Mr. Leslie's attempts is the cowl illustrated below, and from the hour it was fixed (last November) until the present time, it is affirmed that not the slightest amount of smoke has entered the room, and from being the worst retiring-room connected with any place of entertainment in the Metropolis, it has become, in the opinion of the artists, one of the best. As will be seen by the illustrations, this cowl has, at the upper end of the pipe, a series of truncated conical shells, mounted one above the other, the lowest one being fixed as a collar round the top of the flue pipe, and the others supported from it over each other, and parallel to it by four equidistant radial partitions. Level with the top of the uppermost one, an annular metal plate is fixed, the opening in the centre of this plate being COMPRESSED AIR POWER. ANY description of motive power which will enable the smoke and dirt and poisonous fumes associated with the use of steam to be dispensed with, will be one of the greatest boons possible to be bestowed upon such towns as Birmingham, and will at once inaugurate a distinct era of improvement in the direction of health, comfort and cleanliness. Therefore, any practical scheme that suggests such a possibility is worthy of encouragement and support The advantages indicated are some of those claimed for the new system proposed to be utilised in Birmingham by the Birmingham Compressed Air Power Company, whose Bill for the organisation of the necessary powers has passed somewhat larger than that at the upper end of the uppermost truncated cone, so that a space of about a half-inch wide is left all round between the parts. Finally a few inches over the top of the upper cone and parallel to the annular plate, there is another horizontal plate or disc which, if desired, may have a domed top to throw off the rain. The wind blowing against the parallel cone arrangement, causes currents of air to be directed upwards and outward between the horizontal plates at the top, and these currents carry with them the smoke ascending by the flue pipe. The radial partitions between the cones add much to the efficiency by concentrating the blast arising from the pressure of the wind on the windward side and directing it over the top of the flue-pipe to the leeward side. The cowl acts equally well as an exhaust ventilator. When fixed upon the offending chimney in St. James's Hall, the understanding was that if ineffective it was to be removed without cost to the company; it has been made, as it were, a test cowl by the inventor, and he has deferred its general introduction until thoroughly assured of its success; but so admirable has been its performances that the company have had others erected, and it is now in contemplation to fix a monster one over the central sunlight in the large hall as an exhaust ventilator. The writer has, through the courtesy of the Secretary, had opportunities accorded to him of visiting the room, on the chimney of which the cowl was first fixed, and of watching it. An excellent fire, exceptionally free from smoke, can now be obtained in the apartment, and it is stated that during the heavy gales last winter the same uniformity was observable. In fact, had the efficiency not been so decided, the company would not have ventured upon using more of the cowls. On such unimpeachable testimony, confirmed by the observations of the writer, Mr. Leslie's invention may safely be recommended to the notice of the public. its third reading in the House of Commons. The principle involved is to centralise the production of power, which is transmitted from the central station wherever motive power is required in much the same way as gas and water are distributed. Though this will be the first application of compressed air in the manner and to the extent to which it is proposed to apply it in Birmingham, some experience has been gained in the working of the scheme in connection with tunnel-boring at Mont Cenis, St. Gothard, and other places, and in Paris, where compressed air has been some time in use for the working of a number of the public clocks. The scheme of the Birmingham Bill includes the three wards of St. Bartholomew, St. Martin, Deritend and Bordesley, where in March last year there were as many as 164 engines. Plant is to be laid down capable of providing 5,000 indicated horsepower. The cost of the buildings, plant, &c., is esti mated at 140,000l. ; and the air will be supplied at a pressure of four atmospheres. There is no doubt that if the calculations of the promoters are but realised, the new system will be productive of profit to the company, a considerably cheaper motive power for manufacturers, and much benefit to the community at large. THOMPSON'S SMOKE-CONSUMING FIRE GRATE. THIS grate, to which allusion was made in the SANITARY RECORD of March 15, has now assumed a complete form, and is being exhibited at the International Health Exhibithe prevention of smoke, and economy in coal, should be tion amongst the grates in action. Visitors interested in careful not to overlook it when walking through the Eastern Gallery. The inventor, Mr. Thompson, of Marquess Road, Canonbury, is not connected with the stove-grate trade, but, being concerned in a business in which heating and boiling appliances on a large scale are in daily use, his attention has for some time past been turned in the direction of the economisation of fuel, and the prevention of smoke; he has thus been induced to study the question in connection with domestic grates. The grate