The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-04-26 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

TH E Nemo% Act—As an exemplification of the
henelkent operation of Lord Palmerston's Divorce Act
of 1857, or, as it innEht be aptly styled, the "Married
Persons' Relief Act, a return has just been made to
the Howe of Lords, on the motion of Lord Brougham,
showing that since January, 1658, no km than 28:4
petitions have bezn filed by persons labouring muter the
yoke of an ill-starred union for an absolute dissolution
of the marriage ; 164 of these were from husbands, and
104 from wives. 37 dissolutions of marriages were
decreed, and six petitions were refused; 143 cases were
undefended, 134 cases were set down for trial at the
date of the returns, 165 were appointed to be tried by
the fall court without juries. 24 by the full court with
juries, and 13 by a single judge and jury. The petitions
for merely judicial separations, (in which Case the bonds
of matrimony remain undissolved and indissoluble) have
only numbenel Ml—eight from husbands and 97 from
wives. Of these •.% were decreed and three refused ; 15
cases were undefended. Six of these "operation cases
are now down for trial.

TH6 COAL St:Pei.v or Loxonx.—The deliveries of
seaborne coals into London for the first quarter of the
current year were ttlO,2Ml tons—an advance of 70,164
tons on the corresponding three months of 1858. The
deliveries by railways and canals in the past quarter
were :104,240 tons, or 27,9t42 tons less than in the corres-
ponding period of lit,s. The total deliveries from Jan.
1 to March 31, Ltlit, were consequently 1,191,498 tons,
sgsinst 1,141,7111 tun, in the corresponding period of
Isret.

PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE. The total
income of the United Kingdom for the year ended on the
314 ult., was .E65,477,t44 and the total expenditure
01-1,6113.862, leaving a balance of about £813,410, or
under 421,t5t3,000. In the receipts. Clistoins* dues figure
for £21,117,943; Excise, for 1:17,902,0110; stamps, for
D 4,005,769; taxes (land and assessed). for £3,162,0)00;
property (income) tax, for £6,6K1,586; and the Post-
office, for £300,000. Under the head of expenditure,
the national debt figures, far £.54,527,483 ; the charges
on the Consolidated Fund, for £1,940,655, and the
Supply service., for £34,195,743. The army and militia
cost 1;12,512,290, and the navy E 9,215,487. The military
and naval operations in China figure for £391,943, and
an item of E 390,580 occurs for" war expenses (Russia.)'
There was a balance in the Exchequer on the 31st of
March of £7,789,04.0.
The report of the Postmaster-General for the past 12
months was issued on Wednesday. In the Inland ser-
vice it describes many extensions, the number of post-
offices in the United Kingdom having been increased by
134, making the total 11,135. New sites have ben ob-
tained to build offices at Edinburgh, Dundee, and Dover,
and similar steps are in contemplation for Canterbury,
Lincoln, and Southampton. .4 site has also beea secured
at Manchester, but, in deference to the wishes of the
inhabitants, an endeavour will be made to change it.
The whole number of additional road letter-boxes put
up last year was 465, making a present aggregate of
1.168, and they have been found to promote alike
economy and deepatch. In the London districts further
accelerations are still hoped to be accomplished,
no as to reduce almost to • m,,.iusimsa the time between
the punting and delivery of • letter properly ad•
dressed. Thu result of what has already been
effected is seen in an estraordinary increase of cor-
respondence, the annual rate of increase of metro-
politan letters, which in the 10 years previous to
1857 was less than 1.11130,000, having been 4.139,009 in
1857, and 6,270,000 in 1858, a progress which promises
to be increased in the present year. The distanci over
wl•ich mails are now conveyed within the United
Kingdom is about 113.000 miles per day (an incressa of
about 3,000 since 1857). Of these 32,463 mile* are by rail-
way, at an average charge of 41. per male; 31.949 by
ow,cile.. Le., at 21d. ; 65,712 on foot, at lid.; and
2,669 by packets and boats at 9i.1. The total number of
letters delivered in the United Kingdom during the past
about the same as
year wss 52.3,00th0u0, ahowing an increase of 0f400Th.,./.!lT.lroiehe.r
nici:oiunrt:LheonhrThdofae registered
tmr,,'i r.
pition t'
r r Kw:
eh.
r. personisyew shoutr_wa
bai
71.000.000.
There were 7.250,000 of book-packets last year, being
,an increase of more than one-fifth. With regard to
money-orders, the report states 127 new offices were
opened, making the total 2,360. The number of orders
issued was 6,6e3,:06 for a total of 4:12.662,11Ki (show-
ing an Merely& of 4 per Fent.), and the commission
received WAS £111,591, winch left a profit of £25,936.
The void orders which lapsed to the revenue owing to
non-application for payment amounted last year to
£1,902.

it YoRWATORT SCHOOpi, &c.—The number of children
in reformatory schools in Great Britain on account of
whom grants were made from the 2nd of June, 1866, to
the 31st of December, 1857, amounted to 11,821; the
totalamount of flOs. capitation grant to L 7,707 ; the amount
in aid of teachers' salaries to 1:6,924 ; the amount in aid
of rent to £2,201; and the amount in aid of purchase of
tools to £6,362- The sabeerip4ions and donation,
amounted to 02,541.