RAILWAY TRAFFIC.-In the half-year ending Dec. 31, 1857, the total number of passengers conveyed on railways in England and Wales had been 62,927,762, and the total number of miles travelled had been 880,242,283, an average of nearly 14 miles for each traveller, and of upwards of 40 miles for each inhabitant of the kingdom. The number of miles of railway open for traffic at that date was 6,773. Of general merchandise there had been carried 10,535,237 tons; of mineral produce 19,361,643 tons, of which 11,271,744 were of coal. The total number of live stock carried was 4,741,489, of which 898,399 were cattle, 3,284,585 sheep, and 558,505 pigs. The total receipts for the period were 10,782,815.; of which 1,494,6241. arose from first class passengers, 1,744,8531. from second class, 377,6247. from third class, and 1,273,430l. from parliamentary train passengers. The receipts for the conveyance of merchandise, minerals, and live stock were 5,230,0461.

In Scotland, the total number of passengers had been 8,153,825, and the miles travelled 96,655,918; an average of something less than 12 miles for each passenger, and of about 32 miles for each inhabitant of the kingdom. The number of miles of railway open was 1,250. Of general merchandise there were carried 1,414,950 tons; of coal, minerals, and other articles, 4,343,931 tons; of live stock there were conveyed 837,751 head, of which 140,042 were cattle, 678,025 sheep, and 19,684 pigs. The total receipts were 1,322,524l.; of which 150,1397. were derived from first class passengers, 103,2521. from second class, 56,2771. from third, and 215,3231. from parliamentary train passengers. The total receipts from merchandise, minerals, and live stock were 730,447.

În Ireland, the total number of passengers had been 4,752,427, and the number of miles travelled 69,332,924; an average of 11 miles for each passenger, and of about 10 for each inhabitant. The number of miles open for traffic was 1,070. The general merchandise carried amounted to 490,429 tons; the coal, minerals, and other articles to 62,286 tons; of live stock there were conveyed 115,518 cattle, 204,813 sheep, and 210,088 pigs. The total receipts were 607,3617.; of which 90,7577. were derived from first class passengers, 137,4551. from second, 74,5157. from third, and 61,5381. from parliamentary class passengers. The receipts from the carriage of general merchandise, minerals, and live stock were 178,7251.

It will be noticed that in England and Scotland the receipts from the goods traffic and the passenger traffic are very nearly equal, while in Ireland the goods traffic produces less than a third of the total receipts.

On Dec. 31, 1857, the total number of miles of railway open for traffic was 9,447, of which 6,356 miles were open as a double line, and the remainder single. There were 993 miles in course of construction; and 3,554 miles had been authorised but not then commenced upon; making a total of 14,494. The amount authorised up to that date had been 387,051,734l. 138. 10d.; of this the sum of 99,038,089l. 16s. 6d. was on loan, and 288,013,6447. 178. 4d. was capital. The total amount raised was 315,157,260l., leaving 72,194,6187. to be raised as capital or by loan. The amount expended upon railway works, rolling stock, &c. had been 283,957,255l. The average rate of dividend on ordinary shares was 377 per cent., and on preference shares 479 per cent. The total amount of parochial rates and taxes paid by railways in the United Kingdom was 475,0361.

CANAL COMPANIES.-On Dec. 31, 1857, the total amount of the share capital of all the canals in the United Kingdom was 13,775,9241.; of this 13,053,696l., invested in canals, were in England, 47,2397. were in Scotland, and 674,8997. were in Ireland. The average rate of dividend on ordinary shares was 3.63 per cent., and on preference shares only 3.28. The total amount of parochial rates and taxes paid by canals in the United Kingdom was 38,850l.

EAST INDIA RAILWAYS.-A Committee of the House of Commons reported, on July 13, 1858, that the following lines of railway were in course of construction in the East Indies:

1. The East Indian Railway Company, from Calcutta, via Rajmahal and Allahabad, to Delhi or Meerut, with a branch from Mirzapoor to meet the East Indian peninsular line at Jubbulpoor.

2. The Great Indian Peninsula Company, from Bombay, in a north-easterly direction, to Jubbulpoor, and in a south-easterly direction, via Poonah and Sholapoor, to meet the Madras line in the neighbourhood of Bellary.

3. The Madras Railway Company, from Madras, viâ Cuddapah, to Bellary, to join the line from Bombay; and in a westerly direction to the Malabar coast, at or near Beypoor. 4. The Bombay and Baroda Company, from Bombay, viû Surat, to Baroda and Ahmedabad.

