The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-05 00:00:00

THE CHESHIRE GAME MURDER
COMMITTAL OF TWO MEN.

Upon his arrival he was allowed to be seated near
the magistrate.
He said his name was Charles Mellor, and he was
at present staying at the house of Mr. Morgan, the
landlord of the Rose and Crown, in Wandsworth.
He had no more idea how the fire originated than
the fixeirons in the grate. He believed the prisoner
to be as innocent as a child unborn. She had been
two years in his service, and he always found her
hone: t and trustworthy. When he got up on the
morna'ng in question he discovered something
smouh, lering under his pillow, where he had lain.
He ren loved the pillow and saw something of fire
smouldt -Ting underneath. He called the prisoner
to put t out. She had not been in his room before
that moi ming.
By Mt Ingham—He was usually an early riser.
He tlit he got up that morning at half-past
six o'clock. He awoke himself. He was up, stand-
ing by the side of the bed, when he discovered the
fire. He was not dressed. There was no fire in
the grate. He had no candle burning. He was
dressing himself in the dark.
By Mr. Haynes--He always used a rushlight,
He thought it was burning at the time. He would
not be positive. He kept it alight all night. It
• generally stood in. the boson, where the jiig of
water was.
By Mr. Ingham—He did not sleep with the door
locked. He usually aired the flannels himself. He
had not aired any that morning. He would not
swear that he had not been out of the room before
he discovered the fire. The prisoner entered. the
room in the usual way. He did not know how she
got there.
By Mr. Haynes—He used matches. He did not
use any that morning. They were kept in various
parts of the house., He kept them in his bedroom
over the chimney.
The witness then, at the request of his worship,
gave the history of the two promissory notes, which
corresponded with the statement of the prisoner.
Mr. Ingham said he could not proceed anv
further with the case that day, and would remand
her, another week, if there was no objection.
Mr. Haynes wished to know whether he could
apply for bail
Mr. Ingham said he would listen to that appli-
cation next time.
The prisoner was accordingly remanded for a
week.

The examination of the six men charged with
being concerned in the murder of Jas. Beech and
rhos. Maddocks, gamekeepers, in the employ of
Mr. H. Akroyd, Doddington, in Nov. last, has at
length, after a protracted series of adjournments,
resulted in the committal, by the Rev. J. Folliott,
of the two prisoners, John Banks and. R. Boulton,
for wilful murder. The whole of the examinations
have been conductedwith closed doors, and whether
this has served to promote the ends of justice is a
question which admits of great doubt. The coroner's
court has been held four times ; three were open,
the last closed. Little evidence of importance was
adduced at the first three, material witnesses being
withheld by the magistrate. The final adjourned
inquest took place on Saturday last, at the Boar's
Iliad, Walgherton, before Mr. H. Churton, coroner
for the district. Although the public and the re-
presentatives of the press were excluded, yet the
latter found no difficulty in obtaining from the wit-
nesses who were examined a knowledge of the
whole case.
Of the four prisoners charged with being con-
cerned in the murder, two, named Malkin and
Oakes, give very important evidence against the two
charged with the murder, which evidence is corro-
borated to some extent by others not implicated.
Early on Sunday morning, the 28th Nov., the pri-
soners assembled together, and on setting their
nets in one field, immediately caught four hares ;
the party then separated, three—Danks, Boulton,
and Oakes, being the only men with guns—enter-
ing a wood, while the remainder went round it to
await their return. On entering the wood, Oakes,
seeing a bird, shot it; and then he says he was pro-
ceeding to load his gun when he heard an alarm
given that there were keepers approaching. He
then threw himself into a ditch, and immediately
he heard one gun fired and then another from the
direction in which Banks and Boulton had gone.
He remained in the ditch for some time, during
which he heard one of the poachers captured ; re-
membered their conversation, heard the keepers
send for a cart and the cart arrive, and when the
bodies had been carried away he went to Boulton's
house. This witness bears avery bad character, and
has been tried for murder. In respect to his evidence
Boulton makes a direct contradiction. He (Boulton)
says, that when they entered the wood, and Oakes
fired, he handed Oakes his double-barrelled gun,
that Oakes then went after.another bird, and while
he was separated from them they heard the watchers
—that some one fired a gun, who he does not know,
that a second gun was then fired, and then he and
Danks ran away. The gamekeeper, who lived a few
hours after being shot, described the murderers as
a tall and a little man, and Banks is a little man,
Boulton being the taller of the two, while Oakes is
a short man.
Malkin, another of the poachers, in evidence
stated that immediately after the fracas, he went to
Boulton's house, where he met with one or more men
and that on boulton's arrival, he asked him whether
they had shot the dogs, whereupon he replied, " No,
but the men ; Danks shot first, and then I shot, and
I was sorry the moment I did it." This witness
also bears a notoriously bad character, and has
been convicted of various offences. With respect
to the evidence against Banks, one man, a relation,
affirms that he, with several others, was awaiting
Danks' return, and when he came he said to those
present, " You'd better go, the police will be here
directly." The witness then went upstairs with
Banks, when he said, " I believe I've shot a man,
and Boulton too."
Against the whole of the witnesses, Danks and
Boulton, while the jury were lunching, expressed
themselves with great bitterness. Boulton cursed
Malkin very vehemently, and said that Oakes had
crept out of two murders, and wanted to put them
in for the third. Both the prisoners conducted
themselves with great effrontery, talking and laugh-
ing with their friends, and telling most indecent
anecdotes of the obnoxious witnesses.
Danks and Boulton were committed on the
coroner's inquisition for wilful murder, and were
lodged.in Chester Castle on Monday afternoon. .

