The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-25 00:00:00

~~

LONDON, 7BURSDAY, NOV. 25, 1869.

The visit of the King of the BELGIANS to this
country is well calculated to excite interest. The
hospitable reception which our Volunteers have met
with in their repeated visits to Belgium has increased
the goodwill which always existed between this coun-
try and Belgium. For many reasons then it seems
most opportune that we should have an opportunity
of paying a tribute of respect and regard to LEO-
roLD the Second. The presentation of the National
Address may be looked upon as symbolical of a
real feeling of interest, and apart from the
complimentary usage which too often is the
only real thing in these affairs. The King and
Queen of the BELGIANS are informed of the cordial
feeling which animates the people of this country,
and a warm welcome is given to them through the
medium of the most fitting representatives, the Lord
Mayors, Lord Lieutenants and High Sheriffs, the
Mayors, and other Chief Magistrates of Great Bri-
tain and Ireland. They declare that the hospitality
accorded by the people of their MAJESTIES dominions
to our countrymen in general, and especially tolour
Volunteers, will ever remain a pleasing memory to
the British people. They beg also to offer their assu-
rances that throughout the communities which they
have the honour to represent, there exists the most
distinguished esteem for the august persons of
their MAJESTIES, and for the wise and benefi-
cent rule that has distinguished their reign. This
National Address was contained in a magnificent
volume, illuminated and emblazoned in the most ele-
gant style. Unfortunately, through mistake or mis-
management, we have not, as a nation, been very
successful in our attempts to welcome those royal
and distinguished foreign guests who have visited
our shores ; but this somewhat unceremonious visit of
the King of the BELGIANS seems likely to be
attended with happier results than some of the
more pretentious affairs have been. At any rate, the
KING will know that goodwill has not been wanting,
and will bear back to Belgium a lively recollection
of English gratitude. The International Fetes, which
have now become a sort of custom, cannot be too
highly regarded, for they are the surest indications of
the progress of the different countries whose represen-
tatives take part in them. Belgium has taken an
honourable part in this great work, and it is right
that her services should be duly acknowledged. The
ceremony which has just taken place at Bucking-

ham Palace possesses an interest that will not

die away with the passing events of the day. The
King's reply was a most appropriate one. lie ex-

pressed his regard for the many eminent men who

bestowed on him a part of the friendship they
entertained for his father. Ile concluded by
declaring that if it was given to him to
fulfil their expectations during his reign,
it would be partly. due to the encouragement
afforded to him. On the whole, both Belgians and
Englishmen have good reason to be satisfied with the
reception which has been given to LEOPOLD the
Second and with the manner in which he has acknow-
ledged it.

The condition of the public health in the metro-
polis, as indicated by thiz weekly return of the
Registrar-General, is very far from satisfactory.
London has for the time being lost its pre-eminence
as the healthiest town, and while Bristol, Birming-
ham, and Liverpool have respectively a death-rate of
27, 24, and 29 per 1,000, London returns it at 31 !
It is true that in most of the large towns whose tables
of mortality are thus compared with our own the rate
is at present very high. Scarlet fever is exceptionally
fatal, and has played great havoc in Sheffield, Liver-
pool, Leeds, and Hull, as well as in London. The
changeable season, too, must answer for a good deal,
and the heavy mortality of last week was chiefly
owing to the deaths of the aged, who are most quickly
affected by the fluctuations of the weather. The
fact, however, that our weekly table of mortality
shows an increase of 170 on the week preceding, and
an excess of 293 on the corrected average, is a little
startling. If this is the case while the weather, how-
ever fluctuating, is certainly not severe, what may we
expect in a prolonged frost ? It would seem as though
the public health were in a low and unsatisfactory
condition, predisposed to the spread of epidemics
awl ill prepared to resist the attacks of winter frosts
and blasts.

With regard to the prevalence of scarlet fever, the
Registrar-General may perhaps throw some light on
its rapid progress. Of the 208 persons who died
from it in the week, 43 cases occurred in the North,
66 in the South, and 69 in the East. The Registrar
of the sub-district of Trinity, Newington, reports
that "scarlet fever is very prevalent. Some of the
houses are in a wretched condition, and not fit for
habitation ; the ventilation is very defective ;" so
that, naturally, when one member of a family catches
the disease, and is laid up with it in the midst of an
ill-ventilated. room, . the infection spreads from one
to the other; the; healthy have no chance of escape,