The Sun. — 1839-06-11 (London, England)

HYTCHE.  MORTALITY  AND SUICIDE IN  THE ARMY.  The following details will tend to remove some very erroneous impressions relative to the proportion of deaths and suicides among the British troops, as compared with those among the other classes of the community. According to a paper read at the Statistical Society, on the 20th of May, drawn up by Mr. Lever, from Major Tulloch's " Report on the Sickness and Mortality among the Troops in the United Kingdom," the average ratio of mortality among the Dragoon Guards and Dragoons is found to be somewhat more than 15 per thousand annually, and the ratio of sui tides to the deaths, 1 in 28 of the whole ; while the mortality among Civilians is calculated at IES per 1,000, and the suicides at 1 in 110 of the deaths. By comparing, however, the number of deaths to the population in large towns where the troops are generally quartered, it is found that the ratio is somewhat greater among civilians than among the military. In Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, &c., the proportion of deaths between the age of 20 and 30 is 16, and between 30 and 40, 18, while among the troops, even up to the age of 45, it is not more than 153-10ths per 1,000. The large proportion of suicides in the army is, to a certain extent accounted for, by the fact that selfdestruction rarely occurs among persons under the age of 18, and are by no means so frequent among females as males. It will be interesting to compare the tendency to self-destruction in the army, with the proportion of suicides in civil life, in different countries, as stated by M. Quetelet  France there is 1 suicide annually to 18,000 inhab. Prussia 1••• ••• 14,404 Austria ••• ••• 20,900 Russia 1"• ••• 49,182 State of New York 1 ... „.. 7,797 State of Boston 1 12,500 State of Baltimore 1 ... 13,656 State of Philadelphia 1 ' 15,875 Dragoon Guards and Dragoons of 1 the U.K. _ _  1,274  In cities where a large proportion of military are quartered, the ratio of suicides is greater than in the whole population of a country, but still much below that among our troops. - In the department of the Seine (Paris), between 1817 and 1825, the suicides averaged annually 1 in 2,400 inhabitants ; in Berlin, from 1813 to 1822, 1 in 2,941 ; in Geneva, from 1820 to 1826, 1 in 3,900 ; and in London 1 in 5,000 inhabi tants. Assuming, therefore, the very highest average in civil life in this country, suicides are at least five times as numerous among the military. At the same time, we must bear in mind that instances ofself-destruction rarely occur among persons under the age of eighteen, and are by no means sq frequent among females aErnales, which circumstances must materially influence any comparison between its prevalence among a population of all ages and sexes, and a select body of troops from eighteen to forty years of age.  According to -a statement made by General Paixhans in the French Chamber of Deputies, a few days ago, the mortalityinithe French army is considerably'greater. In civil life about 12 in 1,000 of persons of 20 years of age die annually, and 11 in 1,000 of those between 20 and 30, nhile of the young soldiers who enter the army when about 20 years of age, not less than 75 in 1,000 die annually. The proportion of deaths decreases after the first year up to the fifth. Of those who have been in the army two years 65 to 1,000 die ; of those who have been three years, 52 die ; and the proportion goes on decreasing to the fifth years, when 30 in 1,000 die annually. Since the army went to Algiers 80in every 1,000 have died of disease ; out of 200,000 French soldiers sent to Algiers, or remaining there for six years, 16,500 have died.  honour on •a liberal Government and a Reformed Parliament, and well might her Majesty in one of her first speeches from the throne express her delight at such an auspicious commencement of her reign.