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Jan. 4.

GUILDHALL. George Gibson was brought
up, on remand, charged with being concerned with
three other men in the burglary and robbery com-
mitted at the residence of Mrs. Humphreys, at
Stamford-hill, on the 25th of April, 1856, on which
occasion the thieves tied the servant in a chair and
the mistress in her bed, and with threats of the
most violent character compelled them to silence
while they ransacked the house of money, plate,
and jewellery to the value of about £2,000.
Mr. Lewis, jun., appeared for the prosecution,
and Mr. Beard for the defence.
Eliza Cook, the servant to Mrs. Humphreys, was
recalled.
Alderman Humphery—Did you know that your
mistress kept so much money (900 sovereigns) in
the house ?
Witness—No, sir ; I do not know that any one
else did. My mistress had no visitors except Mr.
Rush, her solicitor.
Alderman Humphery—Did your mistress receive
any dividends ?
Witness—Yes, sir.
Alderman- Humphery—lt is very strange ; some
one must have known what money was in the
house, and from whom the burglars must have
obtained the information.
Mr. Lewis—That was shown at the trial of
Fleckart, who was convicted of being concerned in
this robbery, at the July sessions, 1856, and sen-
tence of death was recorded against him.
Mr. Beard—But that has since been commuted

THE CHARGE OF SETTING FIRE TO A
HOUSE AT WANDSWORTH.

