The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-05 00:00:00

SIEGE OPERATIONS AT CHATIIAIIL

On Monday, the 2d of September, some further r‘
night siege operations vere carried on at Chatham.
The whole of the dicers and men of the Royal
Engineers paraded.at Bp.m., and were told into two
working parties—one to continue the construction
of the battery commenced on the previous Wed-
nesday, the other to trace out a first parallel and
three batteries in connection therewith—that is to
say, to perform the very first operation of breaking
ground before a besieged fortress. This latter was
carried out in the great lines, in the direction of
and facing Fort Amherst. On reaching the ground
the construction of the three-gun sunken battery
was proceeded with by the first party. The lines of
fire of the several batteries, proposed to be traced
on the great lines, having been laid down before
dark by the officers is charge, the actual tracing
was commenced as soon as it bad become sufficiently
dusk to prevent danger of discovery from the for-
tress. The batteries and parallel were so arranged
that the latter might serve as a screen to the former.
Communications from the rear to the right and left
of the parallel were also traced. On arrival on the
ground, about 9 p.m., the men detailed for that
duty were extended along the line traced out, as a
working party. _ _ _

The electric light was used both by besieged and
besiegers—by the former, as before, from the para-
pet near the end of
St. Mary's casemates, and by
the latter from the trenches near the sunken battery.
The attacking force had, on this occasion, arranged
their light to act through an opening-- a kind of
funnel, so to speak—through the parapet of their
works, so as to give protection as far as possible to
the lamp and to the men employed in working it
from the fire of the defenders. This opening was
one foot square on the inside, where the light was
placed, with a lateral splay towards the outside,
where its dimensions were lft. high and aft. wide,
forming a kind of fan-shaped embrasure, the cen-
tral line of which was directed towards the position
of the defenders' light. The result thus obtained
was very similar to that on the previous Friday
night. Some of the outer rays were, of course,
obstructed by the sides of the opening, but the
central focus still remained sufficiently brilliant to
counteract the opposing light as before.
An attempt was made by the defenders to dis-
cover, by means of their electric light, the working
party extended along the parallel and batteries in
in the great lines, but without success. The dis-
tance to the nearest point of their line was about
800 and to the furthest point about 1,500 yards.
The only object made out was a bell tent, about
1,000 yards distant, which was very indistinctly
visible with a glass, figures moving across its white
surface being also just perceptible ; people moving
along the road to New Brompton, about 500 yards
dis.it'ahnetnwas extremely hazy, and cousequehtly
unfavourable, night were, however, clearly distinguishable.
to the lights, but it seems doubtful
whether men in dark clothing and against the mode-
rately dark background existing could have been
made out,
even under favourable circumstances, at
this distance (800 yards and upwards).
Night signalling was again carried on with Capt.
Bolton's line and magnesium lights, as on the pre-

vious occasions.
The working parties of the attacking force were,
as before, under the superintendence of Col. Len-
nox, C. 8., V.C., Instructor in Fieldworks, and the
electricu r isn lightsof and
under the personal
pAnderson, R.E., Assistant-
Instructor in Telegraphy at the Royal Engineers'
s evio Lieut. signalling
Establishment, the whole being under the command
of Lieut.-Col. Fitzroy Somerset, R.E.
Major-General Freeman Murray, commandant of
the garrison, accompanied by his staff, was on the
ground, and expressed himself highly pleased with
the steady, quiet, and orderly manner in which the
men were extended, as a working party, along the
parallel and batteries traced on the great lines, as
well as with the general arrangements of the whole
of the operations.
There were numerous spectators present, includ-
ing several officers of the garrison.

HEAL TH.
THE PUBLIC

(From the Registrar-Generars Return•)

In the week that ended on Saturday, August 31,
4,221 births and 2,903 deaths were registered in
London and 12 other large towns of the United
Kingdom. The 'annual rate of mortality was 24
per 1,000 persons living.
The annual rate of mortality last week was 22 per
1,000 in London, 22 in Edinburgh, and 21 in Dub-
lin ; 20 in Bristol, 32 in Birmingham, 30 in
Liverpool, 32 in Manchester, 29 in Salford, 28 in
Sheffield, 26 in Leeds, 25 in Hull, 40 in Newcastle-
upon-Tyne,
and 22 in Glasgow. The rate in
Vienna was 27 per 1,000 during the week ending
the 24th ult., when the mean temperature was 9.9
deg. Fahrenheit higher than in the same week in
London, where the rate was 21.
The mortality from diarrhoea
during last week
showed an increase in nearly all the large towns,
but more particularly in Manchester, Birmingham,
and Sheffield. Of the above rates from all causes
the following proportions resulted from diarrhoea :
—.4 per 1,000 iu London, 6 in Liverpool, 9 in
Sheffield, 11 in Manchester and Salford, and the
highest, 12 per 1,000, is Birminghatn. Li New-
castle the mortality showed a further considerable
iiler,ase upon previous weeks, while iu Leeds the
mortality from all causes, but more especially from
diarrhoea, had sensibly declined.
In London the births of 1,034 boys and 1,051
girls, in all 2,085 children, were registered in the
week. In the corresponding
weeks of ten years,
1857-66, the average number, corrected for increase
of population, is 1,937.
The deaths registerel in London during the week
were 1,288. It was the 35th week of the year, and
the average number of deaths for that week is, with
n correction for increase of population, 1,269. The
deaths in the present return exceed by 19 the
estimated number.
The deaths of 208 children and 18 adults from
diarrhoea were registered last week. Thirty-eight
cases occurred in the west,
58 in the north, 24 in
the central,
40 in the east, and 66 in the south dis-