The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-26 00:00:00

CORPORATION IMPROVEMENTS.

Mr. LAW LEY, chairman of the Coal, Corn, and
Finance Committee, presented reports from them,
recommending that the sum of £15,348 for works in
the Guildhall be provided out of the city's cash ;
also £1,870 for paving the Guildhall, and the sum
of £6,850 for the purchase of Nos. 74 and 75, Basing-
hall-street ; and recommending a grant of £26 ss.
to the Ist London Artillery Brigade.

The reports were adopted, and the court adjourned.

Charge of Attempted Poisoning by a

Surgeon•

ASHBURTON, Tuesday.
This morning Charles Gordon Sprague, a medical prac-
titioner in this town, was brought up on remand, before
the magistrates sitting in petty sessions at the London Inn,
charged under the 24th and 25th Vict., cap. 100, sec. 11,
murder James Chalker, of Ashbur-
ton, with
to
kill andand
withintent feloniouslywilfully administering certain poison,
ton, ironmonger ; Sarah Chalker, his wife ; Sarah, the wife
of the said Chas. Gordon Sprague ; and Mary Jane Pigeon,"
a servant.

The magistrates present were Messrs. J. S. Amery and
11. B. T. Wrey.
Mr. Tucker, of the firm of Tucker and Sons, solicitors,
of Ashburton, appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Carter,
solicitor, of Torquay, defended the prisoner, who was
brought up in charge of Mr. James
_Cleland Moore, super-
intendent ; and Sergeant Coles, of the county con-
stabulary. He is a young man of about 24 years of age,
and seemed thoroughly self-possessed throughout the exa-
mination.

Great excitement prevailed in the town, and the magis-
trates' room was densely crowded.
Mr. Caunter, the clerk to the magistrates, read over the
evidence taken on the previous examination, but as it has
not been published, we give the entire evidence.
Mary Ann Pidgeon said—l hve at Ashburton, and am in
service at Mr. Chalker's. I have been living there three
months and a fortnight on Sunday. The members of the
family are Mr. and Mrs. Chalker, Mr. and Mrs. Sprague,
and myself. On Sunday morning last Mr. Sprague left
Ashburton by the omnibus. Ido not know when he re-
turned. There was a pie made on Saturday for Sunday's
dinner; there was a crust on the top. The pie consisted of
a rabbit and some beef. The flour was kept in a small bar-
rel on the table in the kitchen, and is open to all. Mr.
Sprague hashissurgery upstairs, where he keeps hisdrugs.
Mr. Sprague was at home last Sunday. Wo dined off the
*pie on Sunday about half-past 1. We all ate of the pie. I
felt ill after eating the pie. About 2 o'clock I felt sick and
vomited. I became worse. Mrs. Sprague became ill about
the same time. She came into the kitchen and told me so.
Mrs. Sprague sent me to Mr. Bock's, the chemist, for two
seidlitz powders—one for myself and one for her. Both
powders were taken by us—one by Mrs. Sprague, I mean,
and one by myself. I got worse. I went for Dr. Gervis to
attend Mrs. Sprague. That was about 4 o'clock. Ho came
and saw her. Mrs. Chalker gave me some mustard and
water, and I vomited a little. I got worse by the evening.
I cannot recollect what took place after 4 o'clock. Ido not
recollect being taken home. Dr. Crispin attended me. 1
have been bed ever since, and got up to-day for the first
time. I cannot recollect whether I walked home or not. I
ate part of the rabbit and some crust, and tasted the beef. I
did not like the beef. I could not see anything to distinguish
it at first. I could see well on Saturday.
By the prisoner—Mrs. Chalker made the pie on Satur-
day. I did not see it made. It was about half-an-hour
after I ate of the pie that I felt the symptoms come on. I
did not vomit until about 4 o'clock. I have been subject
to sick headache before, but it does not come on after dinner.
On going home my legs kept giving way under me. I don't
remember anything after I got home. I had not any diar-
rhoea. I don't know what became of the remainder of the
flour. I did not find the rabbit sour. I have had no rash
or breaking out about the skin.

Re-examined—My feelings were very different from the
sick headaches I have had before. My legs gave way un-
der me. I never felt before like I felt then.