in question does not differ in outward appearance from an ordinary open fire register, and there is nothing whatever about it of a peculiar character to offend the eye. Illustrations are appended of it in elevation and section, and by means of the latter diagram, endeavour will be made to explain its principle. The fire-basket is divided into two parts, or, in other words, has at its back part a small box or chamber marked E, communicating with the front portion of the basket at the Thompson's Stand, only smoking when it is opened to show visitors the arrangement; and if the coals being put in the coking box by the cook instead of on the top of the fire can only be made a matter of certainty, a desideratum will be obtained, since the kitchen-range is the worst behaved of the stove or grate families in the production of smoke. The cook, however, would soon find it to her advantage to feed the fire in the proper way, for, instead of a smoky fire, constantly requiring raking or poking to secure a clear surface, she has that necessity of good cooking always provided for her, by this invention. In fine, the success of the Thompson Grate depends upon the coal being put in the proper place, and as it is as easy to do right as wrong in this matter, any individual adopting this grate, and then ignoring the one only condition necessary for its working, is certainly no friend to the smokeabatement movement. CORRESPONDENCE. [All communications must bear the signature of the writer, not necessarily for publication.] CURRENTS. bottom, in which the fuel is placed, a cover markede being pushed back in the direction of the dotted lines. The bottom of this chamber is a grid, weighted at the lower end DD, and pivoted at d. Consequently, when the chamber is empty the balance weight at the bottom causes it to assume a nearly perpendicular form, as shown by the dotted lines DD; but as this is never the case when any fire is in the grate, there is always a portion of it standing in a position to receive coals. On lifting the lid, e, and putting the coals in the chamber, their weight sends the grid bottom down, and the weighted part up, thus forming a compensating balance. In this chamber the coals are baked or coked, the smoke or discharged gases being obliged to pass down the chamber into the THE SMOKE TEST FOR DRAINS AND AIR ashpit, and there mixes with the oxygen and passes up and through the burning fire, producing perfect combustion and utilising all component parts of the coal, instead of allowing it to pass into the chimney and out in the atmosphere, thus effecting great economy in fuel. The balance weight in front is of course always exerting its influence in endeavouring to force up its lighter end or grid, which has the effect of sending the coals forward into the front fire. Thus its action is automatic, and it is really a bottom feeder with this advantage, that the fuel is robbed of its smoke-producing components before it is brought to the fire. The visitor who wishes to test the smokeless character of this grate can at any time do so unobserved. He has only to note its position, and enter the open avenue running parallel with the gallery, and he can watch the quantity of smoke emerging from each flue-pipe, and he will find that, go whenever he will, there is less from the Thompson Grate than from any other. The truth is gradually becoming acknowledged by practical men, that to prevent smoke in open grates the smoke-producing gases must be separated from the fuel before it is burnt in the grate, and the most effective and easiest mode of doing this, coupled with automatic action, appears to offer the best solution of the problem how to prevent smoke in open grates. That Mr. Thompson is on the right track is beyond a doubt, and the interest that is being taken in his grate by members of the trade shows that the idea finds favour with those most conversant with the subject. The principle has also been applied to a kitchen range, which is in action on Mr. Within the last two years the testing of drains by the application of smoke, blown into the drains by a smokeproducing machine, has become pretty general; and has been and is productive of a great deal of good to householders by showing where bad and leaking drains existed, and is forcing tradesmen to make a better job of their drainage work than has generally been the case hitherto. In many cases now, in executing new drainage work, it is part of the agreement or understanding that the drainpipes are not to be covered up until the smoke test has been applied to see that they are all right, which forces the workman to make a good job. The application of the smoke test in this case is generally quite easy. In applying the smoke test to the drains of old houses, however, or of houses already occupied, it is sometimes very difficult to get the smoke to show itself in the house, even when the drains are leaking, and allowing foul air to often blow into the house. This is especially the case when there is no disconnecting trap on the drain between the house and the sewer, in which case it sometimes happens when testing that all the smoke blown into the drain or soil-pipe is sucked back out of the house into the main drain or sewer, and unless it is discovered that this outward current of the air is going on, and something done to stop it, a house might be smoke tested and certified as being all right, although the drains may be very bad. I had an example of this a few days ago, where I was examining a house for the tenant, who