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15
creasing, but since then it has as gradually declined,
until it has reached to its usual proportions. There
is but one other cause of death to which I have to
refer, and that is the cause which includes every form
of unnatural death, as privation, poison, violence, and
premature birth; these have produced 126 deaths
in the course of the year, the average being 162.
The meteorology of the year is classified as usual
from the observations at Guildhall, under the superintendence
of Mr. Haywood, and the chief points
of interest, in addition to those which I have already
discussed, are, that the humidity of the atmosphere
has been great, the rain-fall large, and the wet days
numerous. The average proportion of moisture in
the air has been from 83 to 84 degrees of saturation,
which is excessive; and the rain-fall of
the year has amounted to 29 inches, which is just
8 inches more than the rain-fall of the preceding
year, and nearly 7 inches above the average of
many years. Lastly, the number of wet days has
been 195, or more than half the number of the
whole year.
This excess of wet has had a salutary influence
on the soil and the river. It has washed out and
has oxydised the putridities of the former, and has
scoured the muddy shores of the latter. Besides
which it has kept back the tidal wave, and has
preserved the stream from oceanic impurities.
During the whole of the year the water at high