The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-30 00:00:00

BRITANSIti,

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LONDON, THURSO. Y, APRIL 30.

Pr is a great pleasure to speak of a fine seamen
again. The topic is always an animating one ; and
in the present state of public ►ffairs everywhere,
nothing can be more refreshing than to turn our
thoughts to the fields, and pastures, and orchards,
where there is prosperity and promise, whatever
gloom there may be in the political and social
aspects of the world.
Before the three last wet seasons there was
great and reasonable alarm about the shrinking
of the watersprings, which had gone on
for several years. Without much present
. _ _

BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES IN

INGLAIND.

This morning s blue book, containing the 24th
sauna report of the Regietrar-Cialersl o births, deaths,

sad 'marriages is Englineduring the year 1861, was issued.
It is dated the 31st al harsh leek The merviare in
1861 were less numerous than they bad been in either
of the two previous yews. The births were more summons
than they bad ever been in England, and, though the year
was healthy, the deaths were more numerals than they
had bees. The peeress of population in England in the
last quarter of a century may be stated roundly, and in
such a manner, that it may be remembered without difB-
- Each quinquennial period added a million or a little
men to the &concuss. lo 1836-40 the popelation was rising
through its sixteenth million ; in 1841-5 through its NOVell-
teen& ; in 1846-50 through its eightseeth ; in 1851-55
through its nineteenth ; and is 185640 through its twentieth
sallies. In the middle of 1861 it is estimated to have
reached 90,119,496. The English !liberation now compre-
hends within its mops a pepalation greater by the present
population; of Landes and the three Mama of Yorkshire
werlined, than it was when the national system was esta-
blished in MT.

drought, the springs failed earlier each
season, so that the watering of cattle in the
eastern counties became a serious anxiety and ex-
pense in the autumn, and the amount of live stock
diminished instead of increasing. When the rains
at last resumed their ordinary course of being plen-
tiful from October to January, we rejoiced in the
refilling of the springs ; but we had presently too
much of the good thing. The story of the three
cold and spoiled seasons which we have now left
behind us needs no repeating here. We are re-
minded of it but too plainly by the severe though
temporary decline of the fortunes of Ireland, and
by the miserable quality of the wheat of last
season, discovered in the threshing to be worse
than the least sanguine of judges predicted. The
last winter was watched with extreme anxiety ; and
a strange winter it was. On the whole, the autumn
wheat was got into the ground favourably; the
warmth of the winter threatened to bring it too
forward; but, fine as the weather has been, the
autumn wheat is rather backward than grossly for-
ward, while the spring-sown corn is in the most
promising condition.
There are some irregularities in the progress of
the lemon. The cuckoo was heard as early per-
haps as it ever is. The small birds have paired
early, and domestic fowls promise a profitable year,
from the plenty of eggs and the large and strong
broods they began to show weeks ago. We heard
of an almost untimely show of apricot and peach
blossoms, and of the fears for their fate when the
frosts of early April came. We hear also of the
general leafing of trees being early over whole
counties, as well as the spring grass. E'.mewhere,
the larches have had the charm of the spring green
all to themselves ' • and even now the sycamore and
chestnut, beech and birch, are almost as bare
as the oak and ash. This is not unacceptable,
while the grass is forward, because it is a sign
of the security of the fruit in those districts.
All fruit promises to be plentiful, if it is
not early ; the grasses are abundant, and the
young stock of all sorts stout and fine. There
was plenty of March dust in its season, and April
has been the month of warm sunsb4ue and sharp
showers, which it ought to be, and thus the soil
has had every advantage for the sowing of the
root-crops, which become, from year to year, more
important to us in comparison with our wails,
or at least with wheat. From the far no-th of
Scotland we hear of bright anticipations about the
oats, from the appearances of the sowing; and
from Cornwall tidings are sent of the fine promise
of the market gardens in the mining dis-
tricts, encouraging the hope of cheaper and
better vegetables than for some years past. It
is somewhat enlivening to see the pleasure seams
of the country and the seaside lengthened by a
month at the beginning ; but it is more cheering
still to think of an early haymaking, by which the
delays and dangers of the July rains are avoided
—those rains which, in some parts of the country,
defer the final haymaking till August.
On the whole, the prospect seems to be good in
other countries as well as our own, wherever the
ravage of war does not interfere with the tillage of
the soil. In France there has been some partial
destruction by floods and gales, but, generally
speaking. the season seems to be genial. In
Poland there surely must be much Ism
tillage than usual of the vast plains
usually green, at this season, with springing grain.
From Russia it is too early to have any serviceable
agricultural news. In the Western States of
America the rural residents are actually consum-
ing their corn harvest of last year as fuel. This
is done on calculation—a given weight or measure
of corn being worth less in the market than the
same quantity of coaL Year by year the produce
farther exceeds the means of transport and of
sale. At the very time, therefore, that in the
Confederate States the citizens are forbidden to
grow more than a certain infinitely small propor-
tion of cotton, and are ordered to grow food, the
Western farmers are turning their attention to the
production of cotton and flax over wide tracts
which hare hitherto been devoted to corn. There

