The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-11 00:00:00

QUARTERLY RETURN OF MARRIAGES,
BIRTHS, AND DEATHS.

-
This return, being of the marriages solemnised in
October, November, December, 1857, and the births and
deaths which took place in January, February, March,
1858, has just been published. It comprises the births
and deaths registered by 2,196 registrars in all the dis-
tricts of England during the winter quarter that ended
ou March 31, 1858 ; and the marriages in 12,272
churches or chapels, about 3,939 registered places of
worship unconnected with the Established Church, and
629 superintendent Reg,strar's cfEces, in the quarter
that ended on December 31, 1857. The return presents
an unfavourable aspect, The marriages of the year
1857 and of the last quarter of that year were below the
average number. The weather was severe, the people
suffered, and the death-rate in the first quarter of the
year 1858 was heavier than it is on an average ; but the
birth-rate in the same quarter, though lower than in the
three previous quarters, was above the average. The
population of the country is still increasing.
MARRIAGES.—The Christmas quarter is always distin•
guisbed in England and Wales by the multitude of its
marriages. Ninety-one thousand seven hundred and
seventy-two persons married in the last three months of
1857. The marriages of the quarter were at the rats of
1.878 persons married to 100 living in a year ; the de-
cennial average rate of the corresponding quarter being
1 994.
BIRTHS.—The births of 171,001 children, born alive,
were registered in the quarter that ended on March 31 ;
a number exceeding by 620 the births in the correspond.
ing winter quarter of 1857 ; and the highest number
that was ever registered within the same time and
season. Children were born at the rate of 1,900 a day.
Tee births in the quarter were at the rate of 3.568 annu-
ally to 100 of the population, the average being 3.518.
The births fluctuate little in comparison with the mar-
riages and the deaths in the several divisions of the king-
dom ; but the decrease of births in the northern cairn-.
ties is worthy of note.
INOREASE OF POPULATION.-171,001 births and
125,902 deaths were registered in the first ninety days
of the year ; and the natural increase of population in
that period was therefore 45,099, or 591 daily. The
natural increase in the winter quarter of 1857 was 687
daily. The falling off in the increase of population is
referable to the excessively high rate of mortality during
the past winter : for the births exceeded by 7 daily the
births in the winter of 1857. The daily natural in-
crease of population in the United Kingdom was pro-
bably about 760 daily. 19,146 emigrants sailed from
the ports of the United Kingdom at which there are
Government emigration agents ; of whom 7,230, or al-
lowing persons of undistinguished birth-place, 8,142,
were of English origin. Oa an average 90 English
left our shores daily. 5,683 of the English emigrants
sailed to the Australian colonies ; 2,299 to the United
States ; none to the North American colonies. Nothing
is more remarkable in the movement of our population
than the decrease of emigration since the war. In
the three months of 1849, January, February and
March, 60,626 emigrants sailed from our ports ;
49,524 to the United States, 1,337 to British North
America, and 8,627 to the Australian colonies ; in the
corresponding three months of 1858 only 19,146 emi-
grants sailed from the same ports, 8,208 to the United
States, 24 to British North America, and 9,867 to the
Australian colonies.

PRICE of PROVISIONS —The price of provisions has
undergone great fluctuations. The price of ,wheat in
the first three months of each of the three sears 1856,
1857, and 1858, was on an average 725. 4d., 565. 10d.,
465. sd. a quarter. The fall of price since 1856 has been
26 per cent., and since 1857 it has been 18 per cent.
Beef and mutton by the carcase at Leadenhall and New-
gate were cheaper in the winter of 1846 than in the
winter of 1857. The price of beef fell from Sid. to 51d.
a pound, of mutton from bid, to sid. a pound. Beef is
at the same price, mutton is dearer than it was in the
first three months of 1856. Potatoes present an unfor-
tunate exception ; they attained an exhorbitant price.
The York Regents at thP waterside market, Southwark,
in the three winters of 1856, 1857, and 1858, sold respec-
tively at 865., 110 e., and 1525. 6d. a ton. The price in
1858 was 39 per cent. higher than the price in 1857,
and 77 per cent. bightr than the price in 1856. The
greengrocer's bill has thus increased, and the supply of
vegetables for thelpoor population has been inadequate.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.-125,902 deaths were regis-
tered in the three months ending on March 31. This
number exceeds by 17,375 the deaths in the correspond-
ing winter quarter of the previous year, and by 22,694
the deaths in the winter quarter of 1856. The rate of
mortality in the three winter quarters was 2.186, 2.292,
and 2'627 per cent, per annum ; or about 22, 23, and
26 per 1,000. As a general rule the mortality in Eng-
land is highest in cold winters, lowest in winters of
mo-
derate temperature, and it has a tendency to rise
when the temperature of the winter quarter exceeds
forty degrees of Fahrenheit. The mortality of the
quarter was at the rate of 2.854 per cent, in the town
districts, and at the rate of 2.367 per cent. in the coun-
try districts, thus exceeding the average in town dis-
tricts by .176, and the average of country districts by
.141. Tne cause of the increase, therefore, pervaded
town and country; but its pressure was most severely
felt in the towns. The deaths in the three months
amounted to 125,902, and the mortality was at the rate
of 26 deaths annually in 1,000 of the population. Had
the mortality been at the rate of 17 annually in 1,000,
the deaths would have amounted to 82,000. The excess
of deaths over this number in the 90 days was 43,902,
or 488 daily ; which it was shown in the lart quarterly
report may be properly designated unnatural deaths.

Country Markets.

COLCHESTER- MAT 8.

A good supply of wheat, and a slow trade at rather un-
der last week's prices. Malting barley nominal in value,
the season being nearly closed. Beans and peas the turn
dearer.

Prices to-daywere as follow :—Wheat, white, 463 to 503;
red, 42s to 465; barley, 36s to 43s ; oats, 24s to 30s ; beam;
&lazagan, als to 38s ; middle and small, 38s to 42s ; peas,
white, 42s to 44s ; grey, 42s to 445.

Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c,
in the port of London, from the following pi
May 3 to May 8, both inclusive.

received
nts, from