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were rated together prior to the passing of the Act. The rated
premises are far more numerous than the "inhabited houses," as
given by the Registrar-General (Vide Section on Population).
The rateable annual value of property in the wards in 1871, was,
St. Mary Abbotts, £323,992; Holy Trinity, £246,716; and St. John
and St. James, £365,012. In 1881 the returns for the first and second
wards, which cannot now be given separately, show a rateable
value of .£1,078,512; increase, £507,904; for St. John and St.
James, of £501,704; increase £136,692.

SUMMARY OF VITAL STATISTICS, 1881.
The year 1881, although on the whole a healthy one, will be
memorable for the great epidemic of small-pox which, commencing
towards the end of 1880, continued its ravages with varying severity
throughout the year: details with reference to this disease will
be found further on. With a single exception, viz., in the four
weeks ended June 18th, the death-rate in every month was below
the decennial average, so that the annual rate comes out not
merely lower than in any year in the preceeding decennium, but
lower also than in any year on record. The mean temperature of
the air (48°.7) was 0°.5 below the decennial average (49°.2), but
was not characterised by severe or rapid fluctuations. During the
first four weeks, ending January 29th, the average temperature,
30°.6, was 8°.l below the decennial average, but although the cold
produced its customary effect in increasing the mortality from
chest diseases amongst aged people, the rate of mortality, 18.5,
was 2.5 per 1,000 below the average. In the same weeks of the
year 1880, when the temperature was 7°.6 below the average, the
death-rate was 23°.6 or 2°.8per 1,000 above the average; the deaths
from chest diseases, moreover, were 118, as compared with 61 in