complained of being often troubled with bad smells, and wanted the drains examined without disturbing anything, as the landlord and he were at loggerheads. The main drain went along the front of the house, and no traps were seen anywhere there, and nothing was to be touched there. The smoke test was therefore applied to a rain and wastewater pipe at the back of the house, when the smoke passed into the drain quite freely, and showed itself about fifty yards away from the house, but neither the smoke nor its smell came into the house, although there were several fires on, and all the windows and doors shut. In the act of opening the front door a small puff of smoke was observed for a moment, but no more could be seen, although a large quantity of smoke was being blown into the drain. This looked as if there were little wrong with the drains; but, not being satisfied, I emptied the trap of the water-closet upstairs-the soil-pipe had no ventilating pipe--and bringing the smoke machine into the house, the smoke was applied at the top of the soil-pipe, when it was seen that, owing to some strong current of air which was passing through the main drain outside, the hot air and smoke from the smoke machine were sucked right down the soilpipe and away out of the house, so that, while this suction outwards was going on, the smoke test might be misleading. Upon opening the front door again, the smoke now came pouring out into the lobby of the house from under the ground, showing that the drains were really leaking, but that at times there would be no bad smell blowing into the house, while at other times there would be, according to the direction of the wind or other atmospheric causes. Had there been a disconnecting trap with sufficient water lock between the house and the main drain or sewer, I expect the smoke would have filled the house in a few minutes; but such not being in, and I being prevented from digging down to the drain in front, the difficulty in testing satisfactorily, as above explained, was the result. I mention this, as the above experience may be useful to others, while it is also an instance of warm air descending rapidly where it was expected to ascend easily. W. P. BUCHAN. 21 Renfrew Street, Glasgow. EFFECTS OF THE EDUCATION ACT ON THE HEALTH OF ADOLESCENTS AND THE SANITATION OF WATERING-PLACES. The last number of the SANITARY RECORD contains an article which is first in place and first in importance; and upon the subject of which I have long felt almost under compulsion to write to you. I could not have written anything so just, so dispassionate, or so convincing as Dr. Rabagliati has written, however, and I only wish now to offer my mite of testimony endorsing all his sentiments. There can be no doubt that the evil he speaks of is widespread, and that it is the system which is to blame. During the past twelve months I have signed at least as many certificates to exempt children from school attendance, and at the present moment there are four of my patients' children whom I have been obliged to refrain from school attendance altogether. I find the strain is most felt between the ages of nine and thirteen, and is experienced equally by boys and girls. When the school strain is taken off they rapidly spring into good health, and regain the elasticity of spirits and temper which characterises the feeling of wellness. On the other hand, when the strain is put on again, ill-temper, peevishness, and moroseness supervene, and are rapidly followed by headaches, dyspepsia, eye pains, muscular inco-ordinations, limb startings and dreamings, and, finally, a definite febrile reaction portending an organic lesion somewhere. It seems to me that what is wanted is a classification of all school children according to their physical capacities, shorter hours for all, and increased development of the gymnasium. Another subject which it was refreshing to see plainly dealt with in your last issue is the sanitary condition of watering-places; and it is a coincidence that a letter from myself dealing with a different aspect of the matter appeared in the Lancet of May 10. Children are generally the first to suffer when anything is amiss with the sanitary arrangements of these places. ROBERT PARK, M.D., Medical Officer for 3rd and 4th Districts, Glasgow City Parish, and late Physician for Diseases of Women and Children, Anderson's College Dis pensary. INGENIOUS MALPRACTICES. A recent experience of wilful carelessness in sanitary workmanship may be as instructive to your readers as it has been to myself. Having been consulted as to a suspected defect in a house drain, I poured a suitable quantity of ether, followed by a little water, down the ventilating pipe which was fixed at the extreme end of the drainage system. All the traps were properly fixed and of approved kinds, the sink and other wastes were disconnected, and although the whole of the drain (which passed through the house from back to front) was not exposed to view, no ether escaped at any point, so far as half a dozen keen and anxious noses could detect. Still unconvinced, a more radical examination was made, when the ventilating pipe was found to be a dummy running into the ground, against, but not into the drain, so that all the ether had soaked into the earth, and none bad passed into the house drain. A further application of ether properly introduced into the drainage system, indicated an imperfect joint in the pipes which allowed sewer gas to enter the dwelling. This case appears to be worthy of association with the notorious instance in which a workman had plugged up the outlet of the ventilating pipe with his handkerchief, as the smell annoyed him. CHAS. E. CLAYTON, 152 North Street, Brighton, June 9, 1884. COSTLESS VENTILATION. In your last number a letter appears from Dr. HinckesBird concerning costless ventilation, by raising the lower sash. Perhaps the word implying a simultaneous hitting upon this method by himself and Sir Robert Rawlingson was too pointed; and he might have been the first to publish it, but I know that Sir Robert has practised it for years past, and, when I have more time, I will endeavour to settle this little question. Meanwhile, any error can be settled in reprinting. June 11, 1884. The Writer of the Paragraph. SANITARY JOTTINGS. SANITARY, PORT OF LONDON SANITARY COMMITTEE.