Annie Collyer, who was charged last week at the
Wandsworth Police-court with setting fire to her
master's house, at West Hill, Wandsworth, was yes-
terday re-examined. On the last occasion only one
witness was examined, and she stated that five sepa-
rate fires had occurred in the house in one day, the
28th ult. This witness was a young woman named
Cotterell, residing opposite the house in which the
fire took place, and which was occupied by Mr.
Mellor, a gentleman 85 years of age. There were
no other persons living in the house except Mr.
Mellor and the prisoner.
Mr. Haynes defended the prisoner.
Mr. Thos. Richard Chidley said he . was a mer-
chant, and resided four doors from Mr. Mellor's.
He was going down West Hill, when he heard the
alarm of fire. He heard some person knock loudly
at the door, and when he got up the door was open.
Mr. Mellor was standing at the door at the time.
Witness went up stairs and saw some garments
behind the door of Mr. Mellor's bedroom on fire.
The door was also on fire. There was a jug of water
in the room, and he threw the contents over the
flames. Mr. Mears also came into the room, and
they both saw that the fire was thoroughly extin-
guished. He then left the house, and about twenty
minutes afterwards there was another alarm of fire.
He ran in, and saw that the adjoining room was on
fire. Previous to his leaving the first time he went
into that room, and he saw no appearances of fire.
Witness saw the prisoner in the kitchen at that
time, and remarked to her that the breaking out of
these fires was very strange, and she accounted for
them by saying that Mr. Mellor was in the habit
of using flannels in bed, and that he himself aired
them before the fire, and that she supposed one of
them had caught fire and he had thrown it on the
bed. She appeared very much excited, but he could
not say from what cause.
In cross-examination, the witness said he took
the jug of water himself from the basin. The pri-
soner did not give it him, as she was down stairs.
Mr. Wm. Mears, a builder, living next door, gave
similar evidence.
Francis Payne, 88 V, said' that on the alarm
being given he went to the place and saw flames
issuing from the up stairs room window,
which he afterwards ascertained belonged to the
prisoner's room. There wore several men assist-
ing in getting the furniture out, and he also
assisted. He afterwards saw Taylo• , another con-
stable; and some others forcing Mr. Mellor from
the house. He was taken to witness's home oppo-
site, where he reinained for some time. He saw
the prisoner in the road, and she was decidedly the
worse for liquor. From what he afterwards heard
he took the prisoner into custody. This was about
twenty minutes to four o'clock. He told her the
charge, and she said, " I did not do it. lam inno-
cent. She also said she would go anywhere with
him, as her conscience was clear, but she did not
wish the people to see that she was a prisoner.
Mr. Ingham inquired if Mr. Mellor was present.
Payne said he was not. He did not think he
was in a fit state to be examined from his age and
infirmities. The witness then said he afterwards
found a writing-desk at one the houses where some
of the furniture had been taken. In the desk he
found two promissory notes, drawn by Mr. Mellor
in favour of the prisoner. They were dated the
24th of February, 1858, and one was for £2O, and
the other for £3O. He was about to explain what
Mr. Mellor had said about them, when

Mr. Haynes objected, as he thought it was not
right to receive any statement made by Mr. Mellor,
whose intellect was said to be unsound. _ _

to seven years' transportation.
Mr. Lewis—lt appeared on the trial that a dis-
charged servant gave the thieves every information.
After leaving Mrs. Humphreys' service she married
a man named Slark, who escaped to America, and
a great quantity of the property has since been
traced to him.

Alderman Humphery—What time in the morn-
ing was it when the servant's hands and feet were
tied ?
Eliza Cook—lt was a little before eight o'clock.
It was quite daylight at the time. I went down
stairs at six o'clock, but I was not tied until about
two hours after. _

Alderman Humphery—What were you doing a.
that time ?
Witness—Sitting still.
Alderman Humphery—Did you not scream ?

Witness—Yes ; .when I was first seized on enter-
ing the parlour at 6 o'clock,but not afterwards, for
I had a man by my side and another in front of me,
with a knife at my throat, and they were threaten-
ing to kill mei II .made any noise.
Alderman Humphery—Who tied your feet ?
Witness—A man very much resembling the pri-
soner, and his mask fell off while he was doing it.
I still believe the prisoner is the man.
Alderman Humphery—ls Mrs. Humphreys'
house detached ?

Witness—Partly so, sir. It is situate at the
corner of a street.
Alderman Humphery—That is material, as it is
probable the men were seen leaving the house.
Mr. Lewis—We have evidence that the four men
were seen close to the house within a few minutes
after they left it.
Witness, cross-examined by Mr. Beard—When
the prisoner's mask fell off he did not replace it for
about two minutes. I have not seen him since un-
til I was brought here to identify him. The pri-
soner and several others were brought out of the
cells, and I recognized the prisoner. He was not
pointed out to me. I will not swear positively that
he is the man, but I believe him to be so.
Ito-examined—During the whole of the two
minutes that the mask was off his face he was in
front of me tying my legs.
Alderman Humphery—Did he speak to you ?
Witness—Yes ; he asked me where the money
was, and I said I did not know. I heard the pri-
soner's voice this morning, but I should not like to
say I could recognize it after so long an interval.
Alderman Humphory.—What sort of masks did
the men wear ?
Witness—One had a red handkerchief tied over
his face, but the prisoner had a black mask which
concealed the whole of his face.