W. S. Gervis, surgeon, said—On Sunday last I met the
last witness as I was coming out of church. She said,
"Please come over and see Mrs. Sprague directly—she is
very unwell." I went a few minutes after, and saw Mrs.
Sprague. She said she had been vomiting a great deal,
and pointe-.1 to the wash-hand basin, saying that was the
result. I found she had an eruption about her face, like
nettle-rash, and remarked she had been taking something
that did not agree with her. She said she had eaten rabbit
pre, and it must be that. I went home, and shortly
after the last witness came to my house for medicine,
which I gave nor. She called half an hour after, and asked
for the lancet fur Mr. Sprague. I was surprised, and said,
" What do you mean ? Mr. Sprague is at Dartmouth." She
replied, " Oh, I forgot ; you must come down and sm Mrs
Chalker, she is taken ill." I found Mrs. Chalker in the
drawing-room, her face swollen, her eyes prominent, and
Mr. Chalker supporting her. She was incoherent in her
speech. I ordered her to go to bed, and it was difficult to
get her there. I think she was not able to stand. We put
her to bed by main force, and I helped. Mr. Chalker then
appeared quite well. That was about six, or a quarter
before. Mrs. Chalker was in that critical state that I re-
mained until two in the morning. Mr. Chalker was taken
ill about half-past seven in the same manner as the others.
After 1 gave him an emetic he walked into the garden.
As he returned I saw him in the court-yard, and advised
him to go upstairs. He fell down at the bottom of the
stairs, and appeared paralysed and lost the use of his legs.
He appeared to be unconscious. I took him by the
collar, and dragged him upstairs into the drawing- '
room. I attempted to place him on the sofa and he
turned his head and became very sick. He was perfectly
helpless. 1 got assistance and carried him to bed. I con-
tinued my attendance till the morning. I gave Mrs Chalker
emetics. She remained in a state of stupor for two hours. I
have taken possession of the vomit of Mrs. Sprague, and a
portion of Mrs. Chalker's vomit. I have 'the remains of the
pie in my possession. I consider, from the symptoms, that
they were all suffering from some narcotic poison. They
had all dilated pupils, and were suffering from delirium, in-
coherence of speech, and inability to walk. They suffered
more than from inability to walk; it was as if their limbs
were paralysed. Mr. Chalker after that became more rest-
less and the delirium more active, and it was with great
difficulty I kept him in bed. Mrs. Chalker, on the con-
trary, was still all the time. Mrs. Sprague also appeared
to be delirious and in an intermittent state. Sho became
sensible at times. If the meat had been putrid it might
have produced rash, but not the active head symptoms and
delirium.

Cross-examined by the prisoner—Flaccidity of the limbs
was produced by the action of the emetic. In Mr Chalker's
case it was about half an hour after the emetic was taken,
and six or seven minutes before the emetic took effect. In
Mrs. Chalker's case I attempted to apply the stomach pump,
but in consequence of the swollen state of the neck I could
not do so. All the pupils were dilated. The putrescent
state of the meat wauld not have produced all the symptoms.

Re-examined--Mrs. Chalker was the most ill. She was
certainly in great danger for a couple of hours. I have smelt
the meat in the pie, and it does not appear to be in a putrid
state. I have kept it locked,up ever since I have had it.
Mr. W. Crispin, surgeon, who was called in to attend the
servant, oonfirmea the evidence of the previous witness as
to the poisonous symptoms ; so did Mr. Bean, another
surgeon.

Police-constable Coles having given evidence,
Mary Jane Pidjeon recalled and examined by Mr. Tubker
—Tho omnibus leaves Ashburton at nine in the morning,
before the pie was made. The meat and rabbit were kept
in the safe outside the kitchen door. There is a key to the
safe, and it remains in the lock. All the family had access
to the safe.

