The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-02 00:00:00

1
ths slims of dying is lammed tfora twa to OA
country to three in London, the liability to sae*
from epidemics is raised still more.
A, ll the diseases of the zymotic class—such u small-
pox, measles, scarlatina, typhus, influenza, and cholera
—have the remarkable property of becoming epidemic.
After certain intervals of time, in which they are
fatal to a smaller or greater number of persons In
different places and seasons, great multitudes are
suddenly attacked and destroyed in a given locality;
the disease in this intense form involves the neigh-
bouring population, spreads around the whole region,
and sometimes travels over the tracks of human in-
tercourse through the world. Little is known of the
immediate chemical or vital causes of epidemics; but
in given circumstances, where many are immersed in
an atmosphere of decaying organic matter, some
zymotic disease is invariably produced ; where there
is starvation, it is most frequently typhus; cold, in-
fluenza ; heat, it is cholera, yellow fever, plague. At
the mouths of the Ganges, of the Nile, of the Niger;
in London, particularly up to the
.17th century; in
camps, in barracks, in ships, in prisons formerly; in
Ireland, in Liverpool, in all our towns now, the cir-
cumstances in which zymotic diseases become epi-
demic may be witnessed.
A city breathing an atmosphere perfectly pure may
not be exempt from every epidemic; but observation
has shown that such irruptions are infrequent, and
fatal to few persons of strength or stamina. Internal
sanitary arrangements, and not quarantine or sanitary
lines, are the safeguards of nations. A salubrious
city in an epidemic, like a city built of stone in a con-
flagration, is exposed to danger and injury, but not to
the same extent as the present cities of Europe, which,
are left without any adequate regulations for ths
health and security of their inhabitants.
The great historical epidemics have diminished in
intensity ; and there appears to be no reason why they
should not be ultimately suppressed, with the advances
of the population among which they take their rise.
Their origin is obscure, but influenza appears gene-
rally to become first epidemic in Russia, cholera in
India.* It is in India that the source of the latter
disease must be attacked. If the health of India be-
come sound, Europe might be safe, and bear no more
of the epidemic which is now traversing Russia. The
attention of the Indian authorities has for some time
been directed to the subject. The Marquis of
Wellesley, in 1821, effected improvements in Bengal.
Mr. Martin, one of the commissioners appointed by
the late Government to inquire into the health of
towns, addressed Lord Metcalfe, the Governor-Gene-
ral, on the sanitary improvement of Calcutta in
1835; his comprehensive plans were promoted by
that eminent statesman. Lord Auckland appointed a
sanitary commission, of which Sir John Grant was
the chairman, and thus procured a very able official
report on the health of Calcutta, before the subject
was touched at home.t
The other nations of Europe are beginning to tale
an interest in public sanitary improvements, and any
plans found to succeed in England will no doubt be
carried out as speedily as possible in all parts of her
Majesty's dominions ; for the vast population that
owns her sway is intimately united. Asiatic cholera
has taught us that the lives of thousands in England
may depend on the condition of the Pariahs of
Jessore.t
* In Italy influenza is called the catarro ruaso ; in
Germany, the russicche krankheit.
-I- See Lancet, Sept. 25 and Oct. 9, 1847.
f The epidemic cholera, which reached England in
1831, broke out at Jessore, near Calcutta, in 1817, and
destroyed 10,000 persons.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.

CITY, MONDAY EVENING.
TlMES.—Another comparatively quiet day has
been experienced, and the English Funds have risen
considerably. Consols for money, which closed at 81
on Saturday, opened this morning at 81+ to r. After
some slight fluctuations they advanced to 82 ; and,
although a few sales caused them to leave off at 81i
to j, they still wore an appearance of firmness. For
the account they opened at 815 to 1, advanced to 821,
and closed at 82.

In the Stock Exchange money from day to Say
was easy at from sto 6 per cent. Out of doors also
there was perhaps some slight relaxation. At the
Bank, however, there was much demand, and the
rate for advances was raised to Bf, and in some cases
9 per cent.
This being the day for the usual half-yearly
balance at the Bank of England, the transfer offices
were closed. _ _ _

