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

HEALTH OF LONDON,

(From the Registrar-General's TVeekly 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.
The deaths in London in the same period were
1,168, 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 tlospital 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 Loudon, 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 1.1 deg. above the average of the same week in
50 years (as determined by 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 58.1 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 0.16 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
evidentlyjbeen limited to a comparatively narrow
area, within which, however, it had operated with
terrible force, for on reaching Croy it vas 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.

MEP,CITANT 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 £53,018 ; 1,429 pensions, amounting to
£3,723, expired in the year 1864 ; and 729 new pensions,
amounting to £2,750, were created. Sums amounting to
£27,514 wore 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.—Aclynissions on payment, 13,957
ditto by season tickets, 6,402; total visitors, 20,359.