The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-15 00:00:00

(Hear, hear, from Mr. Spooner, and cheers.) If the
national defences were properly attended to he
thought the visit of the House of Commons to Cher-
bourg would not be without its use. Let us keep up
our defences, and it was a matter of indifference
whether Cherbourg meant peace or war, because he
was convinced that the best way to maintain peace
was to be in a state of constant preparation for war.
Mr. FOLEY, M.P. for South Stalfordshire, in re-
sponding to the toast,said—This not beino• apolitical
meeting he could not allude to the overthrow of a
Government stronger than any. government we had
seen for many years. With respect to the late
visit of the House of Commons to Cherbourg, he
thought many of the observations recently made by
members of Parliament extremely injudicious and
mischievous. Whether Cherbourg were a menace
or not it was now an accomplished fact, and must
be treated by us in a business-like manner. He ex-
pected that John Bull would be called upon to dip
his hands deeply into his pockets. Some provision
must be made for the defence of the country, and he
had sufficient confidence in the House of Commons,
as the representative of a brave and free people, to
believe that they would vote any sum that was re-
lured either to keep up a Channel fleet or put our
coast defences into such a position that they might
at any time be able to resist a foreign enemy. The
principle of liberty was too deeply rooted in the
hearts and minds of English people to be easily ex-
tirpated, and he was quite certain that if any such
attempt were made as that which had been hinted
at, the whole people of England would rise as one
man to defend national honour. (Cheers.)
Mr. TTAT:Iri rr”:OO,CCI the health of Mr. Spooner,
observing that they all admired pluck, and few
would admit that Mr. Spooner had not got plenty,
of it. •He had represented Warwickshire now for
many years, and had always maintained the cha-
racter of a thoroughly honest man. (Cheers.)
Mr. SPOONER, in returning thanks, said that he
hoped he should keep his character for honesty to
the end of his days. He had always looked upon the
agricultural interest as one of the most important
in the country, and it was therefore with the
deepest interest that he had watched the enormous
strides the science of agriculture had made of late
years, for he said, without any fear whatever, that
upon the improvement and success of agriculture
depended in a great measure the success, the pro-
sperity, and the happiness of the empire of Great
Bjtain itself. (Cheers.)
Mr. NEWDEGATE then addressed the company at
some length, in proposing the toast of " The Agri-
cultural Labourers," and the meeting separated.

SELF-DEFENCE OF BRITISH
COLONIES.

The following is a copy of a despatch from the
Right Hon. Sir E. B. Lytton to the Governor-
General of the Leeward Islands :

"Downing-street, July 31.
" Sir,---I have replied generally in another de-
spatch to the explanations with which you have
favoured me on the Antigua riots ; but I am anxi-
ous to draw your attention to one consideration in
particular arising out of these disturbances. I desire
to impress upon you, and through you upon the
colony which you govern, the extreme importance
of raising and maintaining from local resources,
and by local efforts, such a military force as will by
its presence guarantee the safety, dignity, and in-
ternal peace of the country.
"On a reference to the records of past years, I
have observed that' in many of the West Indian
colonies local corps were established, and, as I be-
lieve, efficiently kept up. It is with a feeling of
mortification that I perceive that these wise pre-
cautions have been laid aside under the impression
of a false economy.
" It is the natural wish of her Majesty's Govern-
ment to contribute to the safety and protection of
the distant dependencies of the British Crown, but
the necessities of the empire have withdrawn many
troops, and may. compel the withdrawal of more.
In a critical period of our history, these necessities
at home, and a strain upon our resources, both in
men and means, have called forth the-generous and
loyal sympathies of her Majesty's subjects in many
parts of her colonial empire. But it is not alone by
the material addition of a new regiment to the line,
or by munificent contributions in aid of those who
have experienced the sufferings and losses of a bar-
barous warfare, or ISY the expression of loyalty
and devotion, that the English colonies can give
the mother country an effective support in itcasons
of trial and difficulty.
" It is by evoking the means of self-defence and in-
ternal protection, by enabling this country to avail
herself to the utmost of her own military resources,
and by dispensing with the troops which, so long
as could be spared, have been freely given, that the
West Indian colonies will best mark the spirit
which, I am persuaded, animates them.
" It is a sacrifice which the mother country has
a right to claim, and which the colony ought to be
the first to approve. It was, therefore, with grati-
fication that I have observed during the recent riots
the readiness with which so many gentlemen have
hastened to enrol themselves on the side of order,
and to place their services at the disposal of the
Governor. It is with still greater satisfaction that