George Holmes, a painter, said—ln April, 1856,
I was living at Clapton. On the morning of the
25th of that month, at about a quarter to 8 o'clock,
I met four men coming from Stamford-hill, and
going in the direction of the Lea River. They were
walking two and two, and appeared in a hurry.
The first two wore red handkerchiefs round their
necks. The remaining two came round the corner
of the street in a sort of half run. I noticed them
because I thoug.ht one of them was very like a man
who was working with me at the time. The pri-
soner very much resembles one of the two short
men whom I saw hurrying after the first two. Di-
rectly I saw the prisoner among several other pri-
soners I recognised him. -It is my belief he is one of
the four men I met on the 25th of April, 1856. I
identified Fleckart at the trial, and he was con-
victed. _ _

Cross-examined—l was coming out of Spring-
field, and the four men were going into it. I have
looked at many thousands of faces since, and have
not been able to recognise the one I believe the pri-
soner to be until now.

Re-examined—l heard of the robbery within 20
minutes after, and I gave Inspector Langdon a de-
scription of the men.
Alderman Humphery—Has any of the property
been found ?

The witness then said he found a gold buckle in
the desk, and a linen stamper with the name of
Annie Collyer upon it.
By Mr. Haynes—When he saw the prisoner in
the crowd, the fire was nearly out. The prisoner
has claimed the desk. He did not know that she
had said that her things were destroyed by the
fire. She asked him if anything had been seen of
a gold watch and chain. He asked her if she was
aware that she had the promissory notes. She
said " Yes," and then told him she had received £.50
for a railway accident, and that her master had the
money. She also said that the money had since
been paid to her father, and her master ordered her
to destroy the notes : but she had neglected to
do so.
William Taylor, the other summoning officer of
the court, said he accompanied Payne to the fire.
He saw Mr. Mellor endeavouring to go up stairs,
and he told him to remain down, as he would get
burnt if he went up. He said he wanted to go up
stairs for his shoes, and witness was obliged to use
violence to get him down and out of the house. He
afterwards saw the prisoner at Payne's house, and
she was the worse for liquor.
The young woman who first gave evidence was
then cross-examined by Mr. Haynes, but nothing
additional was elicited.

In answer to questions by Mr. Ingham, she said
Mr. Mellor opened the door to her in the morning.
He was sitting in the parlour. On the second
occasion, when the prisoner called he lover, Mr.
Mellor was out and walking in the to. He re-
turned when witness and her father were there.
When they left he was in the parlour. When she
went the third time she could not say where he
was. She believed he was in the parlour. She did
not see him at the third fire.

Mr. Ingham here said he thought he ought to .see
Mr. Mellor.
Payne said he could fetc-li him in a few minutes.

Inspector Foulger, of the city force, said—l have
written to Dartmoor, and find that the prisoner was
discharged April, 1856, from the Stirling Castle
convict ship, which has since been broken up and
all its officers transferred to Lewes Gaol. _

Inspector Langdon, of the N division, said—l
find that the prisoner and Slark, who has gone to
America with, as we believe, a large portion of the
property, were discharged together from the Stir-
ling Castle..
Alderman Humphery—lt will be important to
have the date of their discharge, for if it did not
take place until after the robbery it would be quite
clear the prisoner was not in it.
Mr. Lewis—l have now to ask you for a remand,
sir, to complete the case.
Mr. Beard—Really, sir, this case has been
brought up here so frequently, I must ask yoti not
to remand the prisoner again.
Alderman Humphery—He is committed to take
his trial on another charge of warehouse-breaking,
so he cannot suffer any hardship through being
remanded.

Prisoner—l hope you will not remand me again,
sir. I have been remanded five weeks already.
Alderman Humphery—And will be, I dare say,
a great many more.
Mr. Lewis—The prosecution ought not to be
hurried in a case of this kind, and I cannot com-
plete it without another remand.
Prisoner.—You did not say so when you defended
me on the other charge. Then you wanted the
magistrate to deal summarily with me, or discharge
me; but now you are pressing the case all you can
against me.
Mr. Lewis—You are in very good hands.
Alderman Humphery—l have no doubt you feel
it rather an awkward thing to have the same
solicitor who defended you on the former charge
prosecuting you on this.
Alderman Humphery then remanded the pri-
soner for a week, and then inquired if the ticket-
of-leave system was still resorted to.
Ins-pector Foulger said it was to a very great
extent.
Alderman Humphery expressed great surprise
that a system fraught with so many evils should
still be pursued. He could not understand the
policy which suggested such a system, and he felt
assured that if its supporters had seen, as he bad
that day, seven persons charged with the most
daring robberies, and heard the evidence that five
of them were ticket-of-leave men, they would see
the fallacy of it at once.

