The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-08 00:00:00

THE HARVEST IN FRANCE.

The Gazette de Lyon publishes a letter from a
landed proprietor of the neighbourhood of that city
giving some interesting details relative to the pre-
sent harvest. It says :—" As my corn has now
been thrashed, I am able to say something about
this year's produce. My crop, which consists prin-
cipally of wheat, gives me an augmentation over
1856 of 75 per cent. The intelligence which I re-
receive from different quarters leaves no doubt in
my mind that, in many places, the yield is double
what it was last year; but in order to be free from
ail exaggeration, I will estimate the harvest of
1857, as only Si) per cent. above that of 1856.
According to political economists, France needs
every year for the bread of all her inhabitants 110
millions of hectolitres of corn of all kinds, or about
3 hectolitres per head. In the year 1856 there
was a deficiency of 7 millions of hectolitre;, which
was made up by the introduction of foreign corn.
France consequently produced 104 millions of hee-
-1 telitres of breadstuff's, and by the aid of private en-
terpr:se, and of railway cornmun'cation, what for-
merly would have amounted almost to a famine
was no'hing more than a very marked scarcity. In
order to be more safe in my calculations, I. will
esteem only at 100 millions the yield cf 1856; and
as th it of 1857 gives 50 per cent. of augmentation,
its produce will be 150 millions of bee olitte;, or
40 millions more than France requires, that excess
will without doubt find its way to Switzerland and.
England, and part will be used up for distilla-
tion. But 40 millions of hectolitres is a very con-
siderable surplus and will leave a large margin
to prepare for any future deficiency. The wheat
of 1857 is much finer and heavier than that of the
preceding year ; and my own gives to the hec-
tolitre 700 grammes (wear 411)4.) more than in
1856. But that a idlion multiplied by 150 mil-
lions furnishes a quantity which, when considered
closely, is really immense. And I look on the in-
crease which I mention as below the average, for
this reason, that my land being of the first quality
yields comparatively lass this year than second and
third rate farms, where the yield is uncommonly
fine ; so much so, indeed, that the arg-do-ailicions
land of the Bresse has produe d as flue corn this
year as the argelo-calcareoas distrietsbn the tanks
of the Saone. Taking ail these circumstances into
consideration, I do not fear to announce that the
harvest will turn out even better than was at first
hoped for.

POOR-RATES AND PAUPERISM.—A. comparison be-
tween the years 1857 and 1856 of the member of paupers
relieved in England and Wales in each week exhibits a
decrease in favour of this year in every instance, vary-
ing from 2.4 to 3.1 per cent The decrease is equally
applicable ko in and out-door relief.
THE NEW WESTMINSTER-BRIDGE.—The committee
upon this matter, after hearing the evidence of Mr.
Stephenson, M.P., and Mr. Page, the Government
engineer, agreed to report as fellows :--" Having been
informed by the First Commissioner of Works that,
after considering the report of the judges appointed
to report on the designs for the new public offices on
the bock plan, and taking into account the great ex-
penselhat would be incurred if the site of Wesi minster-
bridge was changed, it is not his intention to recommend
that the site of the bridge be altered. The committee
proceeded to consider the present site of the existing
bridge, and the alterations proposed to be made in the
new bridge to meet the objections which have been
taken to the mode of construction es originally pro-
pi sed.„ The committee learn that the precautions
taken for securing the old bridge have been complete ;
they recommend that the new bridge be proceeded
with in conformity with the alterations in the mode
of construction as set forth in Mr. Page's let-
ter addressed to the Chief Commissioner, July 23,
1857. The committee have also carefully considered
the important question of the headway of the
bridge, and in connexion therewith the subject of the
gradient of the roadway as nom proposed, and the
gradient which would be consequent upon raising tie
bridge. The committee find that, accorling to the plan
n proposed, the roadway on the Surrey side would
be 1 in 45, and if the bridge was raised from 20 to 22
feet the gradient would be 1 in 27 ; that on the Mid.lk-
sx side the gradient, as at present designed, would be
1 in 57, and, if raised, 1 in 45. The committee we
therefore of (Tinian that it would not be expedient t '
increase the height of the bridge."
EAST INDIA (AREA, POPULATION, &e.).—Yesterday
morning a return, from the stati,tical office of the East
India House, of the area and population of each divi-ion
of each presidency of India, comprising the area and
estimated population of native states, was published.
It appears there is in the British states, under the govern
mart of the Governot-General of India in c tined, a
population of 23,255,972 within an area of 246,050'
square miles ; under the lieutenant governor of Bengal,
46,852327, within an area of 221,969 miles ; under the
lieutenant governor of the norta-aestern provinces,
33,655,123, within an area of 107 759 miles ; under the
Madras goeernment, 22,437,227, within an area of
132.090 miles ; and under the Bambey government,
11,790,042, within an arra of 131,544 miles—making a
total population in the British states of 131,990,901 with
an area of 837,412 miles. In the native states there is
in the presidency of Bengal, a population of 38 702,206,
within an area of 515,533 miles ; in the presidency of
Madre's, 5,213,671, in an area of 51,802 miles ;
and in the presidency of Bombay, 4,460,370, in
an area of 60,575 miles ; making a total amou, t
of population in those states in the three pre4i-
dencies of 48,376,247 within an area of 627,910
within an area of 188 miles ; anti a
miles. In the foreien states there is a French
popula-
tion of 313,262 in an area of 1,066
tion of
Portuguese 203,p
miles ; making a total population in those states of
517,149 in an area of 1,254 miles. The grand total popu-
lation in all the states is 180,834,297 within an area of
1,466,576 square miles.