The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-06 00:00:00

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY.

One of the oldest and not the least valuable of the
benevolent institutions of the metropolis is the Royal
Humane Society, which was founded so far back as the
year 1774, for the recovery of persons apparently
drowned or dead, and the 80th anniversary festival of
which was last night celebrated at the Freemasons
Tavern, Great Queen-street. •
The minutes of the committee for the year show that
152 cases were brought under notice of the society,
which cases comprised 165 persons, who had either met
with accidents, or attempted suicide ; of these 153 were
treated with'success, and 12 only were beyond recovery.
That 24 honorary silver medals were voted for cases of
rescue, attended by extraordinary courage and risk of
life ; and 36 honorary bronze medals awarded. Thanks
of the society, inscribed upon vellum, &c., were pre-
sented to 15 individuals, whose praiieworthy conduct in
the cause of humanity had brought them under the
notice of the committee, and 108 other claimants (in-
cluding landlords of receiving-houses) received pecuniary
rewards.

The total number of persons who bathed in the Serpen-
tine River throughout the year amounted to 223,250,
as per the estimated and daily-registered number reported
by the superintendent. Twenty-one bathers were rescued
from drowning by the activity of the society's boatmen
on duty during the hours appointed for morning and
evening bathing, and not one fatal accident occurred.
Nine other individuals were also saved, and four prp.
vented from committing suicide, by the exertions and
watchfulness of the boatmen throughout the day-time.
During the late frost this institution may be said
to have passed a trying ordeal. The watchful activity
of its men, their coolness and courage at the moment of
trial, and the efficiency of its establishment, were fairly
put to the test. During 15 days of its duration, 50 per-
sons, whose names and addresses were given, broke
through the ice, and were saved by the society's men,
besides several others whose names could not be ascer-
tained, and not one fatal accident occurred. In the
February and March of the previous year, during the
ten days of frost, no less than 230 persons were im-
mersed, and 229 persons rescued, only one individual
case proving beyond recovery.
Of the skill, devotion, and the disinterestedness of the
honorary medical assistants of the institution the com-
mittee speak in the highest terms, observing that the
manner in which they have performed their benevolent
and gratuitous duties is beyond all praise. The medic; 1
assistants of the society appointed in the several districts
attend on all accidents connected with the objects of the
institution without fee or reward. The Royal Humane
Society has improved the state of medical science, by as-
certaining and pointing out the best means of restoring
life in cases of suspended animation ; and numbers who
were before the establishment of this institution consigned
to the grave, through incredulity, culpable inactivity, or
injudicious modes of treatment, might have been saved
from a premature death. It has thus effected a great
and permanent benefit to mankind, by collecting and
diffusing information, by rewarding meritorious exertion,
and by exciting earnestness and expedition in assisting
persons in danger of drowning. By these measures it has
been the means of preservi .g annually very many lives.
The festival of last night was on a scale of unusual
splendour. The number of friends and supporters who
assembled was very considerable, and the distribution of
medals and honorary rewardsgave additional interest to
the social reunion.

Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart, M.P., presided, and was
supported by Captain Scobell, R.N., M.P., Montagu
Gore, George Rennie, C.E., Rev. Dr. Croly, A. Ro-
barts, Rev. J. Woolley, Gore Langton, M.P., W.
Hawes, Esq., J. Rowe, M.D., and about 120 other
friends and supporters of the society ; while in the gallery
facing the chairman were a number of ladies, who
appeared to take a lively interest in the proceedings.
The dinner and wines were excellent, and the musical
arrangements, under the direction of Mr. Hobbs, added
very materially to the pleasure and gratification of the
guests. Miss Eyles took the leading part in the National
Anthem, and several other airs, and acquitted herself
most creditably ; while Mr. Hobbs obtained a whole
roomful. of congratulations and compliments for the
manner in which he sung a newairto the glorification ofthe
French and English warriors "Gone out t,, fight the Czar."
Captain Scobell and Colonel Thompson of the Engineers,
made some happy allusions to the contest in which thi,
country was about to engage with Russia, and the
noble chairman followed up the hint with all the
emphasis and energy fur which he is so remarkable.
The most interesting portion of the evening's pro-
ceedings was the procession of men and women,
boys, girls, and little children who had been
rescued from drowning by the exertions of the society
during the past year, and who formed the annual con-
tribution to the astounding number of 30,000, who, we
were informed, had been saved since the society coin-
menced its operations. They were paraded round the
room, preceded by the stewards, with wands, each of them
bearing in hH or her hand one of the Bibles of the so-
ciety. The medals of the company were distributed to
such of the persons who had saved one or more lives during
the past year as were preent. They included gentle-
men, clergymen, sailors, working men, &c., all of whotn
were addressed in words of compliment by the chair-
man, and all of whom expressed their gratification at
having been instrumental in saving human life. A model
of Mr. Parratt's tubular life raft, which has been instru-
mental in saving many lives, and which has met the
approval of the Admiralty and the Emigration Commis
sinners, was exhibited in the ante-room, and might, per-
haps, fairly put in its claim to one of the society's
medals. The result of the festival has been a large and
seasonable addition to the funds of this most useful
society.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

(From the Report of the Registrar General. )

The deaths registered in London in the week that
ended on Saturday, were 1,489. In the ten correspond-
ing weeks of the years 1844-53 the average number
was 1,202, which, if raised in proportion to increase of
population becomes 1,322. The actual number regis-
tered last week is 167 above the estimated amount.

Last week was the thirteenth of the quarter, and it
usually happens at this period that the deaths registered
derive a considerable accession from coroners' inquests,
the registration of which is in many instances not com-
pleted until the end of the quarter. Such cases will be
found chiefly in the class of violent deaths, which com-
prises fractures, burns, suffocation, &c. ; some are spe-
cially referred to apoplexy, disease of the heart, &c. ;
others, vaguely returned, are classed under " sudden
deaths."

Last week the births of 1,015 boys and 933 girls, in
all 1,948 children, were registered in London In the
nine corresponding weeks of the years 1845 53 the
average number was 1,548.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 30.124 in. The
mean daily reading was above 30 in. on every day of the
week except Sunday. The highest mean occurred on
Friday, when it was 30.264 in. The reading of the
barometer increased to 30.29 in. at 9 h. a.m. on Friday.
The mean temperature of the week was 47.3 deg., which
is 4 deg. above the average of the same week in 38 years.
The mean daily temperature rose to 51.4 deg. on Satur-
day, which is 7.8 deg. above the average of the same
day. It was above the average on every day of the
week. The highest temperature occurred on Saturday,
and was 71.0 deg. ; the lowest was also on the same
day, and was 34.9 deg., showing a range on that day of
36.1 deg. The wind blew generally from west south-
west. The mean dew-point temperature was 39.4 deg.
On Saturday the mean difference between the dew-
point-temperature and air temperature was the greatest
in the week, viz., 13 deg. ; the greatest difference on
this day was 24 3 deg., and was also the greatest in the
week. No rain fell except on Sunday, when the amount
was only 0.03 in.