BOW-STREET.—A man of most repulsive
aspect, who said his name was George Atkins, was
brought up on remand on a charge of highway rob-
bery with violence.
The prosecutor, a tradesman named Greene,
stated that on the night of Christmas-eve, as he
was going through Parliament-street, a little after
midnight, a woman addressed him and asked him
to give her something to drink. He declined and
went on. He turned into Cannon-row, when he
was almost immediately attacked by the prisoner,
who came upon him from behind, seized him by
the throat with so severe a pressure that he felt
half suffocated, and pressed his knees against
witness's loins. Witness struggled with his assail-
ant till the latter was compelled to relax his hold a
little, so that he was able to call for help. He then
perceived that while the man was holding him
the woman was rifling his pockets. He afterwards
missed his watch, worth £5; and his purse, .con-
taining £9 10s. in gold and 9s. in silver. During
the struggle he was thrown to the ground, but re-
covered his feet, and detained the woman, having
caught hold of her by the lower jaw. Several
persons came to his assistance, but some bystander
advised him to let the woman go; he did so, and
she escaped. The man ran away, but was followed
and taken by policeman Robson, 89 A.
The prisoner, who made no defence, was formally
committed ; but
Mr. Jardine ordered him to be brought up again
on a future day, as some further evidence was ex-
pected.
James Thorpe, a well-dressed young man, who
said he was a draper, was charged with obtaining
money under false pretences.
John Eno, a butler, now in service in a family in
Duke-street, Grosvenor-square, stated that about a
fortnight ago, being then out of place, he advertised
for a situation. He received a letter desiring him
to call on an agent near Bloomsbury-square. While
waiting at the agent's office he got into conversation
with a person whom he described as a " dapper
little man." This person stated that he was also
waiting to see the agent about a situation, though
he did not care much about it, as he had some
money, and was thinking of taking a public-house.
As the agent did not appear he left, and was after-
wards accosted by the " dapper little man," who
induced him to go to several public-houses. They
were joined by two strangers, one of whom said that
he had just come into a legacy of £670, and meant
to stay in town to spend the odd £7O, and then
return to the country and settle on a farm. The
other stranger was the prisoner. He played at
skittles with these persons, and lost £2. He then
staked his watch for £5, and lost it. He went
home, accompanied by the prisoner, to whom he
paid the £5, and who then returned him the watch.
He then went to the Deposit Bank, where he had
an account, and drew £5O, with which he returned
to the public-house, played skittles again with the
prisoner and the other men, and lost his £5O and
all the loose cash he had at his command at the
time, making altogether £6l. When he went away
the prisoner accompanied him a short distance, and
advised him not to return, observing, " I am afraid
we have got into bad company. lam a valet ;if
ever you see me with my master, don't speak to me
about this affair." Witness was afterwards advised
to give all the parties into custody, but did not see
any of them till he met the prisoner in the street
that day, and then gave him in charge. He would
give the others in custody if he could find them.
Mr. Jardine said he would not advise him to do
so, or they might bring actions against him for false
imprisonment. There was no false pretence what-
ever, and the constable had acted very imprudently
in taking the charge without inquiry by which he
might get himself into trouble. The prisoner must
be discharged. --
MARYLEBONE.—A woman named Esther
Griggs was charged with throwing her infant child
out of a first-floor window.

