The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-31 00:00:00

TEE PUBLIC REALM.

(From the Quarterly _Return of the Registrar General•)
This return comprises the births and deaths re-
gistered by 2,197 registrars in all the districts of
England during the spring quarter that ended on
June 30, 1861 ; and the marriages in 12,477 churches
or chapels, about 4,446 registered places 01 worship
unconnected with ti e Established Church, and 631
superintendent registrars' offices, in the quarter that
ended on March 31, 1861.

The leading facts of the return may be brieflf
stated. The marriages, which were numerous in
the concluding quarter of 1860, fell under the pres-
sure of adverse circumstances in the first quarter of
1861; many more children than usual were born is
the second quarter of this year ; and in the solo
period fine weather, and perhaps other than mete)"
rological causes, were on the whole favourable to
health, for the death-rate was not quite so high AS
the average.

The population resident in England as enumerated
at the census of Bth April, 1861, may be stated to
be 20,061,725. This statement is derived from the
reports of the local officers, and, though it is pro-
bably very near the truth, may undergo some mo-
difications when the numbers have been more awl.'
rately examined at the central-office. The rate of
increase in the last decennium was 12 per cent.
The number of persons married in the winter
quarter was 66,802. Of 10,000 of the population
135 were married, but if the marriage-rate was equal
to the average for that quarter, the number would
have been 142. Tables that run through a serie.
of years show that the people are less prone to enter
into wedlock in the first than in any of the succeed'
ing quarters, and in the present year that season wao
eminently unpropitious in consequence of the severe
frost and dearness of provisions. The average weekli
number of recipients of in-door and out-door relief
exceeded by 54,155 that relieved in the winter of
1860. From a comparison of corresponding quar
ters of 1859-61, it appears that the decline in mar-
riages was general over the country. In London
they fell from 5,751 and 5,668 to 5,346.
The number of children born in the quarter that
ended June 30th was 184,718, which is higher
than the number born in any quarter of any pre-
vious year. The birth rate was nearly 37 Per
1,000 of the population, whilst the average is lest)
than 36.

The increase of population as disclosed by the
registers of births and deaths was 76,997, for to
that extent the former exceeded the latter, Tho
rate of increase was equal to 846 daily.
According to the emigration return, about 8,505
persons of English origin left ports in the United
Kingdom, of whom 5,241 were bound for the
United States, 776 for the North American colonies,
2,155 for the Australian colonies, 333 for other
places. The total number of emigrants, including
1,700 foreigners, was 37,987, of whom 25,562 went
to the United States. The Irish element formed
nearly two-thirds of the whole emigration. The
Scottish part of it showed a clear preference for
Australia.

The price of wheat was Hs. 9d. a quarter, awl
was higher by 2s. ld. than in the previous /120°
quarter, and by 7s. 6d. than in that of 1859. The
mean price of beef in Leadenhall and Newgate
markets was 58d.; both highest and lowest prices
were less than in the same quarter of 1860, which;
also held in respect of mutton, the mean price 01
which was 6-0. Best potatoes averaged 130 s. Per
ton ; they were dearer than in the same quarter o'-
t
1859, cheaper than in that of 1860