in 1861 there wen enrolled of persons who married,
82,000 mom than had bens registered in 1841, twenty years
Wars ; 91,000 died more then in 1841 ; and 184,000childreo
were born more then in the came year. The &garnets
number of IMO Intend in 1861, is of pumas who lied
married, who had been born, or who had stied, is 1,468,932.
On an average of twenty-four ream 1,639 mesons were
married, 3,318 children were bore, and 2,299 ponces died
to 100,000 of the population ; but in 1861 the respective
numbers were 1,628, 3,461, and 2,163. Marriages were
rather below the standard mark of activity. The birth-
rate was high. The death-rote was below the average.
The excess of births over deaths in the year was 261,292.
The 'injunction of a high Meth-rate with a low death-rate
awed that amens to be peak, than the usual amount,
which in the peewit siege of the population may be stated
as nearly 245,000. About 30,0:0 English emigrants left
their country for foreign and subsist settlements in 186 L

TENTH REPORT OP THE CHARITY COM-
MISSIONERS.

This morning the report of the Charity Com-
missioners for the pant year was inasd. The number of
mend applications made to the board duties the year was
1,234 ; in the previous year the number was 1,179. No
appeal from their orders, which are commonly without
say east, has yet been prosecuted. "We are ociafident."
say the annoissioners, "that the voluntary resort to this
is* and nesponsive jurisdiction m►y be relied upon for
producing progressively a large improvement in the edmi•
nistratioa of endowed charities, notwithstanding that our
inability to exercise massy of the moat important powers
vested in us by the Charitable Trusts Act, 1860, except
' upon the applicatioo of the trustees only, in cane of chari-
ties poisoning more them an inoossiderable Monne, or of
prescribed parties in other OEMs, involves an important
limitation of those beneficial provision. If the legislature
should think fit to remove hereafter or relax that restric-
I lion, we humbly consider that past advantage would result
from that change of the law to the objects of the charities."
The annual transfers to the official trustees have propos.
Mealy increased, The sum of 410,1311. 10e. 2d. transferred
to them during 1862 is the largest reached in any year.
The amount of stock standing in the name of the official
trustees of charitable funds, on the 31d of December, was
1,379,2271. Os. W., which is apportioned among 2,647 cha-
rities, and the onnaindoners reps. that " the duties con-
nected with the apportionment and regular remittance of
the dividends on these sums, which amounted in the year
1862 to an aggregate amount of 39,2331. 9s. 6d. to the ad-
ministering trustees, though much complicated by the
numerous champs among the recipients, which are of must
frequent occurrence, have been discharged with pan exac-
titude ►nd efficiency."

The first day's sale of the Bicknell collection of
water-odour drswiop realised yesterday 7,4651. This Jay
the celebrated merles et Yorkshire dtalriap, painted for the
late Sir Beery PUkingtos by J. M. W. Turner, LA., will
be included In the sal&

The investigation into the circumstance; con-
sented with the death et Kim Amelia S. E. Coq, of Grow
hill, near Ballymena, adjosreed on the 20th of Yu* wu
to Imre been resumed as Tuesday UM, but no meeting wee
held, tali it bra bees alielany unsound that the handl-
Oise is " adjoemeed aim die." The prossentime avian
Dr. Courteous, tad his bewskarpor has sot, however, bees
abeadonsl. Yery WAteemey remains in dame custody,
sad Dr. Courtney bee hews required to resew boil for hie
appieranos. _ _

-
COUNTY 01, MIDDLE= SNOOTIWO CONYITTEZ.—
Tim Pad of Grorveoor, M.P., Theouat Ramlagh, Via:oast
Bary,ll.P., Lord Bmbiteek Lientenant-Coloasl the Hoe.
C. kiladsay Lienteseat.Coimel Brewster, Major
Captain 8. Plod Pam, Lientemot Merriest, sad Mr. Fee.
toe hankie hese appdated a oommittas to draw up rules sad
reitulailoos far the souggaiitaos for the
for
medal gime
by the Notional Bile Associatioa, and for prime gives to
be competed for by Middlemen Voluoteers. request that me-
trlbotlore to the Middlesex Prise Fluid be mat to the bo.
secretary at thecae@ of the Nailmal Rifle damodatiom 11,
Pall-taall Fmk &W., er be paid to tie amen et the Kid-
d:Mem Prise Pend. at Messes. Panama, Hewer* sad Co.,
1. Pall mall Feat, B.W. The Mamma of falielmem,
Lord-Lieutenant of Middleman, has headed the submaiptioa
list with 1001.

