The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-11 00:00:00

details of an interest not only to awake attention, but to
point out practical remedies against much human suffer-
ing and mortality.

f ~`.

a ~`
(fr('

I

RETURNS OF MORTALITY.
The return of the mortality in 117 distl ricts has Eng-
land for the quarter ending December, 847,just
been issued by authority of the Registrar-General, and
presents many curious illustrations of the epidemic
which has proved so fatal to the young, the old, and
those afflicted with chronic disease. The districts
from which the returns have been obtained contained,
in 1841, a population of 6,612,800, and this num-
ber must of course have increased since that year.
The increase of mortality from the increase of population
may be estimated at 1.75 annually. In theof deaths
arter
ending December 31, 1847, the number
was 57,925; in the corresponding quarter of 1811
the number was only 39,292. The latter year, how-
ever, was very healthy, the difference below the
calculated number of (!eaths being 2,655. If the
mortality had increased at the usual rate, the
number of deaths in the year 1841 would thus have been
41,947. In 1845 the number was 39,291, being 5,670
below the calculated number, and showing that this
year was the rent healthy for seven years previous. The
deaths in 1844 exceeded the estimated number by 7,315,
and 1847 by 11,376. In the former year the number
was 53,093, the number estimated 45,743; in the latter
year the number was 57,925, the estimated number
46,549. To account for this extraordinary increase the
report says:-
" A slight increase in the mortality was noticed
in the returns of the June quarter, 1846 ; the
mortality in the following hot summer, when the potato
crop failed, was excessive ; cholera and diarrbm I were
epidemic ; in the autumn of 1816, as well as the winter
and spring quarters of 1847, the mortality, was sel
higher ; scurvy prevailed in the beginning of the year,b
but in the summer the public health seemed ton e
slightly improved ; epidemics of typhus and influza,
however, set in, and made tho mortality
of of the last
quarter of 1847 higher than in any quarter any year
since the new system of registration cd.
" The deaths in the year 1845 were 166,000;
in 1847,
215,000. The excess in 1847 is 49,000, or not less than
35,000 over the corrected average of 1839-45.
" In London, the deaths registered in the quarters
ending December, 1845-6 7 were 11,838, 13,221, and
18,553 (thirteen weeks). The greatest number regis-
tered in any quarter of the nine previous years was
14,686 in the severe winter of 1845."
It is calculated that if the chance of a child in the
country under 15 years of age will die in three months
be represented by 1, the chance that a child in London
will die in the same time is 2. Of course, it fellows
that when any epidemic prevails the chance of escaping
it is 2 to lin favour of the country. The following is
descriptive of the rise of the influenza in the last year,
and the probable causes of the diseases which prevailed:
" The population was inadequately supplied with po-
tatoes, and scurvy was prevalent in the beginning of the
year. Meat and bread were dear, distress was 'cit'e;
vagrants flocked in from the country, the poor Irish
came to their kindred, the workhouses were crowded.
In Apfil and May typhus became epidemic; instead of
the average 34, 50 died weekly; it steadily spread and
burnt on until it killed 111 victims in a single week.
Diarrhoea, dysentery, and cholera, had been a little
more fatal than usual throughout the year ;
17, however, only died of these diseases in the first week
of July ; the mean temperature of the air was above
60 deg.; the number of deaths rose to 38, 47, 67, 125,
123, 188, by the middle of August, and then gradually
übsided. .Notwithstanding the continued prevalence
of typhus and scarlatina, the deaths in the last week
of October were only 945 ; 1 person died of
influenza, 36 of bronchitis (inflammation of the
air tubes), and 62 of pneumonia (inflammation of
