The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-22 00:00:00

THE SIJN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 1866.

one partially and one wholly by the East Lon-
don. in Bethnal-green the rate of mortality
was 39 per 1,000, in Mile-end Old-town
50 -per 1,000 in St. George-in-the-East 60, in
techapel 70, in Poplar and Bow 70, and in Step-
ney it actually reached the rate of 80 per 1,000. In
the -Whitechapel rate are included the deaths in the
London Hospital, which is situate in that district,
and which of course received patients from the
other eastern districts, but there is no such rea-
son for the terrible mortality in Poplar, Bow,
and Stepney. Neither can the destitution
of the inhabitants explain it, since the Regis-
trar observes that " Bethnal-green is one of
the poorer districts of London, if we may judge
from the annual value of the houses ; but the people
of Poplar and Bow are not conspicuous for poverty."
Poverty and want of good wholesome food are no
doubt strongly predisposing causes, but we must
look elsewhere for the particular virulence of the
disease in some districts. The Registrar is not long
in finding it. Ile says—" The whole of these dis-
tricts where the mortality from cholera was from
30 to 40-fold higher than it was either in the west
or the central, in the north or the south of London,
were supplied with water from the Old Ford reser-
voirs. London is divided into 37 districts ; six
districts are supplied from Old Ford, and every one
has been ravaged by the epidemic ; the other 31
districts have for six weeks suffered slightly." As
if still further to confirm the inference to be drawn
from these facts, we find that the 37 districts are
divided into 135 sub-districts ; 21 are supplied with
the same water, and have all suffered six weeks in
succession ; 115 have suffered inconsiderably with
the exception of a few, where the same water has
been used, and the mortality has been
swollen. No wonder that the Registrar..
General exclaims emphatically —" By the
doctrine of chances, it is impossible that the coinci-
dence between this particular water and the high
mortality should be fortuitous in 135 cases during
six weeks in succession." The facts which these
statistics impress upon us are not new. Sewage
water, as the return reminds us, has often led to
cholera outbreaks. " Unclean water cannot be
consumed with impunity, its consumption is the sin
of which cholera is the punishment." Such are the
terms in which no mean authority delivers the re-
sults of his extended observations.

Surely the question of the metropolitan water
supply cannot much longer be neglected. We have
paid heavily for our previous indifference to so im-
portant a matter, and it will be, indeed, a national
disgrace if, with all our wealth, our sanitary know-
ledge, and our engineering skill, the inhabitants of
this metropolis are suffered to imbibe slow poison
in the guise of their water supply. Where is the
use of a costly system of registration and statistics
if we do not profit by the deductions which may
be drawn from the facts collected ?

After the undue praise that has been accorded in
certain quarters to Count BISMARCK, and the ab-
surd opinions some have expressed relative to the
policy of Prussia, it is really quite refreshing to
peruse the remarks made by certain French journals
about the grand doings in Berlin. The Si&:le aptly
describes the proceedings of the heaven-sent KING
by saying that " With a single stroke of the pen
the great Monarch Prussianises four independent
States of Germany, and this is the needle-gun ap-
plied to diplomacy ; these are the brutal proceedings
of war. The politicians of France disbelieve the
statement of those who declare that Prassia will
some reaction 'taking place soone"r"aF'
MARK'S insincere professions do not take in the far-
sighted observers of Paris, who delight in taking
every opportunity of showing up his actions, and
dilating upon his excesses. The Wats is also very
strong on the point of Prussian annexation, and it
is asked very plausibly why the principle which
allows the Berlin Government to take possession of
Frankfort, Nassau, Ilesse, and llanover is not
carried out still further and applied to Saxony and
Bavaria. It is at all events certain that for
the present the peaceful relations will not be
disturbed between France and Prussia, but at any
rate all these expressions of discontent must be
admitted to show that the recent course pursued by
Prussia is most inimical to France, and that the
feeling will rankle in the minds of many cannot be
questioned. The EMPEROR'S health is better, which
is a very satisfactory announcement, for he can ill
be spared from the position he so ably fills, and the
affairs of Europe, already sinister enough, will look
far worse and assume a still more unfavourable
aspect if Prussia is left to pursue her way
unmolested and unrestrained by the con-
sideration that a powerful opponent is watching
her manoeuvres, and may at any moment turn round
upon her if she goes too far and attempt too much.
The preparations for the French Exhibition are
proceeding with vigour, and are regarded as a con-
clusive sign of pacific intentions; but of course at
any moment all this could be put aside, if circum-
stances occurred to alter the opinions of the French
Government. The great offence which Prussia has
given to France is certainly one very notable sign
of the events lately occurring, axd that we shall
hear yet more of it in the future we may be well
assured.