Cross-examined by Mr. Carter—We had roast beef on the
Tuesday, and some of it cold. I did not eat much as I did
not think it was good. I saw the rabbit at our house on
Tuesday, and it was dead. I do not know when the skin was
taken off. The pie was baked on the Saturday morning, and
put into a little cupboard at the foot of the stairs. Ido not
know that there was anything in the safe that week. I took
the pie out of the oven, but Mrs. Chalker put it there. On
the Saturday the surgery door was unlocked, but Mr.
Sprague went away before the pie was made. I was upstairs
making the beds when the pie was made, and it was put
into the oven before I came down. Mr. Sprague had sent me
out to toll the omnibus man to call for his carpet bag; 1 did
so. I heard Mrs. Sprague and Mrs. Chalker talking about
his going to Dartmouth, but I do not know why ho did not
go. The front door is open, and the house accessible to any
one from the outside. There is nothing to prevent any one
coming into the house. tit
_ .

Re-examined by Mr. Tucker—l put nothing in the pie or
the flour. I did nothing to tho meat. If any one came into
the house and went up to the surgery the inmates would
hear.

By the Bench—Two rabbits were brought in on the Tues-
day. The pepper and salt were kept in the kitchen.
Harriet French examined by Mr. Tucker.--I lived in the
service of Mr. and Mrs. Chalker. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague
cam there to live. Shortly after ho came he said to me, " I
wouldn't care if they were all poisoned. If I were to poison
them I shouldn't be took up nor hung, because I have been
in an asylum before." He was in a passion when he said it.
(The prisoner smiled incredulously when this evidence
was given, and there was some sensation in the court.) Just
before I left there was a quarrel between them all—Mrs.
Chalker, Mr. Sprague, and Mrs. Sprague. Mr. Sprague
was not in his right mind. He was quite wild. I poured
away some water from the kettle at the time of the Oar-
rel, for fear Mr•. Sprague had put something in it.
Cross-examined by Mr. Carter—l left in April; I cannot

ING, JULY 26, 1865.

tell how many months it was before I /eft that I poured the
water away. I gave notice and went away because I did not
like the place. My mistress did not accuse me of telling
lies. The quarrel was because Mr. Chalker would not let
Mrs. Sprague go out to walk with Mr. Sprague when he
was going to see a patient. He was in a great passion. I
first told Coles, the police-sergeant, of it.
Mrs. Sarah Cosens Chalker, examined by Mr. Tucker—l
made a pie on the Saturday that Mr. Sprague went, away,
It was made of beef and one rabbit. I did not put any
noxious ingredient in that pie. The prisoner married my
daughter.
Cross-examined by Mr. Carter—The girl French who
lived with me told lies. Her word is not to be taken in
anything. The beef was bought the Saturday before, but
I don't know when thb rabbit was bought. lam not pro-
secuting Mr. Sprague on this charge.
Re-examined by Mr. Tucker—Harriet French lived with
me as servant five years.
James Chalker, examined by Mr. Tucker—l ate of a pie
on Sunday week. Mrs. Chalker and Mrs. Sprague ate of it.
We had no other meat. The pie was made on Saturday. I
put nothing noxious in it. Mrs. Sprague and Mrs. Chalker
were ill when I came home. I was not taken ill until I
took an emetic. Mr. Jervis looked at me and said my eyes
wore queer, and I should be better for medicine.
Cross-examined by Mr. Tucker—Before the doctor came
I found something like liquorice running from my mouth.
I was very ill after taking the emetic, and fell down. Mr.
Jervis took me upstairs, and people came in who used me
very roughly.
Mr. Jervis, recalled—l put the pie in an empty room in
my house. I found some drugs at Mr. Sprague's surgery.
There was atropine there in an envelope. Atropine is a
narcotic poison, and would produce the symptoms under
which Mrs. Sprague and Mrs. Chalker suffered. I kept the
vomitings, which I sent to Mr. Herapath, at Bristol. I also
sent the remains of the pie, and some flour which had been
given to me by Sergeant Coles.
Cross-examined by Mr. Carter—l have never seen any one
under the influence of atropine, but the symptoms wore
those of belladonna. The eating of putrid meat produces
similar symptoms to irritant poison, but in the cases of Mrs.
Chalker and Mrs. Sprague the symptoms were those of nar-
cotic poisons. There was no purging. (The witness was
closely examined by the solicitor on Dr. Taylor's book, as
to the effect of putrid meat on the stomach, but the witness
held to his opinion that the symptoms were not relatively
the same.) Atropine is a deadly poison, and a small dose
would kill an adult. Atropine is extracted from deadly
nightshade. I do not know for certain whether that
would produce a rash. It is a matter of opinion whether
a medical man would give such a poison to destroy life
secretly. There are many far more subtle poisons, but none
more subtle in effect in a small dose.

