TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 165 



officers in the latter part of the period the reverse has been the case, their mortality 

 from wounds having somewhat exceeded that from disease. The rate of mortality 

 in the existing war (7'2 per cent, per annum), for the period under consideration, 

 although much greater than that of civilians of the military age, both in Europe and 

 America, and greater than that of the army of the United States in time of peace, has 

 been less than that of the United States' forces during the war against Mexico, and 

 very considerably less than that of the British forces on the Spanish Peninsula (in 

 1811-14) and in "the Crimea (1854-56) ; the average annual rate in the Spanish Pe- 

 ninsula hawing been 16^ per cent., and in the Crimea about 23 per cent., the last- 

 mentioned rate only embracing those dying in hospitals, and not including deaths 

 on the field of battle. This smaller rate of mortality, as compared with those of 

 the other protracted wars mentioned, is believed to be due, in no small degree, not 

 merely to the early organization, by the people, of systematic methods of inquiiy 

 into the condition of the soldier, and of timely relief to the suffering — prompted 

 by the noble examples and wise teachings of the Herberts and Nightingales, and 

 other practical philanthropists of Europe — but also in part to the oixmipresent re- 

 presentatives of the press of the country, continually informing as to the condition 

 and the wants of the different corps and subdivisions of the army. The casualties 

 from all causes have been at the rate of 28 per cent, per annum of the strength, to 

 wit, seven from deaths, twelve discharged from service, mainly for disability, six 

 deserted, and three missing in action. The number discharged for disability is 

 much larger than it would have been had greater care been taken by the surgeons 

 iu conducting the medical examinations of recruits presenting themselves for ac- 

 ceptance. In the early part of the war, the gi-eatest laxity prevailed in this regard, 

 and thousands have been discharged from the service for hernia and other disabling 

 infirmities, under which they were labouring at the time of enlistment. Of ten 

 thousand (9835) recruits from the North Eastern States of Vermont, Massachusetts, 

 Rhode Island, and Connecticut, about 30 per cent. ; and of sixteen thousand 

 (16,404) from the North Western States of Indiana, Michigan Lower, and Minne- 

 sota, 12i per cent., represented themselves as of foreign birth. The paper also gave 

 the average ages, heights, circumference of chests, weight, and other characteristics 

 of the American soldier, illustrated by comparisons with British, French, and 

 Prussian data ; and accompanied with tables showing the distribution, both observed 

 and calculated, of the soldiers with respect to such characteristics, together with 

 an analytical statement of the mathematical laws which govern the distribution. 



Life Tables, hy the Swedish Calculating Machine (tvith Photograjjhs of the 

 Machine lij A. Claudet). By William Pare, M.D., D.C.L., F.R.S. 



Ou the Causes which Produce the Present High Rate of Discount. 

 By Prof. Henet Fawcett. 

 The author considered, first, whether the high rate which at present exists was 

 likely to remain permanent, and, secondly, whether the high rate was an evil in 

 itseli', and whether it wanted any special kind of remedy to remove it. Some City 

 men were expressing their abhorrence of the Bank Chai'ter Act^that to this Act 

 was to be attributed the present state of things — that money was getting too dear, 

 and there was no knowing what would be the result if the Act were not repealed. 

 He contended that the Bank Charter Act had nothing to do with causing this high 

 rate of discount, and that Her Majesty's Government would be guilty of great va- 

 cillation and weakness if they listened to the ciy which had been got up against 

 the Bank Act by interested speculators, and repeal a statute that ought to be ad- 

 hered to with the utmost firmness. So long as they had prudent men governors 

 of the Bank of England, as at present, they would have nothing to fear ; because, 

 whether compelled to do so or not, they would always keep in the coffers of the 

 Bank sufficient bullion with which to meet the dimands that might be made upon 

 them. The Act ought not to be suspended. It should either be repealed once and 

 for all or rigidlv adhered to, even if the rate of discount advanced far beyond its 

 present amount. A high rate of interest could not fairly be attributed to a high 

 rate of discount. Just as with all other commodities, the price of money varied 