-By a recent Warrant of the Treasury the limits of the Port of London have been greatly extended. The result of this Warrant is to place under the jurisdiction of the Port Sanitary Committee of the Corporation of London an additional district of from twenty to thirty miles in length, including the important ports of Sheerness, Queenborough, and Port Victoria. The average death-rate of the Haltwhistle Rural Sanitary Authorities' District for the quarter ending March 31, 1884, was 15.185 per 1,000 per annunı. The deaths from zymotic disease averaged 1.5 per 1,000. Dr. Jackson, Medical Officer for Hexham, reports that the death-rate of that township for the quarter ending in April last is only a trifle over 12 per 1,000 per annum. Scarlet fever still forms 75 per cent. of the cases of infectious disease reported fortnightly to the medical officer of health of Newcastle. During the fortnight ending May 24, 14 cases of small-pox were also reported to that officer by medical practitioners in that city. M. Ch. Girard, in a memoir presented to the Société de Médecine Publique et d'Hygiène Professionnelle, suggests that the Administration should organise model stables where milch-cows would be surrounded by the best hygienic conditions, and fed on carefully chosen food. New-born infants would thus be supplied with good milk, presenting always the same proportion of its component parts. The Bulletin Municipal announces that sixteen of the Paris thoroughfares are to be paved with wood. The Court of Common Council of the City of London have increased the salary of Dr. Collingridge, the medical officer of health, from 5col. to 700l. per annum, as from Christmas last. SEWERAGE. THE SEWERAGE AND MAIN DRAINAGE OF THE METROPOLIS. The report of the proceedings of the Metropolitan Board of Works during the past year shows what has been done in connection with the sewerage and main drainage of the metropolis. In view of the great growth of London, a number of supplementary main drainage works were found to be urgently required, and during the past year new sewers were constructed as follows: Two storm overflow sewers, one from Clapham to Vauxhall Bridge and the other from Kennington Church to Vauxhall Bridge, with outlets into the river, at a contract price of 65,000l.; and an overflow sewer in Church Street, Deptford, discharging into Deptford Creek, at a cost of 33,990l. (see below). The new main sewer from Roehampton Lane, Putney, to the Clapham Road, with branches running into it at various points, is now in course of construction. The length of the main line is about five and a quarter miles, and, including the branch sewers, the total length is about eight miles. The contract for the works was entered into in August 1882, and the contract price is 151,995. In addition new sewers have been planned for the relief of the Ranelagh and King's Scholars' Pond district. The contract for this work was entered into last April, the price for which the work was undertaken being 96,300l. The new sewer will begin by a junction with the King's Scholars' Pond sewer in Clarges Street, Piccadilly, and passing thence under Piccadilly, Knightsbridge Road, Sloane Street, Sloane Square, Lower Sloane Street, and through the grounds of Chelsea Hospital, will terminate by an outlet into the River Thames in front of those grounds. A length of about 1,700 ft. of sewer has been constructed. Since the year 1871 the cleansing of the main and intercepting sewers (in all about 250 miles in length) has been done by a special staff of men employed by the Board for the purpose. The number of men employed is 124, of whom 18 are foremen or gangers, and the cost of the work during the past year was about 14,000/. STORM OVERFLOW SEWER FOR SOUTH LONDON.Some parts of the South of London have particularly suffered from the overflow of water when there are floods, therefore the Metropolitan Board of Works have made arrangements for a new sewer to carry off storm water. This additional sewer, which is by far the largest in the metropolis, has been constructed at Deptford, where the sewers of South London carrying off the surface water converge, and it is destined to be a relief when necessary to the ordinary outlet at Deptford Creek. The length of the sewer is about 3,300 ft., and it is 13 ft. 6 in. wide and II ft. high, being quite large enough, indeed, to admit of the passage of a railway train or omnibus. It is constructed of Portland cement, faced with substantial brickwork, and it is inter.ded to take the storm-water from the present outlet into the Deptford Creek, near the Deptford Broad way, to the Thames, to a point nearly in the middle of the river, where the water will be discharged. The old sewers, to