The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-20 00:00:00

The following is the wee.
General of births and deaths in London and in thine*
other large towns of the United Kingdom :
In the week that ended on Saturday, May 16, 4,736
births and 2,864 deaths were registered in London and in
thirteen other large towns or the United Kingdom. The
annual rate of mortality was 23 per 1,000 persons living.
The annual rate of mortality last week was 21 per 1,000
in. London, 25 in Edinburgh, and 27 in Dublin ; 22 in
Bristol, 20 in Birmingham, 26 in Liverpool, 27 in Man-
chester, 25 in Salford, 23 in Sheffield, 24 iu Bradford, 20
in Leeds, 20 in Hull, 21 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and 31
in Glasgow. The rate in Vienna was 34 per 1,000 during
the week ending the oth inst., when the mean tempera-
ture was 6.8 deg. Fahrenheit higher than in the same week
in London, where the rate was 22.

Jo London the births of 1,104 boys and 1,119 girls, in all
2,223 children, were registered in the week. In the corre-
sponding. weeks of ten years, 1858-67, the average number,
corrected for inerease of population, is 2,075. The deaths
registered in London during the week were 1,268. It
was the twentieth week of the year, and the average
mimLer of deaths for that week is, with a correc-
tion for increase of population, 1,331. The deaths in the
present return are less by 63 than the estimated number.
The annual rate of mortality was 19 per 1,000 in West
London, 20 in North London, 24 in Central London, 24 in
East London, and 20 in South Loudon.

At the Doyal Observatory, Greenv.-ich, the mean height
of the barometer in the week was 29.893 in. The mean
temperature of the r'r :11 the week was 57'5 deg., which
is C*o deg. above the average of the same week in 50 years
(as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The highest day tem-
perature was 77'2 deg., on Friday, the 15th May. The
lowest night temperature was 42'1 deg., on Tuesday, the
12th May. The entire range of temperature in the week
was therefore 351 deg.

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4

v THE ENGLISH MISSION IN
JAPAN.

A correspondent of the Times, in a letter dated March
25, records another attack on the English mission in
Japan. Sir Harry Parkes and his suite were on a visit to
the Mikade, at Kioto. This visit, it may be noted, was
organised by the Mikado, who wished to establish friendly
relations after the late massacre. Everything was arranged
by the authorities to do honour to our representatives. They
were lodged in the most gorgeous palace, and treated most
mnificently. On the 23rd March they set out instate to visit
the i\J ihado. What took place is thus described by the
correspondent :—" First came the inspector of the Lega-
tion esef,rt, riding alongside of a Japanese officer of rank,
maned Nakai, who formerly belonged to the Satsuma clan ;
Own came the mounted escort ; then Sir Henry Parkes,with
Mr. Satow and Coto Shojirio, a high officer of the Foreign
Department ; then came a guard of infantry, belonging
to the !als Regiment, which is now stationed at Yokohama.
As good luck would have it, Dr. Willis, of the Legation,
and sonic naval officers whom Sir Harry had invited to
among whom were two medical officers, Drs. Purves
and Ridings, had accompanied us on foot in order to see us
enter the palace. Down a straight street nearly facing our
temple, the front Men passed without let or hindrance, but
as they turned the corner of the street two or perhapsmore
ruffians sprang out upon them with naked swords and
attacked them. Nakai leaped from his horse and engaged
one, but, catching his foot in his trousers, stumbled,
and received a severe cut in the head. At this moment
Goto Shojirie, who with the Minister had not yet turned
the• corner, perceiving from the backing of the horses
and the sem:file in front that there was mischief ahead,
dismounted, • and, rushing forward, came to Nakai's
rescue, and between them, fighting like brave men,
they killed and decapitated the villain on the
spot. The other scoundrel, crouching like a tiger,
ran swiftly down our line, brandishing his sword like
lightning, and cutting right and left in his blind rage. It
was like a Malay running a muck, only with a more
deadly weapon. I, who was in the rear, saw a distur-
bance, but at first thought that it was only caused by
restive horses until I heard the cry Kill him ! " Stop
him ! " Cut him down !' Then the inspector of the
escort came cantering down the street and fired his pistol,
and some one said, We arc attacked !' I jumped out
of my kago just as the pistol went off close to me, and a
woman fell down in front of me, frightened, but not hurt.
I saw a man rush into the house next me pursued by the
inspector and the two officers commanding the infantry
guard. I drew my sword and ran to the front, not knowing
the extent of the danger and anxious to see whether all our
party were safe. As I ran up the street I met one man after
another of the mounted escort coming down streaming with
blood from their wounds, but not 6, man complained. I
found the Minister at the angle of the street with the
headless body of one of our enemies at his feet, and
ascertained that he was unhurt as well as all our officers.
I then rams back to look after the man who had fled into the
house, and who, I heard the officer of infantry say, was
shot dead. Finding him still alive I stayed byhim, in order,
if possible, to protect him, and to revive him sufficiently
to subject him to an examination. My object was not to kill
him, although, had he attempted to escape, I should have
done so. I only kept watch over him until I could put
two sentries to guard him, and I had some trouble to save
him from the fury- of those who had caught him red-
handed. Our Japanese guard, I must add, had almost all
run away, and only came back when the danger was past.
Of course, going on to the Court was out of the ques-
tion. We had twelve men wounded, including Nakai
and Sir Henry Parkes's Japanese groom, besides
four horses; and naturally our wounded were
the first object. Some time was lost in getting coolies to
carry our poor fellows—at least, so many of them as were
faint from loss of blood ; for the others, grievously
wounded though they were, insisted on sticking to their
purses." It is -satisfactory to be able to add that the
prisoner has confessed and disclosed two of his accomplices
also captured. The Mikado has expressed his deep regret,
and having expressed a wish that the visit would yet be
paid, it was arranged that it -should take place on the
26th. The reason of the attack seems to be only that the
English were foreigners.

