Merioneth, and Pembroke) there has been an increase
varying from a half to 4 per cent., excepting the Isle of
Anglesea, on which the increase has amounted to
23·9 per cent.; a remarkable circumstance which requires
explanation.

From a separate Parlimentary Return relative to
Ireland it appears that the total number of paupers
receiving in-door relief in that country during the week
ending July 27th, 1850, was 235,793, the number for
the corresponding period in 1849 having been 205,104.
The number of persons who received out-door relief
during the week ending July 27th, 1850, was 101,486,
while the number during the corresponding week of
1849, was 723,530. The cost of the out-door relief for
the week in this year was £2,184; for the week in last
year it was £19,810.

The Metropolitan Interments Act, recently passed,
will be speedily enforced in "the metropolitan burial
district," which comprises the city of London,
Westminster, Southwark, and numerous parishes set forth in
one of the schedules annexed. The provisions of the
act are to be executed by the Board of Health. The
board may provide new burial-grounds, and her Majesty,
on a report of the board, in council, may order the
discontinuance of interments in churchyards and other
places. Regarding the removal of poor persons to
reception-houses to be provided, it is enacted by the 30th
section, that the board may, at any time after the passing
of the act, appoint medical or other officers, who, in
the case of deaths within the district, may, "where the
persons having the direction of the funeral of the
deceased may so desire," cause the body to be decently
removed to one of the houses for the reception of the
dead. Among the provisions is one under which the
Board of Health may "contract" for funerals at fixed
charges, so that there are likely to be "three classes" of
funeral, according to the means of the parties. The
salary of the additional member of the Board of Health
(to which office Dr. Southwood Smith has been
appointed) is not to exceed £1200 a-year.

The British Association for the Advancement of
Science has held its meeting this year at Edinburgh.
It commenced its proceedings on the 31st of July.
Many distinguished foreigners were present; including
Dr. Strüve "from the Observatory of Pulkova, Dr.
Kupffer from St. Petersburgh, and Professor Hitchcock
from Amherst College, United States. Sir David
Brewster officiated as President. The transactions
were of the usual character, and the meeting broke up
on the 7th. The meeting of next year is to be held at
Ipswich; and Professor Airy, the Astronomer-Royal,
is the President-elect.

At one of the above meetings. Dr. Strang,
Chamberlain of Glasgow, read a paper on the recent
Progress of Glasgow in population, wealth,
commerce and manufactures. In 1801 the population
was 77,000; in 1821, 147,043; 1831, 202,426; 1841,
282,134; and in 1850 it was estimated to amount to
367,800. The population had thus quintupled itself in
50 years, and doubled itself in 20 years. In 1800 the
streets and roads within the parliamentary bounds of
the city extended to 30 miles; at present the formed
and paved streets alone extend to 96 miles. In 1800
there was little or no sewerage in Glasgow. At present
there are 42 miles of main sewers, 21 of which have
been formed during the last six years, at a cost of £1200/.
per mile. The customs duties in Glasgow, in 1801, were
£469; in 1820, £11,000; in 1830, £59,013; in 1840,
£468,974; and in 1850, £640,568. The letters put into
the Post-Office in 1840, were 54,522; while in 1850 they
were 111,504. Cotton-spinning was first introduced into
Glasgow in 1792, and at present there are 1,800,000
spindles, which annually consume 45,000,000 lbs. of
cotton. The increase that has taken place in the assessment
for the poor over the whole of Glasgow cannot be
determined; but some idea may be formed of it from the
state of matters in the old burgh of Glasgow. In 1784,
it was £1082; in 1816, £12,378; and in 1850, £47,787.
Taking the whole parliamentary bounds of the city, the
annual assessment for the poor at present is £80,000.

From a statement lately published, it appears that there
are 14,000 Enrolled Friendly Societies in the United
Kingdom, having 1,600,000 members, an annual revenue
amounting to £2,800,000, and an accumulated capital of
£6,400,000. A still greater number of Friendly Societies
are not enrolled, and do not possess the privileges and
means of self-protection enjoyed by the former class. It
is estimated that there are 33,223 unenrolled Societies,
in the United Kingdom, having 3,052,000 members, an
annual revenue of £4,980,000, and with funds amounting
to no less than £11,360,000. These immense amounts
are derived from the savings of the purely industrial
classes. Indeed, half of the labouring male adult
population are members of Friendly Societies.

The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland
had its great show of prize stock and implements at
Glasgow in the last week of July. This society has been
formed by the junction of two associations formerly
separate, the one representing the landlord and the
other the tenant class; and the magnitude and quality
of this exhibition showed how well the two bodies
work together.

At a Court of Commissioners of Sewers, on the 13th,
the scheme of Mr. Frank Forster, the engineer of the
Commission, for the Drainage of the Metropolis on
the south bank of the Thames, was adopted. The
main features of the scheme are, that it proposes to
collect the ordinary drainage of the southern part of the
Metropolis by four great principal arms, confluent at
different points, and which ultimately form a single
trunk at Deptford, near Collier Street. Here the
stream is "lifted," by steam power, a height not exceeding
twenty-five feet; and from this new elevation it will
gravitate afresh to a point eight miles below London
Bridge; where will be formed "a double reservoir,
capable of holding at least twenty-four hours' drainage"
covered over, and elevated to such a height as to discharge
the whole of its contents (into the Thames) at high-
water, delivering them by means of pipes near the middle
and at the bottom of the river. The sewerage will be
lifted into the reservoir at this point by means of an
engine) from the main sewer; the invert of which is
proposed to be at about mean low-water, and ten feet
below the surface of the marshes. The "estimate" of
these works is estimated by Mr. Forster at £241,297.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE.

On the 6th, the birth-day of Prince Alfred, the Queen
and Prince Albert gave a fête to the servants of the
royal household, the labourers employed at Osborne,
with their wives and families; and the seamen of the
royal yacht. They were all entertained at an excellent
dinner in a spacious marquee in the grounds; and the
evening was gaily spent in dancing, and a great variety
of English athletics and other sports. At seven o' clock
the Queen and Prince Albert, with the royal family and
guests, who had greatly enjoyed the sports of the
afternoon, retired amid the cheers of the hundreds
assembled.

The Queen left Osborne on the 22nd for a short visit
to the king of the Belgians at Ostend. The flotilla
consisting of the Victoria and Albert and the Fairy steam-
yachts, and two war steamers, arrived a little before
noon, and her Majesty with Prince Albert and the
royal children were met, on landing, by the king, who
had arrived to meet them. An immense concourse of
people received the illustrious visitors with more than
Flemish enthusiasm. The Queen remained at Ostend
till the next day, but as the palace there is very small,
the royal party slept on board their yacht. They
returned on the evening of the 23rd to Osborne.

His Royal Highness Prince Albert completed his
Thirty-First Year on the 26th, and the anniversary was
held with the usual demonstrations of loyalty.

Her Majesty left town on the 27th for Scotland.

Lord Gough received the Freedom of the City of
Edinburgh on the 5th, as an acknowledgment of his
eminent military services. He is now enrolled a citizen
of the capital of the three kingdoms.

The Duke of Wellington has been appointed Ranger
of St. James's and Hyde Parks, in the room of the late
Duke of Cambridge.

The late Sir Robert Peel has left directions in his will
for the early publication of his political memoirs, and