the substance of the lungs). In three weeks following,
ending November 20, the total deaths were 1,052
1,098, end 1,986; of which 2,4, and 4, were by
influenza; 49, 58, and 61 by bronchitis ; 68, 79, and 93
by pneumonia. The wind had generally been blowing
S.S.W. and S.W. since the first week in October; the
weather was unusually warm; a brilliant aurora
was observed, and shook the magnets on October
24; it appeared eight times during the quar-
ter ; on Tuesday, November 16th, there was a
remarkable darkness ; the wind changed to N, W., and
amidst various changes -still blow from the north over
Greenwich at the rate of 160 and 250 miles a day.
The mean temperature of the air suddenly fell
from 11 deg. above to 10 deg. below the
average ; on Monday it was 54 deg., Friday
32 deg. ; tfie air on Friday night was 27 deg., the
earth was frczen ; the wind was calm three days, and
on Saturday evening a dense fog lay over the Thames
and London for the space of five hours. No electricity
stirred in the air (luring the week. All was still : as if
nature held her breath at the sight of the destroyer,
come forth to sacrifice her children. On Sunday the
sky was overcast, the air damp, the wind changed in the
night to S. by E., and passed for four days over Green-
wich at the rate of 200 and 300 miles daily ; the
temperature suddenly rose, and remained from
2 degrees to 9 degrees above the average through the
week ending Nov. 27 : when the deaths of 1,677 per-
SOO3, 819 males, and 858 females were registered ; 771
persons under 15 years of age, 528 aged 15-60, and
388 of. the ago of 60 and upwards. Influenza was
epidem:c. On the first week of December two
thousand four hundred and fifty-four persons died :
1,141 were males, 1,313 females; 1,012 children, 712
persons in the prime of life, 730 of the ago of 60 and
upwards. On the week following two thousand four
hundred end sixteen persons died ; 1,175 males, 1,241
females;l,ol6 under the age of 15 ; 698 at the age of 15-
60, and 702 at the age of 60 and upwards. The deaths
in the weeks ending Saturday, Dec. 18, Dec. 25, and
Jan. 1, wet e 1,946, 1,247, and 1,599. 11,339 persons
died in six weeks, and altogether the epidemic carried
off more than 5,000 souls over and above the mortality
of the season. The epidemic attained the greatest in-
tensity in the second week of its course; raged with
nearly eq'aal violence through the third week; declined
in the fourth, and then partly subsided; but the tempe-
rature felling„ the mortality remained high not only
through December, but through the month of January.,
" Adults and the aged seem to have suffered most
from the epidemic ; thus, the deaths in the three weeks
ending November 13, of persons under fifteen, were
1,553 ; in the three weeks ending December 18, they
were 2,846. In the same periods the deaths of persons
between the ages of fifteen and sixty were 966 and
1,970 ; at the age above sixty, 576 and 1.999.
" The mortality in childhood was raised 83 per cent.,
in manhood, 104 per cent.; in old age, 047 per cent.
From the age of 4 to 25, however, the mortality was
comparatively not very much increased; at the age of
10 to 15, the healthiest period of life, it was scarcely
increased at all-in girls."
In cases of old age, and where chronic diseases ex-
isted, the influenza was generally fatal.
"The poison, permeating the whole system, fastens
' chiefly on the mucous membrane lining the sinuses of the
fce and head, and the air tubes of the lungs. Hence it
is fatal to the asthmatic; the deaths directly ascribed to
asthma in October and November were 12 weekly; in the
six weeks of the influenza epidemic, 77, 86, 73, 59, 11, 26,
besides the numerous cases classed under influenza.- 36
deaths were ascribed to bronchitis in the week ending
October 30, and 49, 58, 61, 196, 343, 299, 234, 107, and
138 in the nine following weeks. 62 deaths were as-
cribed to pneumonia in the same week, and 68, 79, 95,
170, 306, 294, 189, 131, 148 in the nine weeks following."