THE EXPRESS, TLIIIRSDA.Y
will always be more wheat grown there for Europe • ---
ale Courte
than will ever reach Europe, and °ins (maize)
for man and beast all over the Free States ; W 1 ii.0.48713‘ Arun. 29.
1"0
The Queen, accompanied by the Prince/es Louis
and whatever fibres for textile manufactures
offtm "yesterday
d ye t afternoon,
CM be raised over and above this will be • bless- Ge nand the Hon. A. N. Hoed on h ataclcte.i}dsd b 7
Major-
ing abroad and at home, and a far better use of Prince Mired and Priam' Helena, attended by Lady
the soil than growing fuel in any other form than Caroline Barrington, Sir W. Hosts. sad Major Cowell, re-
wood. It is too early yet to learn what sort of I turned to Windsor Castle today from Buckingham Palace.
spring the Americana will have, for in the Northern I The Queen Marie Amelia, accompanied by the Count of
Paris and the Duke of Chartres, Matted the Queen.
States May is hardly spring ; but we must hope
that it will be as favourable as our own, for the
sake of the crops which are to sustain armies, and
the plenty which is needed to compensate for the
waste of war ; and, not least, for the sake of the
hundreds of thousands of fugitive negroes who
have cast themselves on the Free States for sub-
sistence, employment, and comfort.
It will be interesting to watch through a year
of favourable weather the operation of the
changes which are taking place in our rural
economy from social causes not immedi-
ately connected with agriculture. The new
institution of cheap dining-halls may have
other consequences than those directly con-
templated. By the spread of this institution we
may attain the long-desired object of extending
the consumption of animal food downwards, till
every person who earns his food may have meat
to his bread and potatoes. If this should happen,
the conversion of wheat lands to pasture and
green cropping will go on much faster than at
present, though the process is at pftent • signal
incident in our condition. GoM meat dinners,
will not long be cheap in eating-houses before
they are craved in the cottage ; and when that
happens it will answer better to the farmer to
raise stock than corn. On the other hand, joint
stock companies for the conduct of steam tillage—
companies which will let or sell steam-cultivato-s
on terms suitable to the means of middle-class
and small farmers—will do much towards render-
ing tillage independent of weather, and increasing
the fertility of land beyond all present estimate.
To this we might add the prospect of the
sewage of our towns, villages, and settlements of
all kinds being used to as much purpose generally as
we have seen it in particular cues, and new care
and skill applied to the increase of fish, and vari-
ous other incidents of our advancing civilisation ;
but we need go no farther. A season as favour-
able in its progress as it has been in its opening
will be, in its simplest form, a blessed compensa-
tion for the affliction of the cotton famine ; and if
it should moreover bring forward new inventions
and arrangements by which the saving of health
and the making of money should at the same time
increase and cheapen the supply of food, we may
see even more to be thankful for in • fine season
than we ever slsw before.

A deputation from the county of Cornwall promoted
yesterday, at Merthorough-hour*, an addl.'s@ of 000@ratu-
lation to the Prince of Wales on attaining his majority._

A deputation from the general body of Protestant Die-
meeting Ministers or the three denominations resident in
sad about the cities of London and Westminster presented
an address of imegratulation to the Prince of Wales upon his
Royal Highness's marriage.
At two o'clock the Prince of Wales received addressee
of congratulation upon his marriage on behalf of himself
and the Princess of Wales from numerous corporate and
other public bodies.
The members of the deputation appeared either in court
dress or uniform. The cards brought by the noblemen and
gentlemen containing the list of names, and of the different
corporate and public bodies from which the addresses ori-
ginated, were read to his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales by the Earl of Mount Edgcunibe, Lord.in-Wsiting,
officiating for the Groom of the Stole to his royal highness,
prevented by indisposition from being present.
The Princess of Wales was present during the reception of
the adrenal of cosgratulation.

Vlsoonot Palmerston left town yesterday afternoon for
Wumbor Castle.