which the house-drains were connected, have all been broken up, and a new sewer, 3 ft. by 2 ft. 7 in., placed underneath the large storm-water sewer, so that all house drainage is carried through an independent sewer to the low-level pumping-station at Crossness outfall. The new sewer has been constructed under a very narrow street, and the sides of it were in some places quite close to the houses. Owing to the care exercised by the contractors, Messrs. Pearson and Son, of Bradford and Westminster, no damage whatever has been done to the property on either side of the street, notwithstanding that some large and heavy buildings were passed. It is worth noting that all the bricks used were of a standard measurement, in order to insure the use of whole bricks only. The tunnel has several curves and one double curve, and these have been carried out with mathematical accuracy. The sewer not only appears substantially built, but well designed for the purpose of carrying off the vast floods of water that fill the local sewers after a heavy rainfall. It is worthy of notice that since 1859, when the drainage works were completed, the water-level of the soil has been reduced 30 feet, which has had an important bearing on the ques tion of pumping. The present work is an important addition to the sewer arrangements for South London. The Corporation of Sheffield are engaged in carrying out a system of main drainage which will involve a large expenditure. Fifteen firms from Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, and other towns competed for the construction of the purification works which are to be erected below the town, and the contract of Messrs. Bissett, a local firm, which amounted to 23,960!., was recommended for acceptance. The highest tender was 42,541%. WATER SUPPLY. The town of Stevenage is about to be supplied with pure water from the water-bearing stratum of the chalk, a copious and constant supply for its 3,000 inhabitants having been a want of long standing. Messrs. Bailey Denton, Son, & North, of Whitehall Place, are the engineers for the scheme, and Mr. Tilley, of Walbrook, London, has been intrusted with the well-sinking. THE HOUSING OF THE POOR. 'How best to help the slender store, Mr. PAUL KARKEEK, the health officer of Torquay, has of late been investigating the circumstances of the homes of the working classes of his district, and in his report on the subject he shows that, as might be expected of a town situated like Torquay, there is a complete absence of the horrors described as existing in the metropolis. The few cases of overcrowding that were discovered were, in too many instances, co-existent with great poverty, and, consequently, must be treated cautiously, especially when there are signs of the occupants trying to keep the houses clean. The sanitary cir cumstances of the tenement dwellings were, with the exception of uncleanliness, alike on the part of owner and occupier, fairly satisfactory. It should be noted in this connection that typhoid fever is exceedingly rare among the poorer classes in Torquay, and this is attributed to the absence of privies, closets, &c., within the buildings, and to the excellent supply of drinking water, which is but seldom contaminated in tenement houses. Mr. Karkeek strongly advocates the adoption of a code of regulations for houses let in lodgings based on the Government model. By their aid the authority will be able more strictly to define the landlord's duty in respect to these houses, and see that, at all events in some instances, something more is done than feature of the society has been so much appreciated that to receive rent. AT a recent meeting of the Field Lane Refuge and Ragged Schools, the Earl of Shaftesbury, who presided, referring to the domiciliary condition of the people, said that that had been his hobby for many years, and he should harp upon it to the end of his life. He maintained that all the sanctity of domestic life depended upon the im provement of their domiciliary condition. There was nothing on the face of the earth so utterly abominable as the one-room system. That evil had of late years increased owing to the street improvements, which, however beautiful they appeared, involved a great amount of misery and suffering on those who were displaced and driven to rooms already overcrowded. He had seen as many as four families residing in one room, and it was impossible to carry on their domestic duties in such conditions with any regard to decency, morality, and health. It is understood that Sir Charles Dilke has received a report from Mr. J. T. Harrison, one of the engineering inspectors of the Local Government Board, relative to the working of the Artisans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement (Sir R. Cross's) Acts in England. The inquiries of the inspector were confined to London, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Norwich, Swansea, Walsall, and Nottingham, which are the only places where improvement schemes under the Acts have been carried out. The report shows that the working of the Acts has been very generally destructive of the dwellings of the poor, but hardly in any degree constructive, for in only a few instances have dwellings been erected suitable for the working classes who have been displaced. A number of artisans' dwellings have been erected, but few of the working classes who have been displaced are occupying the new homes, for it is found that they cannot afford to pay sufficient rent. When the occupants of condemned