The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-08-30 00:00:00

DIVORCE IN FRANCE.

some interesting statistics on the subject Of divorce
have been put forward, the result of the duties of the
presidents of the civil tribunals during 1882. The
total number of separation orders applied for was
5004, but of these only 3523 came before the Courts
to settle their differences, being a decrease of 165 over
the previous year, although 259 in excess of the
average from 1876 to 1880. Out of these cases 409
were struck off the lists, 128 on account of the death
of one of the parties implicated or from a disinclina-
tion to proceed with the case, and 281 from the recon-
ciliation of the husbands and wives. This, therefore,
reduced the actual number of cases tried to 3114; of
which 308, about a tenth, were dismissed, and an
order of separation made in 2806. Of the 3523
actions on the list, 3016, or 86 per cent., were
brought by the wives and 507 only, or 14 per cent.,
by the husbands, while cross-actions were brought
by the latter in 140 cases and by the wives in
42. This, however, scarcely relieves the male
portion of French society from having to bear the
greater portion of the blame of causing anhappiness in
married life. In 2260 of the cases, or 64 per cent.,
there were children to the marriages. As regards the
occupation of those seeking divorce, the majority
came from the ranks of wbrking men and servants,
who numbered 1518; orP43 Per cent., the other,s being
as follows: In trade or business, 706; professional or
living on private means, 480; agricultul'ist'42o.•
occupation UnknOwn, 399. The duration -of
married life at the time of the petition for ,separation
varied considerably: In 23 cases, the couples had
been united less than a year; in 600 case 4. froin'em
year to five; in 1093 cases, from five to ten y:
in 1251, from ten to 20 years; in 401, from 20' to 30
years; in 117, from 30 to 40 years; and
-in 194. fiom 40 to 50. years. One can scarcely
imagine that after so nearly approaching thetbiar
wedding the family differences were not capable
being arranged. Considering, too, the conven-
tional aspect in which marriage is looked upon in
France, it is surprising to find that incornpatibilil
of temper, occasionally amounting to serious .quar-
relling and personal injury, was the cause of sepa-
ration in by far the greater number of cases, there
having been only 28 in which one of the parties to
the cause had been convicted for some serious crime,
while in 152 cases an accusation of infidelity was
made by the husband against the wife, the converse
taking place-in 104 cases. It is, of course, a matter
of extreme difficulty to ascertain the real proportion
of separations throughout the country, as there are
so many which are made a matter of private arrange—
ment, of which no account is taken; but as far as
official tables can tell us, it would seem that in 1882
.here were 280,460 marriages, while the separations
regally decreed amounted to 2806, being. about-ten-
divorces to 1000 marriages. The department of,
Seine naturally gave rise to most cases, being 28 per.
1000, followed by Sarthe with 21; Meurthe et.
Moselle, 19; Eure, 18; Somme, 17; Marne, Maine-
et-Loire, Calvados, and Orne, 16; Ardennes, Meuse,
Seine-et-Oise, and Gironde, 15 each. The proportion.
varied from 9- to 14 in seventeen departments, and
from 3 to S in forty-five; those which figured least of
all being Creuse, Savoie, Ariege, Vienne, Vaucluse,
and Aveyron, none of which rose above 2, while
Ardeche, Deux-Sevres, and Corsica only contributed.
1 each ; Indre and the Lands, nil.

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