The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-06 00:00:00

ENGLAND IN THE YEAR 1865.

The births returned in the year amounted to
747,870, and the birth-rate was 3.563 ; . it is the
highest on record. The numbers will be carefully
revised at this office, for publication in the annual
report, but it is not likely that the birth-rate will be
sensibly reduced by the operation.
491,360 deaths were registered in the year, and
the death-rate was 2.341 ; that is, 0.125 above the
average of the 10 years 1856-64. To 18 deaths in
each of those years, out of the same number of
people 19 died last year. The mortality was ex-
cessively high throughout the year in Yorkshire and
Lancashire. In town and country the rate was
much above the average in the winter quarter, near
the average in spring, and slightly above the ave-
rage in summer and autumn.

The excess of registered births over registered
deaths was 256,510, or 1.222 per cent. on the popu-
lation, which is the rate of recorded natural increase,
of which the results are modified according as emi-
gration sets in the strongest current inwards or
outwards.

The marriage returns of the last quarter of the
year are not yet in the office, but the marriage rate
of the year will,without doubt, be above the averagQ.
This country was threatened, not only by cholera,
but by yellow fever in the year. The Hecla, from
Cuba, laden with copper ore, entered Swansea Har-
bour, lying between a low inhabited island and the
town, at 9 a.m. on Sept. 9, and landed James
Saunders, sick ; he died in the course of the day.
On Sept. 23 the registrar of Swansea received the
certificate of the death of John Jesse by yellow
fever, and this certificate was sent by the Registrar-
General to the Council-office, who immediately,
through Dr. Buchanan, instituted a searching in-
quiry into the subject. Twenty-nine persons who
had been in or near the 'Mehl were attacked by the
fever, and 13 persons died of it in Swansea, one in
the Eleanor sloop, and one in Llanelly. The disease
did not spread by contagion, but it was apparently
induced by the diffusion of the fever miasm among
the people. Judicious measures were taken for ro-
moving the llecla from the harbour, and for puri-
fying her foul interior. The last death by yellow
fever occurred on Bth October.

In this case, as well as in the invasion of South-
ampton by cholera, the importance of attention to
the hygienic condition both of our merchant vessels
and our seaports is clearly seen ; for a foul ship
instead of merchandise carries from land to land the
seeds of depopulating diseases, and a foul seaport
supplies the soil in which they rankly germinate. I

Railway and other Companies.

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN.
The directors of this company have resolved to
recommend to the proprietors at the general meet-
ing on the 15th inst. that the dividend for the half-
year ending the 31st of December last be at the rate
of 5} per cent. per annum on the ordinary capital
stock of the company.

GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN.
The report of the directors states that the total

traffic receipts for the half-year ending 31st of De-
cember amounted to £257,216, and for the same
half of 1864 to £226,476, showing an increase of
£30,740; of which £22,009 was derived from pas-
sengers and £9,032 from goods. The net surplus
revenue for the half-year amounted to £120,865,
out of which the directors recommended that a
dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum be
paid to the proprietors of the consolidated stock of
the company, which would leave a balance of
£26,066, of which they recommended that £7,000
be transferred to the reserve fund, and £3,000 to
the credit of the insurance fund, leaving £16,066 for
the next account. The decrease on the postal ser-
vice and military traffic for the past half-year had
been £1,400, but on every item which denoted im-
provement in the country there had been a very sa-
tisfactory increase; on passengers, goods, and cattle
it amounted to £32,272. They believed that this in-
crease had arisen as much from the improved condi-
tion of the agricultural community as from allY
extraneous sources. Three bills were now before
Parliament in which the company were interested—
a bill promoted by the Cork,Youghal, and Queens-
town Company, to confirm the sale of that line to
the Great Southern and Western Railway
Company;
a bill promoted by this company to effect a junction
at Cork with the Cork, Youghal, and Queenstown
Railway—in which powers had been taken to raise
£15,000 for the construction of the junction, and in
addition, £65,000 for the purpose of putting the
Cork and Youghal line in a proper and efficient state
of repair; and a bill promoted by the Parsonstown
and Portumna Bridge RailwaY Company to autho-
rise the Great Southern and Western Railway Com-
pany to subscribe £13,000, to enable them to finish
the line. The capital account showed that £5,712,521
had been expended.

REUTER'S TELEGRAM (LIMITED.)
The second ordinary general meeting of this com-
pany was held yesterday at the London Tavern ;
Mr. J. Holland in the chair.
The report stated-that the net profits for the half
year ending the 31st of December amounted to
£5,418, including £2,412 brought forward from the
last account, which admitted of a dividend at the
rate of 8 per cent. per annum, free of income-tax,
which would absorb £1,804, and after placing £2,000
to the reserve fund there would remain £1,574
for the next account. All calls on the shares had
been paid, with the exception of those due on about
100 shares. Branches had been recently opened in
Belgium, Holland, and Egypt, which were now
doing a profitable business. It had been determined
to establish a branch in India, which would open
another field for a large extension of business. In
future the meetings would be held annually, but the
usual interim dividends would be declared.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, said the dividend, though large, was not what
they expected. The business in the past year had
not been as good as they anticipated, which was
perhaps consequent on the cessation of the Ameri-
can war. The profits were, however, increasing,
and he hoped those of the present year would make
up for any deficiency which had occurred during

the year 1865. Telegraphy vas rapidly extending,
and he wished to observe that Mr. Reuter had ob-
tained a concession to lay a cable from the Hano-
verian coast to England. The term of the conces-
don was for 30 years. The state of the money
market for some time past had prevented the scheme
from being carried out.

Mr. STOPFORD seconded the motion for the adop-
tion of the report, which was carried unanimously.
Sir J. Hay, the retiring director, was re-elected,
and Messrs. Quilter, Ball, and Co. were appointed
auditors for the current year.

A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the
proceedings.

RAILW AY BILLS.

The examiners resumed their sittings yesterday.
Before Mr. Smith the following bills passed standing
orders :—Merrybent and Darlington ; Mid Hants,
Pembroke, and Tenby ; Cambrian (Steamboats) ;
Great Southern and Western ; and the West Brom-
wich and Walsall. There was no appearance in
the cases of the Caledonian (Extension to Largs)
and the Fareham and Netley. The Salisbury and
Yeovil and the Stockbridge Bills were adjourned.
In Mr. Frere's Court the standing orders were de-
clared to have been complied with in the following
cases :—The Barry (alteration) ; the Lancashire
and Yorkshire (Extension of Time, &c.) ; the
London and North-Western and Whitehaven.
Junction ; the South Staffordshire ; the Bishop's
Castle ; the Downpatrick, Dundrum, and New-
castle ; and the Mold and Denbigh Junction
(Branches and Deviations). The standing orders
were not complied with in the case of the Solway
Junction (Branches). The consideration of the Lon-
don, Brighton, and South Coast (Surrey lines), and
of the Great Western (further powers), was ad-
journed.