Re-examined by Mr. Carter—l examined the pie. The
meat was not putrid. I smelt it and handled it. Mrs.
Sprague called my attention to the state in which Mr.
Chalker was, and asked me to give him some medicine before
he got as bad as the rest.
Sergeant Coles recalled—l think I first saw the remains
of the pie on the Monday. It was not then putrid.
Mr. Alfred Evans, of the firm of Evans and Co., -whole-
sale chemists and druggists, 97 and 98, Fore-street, Exeter,
proved that on June 2d the firm supplied 10 grains of
atropine and 10 grains of aconitine. They are deadly poisons.
Other drugs were sent.
Cross-examined by Mr. Carter—Such drugs were fre-
quently sent to surgeons, but witness did not think they
were in common use. Witness did not know the taste of
aconitine, and had no wish to ascertain. (Great laughter,)
The two drugs mentioned are equally deadly poisons.
William Herapath, sen., F.C.S., J.P., said—l am a pro-
fessor of chemistry, and reside at Old Park, Bristol. I re-
ceived on Wednesday a box containing the scrapings of a
pie dish, the fore-leg of a rabbit, a small piece of rabbit,
and a piece of beef. There was not any of the paste of the
pie. I opened the box on Thursday morning. The meat
was not putrid then. It was not putrid when I left home
this morning. There was a jar with vomit and also some
flour. I have carefully analysed the vomit and the meat,
and the experiments I made convince me that atropia had
been introduced into the interior of that pie. lam morally
convinced it was also in the vomit, but I cannot legally
prove it. (The learned professor at great length explained
the tests he used.) 1 found nothing in:the flour. Atropia
is a cerebral spinal poison. It affects the senses and the
muscles, and also the brain. All the symptoms described by
the medical men are such as might bo produced by atropia.
Mr. Robert Corde Tucker, solicitor, produced the mar
riage settlement, which gave Mr. Sprague a life interest in
certain property if he survived his wife, his father-in-law,
and mother-in,-law.

The case had not concluded when our parcel left.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