The suspension of Messrs. Coates and Co., Ame-
rican merchants, of Bread- street, Cheapside, with
branches in Nottingham, Manchester, and Liverpool,
was announced this afternoon. For the last fifteen
years the firm have been extensive buyers of manu-
factured goods for the American market, and disap-
pointment in the receipt of remittances is stated to
be the cause of the stoppage. The liabilities of the
house amount to about 100,0001.
The bills drawn by the 16th of Auomst A • triatrickan
pu-tk..a.uce being the one above-mentioned.
The ',v.v.. from the country received this morning
bring no accounts of failures in addition to those men-
tioned, with the exception of that of Cowans, Smith,
and Co., commission agents of Glasgow, whose liabi-
lities are stated at 23,000/. At Manchester and
Liverpool, however, the feeling is evidently very
gloomy
The Ocean steamer, arrived to-day from Rotter-
dam, has brought 15,000/. in gold.
Advices from St. Petersburgh to the 22d of Oc-
tober repeat the previous accounts of estrem•
dullness in all the markets. The weather at that
period seemed to indicate an early closing of Ale
navigation. Exchge was quoted at rates so wide
as to show the pre lence of great distrust regarding
many of the bills offered, the rates varying from
371 d. to 38d. and to 38 5-16 d.
The Amsterdam Bourse accounts received to-day
are less satisfactory than those last mentioned, the
prices of several securities having again given way in
consequence of speculative sales. Rhenish Railway
shares, after improving considerably, had also expe-
rienced a severe reaction.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
POUTSMOUTII, Nov. I.—The Recruit, 12, Com-
mander Slade, will be paid off on Saturday. She was
built of iron, about eighteen months since, by Ditch-
burn and Mare, of Black wall ; but, after being from
that time until now in commission, and commanded
by one of the most worthy and scientific officers in
the Queen's service, she is found so utterly unworthy
of the pennant, that the Admiralty have resolved on
depriving her of that honourable indication of her
character. She will, most likely, now be sold out of
the navy.
The Rhadamanthus steam-vessel, Master-Com-
manding Jonathan Aylen, arrived, last night, after
dark, at Spithead, and came into the harbour to-day
to coal. She is to embark the officers and men who
have been employed in navigating the Blenheim, 56,
to this port this evening, and sail for Sheerness.
The Maria Somes transport, Lieutenant Matthew
Bfitltaecdkaangdenptr,ecpaaremedifnotro
service.
The harbour to-day, to be re-
The Centaur steam-frigate having been completed
in her rigging, was hauled off from the jetty this
morning. It is expected she will be commissioned
very shortly.
nkl
Dolphin,
like
lopoauhnit
nt
e. to-day,
ay.rl3,(gboei
(brigantine),
clbteaee,
niasntmaiginel
eer
thist
threeetnidemeudot
mertnna
so
Lieutenant
givenntsgt. that
The mainmast of the Retribution steam-frigate
l
d
vmweasasTsnehdtlaei,
foCrotmhe-
coast of Africa.

Wind south; light breezes and fine weather-5 P.m.
WooLwicil, Nov. I.—Her Majesty's steam packet
Garland, Captain Smithett, is ordered to be at Calais
on Tuesday, the 2d of November, and to be in
readiness to convey their Royal Highnesses the
Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary to
Dover on Wednesday next. The royal party may
be expected to arrive at Dover about nine o'clook in
the morning.
The Violet, Dover steam-packet, was taken down
the river on Saturday, and into dock at Woolwich
this morning, to have her bottom examined previous
to her return to her duties on the Dover station.
The Myrmidon steam-vessel, Lieutenat- Com-
I mender Roberts, arrived at Woolwich yesterday after-
noon, and is to be laid aside, after about eight months!
trial. She is an iron vessel, and her crew are to be
turned over to the Porcupine, the latter vessel having
been paid off on Saturday, and re-commissioned for
serovincee inof theth
eMAeddimteirrraainy teaanr.
ges was brought down
the river on Friday to be repaired at Woolwich.
The Stromboli steam-vessel, CommanderFishar,
arrived at Woolwich this morning from Lisbon.

C A
Vt
rTalgOe•l'‘d' yIN
CLEANSING CESSPOOLS.—The Long-
acre
has been recently rehearsed, if not acted
over again, at Tittenhangers, an estate of the Dowager
Countess Hardwicke. How the ides of " disinfecting"
cesspools or sewers by help of oil of vitriol originated, it
is hard perhaps to say, unless it might be in the expec-
tation that a combination of sulphur and oxygen, such
as it is, would neutralise one of sulphur and hydrogen,
leaving nothing but sulphur and water ; but it ought
never to be forgotten that cesspools and sewers
.will
always abound with soda, potash, and probably lime,
which will hold these hydras dire, in afixed state, and that
sulphuric oxyacid will itself be neutralised by tllthe
alka-
line bases, and will liberate in place of destroying
poisonous hydrides.—Builder. .
de-
scription has recently been fixed to the. guard's
NEw RAILWAY SiGicAL.—A signal of
an enorrnoas
on the South Western line, consisting o
bell and a red flag.merely pulling a
thing wrong in the train,. da'sl3coavrreilages
wire, cause the bell to ring
s a snood,al that the engine-
time a red flag flies up, as
upon
htlerieerevagnu,arbiy dainscao vaert itnhge
saanmye.
dependent.
driver is immediately to stop the tram.—Devouport In