The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-13 00:00:00

Health of the Royal Navy.

Dr. Mackey, in his statistical abstract for theyear
ending June, 1866, says
In the ratio of cases placed upon the sick list
there was indeed a trifling increase as compared
with the previous 12 months ; but the rates of inva-
liding and mortality were the lowest that had occur-
red during a period of 10 years. It is alsogratifying
to be able to report that in that portion of the force
which is at present attracting most attention--viz.,
the armour-clad vessels—the ratio of cases waslower
than in any other class of sea-going vessels, with the
exception of the second rates. The ratio of invalid-
ing was also low, and the only class of vessel in
which the death-rate was lower was the first-rate,
of which only one was in commission.
"During the 12 months embraced in the present
report the average force was 50,495, and the num-
ber of cases of disease and injury entered on the sick
list was 67,593, which is in the ratio of 1338.6 per
1,000 of mean force, a slight increase as compared
with the preceding 12 months, but much below the
average sick rate of the total force taken for a pe-
riod of 10 years, that being 1472.6 per 1,000. The
stations showing the highest ratios of cases were the
South-east Coast of America, West Coast of Africa,
the East Indies and Cape of Good Hope, and China,
and the ratio in tile irregular force was also high.
" The number of cases entered on the sick list per
man was, on the home station, 0.9 ; on the Mediter-
ranean, 1.4; North America and West Indies, 1.6 ;
South-east Coast of America, 1.6 ; Pacific, 1.6 ;
West Coast of Africa, 2.3 ; East Indies and Cape of
Good Hope, 1.7 ; China, F 7 ; Australia, 1.4 ; and
the irregular force, 1 7 ; giving an average of 1.3
for the total force, the decennial average being F 4.
"It appears that of all the sea-going vessels the
lowest ratio of cases was in the second-rates, and
next, the difference being very trifling, in the iron-
clad vessels ; while the highest ratios were iu the
sixth-rates, sloops, gun-vessels, and troop-ships.
" There were one or two frigates of the sixth rate
on every station, with the exception of the South-
east Coast of America. The highest ratios shown
by them were on the West Coast of Africa, Pacific,
and Mediterranean stations.

" Vessels of the sloop class were employed on all,
excepting the home station. The largest ratio of
sickness in those vessels was on the "West Coast of
Africa.

" The lowest ratio of CASCS in the gun-vessels was
on the Australian station, and the highest in China;
as, during the previous 12 months, the lowest sick
rate in any particular vessel of the class was in the
Surprise, on the Mediterranean station, where it
was 733.3, while in China, in the Coquette, it was
as high as 3141.0 per 1,000.

" The high sick rate in the troop-ships was
altogether attributable to the prevalence of fever in
an epidemic form, in the adventure, in China. With
that exception there was no particular sickness in
those vessels.

"The average ratio of invaliding in the total
force taken for a period of 10 years was 35.1 per
1,000 of mean force. During the 12 months em-
braced in this abstract 1,590 persons were invalided,
which is in the ratio of 31.4 per 1,000, being the
lowest ratio of invaliding that has occurred within
a period of 10 years.
" The Mediterranean, the West Coast of Africa,
and China were the only stations on which the
ratio of invaliding exceeded the average of the total
force for the decennial period.
" The average ratio of mortality of the total force
for the decennial period was 15.5 per 1,000 of mean
force. During the present period it was only 10.5,
the total number of deaths being 535. Of these,
404 were the result of various forms of disease, and
131 of wounds, injuries, and drowning. The death-
rate from disease alone was about 8 per 1,000."

OPENING OF TILE ROUSE OF RELIEF BY THE
BISHOP OF GLOUCESTEIL—The House of Relief, a
new institution for the treatment and cure of children of
both sexes suffering from diseases of the joints, was opened
yesterday, at 12 o'clock, by the Right Rev. the Bishop of
Gloucester. Commodious and suitable premises have been
secured for this truly benevolent work at No. 19, Queen-
square, Bloomsbury, and many influential names are to be
found among its patrons. Spencer Walpole, Esq., is the
honorary secretary ; and the entire management is under-
taken, voluntarily, by ladies, assisted by eminent medical
men. The inauguration was auspicious ; the object—re-
lief for a suffering class for whom hitherto little has been
done—is a humane ono, and promises to supply a missing
link in the chain of Christian care for the helpless and ne-
glected. Among the friends present yesterday were the
Rev. John Back (rector of St. George the Martyr,
Rev. Dacre Craven, Rev. W. A. Newton, Mrs. Ellicott,
Mrs. Spencer Walpole, Mrs. Paget, Mrs. Spencer Perceval,
Lady Middleton, Dr. Hillier, Miss Perceval, Dr. Cholinely
Dr. Gee, T. Holmes, Esq., and others, numbering between
50 and GO. The service, conducted by the bishop, was
interesting and appropriate ; it was held in the large room,
to be hereafter appropriated to the purposes of a "Girls
Ward," six of the ten beds, it is proposed to placed in the
ward, being already tenanted by children, the first occu-
pants, all between the ages of four and eight years ; to each
cot was attached various mechanical contrivances needed
to facilitate the cure of the patient. The appearance of
the ward was striking ; the bright green of the newly-
painted iron cots, with their spotless counterpane; "white
as the driven snow," combined harmoniously with the gay
red jackets worn by the children, half reclining, and
watching with much interest the proceedings, which were
judiciously curtailed in consideration for the little people.
The company separated shortly after one o'clock.
THE STATUES OF THE PLANTAGENLTS AT FONTE-
YRAULT.—The Paris correspondent of the leedependance
.Beige says :—" The removal of the statues of the Planta-
genet Kings, which so excites all Fontevrault, all Maine
and Loire, and even all the west of France, decidedly will
not take place. Respectful but unanimous representations
have been made to the Emperor, who, moreover, constitu-
tionally speaking, could not keep the promise he courte-
ously made to the Queen of England. Whether these
historical monuments are public or private property
they can only be alienated legally. The idea may there-
fore be considered abandoned, in whatever way the
sovereign gets out of his promise to Queen -Victoria."
Upon the same subject the Liber•te says :—" A despatch
from London, published yesterday by the Liberte, an-
nounces that Lord Stanley has declared to the House of
Commons that the Emperor Napoleon had written to
Queen Victoria, offering her the statutes of the Planta-
genets now in France, at the Chapel of Fontevrault. There
must be an error here, which we will not even try to ex-
plain. These archwological monuments form part of the
national domain, and not that of the sovereign. It is
therefore, evident that Lord Stanley cannot be justified iu
declaring that the statues of the Plautagenets have been
offered to Queen Victoria by Napoleon I[l., for aliena-
tions of public property can only be authorised by the
Corps Legislatif."

TRULY TRISIL—The traditionary mannerin which
tho Irish rebels of 1867 are going about the country search-
ing houses for arms is noteworthy. In 1798 the Irish rebels
searched houses for arms because they bad none and wanted
to get some ; in 1867 the Irish rebels search houses for
arms, having already more arms and ammunition than
they know how or care to use, simply because in former
rebellions thepractico of making these domiciliary searches
has obtained. If arms and ammunition, without steadfast
hearts, could expel the English from Ireland, Irelan4 would
have been a lost country to England long ago:—Po(=inall
Go4dlC, •