---~

TlMES.—There have been occasions not very
remote when a Cabinet would meet after a general
election, with a certain relief, indeed, from the mere
cessation of effort, but much as the survivors of a
wreck or a battle, with starvation or surrender
staring them in the face. The barren rock is better
than the surge, and the temporary protection of a
small earthwork is better than being chased by
cavalry or swept by cannon in the open plain. But
the first thing the survivors do is to count the days
or the hours. The present occasion is not at all of
that character. The Cabinet meet after a great
battle, it is true, but to celebrate a glorious victory,
and to tremble for the very magnitude of their
advantage. It is a very rare thing for an election
tint really has not heard a single party cry, and
that depends not on either a man or a measure, to
produce a gain of 24 seats, equivalent to 48 votes
on a division. Such a result is a glorious victory,
obtained on a .fair field, and with no favour. But
when people talk of a great victory, or a great
deliverance, they are thinking of the whole, and
forget for the moment that the victory and the deli-
verance are confined to the survivors. To the fallen
it is much the same as defeat and destruction ; and
even the survivors, if they have hearts, must think
of those who should have shared the joy. The
nature must indeed be apathetic or hardened that
can put them out of account, and forget that they
are not here to-day. The Cabinet met on Monday,
and no doubt would be full of congratulations, but
even the Premier's own share in the contest has
not been uncheckered. He has had to fight for his
seat—he would like it the better for that—but he
has seen his colleague fall by his side, and a Hector
will enter the house displaying the trophies of a
Patroclus. This is not pleasant, though many will
be comforted to hear that even Lord Palmerston
could not save a fellow-candidate from being beaten
by a majority of three. Mr Gladstone has fared
worse, yet better, for, if he has witnessed the loss
of a seat, he has seen it made up. Discrowned and
disrobed of his academic encumbrances, he has gone
into the ranks of industry, and retrieved his disaster.
But there yet are those who will think that a glory
has departed, and that the Gladstone of to-day is
not he of yesterday. We must submit as well as
we can. Such is the lesson of election life. But
where is Sir Charles Wood ? He enters the Cabi-
net a member for a nomination borough. For an
entire generation he has represented Halifax. He
had his part in the great struggle that gave it poli-
tical existence, and it rewarded him with its confi-
dence from that day to this. But either a genera-
tion arose that knew not Sir Charles Wood, or the
people of Halifax were wearied with the praises of
Aristides the Just. So it was, they gave him his
discharge, and the Ruler of All the Indies has fled
to Ripon. The fate of Peel has fallen on his family
as well as on his great lieutenant and successor.
Frederick Peel is an outcast. His constituents
have not changed their opinions, but they like some-
body else better. A few names, great or small, have
disappeared in the waste that would leave a pang in
the breasts of the most successful survivors. There
must in some quarters be searchiugs of hearts after
the little innocent sacrificed at Leeds. He remains,
however as he was, except that he may, if he pleases
wipe his hands of that constituency. Lord Alfreci
Paget has succumbed to fate, and a Conservative
reigns in hls stead. Lord Shaftesbury and Lord
Russell have a common sorrow, except that Lord
Ashley had a seat, and has lost it. An old associa-
tion is broken in the defeat of a Berkeley, and the
substitution of a Conservative at Cheltenham. The
familiar name of Ewart will not be so often in the
debates; a Conservative replaces the member for
Liverpool. Going wider about and scanning the
horizon, Norfolk has purged itself of all taint of
progress ; a Thorold has replaced a Tollemache at
Grantham ; we shall no more hear Lindsay from
Sunderland ; and the ducal house of Churchhill has
found a more subservient representative than Lord
Alfred. Some other changes have a curious interest.
A whole bevy of critics and volunteer advisers have
been dismissed to write pamphlets, or preside at
provincial meetings.. The Admiralty promises itself
a long spell of fair weather, for now that Sir James
Elphinstone and Sir John Hay are gone Lord Cla-
rence Paget, that outspoken British sailor, will have
all the talking to himself. We have lost the vigi-
lance of Mr. Seymour Fitgerald ; Mr. Pope Hen-
nessy's efforts to combine Conservative principles
with Roman Catholic dogmas have utterly failed,
and he is without a seat. In Cambridgeshire we
have now an independent Liberal, instead A one
between two tame elephants of the other political
school. More than one department will have longer
rope than it ever hoped for through the-decision of
the Berkshire electors. One thing seems certain,
if we can form any conclusion from purely negative
considerations. This Parliament will be disposed
to give our institutions a fair trial. Our political
philosophers will have all the tranquillity they can
desire for the reception of their most recondite ideas.
They ought, by appearances, to find Parliament
ready to hear what they have to say. Appearances,
however, proverbially deceive ; and it may turn out
that the absence of one batch of critics will only
bring out another, perhaps not quite so civil as the
old. Now that the election is over, the dead buried
out of sight, and the victims in the several combats
sobered down to a reasonable tone, perhaps it may

