The Sun. — 1864-05-19 (London, England)

SUICIDE IN EUROPE.—A highly interesting paper was received a few days ago by the Academie de Medecine from M. Legoyt, Director of the Office of Statistics of France, on the number of suicides in Europe. From this laborious work it appears that suicides increase in a more rapid ratio than the population and morality in general in Bavaria, Denmark, France, Hanover, Mecklenburg, Prussia, the Kingdom of Saxony, and Sweden. Suicides are most frequent in Northern Germany and in the various parts of Denmark. Sweden and Norway, though belonging to tLe same race, are proportionally inferior to Denmark in that 'aspect. Contrary to a generally adopted opinion, England stands nearly at the bottom of the scale; and so do Belgium, Austria, and Spain. France holds an intermediate position; she would rank with the three last-named countries, were it possible to eliminate the sticides of Paris, which are one-seventh of the total number in France. Generally, tells er.nec ar increases s ef sr owmi t h29t ht eo a3goo ofof for every 100 suicides of men, women. The number of suicid individuals, at least until the ag6 of 60. The number of suicides is generally lowest in January, and highest in July. As to the causes, insanity and physical suffering are about as active in producing suicide among men as among women ; as to the rest, the latter yield more to grief occasioned by moral causes than men, Who are chiefly affected by material affliction, such as loss of property, bankruptcy, &c. Drunkenness and debauchery only form an insignificant item among the causes impelling women to suicide. In Denmark, Spain, an-d Sany, the only countries where it has been possible to obtain reliable information on the subject, married people are least subject to commit suicide, and widowers on the contrary are most liable to it; but suicides occur most frequently among married people that have been divorced or separated. In Prussia, in the course of two years, there were 153 suicides of Protestants per million, 51 of Israelites and only 47 of Catholics per million of each. Suicides are much more numerous in capital cities than in the country. The general result of all these investigations shows a universal and rapid increase of suicides. The author is of opinion that it is attributable to unlimited competition, to the immoderate thirst after wealth, to the progress of public instruction which excites to ambition, to political agitation, and to speculation. THE BISHOPS IN THE HOUSE OF Loßps.—A new arrangement is likely to be made relative to the attendance of the junior bishop in the House of Lords for the purpose of reading prayers during the sitting of Parliament, a duty which has been found to work very unfavourably for the diocese to which he may happen to belong. Henceforth, the duty will be divided amongst three bishops. The Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, who has hitherto been the junior bishop, will, for the future, assist Dr. Harold Browne, the new Bishop of Ely, who will be entitled to take his seat on the reassembling of Parliament, and when, by a vacancy in another bishopric, Dr. Jenne, the new Bishop of Peterborough, takes his seat, the three will read prayers in alternate weeks or months. On the accession of another bishop, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol will be entirely relieved from the duty. By this arrangement no diocese will suffer by the continuous absence of its bishop.