The Express.
London, England, 1863-11-17 00:00:00

THE DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.

Mr. Fernall's report to the Central Executive
Committee, at their meeting at Manchester yesterday. this
week showed an aggregate ingrain* of 211 persons receiving
parochial relief in the cotton districts, on the 7th inst.
There was a decrease in 12 district., of which Manchester
was one, but in 15 vetoes there was • considerable Menses,
which, in the eggregate, overtopped the favourable side by
the number above named. A comparison with the oars-
, spoeding period of lest year, however, exhibits more
satisfactory results. In the week ending October
7 in 1862 there were 2.37,743 persons receiving
parochial relief, at a cost of 15,672/. 11a. 3d. The
correspoeding week of this year shows that 128,168 pine=
obtained parochial relief in thsoottoo manufactories unions,
at • met of 7,9321. 13. Bd. It should also be remembered
that it was in the beginning of December last year when the
relief lists showed the first symptoms of divaiontioe. At
the meeting of the executive committee Mr. Rawlins=
strongly urged the adoption of sanitary measures Is may
of the villages and towns of Lancashire. The immediate
attention of the anthoritioa, he said, should be directed to
this point, with the intent of preventing any outbreak of
disease.
At the meeting of the general committee, a long report
was read by the bosomy secretary, which °retained many
interesting item'. It appears, from this document, that
the distress cost up to Mictuielmss last 1,979,3691. Of
this amount 535,898/. came from charitable source*, and
8214701. wee the extra charge obtained front the local
rates. This calenlatioo. of course, does sot include
the private charity, of which no record can be obtained.
The sum available to the minions of the general com-
mittee is still shoat 384,019/.. beside what is promised is
large towns in Yorkshire and elsewhere, but not trans-
mitted. The report gratefully acknowledges the satisfactory
condition of the public health in the cotton manufacturing
districts, but repeats the directions contained in the
" manual" iseoed by the committee for the removal of sU
nuisances which had • tandem:ley to generate disease.
It °melons with the intimation that the fluctuation& of
employment must still be closely watched in order
that the real wants of the unemployed might be
'applied. In a debate which ensued on ao apparent deem-
rticipl,tihtehat lem°el4nbutbwershielf wouperaditrievcestlybearlaimPed. it
ted
to the West Riding, and had obtained employment isiVork.
shire. So much was this the clue, that no house room
could be found for many in Bradford ; and here again Mr.
Rushes= uttered a caution that whitewashing and cleansing
operation should be diligently set on foot.

MAKRIAGI UN•OI• BWITZZRIAND.-1110 Monde
Jedieiaire he■ the followaigiewimarkva.s es the laws and
usage■ which regulate ra is Switzerland "Civil
marriage is only required at Neufchatel, and in
the protestant part of the Cantos of Friburg ; it is optional
at Lausanne, and doe■ not exi4 in the Cantos' of Zurich and
Thurgau, except for the sectarians In all the other ostludic
or protestant cantons. marriage is purely religious. Mixed
' marriages betweea Swiss of different creeds, after having
bees ►ong proscribed by the two Glenne.. are now suthoriso
and imposed in all the cantons by the Federal. laws. la a
deemed way it is the oura or pastor of the husband's creed
who officiates, but at Zarieh the earemoay is performed in
both churches. Children generally follow the religion of
the father. The marriage contracts ►re examined by •
epts,sksise presided over by the Wideman, or by
ties tribunal of maniere. The authorisation of parents is
not aesseary. Every republican govenuseat wiiliogly
says, The fruilv, it is I.' The proteste of parents are
only taken commis's°, of by the communal tribunal, sub-
ject to appeal to the cantonal court. The candidate for
marries most prove that be possesses a dun, sad that he
uoderstends the military exercise: Si rte matrirnonium,
parabellums. He must also prove that he has the means of
supporting a family."