Menotti Garibaldi, the eldest son of the General,

is now visit;hg in Glasgow.

The London correspondent of the _Triqt Times
says the negotiations between Government and the Irish
Catholic bishop; in reference to the charter for the Catholic
Univ,..nity have been broken off. There is absolute clisa,
grement en seine of the principal points involved in the

Captain Moncrciff's new barbette elevating gun-
carriage lills been officially tried at Woolwich with perfect
success. Nine rounds were fired with 141 b. and 221 b. of
powder, and 115-pound shot from the 7-inch rifled gun,
each recoil bringing the gun down into safe position
below the parapet for reloading—that being the result
intended to he attained by the simple and effective appli-
ances of the invention.

SINGULAR AFFAIR IN SHROPSHIRE.—The mono-
tony of daily life in Shropshire is just now considerably
enlivened by the gossip arising out of an incident of
which the following is a brief recital :—A short time ago a
gentleman named Wells, a Wolverhampton ironmaster,
purchased an estate at Eaton Mascott, near Shrewsbury,
to which he subsequently added some land adjoining
the property of the Hon. and Rev. Noel Hill, rector of
Berrington, and brother of Lord Berwick. This land lies
immediately before the rectory, and a few weeks ago
Mr. Wells took it into his head to build two small cot-
tages as near to the rectory as possible, and with the back
premises directly opposite the front window of Mr. Hill's
residence, and in full view thereof. As there is no high-
way or other road near the site, or any probable reason
vhy Mr. Wells should select that particular spot for
building cottages upon, it was generally believed that he
had done it simply " out of spite," and the popular
feeling was very strong against him. The twin son of Mr.
Hill, the elder of whom is heir presumptive to the title
and estates of his uncle, Lord Berwick, lately came of
age, and the occasion was made one of great rejoicing by
the tenantry and neighbours, upwards of £5OO being sub-
scribed to the celebration fund. Amongst other festive
gatherings, luncheon was given on the lawn in front of
the rectory, followed by a ball, at which about 300 persons
were present. Mr. Wells's unfinished cottages, stand-
ing alone in the middle of a green field, form, as has
been stated, a prominent feature in the otherwise
beautiful landscape ; and the circumstances under which
view
toe
they b
had been erected were freely discussed by the Corn.
pally, and, singular to relate, it was discovered on the
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following
strict in,llowing rinniorrny islit gbtehbalgt
prosecuted,tl
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l3ll'l
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tifying the offenders and bringing them to justice ; but
though the secyet must be known to a large number of
it has hitherto ..been faithfully kept. In the
!:1?' :.inwhile, Mr. Wells has commenced to rebuild the
ottages.

Large and most important discoveries of coal have been
made in Russia. The mines of one district alone are,
according to the St. Peterburg journalf Go/os, capable of
supplying annually 400,000 tons for 150 to 200 years.
Since ISO 4 there have been surveyed in the valley of the
Don forty-four beds, the aggregate quantity of which is
estimated at 1,234,947,375,000 Vouds, or more than
18,000,000,000 tons. The Gotos asserts that the mineral
wealth of Russia far exceeds that of England, and at the
ramie rate of production would last for two ceuturiee after
ti 4 Lai:l4 1401 were ellatutta