dwellings are turned out they go to other parts of the town, carrying with them their degraded habits, and deteriorate the property in their new locality, so that the courts and alleys into which they crowd together are found to be in a somewhat similar condition to the places from which they had been removed. As regards the population of the metropolis, the inspector concludes that it is of the greatest importance that the displaced populations should be provided for, on account of the greater density of the people as compared with provincial towns, though in less populous places the strict enforcement of the provision is not so much called for. The report concludes by saying that the generally expressed unwillingness of the authorities who have carried out these schemes to engage in further enterprises of a similar character is probably the best answer that can be given to the question, Whether the several schemes were justified, considering the resources of the authorities? at THE fourth annual meeting of the Nineteenth Century Building Society was held on the 30th ult. the Cannon Street Hotel, Mr. H. Waldemar Lawrence in the chair. The annual report, which was read by Mr. Frederick Long, the manager, showed a large increase of business in every department. Since the issue of the last report 10,000l. had been added to the share capital during the year, and nearly 4,000l. to the deposits, while the amount secured by mortgage was 40,445. on March 31, 1884. The chairman proposed the adoption of the report, and congratulated the members on the present position of the society, which, with all the costs incidental to the formation of a new society, had from the first paid to its members a steady dividend of 5 per cent., leaving a small balance to be carried to next year's account. Mr. Mark H. Judge, in seconding the adoption of the report, referred to the attention the directors gave to the state of the property proposed to be purchased through the society. In all cases a report in writing on the sanitary condition of the houses surveyed is supplied, setting forth such alterations as may be necessary to remedy serious defects. This the directors attribute their success largely to it. The chairman and manager, having answered several questions put by members, the report was adopted unanimously. On the motion of Mr. F. H. A. Hardcastle, seconded by Mr. Henry Rutt, the retiring directors, Mr. Mark H. Judge and Miss Eliza Orme, were re-elected. THE Builders' Weekly Reporter gives the following as a fact :-One of the questions asked a ragged little girl of eight, at a recent school examination, was, Why were Adam and Eve turned out of Paradise?' 'Because they didn't pay their rent,' was the prompt reply. On inquiry it appeared that the poor child's parents had been evicted several times from their paradise for the same reason. A REMARKABLE case of overcrowding is instanced by Mr. W. Cameron Morris in a recent report on the rural district of Chester-le-Street. He discovered that a man, his wife and family-always three and sometimes five in number-inhabited a disused summer-house,' the dimensions of which were 11 feet by 6 feet 9 inches and 6 feet in height. The man was summoned, but eventually had to be ejected, and the house was pulled down. THE NEED OF NEW PARKS FOR NEW YORK CITY. The report of the Commission appointed to select and locate lands for public parks in New York states that it is now twenty years since Central Park was created, and since that time the population of New York has increased by a million of souls. No large city in the world is increasing in size more rapidly than New York, which doubles its population every seventeen years. Hence, every year the provision for more parks becomes additionally necessary. It is proposed to add three large parks and several smaller ones to those already possessed by the city. The total area of these additions is 3,808 acres, which will make the entire park area of the city nearly 5,000 acres, or about one acre to every 300 inhabitants. The report points out that the main advantage in these proposed parks, from a hygienic point of view, will be their effect in drawing the centre of population upward, and relieving the fatal crowding which is now the curse of New York. In the Fourth Ward of this city the population is packed in at the rate of 240,000 per square mile; and the Sixth, Eleventh, and Seventeenth Wards are nearly as crowded. There is nothing like this elsewhere in the world. Forty thousand persons die in New York city during the year, and nearly one-half of these are young children; while in other cities, with a smaller general death-rate, the proportion of children's deaths is only one-third. THE Select Committee of the House of Commons appointed to consider the Ennerdale Railway Bill, have thrown out the scheme. The Bill proposed to sanction a line from Frizzington to Ennerdale, going through one of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District. The objection to the scheme was that it would injure the scenery. PUBLIC GARDENS AND RECREATION GROUNDS IN LAMBETH AND MILE END.-The ancient burial-ground of Lambeth, situate in the High Street, and which is surrounded by a poor and densely-populated neighbourhood, has been opened as a public garden and recreation ground for the use of the inhabitants. For many years this spot, about two acres in extent, has been an eyesore to the district, but, under the superintendence of Mr. Hugh M'Intosh, it has been cleared and planted with trees and |