The Sun. — 1844-07-29 (London, England)

STANDARD.----IThe debate upon the subject of drainage, though opened in a bad spirit by Lord Normanby, was useful, as whatever forces attention to the subject must be useful. The health of grge towns must ever remain precarious, until these towns shall be sufficiently secured against the presence of stagnant water. We say the presence of stagnant water, because great misapprehension prevails upon this subject, as it is generally supposed that the absence of ill smells and of filth obvious to the senses, is a sufficient guarantee for health. The reverse is the fact ; dry dirt, however offensive to the senses, is comparatively harmless, whereas the exhalation from the wet soil, though damped by the purest water, and the exhalations from stagnant water, however pure, are fatal. The proximity of a perfectly limpid fidi-pond has been known to perpetuate fever in a house until the cause of the mischief was removed, though, unhappily, not until after the sweeping away of successive families. On the other hand, few persons enjoy better health than those living in the foetid atmosphere of slaughter-honess, tallow-chandleries, and the like. Drainage properly so called—the removal of water—is that to which the Legislature must first direct its attention if it would secure the public health, cleanliness would be no doubt an important auxiliery to dryness, even in preserving health ; and it h.s great influence upon morals, as well as being essential to comfort, but the first great object, we repeat it is to exclude wet and damp. As the Legislature has taken up this subject, we hope that it will ultimately extend its care for tLe happiness and well-being of the poor a liLtie further. Something is wanted to provide better lodging for labourers in large towns (the field garden allotment syste:n will do much in the country and in villages). We are persuaded that with faeilities and encouragement afforded by the Legislature, capitalists might be tempted to invest money in the erection of what we may call labourers' barracks, in which each labourer might have a room and a bed to himself at a small rent, instead of being driven, as they now are, to sties in St. Giles's, for half or a third of a bed in the filthiest recesses of which they pay Is. 6d. and 2s. per week. There can be little doubt that a barrack capable of comfortably accommodating one hundred men might be substantially built for 5,0001., the present interest of which sum, invested in Consols, is 1501. prr annum ; but 100 men paying no more than one shilling a-week each, would give 2601. a-year. There would be, therefore no loss upon the investment ; whereas the benefit to the poor, both the direct benefit to those lodged in the barrack, and the indirect benefit in reducing rents generally, would be of inestimable value ; nor would the labouring classes be the only gainers—those infectious and contagious diseases which periodically sweep through all ranks with impartial cruelty, however originating, are always nursed in the crowded abodes of poverty. For ourselves, when we see any street or district of streets not of the very worst description, thrown down for any public improvement, we are disposed to ask, what has beco of the inhabitants? and the unpleasant answer that commonly occurs is, that they have probably removed to some worse place—for though there are some decent small streets in the remoter suburbs, poor people, whose ,constant daily toil lies in the city, can hardly afford to ine crease their labour by an additional three miles' walk in the morning, and as much more at night ; we shon'd therefore rejoice to see the very worst districts eVis• cerated, and labourers' barracks, with spacious surround!rig areas, in the acorn of the present abominable edifices  Rowles, aged thirty-five, late landlord of the Crown and Sceptre, Great Arthur-street, Golden-lane, who committed suicide. Edward Henley, an engine-driver, No. 2, Osborn-place, Great Arthur-street, said that on Wednesday evening, about seven o'clock, he was standing at his door, facing the Crown and Sceptre, when he heard several persons.exclaiming that the deceased had committed self-destruction. Wine: ss, with several others, ran up stairs, and found the deceased in his bed-room, on the floor, at the back of the door Witness raised him up, and then observed a deep gash across his throat. A surgeon soon after arrived, who directed that he should be taken to an hospital. Life appeared extinct. George Wood, jeweller, No. 14, Rahere-street, St. Luke's, said that he saw the deceased a few minutes before seven o'clock. Deceased's sister-in-law had requested him to watch deceased, who, she said, was in a state of distraction. About seven o'clock witness had occasion to leave him. On his return, in a minute or two, witness heard the gurgling in his throat, upon which he immediately gave an alarm. In the morning of the same day he was very excited. Witness saw him in the yard, walking to and fro, and laughing in a very strange way. Witness asked him what he was laughing at. He replied, " There was heaven in a kiss," and laughed again. He was not in a state of poverty, but he was a man who had been much better off. His wife is out of town. ' She went on Monday morning to Falmouth, to see her father and mother. By the