I have learnt the intention to form volunteer corps,
alike to secure the colony from aggression from
abroad and to maintain peace at home.
" The more fully that this self-reliant feeling is
confirmed and that these precautions are adopted
the less will be the probability of the danger, and
the more the discipline and the efficiency that can
be communicated to the new force, the less will be
the expense and the difficulty in preserving a high
standard hereafter.

" There can be no safety to life or security to
property, and to the transactions of commiarcc in
that community which does not earnestly and reso-
lutely seek to develop within itself the requisite
force to vindicate the dignity of its own laws against
the outbreaks of internal disorder.

" I watch with interest the progress which the
colony under your government is making in this
important and salutary direction, and her Majesty
looks with confidence to the loyalty and good feel-
ing of the inhabitants of her West Indian colonies
in rendering their utmost support to the authori-
ties in this somewhat difficult, but. necessary and
laudable undertaking.
" You will take an early opportunity of making
these sentiments known to the Legislature of An-
tigua.—l have, &c.,

"E. B. LYTTON.
" To Governor Hamilton, &c."

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

it. 6;)

(From the Registrar-Gcnerars Return, Sept.
In the week that ended on Saturday, Sept. 11,
the number of deaths registered in London was
1,060, of which 521 were the deaths of males, 539
those of females. In the ten years 1848-57 the
average number of deaths in the weeks correspond-
ing with last week was 1,457 ; but as the deaths
of last week occurred in an increased population, it
is necessary for the purpse of comparison to raise
the average proportionally to the increase, in which
case it will become 1;603. The public health is,
therefore, so far satisfactory that the deaths now
returned were less by 543 than the number which
would have occurred under the average rate of
mortality ; and although the great number of
deaths at two periods when cholera was epidemic
must be taken into account, yet there can be no
doubt that London enjoys an improved state of
health at the present time.
But if the deaths of last week had been according
to the rate which exists in the healthiest districts
of England, they would only have been 799, hence
it appears that 261 persons died from circumstances
that constitute the comparative insalubrity of the
metropolis.
The births of last week were in excess of the
deaths in the same • a
period by 477.
_

The mortality from &arr./hemis rapidly subsi-
ding ; in the two previous weeks the deaths from
it were 146 and 120 ; last week they were only 69.
Scarlatina, on the contrary, shows a slight increase,
115 fatal cases having been registered; amongst
others three children daughters of a dyer residing
at 46, Plower-street, 'Spitalfields, died of this dis-
ease. Whooping-cough carried off 29 children,
and measles, 21. Three deaths occurred from small-
pox. Four persons died from cholera, including
three children, and a blacksmith aged 27 years,
who died in Charing-cross Hospital after 36
Lor r:' i 7 1.: a ths from plithisis (or con-
sumption), which in the previous week were 119,
rose last week to 162, the average being 139. A little
boy died, after an illness of three hours, from eating
bitter almonds ; and a labourer, aged 36 years, died
in St. Bartholomew's Hospital from pymmia. Three
persons died last week at the following advanced
ages-91, 92, and 93 years.
Last week the births of' 777 boys and 760 girls,
in all 1,537 children, were registered in London. In
the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848'57,
the average number, corrected for increase of popu-
lation, was 1,668.
= At .the Royal Oligertatory, Greenwich, the wean