be admitted that it is, on the whole, a moral as well
as a numerical victory. What charge has been esta-
blished, or even seriously made ? There has been
the usual play of tactics, and a good deal of clever-
ness has been shown, as well as audacity. But
they have been shown rather in keeping out of poli-
tics altogether than in opening new controversies.
All voices are agreed in the praises of the Premier,
many with a continual innuendo that he would have
done better for our foreign policy had he had his
own way; and that it is a pity he cannot live for
ever. Well, it is hard on a Cabinet if it may not
share the credit so freely accorded to its chief. No
doubt the choice of the chief is a very serious affair,
but the occasion has not yet come, and need not
have been alluded to from the British hustings. A
time will come indeed; but who shall say how we
shall then find ourselves, in what new circumstances,
or with what new names uppermost in public affairs?
So as the nation be governed well from year to year,
that is enough, so far as regards our choice of men.
A hand-to-mouth policy, like a yearly tenancy, may
be a very good or a very bad thing. If there be
one thing more than another that now rises to the
rank of political axiom, it is that every man who
aspires to assist in the government of a free country
must be content to assist it in governing itself. It
is no longer in the power of any one man to force
his mind, his theories, and his forecasts on a whole
people. That people governs itself neither by the
dictation of one man, nor predominance of one class,
but by the simultaneous and harmonious growth of
all its classes, interests, and forces. The people
will naturally select for its rulers the statesman who
will submit to aid in this natural development; but
any statesman with a head and a heart is sure to
fall into this movement sooner or later. We are
not, then, under any great anxiety about dan-
gerous men, or dangerous measures, believing that
there is always that in the country which will
chastise them, keep them in order, and• reduce
them to safe proportions. But for the present, in
our own humble way, from one year to another, we
certainly think it will be vastly better to go with the
system that at once answers its purpose and asserts
its independence ; which is neither lagging in the
rear of progress nor pushing into some unknown
country whereof we have no certain knowledge.
HERALD.—It is just a year since Denmark pur-
chased peace by the surrender of Schleswig Holstein
and Lauenburg to Austria and Prussia, to dispose of
as might seem good to those powers. The trium-
phant Germans in the Duchies and throughout the
Fatherland had little doubt what the disposition
would be, little fear that it would be long delayed.
The two Powers had proposed the installation of the
Prince of Augustenburg as Sovereign of Schleswig
and Holstein in the Conferences of London, and it
was taken for granted that a proposal made to pre-
vent the resumption of the war and the participation
in it of England and France would be adhered to
after the war had been resumed and an entirely new
set of circumstances had arisen. Lauenburg, it was
generally assumed, would fall into the hands of
Prussia. But the preliminaries signed at Vienna gave
the Duchies absolutely to Austria and Prussia, they
created no trust the execution of which either Den-
mark, Germany, or the Western Powers could de-
mand; and the refusal of those Powers to undertake
the cause of Denmark had satisfied Prussia and
Austria that they would not interfere in the appro-
priation of the spoil, except by employing, for mere
form's sake, protestations. The Prussian Govern-
ment did not, however, throw overboard the Prince
of Augustenburg ; it still professed itself willing to
transfer its rights to him ; but it made the transfer
conditional upon concessions which it could not
have asked if he had been placed upon the throne
by a European agreement. It required the cession
of the harbour of Kiel as a station for the
Prussian navy ; of the territory at the mouths of
the projected canal for the site of fortresses to be
garrisoned by Prussian troops ; and, finally, it
insisted that the inhabitants of the Duchies should
be called upon for service in the army and navy
in the same manner as Prussian subjects, and that
they should be incorporated in the Prussian army
and navy. Upon these conditions Prussia would have
been willing to at once recognise the Prince of
Augustenburg, and she would even have consented
to modify them in several important respects. But
the hereditary Prince lost his head as soon as the
two Powers proposed his elevation to the throne at
the Conferences. He considered his sovereignty
secured, and he was unwilling to lose one jot of his
independence. He knew that, thanks to the skilful
management of his partisans, who, with the concur-
rence of the Federal commissioners, had seized the
administration of the Duchies, he could always show
an apparent national feeling in his favour ; he knew
too that he would have every assistance that the
States of Southern Germany could give him, and
that Austria, which formerly treated his title with
disdain, would do everything in her power to esta-
blish him as an independent sovereign in order to