The report goes on with some interesting details re-
specting the districts of London in which the epidemic
prevailed to the greatest extent. These are well worthy
the attention of our civic authorities who boast of the
sanitary condition of the metropolis, and who have so
loudly resisted all attempts at improvement. Taking
the deaths in each of the London districts for the six
weeks, from November 21, 1847, to January 1, 1848,
the rate of mortality was 46 to every 1,000; the average
during seven years from 1838 to 1844 was only 25 to
every 1,000, thus showing that the epidemic raised the
mortality eighty per cent. " Lewisham," says the re-
port, " including Blackheath, Sydenham, and Eltham,
is one of the healthiest districts in London ; the ordi-
naryrate of mortality is 17 annually ; during the
epidemic it was 27. St. George-in-the-East is one of
the l
1,000; unhealthiest districts; the ordinary rate of mortality
is 2 9 n i
the rate of mortality during the epidemic
was
Geor The increase in Lewisham was 10, in St.
go-in-the-East 44; the latter district suffered four
times as much from the influenza as the former.
The epidemic
people in the of influenza killed twice as many
those less insalubriousunhealtz parts of London as it did in
unhealthy.' Surely such facts must open the
eyes of those in
more /it entirely to the authority
to the necessity of looking
which they have control,
cleanliness of the districts over
The country districts do not appear to have been
affected to any extent, a fact which
with epidemic diseases
shows how much
the purity of the air has to
The influenza prevailed for the most part over England;
some parts have as yet escaped,
t
fend to a very small extent. Thet mortality was in-
creased in unhealthy towns, but no no
London. There does
the
appearance
have suffered to the same extent
not appear to be any cause assigned for quarter seems to
of this disease, unless indeed it takes its origin from
want of that proper nourishment which is indispensablea
in the mainiltaining of animal life. The weatherdoe
not appear to have the influence which is
sometimess
ascribed to it.
" Extreme cold," says the report, " never raises th©
weekly mortality in London above 1,500; extreme heat
still less; intermediate changes affect th
embe mer ortality but
slightly in ordinary circumstances; Nov fogs occur
every year without giving rise to influenza. In Nallovoveem-
ber, 1847, the weather was nearly the same r
England, yet influenza did not break out simultaneously.
When once generated, the epidemic spreads through the
air. The great epidemics generally travel from-1.
Russia,"over, 2, Germany; 3, Denmark, Sweden, Eng-
land, France; 4. Italy, Spain, in from three to six
months, and then reach America. Influenza is often
associated with other epidemics. It appears to have
preceded,
or accompanied the plague, in the black death
in the fourteenth century;f it preceded the great plague
1803, preceded in loBllowea epidemicinLyndon,
of London, 1665;
it
typhus epidemic of 184377 typhus London,
,an occurredd preceded
in theand midst
followed o f
theth e
epidemic cholera in 1831-2 3."
different countries
And Again as to
the months in which it occurs in
"By returns alre-ady received at the office of the Di-
beecnalDepartment of the Navy,
Di-
rector-General of the Medical
and with which I have favoured. by Sir William
Burnett, it appears thsattatilidseirc. catarrh (Sr influenza
the }car 1847, as
and °l;:o.nli2;:e:try-on the coast
prevailed on foreign
under netcl, In January
Spain.an Zealmel.
of Portugal and south coast
_February, March-in Newfoundland January,
' PetltiarA March-at Valparaiso.
- , Jitiaiugust, September-West 13'11- ,ast of
coast of Africa,
With OrflatrEquator. August-Hong-Kong."
-The-r-eport,o accompanie by a brief account of the
previous epidemics of influenza which have occurred in
vagiand.sinoi 1723. Taking it altogether, this report
is drawn up with more ability than we in general find
in such documents. The research bestowed upon it is
elldeatly great, and the deductions drama from the

