The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-06-15
British Divorce Statistics.
London Daily News.

The return of divorce suits and judi
cial separations, asked for by Mr..
Gladstone last December and just pub
lished, gives series of figures extend
ing from 1858 TO the end of 1897. Of
course no comments are made, only
the bare numerical statement is print
ed, but the figures speak eloquently
enough. Altogether, during the
thirty ears over which the record
extends, there were 2,734 petitions for
judicial separation and l0,56l for di-
vorce. OF the former rather more
than one third were successful, and
about ne-eighth were dismissed; the
rest, that is TO say more than half, be-
ing arranged privately. A much
larger part of the divorce cases
resulted successfully, the number Of
DEGREES pronounced being 1921, an
average of 266 per year, and nearly
three quarters of the number of petit
tions. About 2,42S cases never came
to hearing, but of those which were
brought into court only Sl2, or one
thirteenth of the total, were dismissed.
The queens proctor interviewed in 294
CdsGS. IOuI IllllGS Out vi uNC W lNI TIC
result OF reversal of the decree.
But such general summaries give a
very poor idea of the actual state of
things which this striking return re-
veals. Ii the various statistics are
studied carefully ii is at once obvious
how very greatly the number of petit
tions has increased in recent years. In
1860 forty wives petitioned for sepa-
ration, and in only ten cases was it
granted. After that date there was
steady increase, slow at first, until
1865, when gradual decline set in,
continuing TO 1873. From that date
the increase has been very rapid, 80
that the number has risen in 1880 so
high as 1877. In 1887 it was still
higher-namely, l42. Petitions of q
similar character from the husbands
side have never been numerous. In
1880 there was only one, and the
largest number-that for 1873
was only fourteen. Since that date
such cases have steadily declined, I'M
til in lS87-the last year TO which the
report extends-there were only four.
The divorce cases show q similar
series of up and downs. On the whole,
there has been an increase, most
marked during the years between 1870
and 1873. 1t matters not whether we
take the figures relating to petitions
of the husbands or those in which
proceedings were originated by the
wives. They follow much the same
curves, rising and falling together, and
yielding about the same high proper
tion of successes. In 1860 and 1861
both were at a minimum, and again
six years later. But from that date,
or perhaps the following year, the
numbers bound rapidly upward. Thus
in 1875 petitions were lodged by PSI
husbands and ia wives, of which 1S4
of the former and l20 of the latter re-
suited in the pronouncing of decree
for dissolution of marriage. In 1888
no fewer than $50 husbands and 2O6
wives sued for divorce. This enormous
number of 353 forms the maximum of
the husbands side, but in 1887 petit
tions made by wives numbered 254
more than in any previous year.
One curious fact is made apparent
by q comparison of the respective
numbers of petitions originating from
husbands on the one hand and wives
on the other. II is that while the pro-
portion of DEGREES pronounced Is about
the same, two of the mems petitions
are dismissed for every one of the
women's. This is balanced by the fact