defeat the designs of Prussia. Trusting to these
broken reeds the pretender assumed an independent,
and even provocative attitude towards Prussia, and,
as the memorandum of a conversation with him
which llerr Von Bismarck has recently published
shows, was at once so indiscreet and absurd as to
say that the Duchies owed nothing to Prussia, and
could have liberated themselves without her aid.
Austria, too, has rejected decisively the terms pro-
posed by Prussia, and the result is that the Prince
of Augustenburg as Sovereign of the Duchies has
not only been indefinitely postponed by his action
and that of his friends—whereas if they had shown
themselves at all disposed to treat with Prussia,
he might have been enthroned months ago—but
the chance that he ever will be Sovereign of the
Duchies is becoming a very small one. Ile and
Austria will yield Prussia nothing, and Prussia
will, in all probability, settle the dispute by taking
all. At present the question seems to be much
farther from solution than it looked twelve
months ago, and the selfish world, which congra-
tulated itself after the manner of the majority of
the English House of Commons that peace was
secured, although Denmark was ignobly sacrificed,
will be punished for its selfishness and cowardice
by a long period of uneasiness, if not by the out-
break of a far more serious war. Austria has re-
jected the conditions demanded by Prussia, and
thus the whole question of the succession has been
brought apparently to a dead lock. But Austria
has agreed with Prussia to call the old Estates of
the two Duchies together to prepare an electoral
law, by which a general Diet of the Duchies is to
be elected to take into consideration, not the one
question the decision of which is important, but the
financial condition of the Duchies. It is doubtful,
however, whether this Assembly, this Diet ad hoc,
which, although illegally so incompetent to settle
anything, might be used by Prussia, if it showed a
suitable spirit, to arrange the whole question, will
ever meet. There are elections necessary, in the
first place, to supply the places of several members
of the old Estates who had resigned. Now, the
Grand Duke of Oldenburg, as a claimant to the
throne of the Duchies, protests against the Prince
of Augustenburg being allowed to remain in Hol-
stein, to exercise by himself and through the
Schleswig-Holstein Government, which is com-
posed of his devoted adherents, an influence upon
the elections and upon the proceedings of the
Estates. The Prussian Government is equally
anxious for the removal of the Prince from the
Duchies ; but Austria resolutely sustains him there,
and sustains, too, the Schleswig-Holstein Govern-
ment in its opposition to Prussia, and in that iniqui-
tous treatment of the Danish inhabitants of Schles-
wig which Prussia, no matter from what motives,
is endeavouring to remedy. Moreover, Austria,
not content wish resisting these efforts of Prussia,
demands herself that the Prussian army of occu-
pation should be reduced, and that the chief com-
mand of the allied forces should be alternately held by
an Austrian general. These different pretensions
have led to a very sharp diplomatic correspondence,
and the two courts are upon such very unfriendly
terms that the most alarming rumours have found
ready acceptance. The Prussian Government is
credited with a resolution which would at once
bring the question to an issue. It has the over-
whelming force in the Duchies, and it is deter-
mined, so it is said, to drive the Prince of
Augustenburg from the Duchies, whether Austria
wills it or not. Such a course would place the
Austrian Government in a most serious dilemma.
It must acquiesce in an act which practically
amounts to a denial of its co-ownership of the
Duchies, and the assumption by Prussia of absolute
and exclusive authority over them, or it must make
the act a casus bali—it would certainly be a very
sufficient one—and fight to maintain its title to half
a territory which it does not propose under the most
favourable circumstances to retain for itself. Such
a struggle on the part of Austria would
)be vain.
She is not in a position to contend against 1 russia ;
her finances are in the most embarrassed condition,
and her army, large as it is, is not at her disposi-
tion. She would turn in vain to the minor states
for help, and if Prussia were bold enough to chal-
lenge her in this A ay, she must, unless she could
obtain the aid of France, let the glove lay still.
The Prussian Government may not have formed
any such resolution ; the despatch of artillery to
e Silesian frontier may be of a most peaceful pro-
ceeding, merely the execution of a general scheme
of rearming the fortresses long since decided upon ;
but it is quite certain, from the language of official
newspapers, that the two Courts are upon very bad
terms. Prussia is irritated by the opposition of
Austria on the Schleswig-Holstein question, and
Austria is alarmed and angered by the efforts of
Prussia to affect a treaty of commerce between the
Zollverein and Italy, and consequently to bring
about the recognition of the Italian kingdom by
those Zollverein States whieji have hitherto refused
it. There would be no danger in this latter dispute