ELECTION COMMITTEES.
GRIRLT YARMOUTH..
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday).
Samuel Amiss, a shipwright, proved receiving 31. in
he same way as the previous witness, and also spoke to
receiving 41. afterwards from a Mr. Powell.
Mr. Robert Blake stated that ho met Coble on the
morning of the poll. Coble told him that he was pre-
pared to pay him the" arrears " of the previous election,
but witness declined to plump for the Reds, and Coble
refused to pay him.
Several other freemen deposed to having received 31.
ih the manner described by former witnesses.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock, till eleven
o'clock to-morrow morning.

WAVENEY VALLEY AND GREAT
YARMOUTH RAILWAY CO APANY.
A special meeting of the scripholders in this com-
pany was held yesterday afternoon at the London Tavern.
W. Wilshire, Esq., in the chair.
WemeneseN, Req., solicitor to the company, read
the report of the committee of management, which
stated that, in accordance with a resolution at the last
meeting of the scripholders, the directors had entered
into an agreement with the Norfolk Railway Company,
en 21st Oct., 1846, by which it was agreed that tho
Norfolk Company should apply to Parliament for an
Act to construct a line from Rcedham to Diss, with a
branch from Becclee to Walesworth. To provide funds
for that purpose the Norfolk Company agreed to create
new stock, bearing a guaranteed interest at 5 per cent.
The Waveney Valley Company were to be entitled to
subscribe. for 20,000 shares, of 201. each, by payment of a
deposit of 308. in each share, credit being given to them
by the Norfolk Company as if 21. had been paid upon
every share. It was also agreed that upon the applica-
tion to Parliament being successful, the Norfolk Company
should pay the sum of ss. upon each share to the
Waveney Valley Company. The Act had been ob-
tained, and in accordance with the agreement 5,0001.
was due to this company, which, however, had not been
paid, although the Norfolk Company had agreed to hand
over that sum in October last. The directors, therefore,
suggested the expediency of being entrusted by the
scripholders with power to enforce their rights
either by an appeal to a court of equity or by some.
other means. 'The accounts showed the receipts of the
coinpany to be 35,8751. Ss. 2d., of which only 1,2551...
remained in the hands of the bankers, the rest having:
been expended. Captain Aloorsorn, the engineer, had!
made a further claim of 1,7251. against the company„
which, however, they considered exorbitant, and refused
to pay.
Atter a good deal of discussion, during which two or
three shareholders objected to any proceedings being
taken that might involve the company in a tedious law-
suit in Chancery, and urged upon the directors the
propriety of endeavouring to make some arrangement
with the Norfolk Company,
The report of the committee of management was
received and adopted.
A resolution was then passed to the effect that the
committee of matiaecment be requested to take steps
with reference to the' agreement with the Norfolk Com-
pany as they may be advised, and report thereon. to a
meeting of the scripholders, to bo called for the pur-
pose, on as early a day as possible.
Another resolution was then agreed to, giving the
directors power to take similar proceedings to recover
the money agreed to be paid by the Eastern Union and
Chelmsford and Bury Companies as their quota of the
expenst s incurred in proceeding to Parliament.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman,
and the meeting separated.

ST. MARYLEBONE BANK FOR
SAVINGS.
The eighteenth annual general meeting of this
institution was held yesterday at the office, No. 76,
Welheck-street, Cavendish-:kquare ; the Rev. John
Hume Spry, D.D., in the chair.
It appeared from the several reports read to the
crieeting, that no less than 2,206 new deposits had
been made in the last year ; 18,119 deposit accounts
remained open on the 20th November last, of which
no less than 13,437 held balances averaging less than
31. 7s. Id. each.
Upwards of 301,6631. was then invested with the
Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt.
The continued evidence thus afforded of the dispo-
sition of the working classes to provide against the
casualties of life will prove a source of gratification
to all reflecting minds; and it may indeed be hoped
that this provident disposition has its influence in im-
proving the character and conduct, materially contri-
buting to this class of workmen being the last to be
discharged whenever establishments are reduced from
scarcity of work.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Feb. to.
,Sittings before the LORD CIIIEF BARON and Specie:
Juries.)
MAYHEW V. SPOONER.