5. The Sind and Punjaub Railway Company, from Kurrachee to Kotree on the Indus, and from Moultan to Lahore in the Punjaub, with a connection by steam navigation between Kotree and Moultan.

6. The Eastern Bengal Company, from Calcutta to Dacca, with a branch to Jessore. 7. The Great Southern of India Company, from Salem, via Trichinopoly, to Negapatam, and southward to Madura and Tinevelly.

The Committee was appointed to ascertain the causes of delay in the construction. They find that some delay arose from the interference of the Government, but the chief cause was from the difficulty of carrying on operations at such a distance, from the want of skilled labour on the spot, from want of fuel for burning lime and bricks, &c., but that, on the whole, the railways can be laid down at an expense varying from 6,000l. to not more than 10,000l per mile. One of the principal causes of expense is the necessity for building bridges, flood arches, and viaducts. Along the Ganges valley, between Burdwan and the river Soane, a distance of about 400 miles, there are described to be no less than 47,000,000 cubic feet of brickwork, including the substructure of the gigantic bridge over the Soane." Another heavy work is on the Great Indian Peninsula line, which is carried over two mountain passes, in one of which, the Thull Ghaut, the total rise in nine miles is 972 feet; the gradient is 1 in 37 for eleven miles; there are 614 yards of viaduct, and 1,962 lineal yards of tunnelling. The expense of this part of the line is estimated at 49,9881. per mile. The Bhor Ghaut exceeds it in extent, the rise is 1,831 feet in fifteen miles, and there is 2,535 yards of tunnelling.

METROPOLITAN TURNPIKE ROADS.-On the roads north of the Thames there are 121 miles 3 furlongs of road under the control of the Commissioners, and on these roads there are 13 gates and 25 sidebars. Of the whole length, 13 miles 2 furlongs are within the gates, and 108 miles 1 furlong beyond. The receipts for the year ending March 25, 1857, were 62,5351. raised by tolls, except a little above 3,000l. from other sources; the expenditure for the above period was 64,8787.

HIGHWAYS.-In the year ending March 25, 1856, the expenditure on the ordinary county highways of England and Wales had been 1,073,0967.; and on the highways of cities, boroughs, and towns, 1,076,6361. The receipts are somewhat short of the expenditure: they arise from assessed rates, which in the towns amount to 944,2691., and in the counties to 977,771.; from turnpike trusts, which in the counties produce 9.0081., and in the towns 4,0741.; from team-labour and other work, performed in lieu of rates, and other receipts, which amount in the towns to 122,4241., and in the counties to 29,3717 The expenditure is mainly for labour and materials; but the counties pay to turnpike trusts the sum of 17,2097., and the towns 1,1637. It would add greatly to the value of this return if the number of miles of road were stated, and it might usefully be issued within a shorter period than two years.

5.-AGRICULTURE.

AGRICULTURE, SCOTLAND.-In 1857, the number of acres in Scotland under rotation of crops was 3,556,572, in the hands of 43,432 occupiers, rented at not less than 1ol. yearly. About 222,000 acres, and about 320,000 head of stock, are estimated to be included in holdings below that sum. The arable land was occupied by 223,152 acres of wheat, 198,388 of barley, 938,613 of oats, 5,990 of rye, 21,607 of bere, 39,186 of beans, 3,688 of peas, and 18,418 of vetches or tares, 476,692 of turnips, 139,819 of potatoes, 2,804 of mangold, 1,401 of carrots, 1,704 of cabbage, 2,033 of rape, 1,535 of flax, 2,576 of turnip seed, 578 of other grain or root crops, 18,583 of summer fallow, and 1,459,806 of grass and hay under rotation. The estimated produce was 769,373 quarters of wheat, 820,553 of barley, 4,093,845 of oats, 83,972 of bere, 129,720 of beans and pease, 6,690,109 tons of turnips, and 430,468 tons of potatoes. The stock consisted of 185,409 horses, 303,912 milch cows, 475,327 other cattle, 195,198 calves, 5,683,168 sheep and lambs, and swine 146,354.