if it stood alone, but, with the many points of con-
tact which the Schleswig-Holstein question gives,
it is very possible that the two Governments will
come into sharp collision, and that Austria, obey-
ing the promptings of anger more than the warnings
of reason, may give Prussia the opportunity of driving
her into a corner out of which she can only escape by
a disgraceful surrender, or by embarking in a war
from which she can gain nothing although staking all•

HEALTH OF LONDON.

(From the Registrar-General's Weekly Report.)
In the week that ended on Saturday, July 22, the births
registered in London and 10 other large towns of the United
Kingdom were 3,948 ; the deaths registered, 3,013. The
annual rate of mortality was 28 per 1,000 persons living.
In London the births of 1,033 boys and 920 girls—in all
1,953 children—were registered in the week. In the cor-
responding weeks of 10 years 1855-64 the average number,
corrected for increase of population, was 1,861.
The deaths registered in London during the week were
1,467. It was the 29th week of the year, and the average
number was, with a correction for increase of population,
1,308. The present return is in excess of the estimated
number by 159.
Two hundred and eighty deaths were caused by diarrhoea,
of which 257 occurred to children under two years of ago,
a very large proportion of whom were infants who had not
completed their first year. There were also 18 deaths from
cholera and choleraic diarrhoea. The average number of
deaths from diarrhoea in the corresponding weeks of 10
years (with a correction for population) was 157. But in
the corresponding weeks of 1857 and 1859, when the mean
weekly temperature of the air was about 69 deg., the deaths
from diarrhoea, were respectively 259 and 415. The mean
temperature of last week was 63.6 dog.
Twenty-two of the 280 deaths from diarrhoea occurred in
Marylebono, 16 in Pancras, 18 in Islington, 11 in Mile-
end Old-town, 8 in the sub-district of St. Peter, Walworth,
23 in Lambeth.

Seven deaths referred to cholera occurred at the age of
20 years and upwards. On the 15th inst., at 6, Marsh-lane,
Greenwich, a garden labourer, aged 44 years, cholera. On
the 19th inst., at 34, Prebend-street, lilington, a man,
aged 77 years, cholera (7 days). On the 17th inst., at
4, Hayes-place, West Hackney, a brushmaker, aged 78,
cholera (5 days) ; preliminary diarrhcea. On the Bth inst.,
in the Workhouse, a labourer, aged 67, Asiatic cholera. On
the 18th inst., at 9, Calvert's-cottages, Pancras, a glass-
coachman (livery stables), aged 40, choleraic diarrhcea
days).. On the 18th inst., at Wellington-street, Bethnal-
green, a fish salesman, aged 27, cholera (30 hours). On the
19th inst., at 15, Cavendish-grove, Wandsworth-road, the
widow of an army captain, aged 78, English cholera, col-
lapse.
Six fatal accidents by carriages were registered in the
week. The following aro the particulars :—At Queen Eliza-
beth-street, Southwark, on the 20th inst., a son of a ware-
houseman, aged one year, trod on by a horse. In White-
chapel, on the 20th inst., a stoker, aged 66, run over by an
omnibus. In Whitechapel, on the 18th inst., a hawker,
aged 65, run over by a cab. In the Strand, on the 6th inst.,
a coachsmith, aged 69, by overturning of a van. At Isling-
ton, on the 16th inst., wife of a cabman, aged 30, by up-
setting of a cab. At Islington, on the 10th inst., a carman,
aged 65, injury by a cart-wheel.
The rate of mortality last week was 25 per 1,000 in Lon-
don, 26 in Edinburgh, and 21 in Dublin ; 39 in Liverpool,
32 in Manchester, 30 in Salford, 23 in Birmingham, 36 in
Leeds, 23 in Bristol, 25 in Hull, and 33 in Glasgow.
In Liverpool the births were 343, tho deaths 356 ; in
Manchester the births 270, the deaths 221; in Salford the
births 101, the deaths 64 ; in Birmingham the births 240, the
deaths 142 ; in Leeds the births 182, the deaths 156 ; in
Bristol the births 124, the deaths 71 ; in Hull the births 69,
the deaths 49 ; in Edinburgh the births 125, the deaths 88 ;
Glasgow the births 371, the deaths 270 ; and in Dublin the
births 170, the deaths 129.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height
of the barometer in the week was 20.706 in. The reading
rose to 29.89 in. on Sunday, and fell to 29.57 in. on Satur-
day. The mean temperature of the air in the week was
63.6 deg., which is 1.8 deg. above the average of the same
week in 50 years (as determined by Mr. Glaigher). The
mean daily range of the thermometer was 17.8 deg. The
mean degree of humidity of the air was 74 deg., complete
saturation being represented by 100. The general direc-
tion of the wind was south-west ; on Saturday it was
north-east and south-east. Rain fell to the amount of 0.35
in. There were heavy showers accompanied by thunder
and lightning on Monday.