Sergeant Simmonds, 20 D, said,—At half-past
one o'clock this morning, while. on duty in East-
street, Manchester-square, I heard a female voice
exclaim, " Oh, my children ! save my children !" I
went to the house No. 71, whence the cries pro-
ceeded, and the landlord opened the door. I went
up-stairs, accompanied by two other constables, and
while making our way to the first-floor front room
I heard the smashing of glass. I knocked at the
door, which I found was fastened, and said, " Open
it ; the police are here." The prisoner, who was
in her nightdress, exclaiming, " Save my children!"
and at length, after stumbling over something, let
me and my brother officer in. When we entered
we found the room in total darkness, and it was
only by the aid of our lanterns that we could dis-
tinguish anything in the room. On the bed there
was a child five years old, and another three years
of age by her side. Everything in the place was
in great confusion. The prisoner told me that she
had been dreaming that her little boy had said the
house was on fire, and that what she had done was
with the view of preventing her children from
being burnt to death. I have no doubt (added
witness)_that if I and the other constable had not
gone to the room all three of the children would
have been flung into the street.
Humphreys, 189 D—l heard the breaking of
glass, and saw what I imagined to be a bundle
come out of the window, but on taking it up I
found it to be a female infant. There was blood
running from its temple, and it was insensible. I
took it to the infirmary.
Pollard, 314 D—l heard loud cries of " Oh ! save
my children !" and when I was in her room she
said, " Has anybody caught my baby, Lizzy ?"
One of the little boys, three years old, and who was
clinging to his mother, had blood upon his clothes.
He had upon his breast some marks which ap-
peared to have been caused by cuts from glass. The
'sergeant left me to take care of the prisoner while
he went for her husband. She told me she had no
wish to hurt any of her children, and that it was
all through a dream.
Mr. Henry Ty rwhitt Smith, surgeon at the
Marylebone Infirmary, said that when the infant
was brought to him, soon after one in the morning,
he found, •upon examining it, that it was suffering
from concussion of the brain. It was quite insen-
`sible.
Mr. Broughton—Do you consider it to be in
danger now ?
Witness—Decidedly so, The parietal bone is

Mr. Lewis—Only a gold watch, which was found
in the possession of a warder at Dartmoor, who was
tried for receiving it, knowing it to have been
stolen, and acquitted. A large share of the pro-
perty was traced to Slark, from whom the warder
received the watch.
Thomas Wilson was then called and said—l am
in the service of Mr. Thornhill, who lived at Cham-
pion-place, Upper Clapton, in April, 1856. About
20 minutes to 8 o'clock on the morning of the 25th
of that month I saw four men coming down the
street which leads direct from the house where the
burglary was committed. The two taller men were
walking in advance of the other two, and they all
walked in a hurrying sort of way. I identified
Fleckart as one of the first two, and the prisoner's
height and general stature very much resemble that
of the shorter man of the other two

Cross-examined—l can only say the prisoner re-
sembles one of the men, but I have no belief that he
is one of the men. _ _

Re-examined—My belief is that he is one of the
men, but I will not swear to it.
Alderman Humphery—How long after seeing
the men was it when you heard of the robbery ?
Witness—About a quarter of an hour or 20
minutes.
Alderman Humpliery—Did you take any pains
to follow them ?
Witness—No, sir; I did not trouble myself
about it, as I heard so many persons talking about
it. I afterwards gave a description of the men to
Inspector Langdon ?
Alderman •Humphery—But I should have
thought, when you heard that such a serious rob-
bery had been committed, and had seen the men
only a few minutes previously, you would have
endeavoured to follow them.
Witness (with great effrontery)—l had my
master's business to attend to. _
Alderman Humphery—But in such an important

case, where the lives of two women had been so broken, and death might ensue in the event of an
seriously threatened, and so large an amount of) effusion of blood on the brain.
property taken, your master's-business ought not to Mr. Lewis submitted to the magistrate that there
have prevented you in securing the men. had been no attempt to murder the infant. The
Witness (impudently)—My master's business is prisoner had always evinced a kindly feeling to-
just as important. wards her children, and he hoped that the magis-
Patrick Kelly said—l am a detective officer trate would allow the husband to have her under
belonging to the Birmingham police. I know the his care during the temporary remand which, of
prisoner. I arrested him in 1852 on the charge of course, would take place. The dream under which
stealing a horse and cart and a set of harness. He the act was committed showed that she had not at
was tried, convicted and sentenced to 10 years' the time any consciousness of what she was doing.
transportation. Mr. Broughton remanded the prisoner.
Alderman Humphery—ls that term expired ?
Mr. Lewis—No, sir; but he was liberated on a
ticket-of-leave. If he had served the whole term
he would not be discharged until 1862.
Alderman Humphery—lt is these ticket-of-leave
men who do all the mischief.
Witness—l produce a copy of the prisoner's
conviction. He was tried in the name of Elliott.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE
WEEK.

(From the Registrar-General's Report.)

