The Sun. — 1859-10-01 (London, England)

BURIAL OF STILL-BORN CHILDREN.  Yesterday, at the weekly meeting of the guardians of the poor of St. Marylebone, this subject was again brought under discussion. Dr. Bach• h. offner, who had given notice of a motion request. mg. the co-operation of the other metropolitan parishes in urging upon the Government and Legislature the necessity of an amendment of the Act for the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, more especially with reference to the introduction of a clause for a compulsory registration of still-born children, said he wished to postpone his resolution till their next meeting. His reason for doing so was, that he felt he had not had time to make himself entirely master of all the necessary statistics and facts. During the week, however, he had obtained some statistics which, however astounding they might appear, were taken from official sources, and might therefore be looked upon as accurate. He had discovered that, within a given period in one district (the rectory) of St. Marylebone alone, there had been registered the births of 1,109 illegitimate children, of which number 821 were registered in Marylebone Workhouse, and out of the entire number 518 illegitimate children were registered in the same district as having died within the same period. In another district of the parish, which for the present should be nameless, things were worse in proportion. In the latter, out of 223 illegitimate births registered, there were within the same period 209 deaths of illegitimate children. He mentioned these facts in order .that .the members of the board might bring their minds to bear upon a subject of such importance. There was also a point upon what he desired to set himself right, and that was in reference to the employment of midwives. An impression had gone abroad that he intended to ignore and abolish midwives altogether. Nothing of the kind ; but what he did want to see was, that all who practised as midwives should be subject to a registration. (Hear.) Several gentlemen having addressed the meeting the resolution was postponed. In addition to St. Luke's, Chelsea, the directors of St. Pancras, Islington, St. Luke's, and other parishes, have had the subject under consideration within the last few days; and Mr. Wakley, the coroner, has also dwelt upon the subject at inquests, and expressed his conviction that further legislative enactments to prevent child-murder are necessary.  The diligence from Bologna to Rome was assailed by three armed brigands on the night of the 20th ilia. The spot chosen for the onslaught was near Recanate, a very hilly district, and the horses were brought to the ground by a strong rope which the robbers had stretched across the road. Amongst the passengers were a colonel of Papal infantry, who sat very snug with his sword between his legs, and a vice-brigadier of gendarmes, who sprung upon the bandits, and used his sabre to such purpose that he wounded one and put the others to flight, their blunderbusses fortunately missing fire. By his courageous conduct he saved 8,000 scudi (11,733), which were being conveyed to Rome under charge of the conductor, besides the personal property of the travellers.