This was an action brought to recover compensa-
tion in damages for the use of slanderous language
by the defendant, affecting the character of the
plaintiff; at a meeting held at the Freemasons' Tavern.
Mr. Cockburn, Mr. Martin, and Mr. Petersdorff
appeared for the plaintiff; Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and
Mr. M. llill for the defendant.
The meeting in question was, it appeared, held for
the purpose of considering an application made by
the defendant to the Government for a new charter to
the Veterinary College. During the proceedings the
plaintiff stated that he had delivered lectures at that
institution, which was deemed to be untrue by the
defendant, who cautioned the meeting not to place
any reliance on the plaintiff, who was " a convicted
libeller and a ridiculer of the Christian religion."
Mr. COCKBURN stated that the object of the plaintiff
was not to obtain c xcessive damages, hut to clear his
character from the foul blot cast upon it.
Mr. Sergeant Wiramsstated that, after the state-
ment of the Learned Counsel, he should he even quite
willing to suggest the withdrawal of the offensive ex-
pressions made use of by the defendant.
Mr. COCKBURN was quite willing to let the matter
drop upon payment of the costs of the action.
This proposition was objected to by Mr. Sergeant
WiLrcisis, who desired his Lordship to express an opi-
nion on the question of costs.
The LORD CHIEF BARON said that if he were called
upon to express an opinion on the matter, he would
certainly recommend the defendant to pay the costs
of the action.
The Attorney for the defendant said, that he had
not authorised the Learned Sergeant to make any
such proposition as he had done.
This proceeding on the part of the attorney caused
much excitement.
The LORD CHIEF BARON at length said, that he
would postpone the case in order to afford time for
the parties to consult together on the subject.
The Attorney for the defendant said, that his mind
was made up on the subject. The case ought to he
allowed to go to the jury.
Mr. Sergeant WILKINS said, that under the cir-
cumstances of the case, he felt it his duty to withdraw
from the cause.
After some discussion, it was at length argreed to
withdraw a juror, the defendant consenting to a rule
to pay all costs which had been paid out of the plain-
tiff's pocket.

CHARGE OF CRUELTY.—Yesterday Mr. R. Hunt,
of Old Brentford, was brought before the sitting magis-
trates of Brentford on a charge of cruelty to his nephew,
Charles Hunt, a boy 14 years of age, who was suffering
from ill-health, and was allowed a chair during the exa-
mination. It appeared from the evidence of Mr. C.
Allen and Mr. Myers, the assistant overseer and over-
seer of the parish, from that of police-sergeant Carshaw,
and from the statement of the boy himself, that he (the
boylhad been a sort of servant to his uncle, that he had
been kept in solitary confinement in a garret by his
uncle for a fortnight, ending Saturday last, and fed on
bread and water. There had been no fire in the room
during that time, he had straw to sleep on, and during
part of that time he had been tied by a cord by the leg to
the grate, to prevent his escape. He had been very ill, and
had been supplied with pills by his uncle. The uncle, in
his defence, made a lengthened statement complaining
of the boy's conduct, and saying that the police were
prejudiced against him. The magistrates called upon
him to find sureties for his appearance at the sessions,
and, as he did not produce them at the moment, he was
detained in custody.
I
ELECTION PETITIONS.—The following days have
been selected for the appointment of the Select Com-
mittees to try the matter of the petitions complaining of
unduee
14th of elections : for Bodmin and Bolton, on Thursday,
tand North February;
for Montgomery (borough) and
Carlisle, on Monday, 28th February; and for Bewdley
Northern Division of Staffordshire, Thursday, 2cl
of March.

PENTIAND PIRTIT W
have manned .
Duneansbay, fosrhthipe two— laregleeawrnelltheaqtali4ppeexdpebroiaetnsceedt
pilots
purposevta of piloting vessels through
the Or
firThs may now with greater con-
fidence approach the
weather permitting, be met ataspthey will at all times,
Duncansbay by one of
these boats, when a pilot may be taken on board.—John
o'CGtilitoctitoujsourlNnacliDENT.—On Saturday forenoon,
absence
orenoon, in
the of
Irosier-street, Calton, during the temporary
the mistress of the house, a woman entered
where two young men were sleeping, and, utter room
care-
fully scrutinizing the inmates of the bed, remarked tt
herself " that it WaS all right," and quietly deposited
a
fine healthy inalc child between the unconscients Sleepers.
This transaction was wimc:sed by a young man who
was lying in bed in another part of the room ; but, as
ha was in a weak state of bc:ilth, having but, partially
recovered from fever, he could no,'; in any INay interfere
with the movements of the woman. The astonishment
,been selected of the mistress of the house may be imagined, when,
on entering the door, the lusty squalling of the little
hadn7r met her ear; and when she saw the place which
sleepers, but they
a fine boy of about ten months itnedtrutoimr,hiitesh dceopuoldsi thasvhee awakened the
of any
circumstances both protested their entire ignorance
over to the parochial authoritiea.
unceremonious and we understand the child,
led to such an
—Edinbur#ll Mai/.
old, has been handed