The Return of Births and Deaths in London,
issued by authority of the Registrar-General for
the week ending Saturday, January 1, states the
total number of deaths registered in the metropo-
litan districts in the last week of the year was
1,494. In the ten years, 1848-57 the average num-
ber of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last
week 'was 1,215 ; but as the deaths in the return for
last week occurred in a population which had in-
creased, they should be compared with the average
after it is raised proportionally to the increase, a
correction which will make it 1,446. The compari-
son shows that the deaths of last week exceeded
by 48 the number which the rate of mortality as
derived from the fifty-second week of previous years
would have produced.
If the deaths in London last week had been ac-
cording to "the healthy rate" of mortality derived
from certain selected English districts in the last
quarter of the year, they would have been 765 ;
and the excess above this point which the
true number exhibits is 729, and represents what
may be termed the unnatural part of the morta-

My.
Fatal cases of diseases of the zymotic class num
bered 'last week 400 ; the corrected average for
corresponding weeks being only 208. Measles,
scarlantina, whooping cough, and typhus all exhi-
bit an increase on some previous weeks. Scarla-
tina was fatal in 135 cases. Five of these occurred
in the Kensington Town sub-district ; 6 in that of
Christchurch, Marylebone ; 5 in Kentish Town ;
in Poplar. This disease continued very fatal in the
Pancras district. Measles carried off 53 children ;
it prevails chiefly in the north and central districts.
Whooping cough carried off 61 children ' • 8 of these
in the east sub-district of Islington. Of the 52
deaths from typhus, one occurred in Butcher-row,
Deptford, in a family consisting of ten persons, of
whom seven have been attacked by the disease.
The premises are described as being in a filthy
condition. Last week the deaths from bronchitis
were 167, the average being 134 ; and those from
pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs) were 122,
the average being 106.
Nineteen women died last week from diseases in-
cidental to child-bearing. Three persons died from
intemperance. The deaths of one man and three
women (widows) occurred at the age of 90 years
and upwards ; their respective ages as registered-
-90, 93, 95, and 100 years. But the Registrar be-
lieves there is good ground for questioning the alleged
age of the centenarian.
Last week the births of 981 boys and 1,013 girls,
in all 1,994 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848-57
the average number was 1,541.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the:mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.744 in.
On the last two days the mean reading was above
30 in. The barometrical readings varied from 29.15
in. to 30.15 in. The mean temperature of the week
was 41.4 dogs., which is 4.4 degs. above the average
of the same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr.
Glaishcr). The mean daily temperature was above
the average throughout the week. The highest
temperature was 49.8 degs., and occurred on Sun-
day the 26th ult. The lowest was 31.9 degs., and
occurred en Thursday. The range of the week was
therefore 17.9 degs. The mean daily range was 8
degs. The range of temperature on Friday was
only 4.5 degs. The difference between the mean
dew-point temperature and air temperature was 3
deg. The mean degree of humidity of the air was
88 ; on Thursday and Friday the humidity was 98,
almost the point of complete saturation. The mean
temperature of the water of the Thames was 41.8
deg. The wind blew generally from the south-
west. On Sunday, evening lightning was seen ;
and on that day rain fell to the amount of 9.16 in.
The total in the week was 0.22 in.

FROM 2WE GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT.

REDUCTION OF THE NATIONAL DEBT.

The Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury,
having certified to the Commissioners for the Reduction of
the National Debt, that there was no surplusage of actual
Revenue, over the actual expenditure of the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, for the year ended the
30th September, 1858,
The Commissioners for the Reduction of the National
Debt hereby give notice that no sum will be applied by
them on account of the sinking fund, under the prov;sions
of the Act 10 Geo. IV., cap. 27, between the 6th day of
January, 1859, and the 31st day of March, 1859.
National Debt Office, Ist Januar3r, 1859.
A. Y. SPEARMAN, Comptroller. General.

WINDSOR CASTLE, DEC. 30.
The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour of
Krighthood upon Mordaunt Lawson Wells, Esq., Judge
of the Supreme Court at Calcutta.

BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, JAN. 3.
The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received,
through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy
of a despatch from her Majesty's Consul at Bordeaux, an•
nouncing that all vessels arriving at the port of Pauillac,
at the mouth of the river Gironde, are required to hoist a
yellow flag, which is to be kept flying until the vessel has
been repotted to the sanitary authority of the port.
- -

BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, JAN. 3.
The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received in-
formation from her Majesty's Consul-General in Cuba, that
the port of Tarza; on the south side of the Island of Cuba:
has been opened to foreign commerce.