AGRICULTURE, IRELAND.-In 1857 the total number of acres under crop was 5,859,117; of which there were 559,646 acres under wheat, 1,980,934 acres under oats, 211,288 under barley, 6,026 under bere, beans, and pease, 13,586 rye, 1,146,647 potatoes, 350,047 turnips, 21,449 mangel-wurzel, 30,011 cabbage, 97,721 flax, and 1,369,892 hay; and the remainder in miscellaneous productions. The estimated average produce was, per acre, of wheat 50 barrels of 20 stones; oats, 72 barrels of 14 stones; barley and bere, 73 barrels of 16 stones; rye, 5.2 barrels of 20 stones; potatoes, 24.5 barrels of 20 stones; turnips, 12:5 tons; mangel-wurzel, 139 tons; cabbage, 109 tons; flax, 237 stones of 14 lbs. ; and hay, 19 tons. Reduced into bushels, the average produce of wheat in Ireland was 238 bushels per acre, while that of Scotland was 276; of oats the produce was 35'9 bushels per acre, while that of Scotland was only 349; of turnips the produce per acre in Scotland was 14 tons, against that of 12.5 in Ireland. The stock consisted of 600,693 horses, 3,618,544 head of cattle, including 1,602,908 milch cows; 3,448,676 sheep and lambs, and 1,252,152 pigs, showing a considerable increase in every item; the total stock being of the estimated value of 33,684,813l., an increase over 1856, estimated at 564,5937.

ARTERIAL DRAINAGE, IRELAND.-The Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland for 1857 details that 9,834,4131. had been advanced on loan by Government for the improvement of land in Ireland, by means of arterial and thorough drainage, post-roads, farm buildings, &c. Of this sum 4,865,3041. had been remitted, and of the remainder, 4,969,1097., there had been repaid, without interest, the sum of 3,061,9727.

In consequence of the inadequate benefit derived from the expenditure on this object, a further remission on the various sums borrowed from the Treasury, to the amount of 461,9737., has been made up to March 31, 1858. No single proprietor has been wholly exempted, but the remission has been applotted over the entire body of proprietors, according to the more or less amount of benefit conferred on the lands of each.

LOAN FUND BOARD, IRELAND.-There are III loan societies in Ireland, which in the year 1857 advanced 204,394 loans. The amount circulated during the year was 929,6531.; the interest paid on capital advanced, the expenses of management, bad debts, &c., was 19,3927., and the net profit was 7,8167.

6.-OTHER SUBJECTS.

LONDON CORPORATION.-For the year 1857 the ordinary receipts of the Corporation of the City of London were 205,2981., of which 109,9327. arose from fines on the renewal of leases, rents, and the income derived from the various markets; 64,2381. from the coal duties, 14,0391. from metage of corn, fruit, &c., and the remainder from miscellaneous sources. The extraordinary receipts for the year were 386,1537., of which 378,081l. were raised by loan, the remainder from sales of old materials and rents on the lines of improvement. The ordinary expenditure during the year was 204,030l.: among the items are, 11,6591. for the city police; 63,2241. for expenses of prisons, the administration of justice, and matters connected with them; 2,0491. for the improvement of the navigation of the Thames; 7,8581. for allowances to the lord mayor and sheriffs, with 11,6167. for salaries to officers; 44,000l. is paid for interest, and the remainder is charges on collections of rents, tolls, &c.; money spent in improvements, compensation pensions for offices abolished, &c. The extraordinary expenditure was 151,902l., consisting almost entirely of the paying off of old bonds and the interest on previous loans.

PUBLIC WORKS AND BUILDINGS.-Sums granted for such objects in the years 1857 and 1858.

IRELAND ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONERS.-The total receipts of the Commissioners for the year ending August 1, 1857, was 135,972l.; of which 58,3451. was derived from bishopric estates; 17,431l. from suspended dignities, disappropriated tithes, &c.; 5,6597., & charge on the see of Derry; 10,350l. from the tax on bishoprics, and the remainder from miscellaneous sources, among which were 6,6981. from ministers' money, since repealed. They expended in the same period 50,2611. in building, enlarging, and repairing churches; 35,530l. on the salaries of clerks, sextons, organists, &c., and requisites for celebration of divine service; 8,0521. on stipends to curates, schoolmasters, vicars choral, and the augmentation of small benefices; 12,2751. in payments of ministers' money, and the remainder in the expenses of the commission and for other miscellaneous purposes.

EAST INDIA MILITARY FORCE.-In the year 1856 the total expense of the army in the East Indies was 10,974,2127.: of this, 744,6287. was for the royal troops, the remainder for the Company's; of which, independent of the staff, commissariat, medical service, &c., the expense of the European troops amounted to only 738,9177.

PARLIAMENTARY SITTINGS.-In 1858 the House of Lords sat on 83 days, the average length of each sitting being 2 hours 34 minutes, or a total of 213 hours. The House of Commons sat on 103 days, and the average length of each sitting was 8 hours: the two most protracted sittings were on July 8 and 12; on these two days the House met at 12, sat till 4, met again at 6, and did not break up till 2 A.M. The number of divisions taken in the session was 172, and there has been no instance during the whole session of there not being sufficient members present to form a House,

XI.-CHRONICLE OF THE SESSIONS OF PARLIAMENT,

1857.