According to the news brought by the Peruvian
quiet is not yet restored to New Orleans. Military
law still prevails, and the sale of arms and ammu-
nition is forbidden. Governor WELLS, of Louisiana,
has been making himself very busy in the Radical
cause, by issuing an address justifying the assembly
of the recent Convention in New Orleans, which
was the immediate cause of the mischief, denounc-
ing the " slaveholding aristocracy," and declaring
that if the military are withdrawn the lives of Union
men will not be safe. It is quite evident that
Southern politics will never be in a satisfactory
condition until the national representative system is
once more in working order, instead of one parti-
cular faction overriding the whole Congress.
We are sorry to learn Mr. DAVIS'S health is
rapidly declining. His counsel is endeavouring to
obtain his release on bail, a favour which we
should hope that Mr. JortNsoN is now strong
enough in his position to accord. It would
be a matter of lastingendrAegmreherti
prison,
snof
ne earna e s
thered ilod
uLe few Americans,
In
days
e we
airne eminent
ptheer
C_
suaded, who would really desire such a conclusion
to a chequered but illustrious career. The public
health of New York is improved, the
cholera having
abated. The great object of interest now is the
grand Convention of Philadelphia, the result of
whose deliberations will, we may hope, exercise a
powerful effect on the political world. Party feel-
ing and fanaticism have had their way long enough.
It is time that all the States should be really re-
united if they are to be kept under one Govern-
ment, and that the attention of all parties should be
directed to the internal improvement of the coun-
try, and he consideration of those important topics
of domestic and social existence .which so greatly
affect the happiness and welfare of a mixed com-
munity.

FATAL SLEEP WALKING.—On Sunday morning
a man named William Taylor, lodging in Harper-street,
Leeds, rose from bed, and when asleep fell from the top of
the stairs to the bottom. When taken to the infirmary it
was found that he had fractured his spine, and he died in
about an hour. An inquest was held on his body yester-
day, When ft Verdict 01 accidental death was returned.

Jucae 23, July 21,
1866. 1888. ilncrease. Decrease.
----,-- --
Bank of England... 25,6'6,223 .5,312,316, --323,697
Private Banks 2,592,7a 2,513,7181 78,991
Joint-stock Banks 2,232,303 2,198,5061 31,797
----i- --
Total in England. 30,461,225 30,024,7901 936,483
Scotland 4,550,529 9,363.0161 187,5,0(
Ireland 5,312,01( 5,04,815 — 217,193
--,,
United Kingdom. 40,323,7 M 39,982,5711 £891,188

And as compared with the mouth encVng the 22d of
July, 1865, the above returns show an increase of
£2,389,937 in the circulation of notes in England, and an
increase of £1,757,604 in the circulation of the United

Kingdom.
On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the
several banks the following is the state of the circulation:—
The English private banks are below their
fixed issue „. £1,513,898
The English joint-stock banks are below their
fixed issue -

1,019,629

Total below fixed issue in England ... £2,538,527
The Scotch banks are above their fixed issue... 1,613,745
The Irish banks are above their fixed issue ... 1,259,679
The average stock of bullion held by the Bank of Eng-
land in both departments during the month ending the 18th
of July was £14,389,697, being an increase of £767,009
as compared with the previous month, and a decrease of
£1,384,993 when compared with the same period last year.
The following are the amounts of specie held by the
Scotch and Irish banks during the month ending the 21st
of July :
Gold and silver held by the Scotch banks £2,413,728
Gold and silver held by the Irish banks ... 2,117,180

£4,530,908
Being a decrease of £146,285 as compared with the pre-
vious return, and an increase of 414,173 when compared
with the corresponding period last year•

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.
The Official Gazette publishes the nomination of
General Cialdini as chief of the General Staff.

AMERICA.
(BY ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.)
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (Evening).

Gold, 1481 ; Exchange on London, 1581 ; 5-20
United States Bonds, 110 f ; Middling Upland,
341.