At lh. 51m. the barometer reading was 11.05
inches, but which requires a subtractive correction
of 0.25 inch, as found by comparison with Lord
Wrottesley's standard barometer just before start-
ing, both by his lordship and myself, which would
reduce it to 10.8 inches, or at a height of about 51-
miles. 1 read the dry bulb thermometer as minus
5 deg. ; in endeavouring to read the wet bulb I
could not see the column of mercury. I rubbed my
eyes, then took a lens and also failed. I then tried
to read the other instruments, and found I could
not do so, nor see the hands of the watch. I asked
Mr. Coxwell to help me, and he said ho must go
into the ring, and he would when he came down.
I endeavoured to reach some brandy which was
lying on the table, at the distance of about a
foot from my hand, and found myself unable to
do so. My sight became more dim. I looked
at the barometer, and saw it between 10 and 11
inches, and tried to record it, but was unable to
write. I then saw it at 10 inches, still decreasing
fast, and just noted it in my book; its true reading
therefore at this time was about 91in., implying a
height of 51 miles, as a change of lin. in the read-
ing of the barometer at this elevation takes place on
a change of a height of 2,500 ft. I felt I was losing
all power, and endeavoured to rouse myself by
struggling and shaking. I attempted to speak, and
found I had lost the power. I attempted to look at
the barometer again ; my head fell on one side. I
struggled and got it right, and it fell on the other,
and finally backwards. My arm, which had been
resting on the table, fell down by my side. I saw
Mr. Coxwell dimly in the ',ring ; it became more
misty, misty, and finally dark, and I sank uneonscio
as in sleep. This must have been about lh. 54m. 1
;q the tempe-
then heard Mr. Coxwell say, " What -„ Be! I could
rature ? Take an observation; now try
neither see, move, nor speak. heard him speak
I otbhseenr
vation. Now, do
more emphatically, "Take an
my eyes, saw the
try," I shortly afterwards opened
ivery dimly, and soon
instruments and Mr. Coxwel
saw clearly, and said to died,Coxwll, " I have been
You have, and I
insensible ;"
quickly, and r. Coxwell said
and he rep m
nearly." I recovered
f my hands, give m
—e some
cc I have lost the o
His hands
brandy to bathe them.
black. I saw still
the temperature wasWere nearly
below zero,
and the barometer reading eleven inches, but in-
creasing qui4ly J resumed my obseryations at

2h. 7m., recording the barometer reading 11.53 in.
and the temperature minus 2. I then found that
the water in the vessel supplying the wet-bulb
thermometer, which I had by frequent disturbances
kept from freezing, was one mass of ice. Mr. Cox-
well then told me that whilst in the ring he felt it
piercingly cold, that hoar frost was all round the
neck of the balloon, and on attempting to leave the
ring he found his hands frozen, and ho got down
how he could ; that he found me motionless, with a
quiet and placid expression on the countenance ; he
spoke to me without eliciting a reply, and found I
was insensible. He said he felt insensibility was
coming over himself, that he became anxious to
open the valve, that his hands failed him, and that
he seized the line between his teeth and pulled the
valve open until the balloon took a turn downwards,
This act is quite characteristic of Mr. Coxwell. I
have never yet seen him without a ready means of
meeting every difficulty as it has arisen, with a cool
self-possession that has always left my mind per-
fectly easy, and given to me every confidence in his
judgment in the management of so large a balloon.
On asking Mr. Coxwell whether he had noticed
the temperatnre, he said he could not, as the faces
of the instrument were all towards me ; but that he
had noticed that the centre of the aneroid barometer,
its blue hand, and a rope attached to the car, were
in the same straight line; if so, the reading must
have been between seven and eight inches. A height
of six miles and a half corresponds to eight inches.
A delicate self-registering minim thermometer
read minus 12 degrees, but unfortunately I did not
read it till I was out of the car, and I cannot say
that its index was not disturbed on descending.
When the temperature rose to 17 deg. it was re-
marked as warm, and 24 deg. as very warm.

The temperature gradually and constantly in-
creased to 57 deg. on reaching the ground. It was
remarked that the sand was warm to the hand, and
steamed on being discharged.
Six pigeons were taken np—one was thrown out
at the height of three miles, it extended its wings
and dropped as a piece of paper; a second at four
miles flew vigorously round and round, apparently
taking a great dip each time.

A third was thrown out between four and five
miles, and it fell downwards
A fourth was thrown out at four miles when de-
scending ; it flew in a circle, and shortly alighted
on the balloon.

The two remaining pigeons were brought down
to the ground. One was found dead, and the other,
a " carrier," had attached to its neck a note. It
would not, however, leave, and when cast off the
finger returned to the hand. After a quarter of an
hour it began to peck a piece of ribbon by which its
neck was encircled, and it was then jerked off the
finger, and it flew with some vigour finally towards
Wolverhampton. Not one, however, had returned
when I left on the afternoon of the 6th.

Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Proud,
the engineer of the gas works, for the production
of gas of such a small specific gravity.

It would seem from these facts that five miles is
very nearly the limit of human existence. It is
possible, as the effect of each high ascent upon my-
self has been different, that in another I might be
able to go higher; and it is possible that some per-
sons may be able to exist with less air and bear a
greater degree of cold, but still I think prudence
would say to all, whenever the barometer reading
falls as low as eleven inches, open the valve at onee,
the increased information to be attained is not com-
mensurate with the increased risk.
September 9. JAMES GLAISHEIt..

STATE OF MADE.

