The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-25 00:00:00

MORNING SU

-
fax in 1831 was, according to the official abstract pub -
lished in that year, 15,582 ; and in the Census of 1841
Lit is statediverp Liverpool
be 10
1831
wa95,117555:17A5 faiitn the
, is
now o population 23 ,o 5
.lonf
Ashton-under-Line it was, in 1831, 33,597 ; in 1841,
130,381. So that our readers will see no comparison can
be drawn between the town population of 1831 and 1841,
It has been considered sufficient, therefore, in the mean-
time, to give three of the principal counties of England,
with the population of each Superintendent Registrar's
district, in order to show the new mode adopted by the
Registrar General, and when the complicated returns are
all arranged (which will yet require a long period),
we shall select those of most public interest. These, we
are informed on good authority, will furnish documents
of great importance, classifying persons according to
their trades and professions—such as capitalists, bankers,
occupiers of land employing labourers, occupiers of land
not employing labourers, labourers employed in agricul-
ture, in manufactures, employed in retail trade or handi-
craft, male and female servants, and a vast number of
other statistical returns. These will be accompanied
with an analysis of the Census, drawn up by the Com-
missioners, and, when completed, will be laid before
Parliament. That indefatigable member of the London
Statistical Society, Mr. Porter, has already drawn up an
important paper on the subject, which was read at the
last meeting—and among other valuable results and
facts, contained the following :—" Amongst other results
it was shown that the population of Great Britain and
Ireland, which had increased between 1821 and 1831, an
average of 17 per cent., had diminished from that
amount in the next decennial period one quarter per
cent., which diminution was principally attributed to
the comparatively few marriages which had taken place
in England since the passing of the New Poor-law
Act, in 1834. From the tables, however, it would
appear that in the agricultural districts the number
of births had increased in the last decennial period.
The deaths which had taken place throughout England
during the latter period were 1 in 44-1; in the manufac-
turing districts of Lancashire, &c., 1 in 33; whilst in the
city of Boston, United States, according to a statement
made by Colonel Sykes, the mortality during the same
period had been lin 45. It was alsostated by the latter,
that in good years it was but as 1 in 47 in the same city."
Among other curious results, Mr. Porter stated that in
all Great Britain there were 13,600 idiots and lunatics,
or 1 in 1,900 ; in England alone 1 in 500; and amongst
the Society of Friends lin 300. The returns have not
vet been made up as regards the occupations of the dif-
ferent classes, bat it was stated that in 1831 there were
800,000 female servants in Great Britain, whilst in the
City of Westminster alone they formed one-tenth of the
population. _ _ _

- The great proportion of lunatics among the Quakers
as compared witli other classes has excited some surprise,
though without reason, for it may be satisfactorily ac-
counted for. The Friends, as is well known, are a class
quite distinct from all others. They associate chiefly
with one another, refrain from public amusements, avoid
theatres, races, and balls, and many other places of pub-
lic resort which relieve the burdens of the mind by their
variety and gaiety. It is not, therefore, surprising that
this kind of silent system should have the same effect oa
persons who voluntarily seclude themselves from society
as those who are forced to submit to it as a punish-
ment. It is not quite fair, however, to select this respec-
table body, for we have no doubt that if other religious
sects were classified, a greater proportion of lunatics
would be found among them. If the new Census con-
tain classifications of this kind, as regards not only re-
ligionists but persons in every grade and condition of
life, with the proportionate numbers subject to lunacy,
madness, or disease of every description, it would form a
most valuable compilation, and would well repay the
labour and expense.

From the tallies published, it appears that the popula-
tion of Great Britain, for the last 41 years, was as fol-
lows :—ln 1801-10,472,048 ; 1811-11,964;303 ; 1821
14,161,839 ; 1831 16,366,011; and in 1841
18,664,761. In the Census for the last ten years, the
disproportion of the sexes is great. In England and
Wales there were 7,773,471 males, and 8,138,134 fe..
males. In Scotland, males 1,246,437- females 1,332,530.
And in the Islands of the British Seas, males 57;593„
females 66,481. This difference appears at first unac-
countable, as it is well known that more males than fe-
males are born, in the proportion of about 9to 8. In
England and Wales, for a period of about 29 years, for
every 10,426 males, there were 10,000 females born ; in
France, in the same period, there were in the proportion
of 1,000 lc 938 ; in the Low Countries, 1,000 men to
947 women; in Naples, 1,000 to 956. On reflection,
however, the provisions of nature in this, as in all other
instances, appear wise, and the disparity between males
and females may easily be accounted for. Independent
of the enormous mercantile shipping of this country, as
well as the Royal Navy, where men only are employed,
probably ten men to one woman emigrate. Men, from
their hazardous and laborious occupations, are exposed to
infinitely greater danger than women, even indepen-
dent of war, and when we take into account the vast
extent of the British dominions—the numerous Colonies
to be supplied, not only with troops but with civilians,
the incessant casualties that occur in foreign climates,
requiring regular drafts from the mother country to
make up the deficiency, we are only surprised that the
disparity at home is not greater. We will refrain, how-
ever, from further remarks on this subject till the Com-
missioners make a more complete return ; and in the
hope of urging them to expedite their labour with the
utmost despatch, we assure them that the public, who
have to pay a arge sum for the work, are anxiously
looking forward to its completion. We have heard, on
tolerably good authority, that they will not be able to
bring out the tables for two years yet. This, however,
we think a most unreasonable period for such an under-
taking, with so many hands, and the machinery all in
preparation for a year at least ; and great disappointment
will be expressed if the Census for 1841 is not laid on
the tables of Parliament in the course of next Session.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.
The following are the results of " A Table of Mortality in
the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from all Causes
Registered in the week ending Dec.lB, 1841." The Table is
issued from the Office of the Registrar-General:—

CAUSES OP DEATH.

Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases 146
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses 124
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration
Diseases of the Heat and 8100d-vessels l7
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other
Organs of Ditstion

Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. .. ... 3
Childbed, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
Diseases of the Skin, &c
Diseases of Uncertain 5eat...... BB
OW Age, or Natural Decay 6O
Deaths by Violence, Privation, or Intemperance 24
Causes not specified
Deaths from all causes 794
Average Weekly Deaths ..

Average Population
Weekly enu-
Deaths merated
1138-9-40. 1511.

West Districts—Kensington, Saint
I i George ( Hanover-square), West-
minster, St. Martin in the Fields,
St. James

300,705

North Districts— St. Mary-le -bone
St. Pancras, Islington, Hackney 163
Central Districts—St. Giles and St.
George, Strand, Holborn, Clerk-
enwell, St. Luke, East London,
West London, City of London Igo
East Districts—Shoreditch, Bethnal
Green, Whitechapel, St. George
in the East, Stepney, P0p1ar...... 211
South Districts—St Saviour, St.
Olave, Bermondsey, St. George
Southwark, Newingtomiambeth,
Camberwell, Rotherhitke, Green:,
wich ........... „ ........... ...... 223

365,660

373,806

392,49 G

438,060

926
Death.

the
Reek.

It is slated that Total 926 1,870,727 794
under the term Metropolis a" comprised the
32 districts. herein mentioned, which include the City of Lon-
and the parishes of St. Marylebone,
don with and without the 'walls, the City and Liberties of
Westminster, the out-parishes within the Bills of Mortality
n,
Pancras, Kensington,
!Wham, Hammersmith (Chapelry), St. Luke (Ch elsea), Pad-
dington, St. Mary (Stoke Newington), St. Leonard (Brom
ter 1838, 1839, and 1840,
;
Icy ), St. Mary-le-bow, Camberwell, Greenwich, St. Nicholas
and St. Paul (Deptford), and Woolwich. The population, as
enumerated in 1931, was 1,594,890;
and in June 1841, was
t
1,870,727. The weekly average
was obtained by dividing the deaths in the three years by 156.
I Dec. 11. E I Dec. 18.
55° 53°
TEMPERATURE IN THE WEEKS NDING
40 31
47 43
23, 1811.

Highest .....................
Lowest ......................
Daily Mean . •
ieral Register Office, Dec.

RAILWAY RETURNS.

1 We extract from the Railway Magazine the sums
received on the principal Railways of Great Britain
for the week ending on the day of the month prefixed
to each. The return includes the money received for
passengers, parcels, carriages, horses, mails, and trier-
chandize :
Week Miles
Name of Railway.ended Opened.
Dec.lB Birmingham & Derby Junct. 38/
17 Birmingham and Gloucester 55
12 Brandling Junction 25
18 Chester and Birkenhead .. 15.
19 Eastern Counties
18 Glasgow and Ayr ..
18 Glasgow, Paisley, & Greenock 22/
11 Grand J unct , Chester &Crewe 1034
20 Great North of England
19 Great Western
18 Hull and Selby
18 Lancaster & Preston Junction 20j
17 Liverpool and Manchester 3l
18 London and Birmingham ll2l
18 London and Brighton
18 Ditto Shoreham Branch
21 London and Croydon
22 ndon and Greenwich 34
18 London and South Western
16 Manchester, Bolton, and Bury 10
18 Manchester and Leeds
18 Midland Counties ... 57
19 Northern and Eastern
18 North Midland
18 Preston and Wyre ..... 19/
20 York and North Midland....., 23

Total.
£. s. d.
1,140 19 A
1,492 7 2
706 3 6
365 0 7
667 12 6
824 4 8
645 8 3
6,868 1 4
1,165 19 2
11,575 2 1

782 4 11

414 6 11
4,087 0 6
13,892 10 6
1,531 8 8
147 8 11

239 3 6
780 19 2
4,6.59 6 9
545 14 2i-
-3,700 10 5
2,308 6 11

'905 0 10
3,738 4 si

190 14 9
1,603 17 6

Louis XIV.--The appetite of this monarch
was so remarkable, that, we are informed, he used fre-
quently to eat at dinner four plates of soup, a whole
pheasant, a partridge, a large plateful of salad, mutton
with gravy and with garlic, two good slices of ham, and
a plateful of pastry, besides fruit and sweetmeats.
LORD CHANCELLORS.—The three Chancel-
lors who have held the seals of office longest are, Lord
Ellesmere, twenty years within a few days ; Lord Hard-
wicke, twenty years and nine months ; and Lord Eldon,
during the two periods of his being in office, twenty-fire
years within a few days.