The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-01 00:00:00

CITY COMMISSION OF SEWERS.

Yesterday the Commissioners of Sewers for the
City of London held a court for the despatch of
business, at Guildhall, Deputy Christie 'acting as
chairman.

With regard to the sanitary condition of the
City, Dr. Letheby, the medical officer of health, re-
ported on the state of 241. houses that had been
inspected during the week, of which 61 are com-
mon lodging-houses, and he submitted a list of 83
places for sanitary improvement. The mortality
returns are still remarkably favourable, for there
were but 33 deaths in the course of the week,
although the average for the season is 48. In fact,
the average weekly return for the whole of the
month has been only 36, whereas the number for
the corresponding period of the last four years is
52 ; 15, or nearly half, of the deaths were among
children of less than five years of age, and 6
among old persons. The prihcipal causes of death
were as follows .—Diarrheea, 4 (of which 3 were
infants) ; scarlet fever, 2 ; and one from each of the
following—measles, small-pox, and fever; making
together 9 deaths from zymotic affections. There
were only 4 deaths from pulmonary diseases—
namely, 3 from phthisis and one from bronchitis.
57 births were registered in the week, 28 girls and
29 boys. The customary order was made by the
commissioners for the sanitary improvement of the
several places indicated in the medical officer's
report.
The committee on general purposes reported the
circumstance that hides are allowed to remain in
Leadenhall-market beyond the regulated hours,
and the court empowered the inspector, acting
under the instructions of the City solicitor, to take
steps for securing the rigid observance of the regu-
lations on that subject. The committee also re-
ported that they had taken into consideration the
letter of Dr. Letheby on the evil effects of gas
leakage from the street mains and pipes, and that
from communications they had had with the three
gas companies supplying the City it appeared that
whilst the leakage was a source of great loss to
them, which they had endeavoured to prevent as
far as possible, the result of their experience was
that the proposed remedies have failed to effect
the desired object. Agreeably to instructions given
to the committee at the last court, they had exa-
mined the candidates for the office of inspector of
slaughter-houses and meat, and had named three
from whom to elect as persons qualified for the
office. One of the three the court elected—viz., S. J.
Newman, who had filled a similar office in the district
of St. Pancras. The improvement committee reported
that they had had words inserted inwtohaelaAbdruilntgerait-
tion of Food Prevention Bill which
within the powers of the court to use its provi-
sions. They also reported that the Locomotion Bill
in Parliament, the object of which is understood to
have been to facilitate the metropolitan street traffic
by means of tramways, had been withdrawn. They
had likewise examined the Local Taxation. Returns
Bill, the Highways and Roads Bill, 'the Local
Board of Health Bill, and the Nuisance& Removal
Bill, and were of opinion that they did not call for
the interference of the court.
A casual conversation arose on a cm itreverwr
between Dr. Letheby, the medical offiei nr of the
commission, and Dr. Hoffman, acting on the part
of the Metropolitan Board of Works, as tc ) the best
means of deodorising the Thames; but a Le full
itin-
formationwas
s not being before the court on tale subject
postponed until it came up for dis mission.
The remaining business transacted b, y the com-
missioners was of a routine character, an d after its
disposal they adjourned oyer their custon aary recess
in August.

It is stated in a letter from Trieste, that the
Queen Dowager of Naples is expected them i ilmost every
day, in the war steamer Elizabetht and that :a villa near
Vienna, belonging to Baron Pereira, hams be ga ruchasea
for her Majesty.