MANCHESTER, Sept. 9.—So far as yarns are con-
cerned we have a dead pause in this market to-day,
and there has been no inclination manifested either
on the part of speculators or the buyers for legiti-
mate trade to operate. The market is remarkably
firm. Neither spinners nor holders of yarn show
any disposition to make the slightest concession in
prices; or, if they do, it is to such a slight extent
as utterly to fail in tempting either speculators or
the trade to purchase. Both buyers and sellers
seem equally disposed to rest for awhile, and per-
haps after operations of such magnitude as those
of the last few weeks this was only to be expected.
The question as to the stock of cotton in Liverpool
naturally engages a good deal of attention, some
people estimating the quantity still on hand at
100,000 to 150,000 bales ; but the question is one
which does not much affect this market, though it
may be to some extent accountable for the very
quiet state of the trade as compared with last
week. For cloth as well as yarn the demand has
fallen off almost entirely. Merchants are doing
nothing at all. The business continues, as last
week, to be entirely in the hands of speculators, but
even they have paused. They are taking lots
wherever they can find them at lower prices, and
the market for most kinds of cloth is at least 6d.
per piece under the rates of last Tuesday. In
some cases, probably, rather more, for persons de-
sirous of selling. Few, however, manifest anxiety
to sell. The stocks of cloth in first hands are so
light and the production is so limited that sellers
generally are much firmer than might be expected
from the amount of business doing. The master
spinners and manufacturers have been accused,
rightly or wrongly, of apathy as to our future sup-
ply of cotton, and of holding aloof too much from
the various schemes which have been set afloat for
growing and procuring cotton from new fields of
cultivation. It is, therefore, gratifying to find
that the working classes are directing their atten-
tion to this question. A Working Men's Cotton Sup-
ply Association is in course of formation,w ith its head-
quarters in Manchester, and committees are being
organised in the various towns of Lancashire. 0_!,
soon as this organisation is in a sufficient state °,l
forwardness, probably about the end of October/ it
• M
is proposed to have a great demonstrations on-
s m.
al
chester with a view to fairly enlisting tl:puyblic
d their pathies of the factory operatives an -
of r pro-
generally in the movement. A part
e to the utmost
gramme is to promote and encourag both
; ga for cot-
of their power joint-stock compobe-,
n forwarding
ton-growing, and for procuring
present grown,
present! supposed to
cotton from countries where::
companies, not only work-
but where the facilities are
Pin-vited to take shares,
be inadequate. In thesetcool:
ing men themselves ared
the
small retail tradesmen
the ewooprke riantgiv_me:csni:idthhgttilm.Pe towns whose welfare
but their employers, enuring
of the various mande tu
pcted and linked with that of
cotton trade. A deputation
already had an interview
is so intimately con
he
on this subject,
asohdoemnao-.
rtv have
organising
theirt h e m
and that
with Mr. Baziel.' h
schemes already before
ng • the public, with
gtieonntAn'oloefmxtasne
os
aid
of increasing the supply of cotton, there are
seven whose
even whose shares have already been fixed on a
sufficiently low scale to admit of means even so
humble as those working men can afford to aid in
their object. The first of these in the field was the
British Cotton Company, who
propose
their energies to the growth of cotton
ni t
in
o direct
Jamaica,
Natal, and Queensland, and whose shares are only
£1 each. The next was the Manchester Cotton
Company, who issued their shares at £lOO, but sub-
sequently reduced them to £2O, and then to £lO.
This company has already taken steps for procur-
ing and packing cotton in India, as might be seen
by the proceedings at a recent meeting.
Another company, the Jamaica Cotton Company,
with £lO shares, have also commenced opera-
tions. Another is the East India Cotton Agency,
with £lO shares ; and, besides these, there
are the Western Australia, with £5 shares, the
Queensland, with £lO shares, and the Algerian
Cotton Company, with £5 shares. These associa-
tions alone, if their shares were all taken, ought to
give a considerable impetus to the future supply of
the staple of our manufactures without going fur-

ther. But, no doubt, the wol.king eke
out their object in their own way, and
aibitthis
11
will be looked to with considerable int
ever may be the result.
day LEEDS,ha7e
s9htohw. —n Tmhoer
more
animation
n im marketsat
iionn tthhean cloth-h
thoseoi
day se'nnight, and a larger bulk of cloth changed
hands. Various fabrics for overcoats and strong
cloths for winter wear were in demand. There
was also mole done than of late in ordinary cloths
and unions. The latter, if of good quality and
make, command an advance in price. Cotton yarns
are almost double the price they were a few months
ago. The use of "shoddy "—that is, of old woollen
goods torn up and made into something like wool
cgain—has long been common in this district for
many kinds of woollen goods; and Dow, it is said,
cotton shoddy is in the process of manufacture and
use, and that, as a consequence, cotton rags are now
sought with avidity, and are selling at grew ly ad-
vanced prices. Cotton shoddy, whether used alone
or intermixed with portions of new cotton, can be
used for only the coarser kinds of yarn, and to what
extent it is perhaps too sbon to speculate.
ROCHDALE, Bth.—The flannel-market has been
active to-day, and a good deal of business has been
done for both immediate and future delivery, and
for both ordinary flannels and fancy goods. Alto-
gether the trado wears an improved aspect, and
manufacturers are well employed. There is an in-
crease in the demand for Yorkshire goods. Prices
of all kinds of goods are very firm. Wools, too,
keep up in price, and some kinds are selling for
more money than last week's quotations.