insecurity of the rope, though intimidation had been
used to prevent such complaints. The jury delivered
a verdict of manslaughter, against Moses Gilderoy
Stewart, the manager of the works, and Henry Pillinger,
the bailiff. They were at once committed for trial.
A little boy was Killed on the 15th, in the belfry of
St. Mary's Church, Monmouth, while the bells were
ringing in honour of the judges opening the commission.
One of the ringers, named Jones, found that something
obstructed the machinery. He went up to ascertain the
cause; when he was horrified to discover the mangled
body of his younger brother under the bell. The
upper portion of the face and skull was completely
shattered in, and the back part of the head was cloven
in two, and the brains bespattered the roof. The
dreadful calamity which befel the poor little fellow was
the consequence of his dangerous curiosity. He must
have introduced his head into the bell, which he was
doubtless viewing just at the moment his brother raised
it, and his death immediately followed.
SOCIAL, SANITARY, AND MUNICIPAL
PROGRESS.
The following statistical facts respecting the Census
are taken from a document prepared by the
commissioners. In this important paper there are tables of the
population and houses in the divisions, registration
counties, and districts of England and Wales; in the
counties, cities, and burghs of Scotland; and in the
islands in the British seas. It is now shown that,
during the last half century, the population of Great
Britain has, within a very little, doubled itself; the
numbers being, at the beginning of the century,
10,567,893; and now, exclusive of the army, navy, and
merchant seamen out of the country when the census
was taken, 20,936,468. In 1811, the per-centage of
persons engaged in agricultural occupations in Bedfordshire
was 63; in Rutland, 56·9; in Suffolk, 55; in
Bucks, 53; in the North Riding, 46; at a time when
the agricultural population of Middlesex was little more
than 4 per cent. Up to the present year, from the
beginning of this century, the annual rate of increase
throughout England and Wales has been 1·47, nearly
1½per cent.; but, during this interval, these counties
have increased their population only at the following
rates: Bedfordshire, ·36; Rutland, ·57; Suffolk, ·90;
Bucks, ·81; and the North Riding, ·55. The West
Riding has augmented its population from 576,336, in
1801, to 1,339,313, being an increase of 762,977. In
1841, the population of Buckinghamshire was 14,239,
and is now increased by only 173, being at present
14,412. Lewes, in Sussex, is an instance of a nearly
stationary population, the numbers being 24,816 in
1841, and now 25,713, an increase of only 897. This
symptom of failing power appears the more remarkable
by contrast with its vigorous neighbour and successful
rival. It was formerly "Brighton, near Lewes;" it is
now "Lewes, near Brighton." Brighton, ten years
ago, had 8,137 houses—it now numbers 10,301; it had
then 1,095 uninhabited houses—it has now only 471;
it had then 53 houses building—it has now 285; the
population in 1841, was 46,601—it is now 65,572, an
increase of 18,911. Another instance of a county town
indeed of a city, declining in population, is presented in
Canterbury, the population of which is now 906 less
than it was in 1841, being at that time 15,003, and now
only 14,097. This case is more remarkable than that of
Buckingham and Lewes, where there was only a defective
increase, whereas in the case of Canterbury there is a
positive decrease, approaching to 1,000. Passing from
agricultural to manufacturing districts, the signs of
healthful increase at once meet our view. The most
remarkable instance of this in the whole country is that
of Monmouthshire, in which county the numbers have
risen from 16,776 in 1841, to 19,157 in 1851, the rate of
increase being 2·37 per annum, nearly 2½ per cent.
Turning to our large manufacturing counties, we look
for those which, at the last census, were distinguished
by the proportion employed in various branches of
manufacture, and which, according to the occupation
returns of that period, stood in the following order,
which shows how many persons in every 100 were
engaged in manufactures and trade: Lancashire, 62·9;
West Riding, 61·1; Cheshire, 52·9; Nottinghamshire,
51·1; Leicestershire, 48·9; Staffordshire, 47·5;
Derbyshire, 46·3; Worcestershire, 41·7. Keeping in mind,
as a sort of rule by which to measure these counties,
that 1·41 is the rate of increase to the whole country,
we find that the increase has been, from 1841 to 1851,
in Lancashire, 360,420; West Riding, 162,799; Cheshire,
54,592; Nottinghamshire, 23,702; Leicestershire, 14,634;
Staffordshire, 101,639; Derbyshire, 20,916; Worcestershire,
28,375. It is obvious, on inspection, that except
where particular causes have operated against some of
the manufacturing districts, the aggregate increase of the
country has been supplied by the fact that the manufacturing
counties have compensated for the defective
increase in agricultural districts.
A parliamentary return shows the vast increase of
the business of the Post-Office. In 1839, the number
of letters that passed through the Post-Office was
75,907,572; in 1850, 347,069,071. Gross revenue in
1839, 2,339,737l.; cost of management, 687,768l.: in
1850, revenue, 2,264,684l.; cost of management,
1,460,785l. Last year no less than 400,964l. was paid
for the conveyance of mails on railways; in 1839, only
1743l. The money-order system has vastly extended:
in 1840, the number of orders issued was 188,921, for
313,124l.; in 1850, the number was 4,439,713, and the
amount 8,494,498l.
A statistical table has been published, showing the
great changes which the Introduction of Railways has
produced in the population of towns. The rapid advance
made by those on lines of rail, compared with the
decline in the number of those between or far away
from railways, is very striking. The towns where the
decrease is most obvious are South Molton, Honiton,
Axminster, Shaftesbury, Wem, and Epping. The
towns in which the greatest increase has taken place
are Birmingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Carlisle, Swansea,
Great Grimsby, Ipswich, and Leeds.
A series of Fêtes has taken place at Paris, given by
the Prefect of the Seine to the Corporation of London,
the Royal Commissioners and other parties connected
with the management of the Great Exhibition, and
great numbers of persons have had special invitations.
On the morning of the 1st of August, the
English guests started by railway for Paris. They
were splendidly entertained during their short stay at
Boulogne, and arrived at Paris the same night. Next day
a magnificent entertainment was given at the Hotel de
Ville by the municipality of Paris. The company
numbered about 500; including the Lord Mayor,
Recorder, Aldermen and Sheriffs of London; Lord
Granville the Vice-President, and the members of the
Royal Commission, among whom were the Mayors of
Dublin, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds, and the
Lord Provost of Glasgow; M. Dupin, the President,
and many members of the Assembly; the Archbishop of
Paris, the Judges, the Corps Diplomatique, the members
of the Institute and other learned associations; and a
number of the provincial magistiates. There was much
speaking after dinner; the two countries vying with
each other in the expressing of cordial feeling. The
speech which made the greatest impression was that of
Lord Granville in giving, as a toast, the prosperity of
the City of Paris. It was delivered in excellent French,
and was remarkable for liberality of sentiment gracefully
expressed. M. Lanquetin the President of the
Municipal Council, in an eloquent speech, proposed
a toast to the city and municipality of London, which
was acknowledged, in English, by the Lord Mayor.
The evening finished with the performance of Molière's
Medecin malgré Lui and a grand Concert. On the 3d
(Sunday), there was an excursion to Versailles, where
the celebrated fountains were made to play for the
gratification of the visitors. On Monday there was a
grand fête at St. Cloud, where there was much magnificence
and a good deal of confusion. After the day had
been spent in promenading in the beautiful grounds, the
President entertained about thirty of the principal
guests in his private apartments, whilst the doors of the
"Orangerie" were thrown open, and the great body of
visitors admitted to partake of such refreshments as
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