1857 and 1858.

[21-22 Victoriæ.]

Parliament opened by the Queen in person. The speech from the throne explained in the following terms the chief Dec. 3. reason for calling this extraordinary session of Parliament:

"Circumstances have recently arisen, connected with the mercantile interests of the country, which have induced me to call Parliament together before the usual time. The failure of certain joint-stock banks, and of some commercial firms, produced such an extent of distrust as led me to authorise my Ministers to recommend to the Directors of the Bank of England the adoption of a course of proceeding which appeared necessary for allaying the prevalent alarm. As that course has involved a departure from the existing law, a Bill for indemnifying those who advised and those who adopted it will be submitted for your consideration." Pointed reference was likewise made to the mutiny in India, and to the prevalence of distress in the manufacturing districts in England.

(LORDS.) An Address in answer to the speech was moved by Lord Portman, seconded by Lord Carew, and unanimously adopted.

(COMMONS.) The Address in answer to the Queen's speech, was moved by Mr. W. Martin, seconded by Mr. Akroyd, and carried without opposition.

(COMMONS.) In Committee on the Bank Charter Act (7 and Dec. 8 Vict. c. 32), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, after explain4. ing at length the commercial exigency which had occasioned the recent suspension of the Bank Charter Act, moved that leave be given to bring in a Bill to indemnify the Governor and Company of the Bank of England in respect of certain issues of their notes, and to confirm such issues. This motion was agreed to, and the Bill was read a first time.

Dec.

7.

(LORDS.) Earl Granville announced a message from the Queen, requesting the House to concur in enabling her Majesty to make provision for securing to Major-General Sir Henry Havelock a provision of 1000l. a year for the term of his natural life. The Earl of Ellenborough in moving for a copy of the Arms Act recently passed by the Legislative Council of India, and for copies of documents in reference to the suppression of newspapers in India, criticised the conduct of the Indian Government on these subjects.

(COMMONS.) Lord Palmerston announced a message from her Majesty, recommending a pension of 1000l. a year to Major-General Havelock for his eminent services. The Bank Issues Indemnity Bill was read a second time. Mr. H. Herbert obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend an Act of the 15th year of her Majesty in reference to medical charities in Ireland.

Dec. 8.

(LORDS.) The Earl of Shaftesbury made a statement in reference to the Religious Worship Act Amendment Bill, the second reading of which was postponed till February 8th. (COMMONS.) Mr. Headlam moved a resolution in favour of applying the principle of limited liability to the case of joint-stock banks. After discussion the resolution was negatived by 118 to 47. On the motion of Lord Palmerston, an address to her Majesty for a pension to Major

General Havelock was unanimously voted. In committee on the Bank Issues Indemnity Bill, the three clauses of the Bill were passed.

Dec. (LORDS.) The Bank Issues Indemnity Bill was read a first 9. time. (COMMONS.) The House met at 12 o'clock. After discussion, the Bank Issues Indemnity Bill was read a third time and passed.

(COMMONS.) On the motion of Lord John Russell, the Dec. House went into Committee to consider the oaths of allegiance, 10. supremacy, and abjuration, and to consider the disabilities affecting her Majesty's Jewish subjects. Lord John Russell obtained leave to bring in a Bill substituting one oath instead of the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration, and for the relief of her Majesty's subjects professing the Jewish religion. The Bill was subsequently read a first time. Mr. Cowper obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Public Health Act. The Bill was then read a first time.

(LORDS.) In reply to the Earl of Shaftesbury, a statement Dec. was made by the Earl of Clarendon in relation to certain pro

11. ceedings on the part of French merchants, with the sanction of the French Government, tending to the revival, in a modified form, of the African slave-trade. Lord Clarendon said that her Majesty's government had addressed the French government on the subject, and their communications had been responded to in a friendly spirit, from which he hoped that the proposed scheme would be abandoned. The Bank Issues Indemnity Bill was, after discussion, read a third time and passed.

(COMMONS.) In answer to Mr. Horsman, it was stated by the President of the Board of Control, that the life of the king of Delhi had been spared in accordance with a promise made by Captain Hodson when he captured the king. The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that government intended to apply a sum of 5000l. for an expedition up the Zambesi river, under the direction of Dr. Livingstone. Lord Palmerston intimated that, in accordance with the general feeling of the House and the country, the government intended to propose that Major-General Havelock's pension should be made available for two lives, so that the benefit might be continued to his son. The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved that a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the operations of the Bank Act of 1844 (7 and 8 Vict., cap. 32), and of the Bank Acts for Ireland and Scotland of 1845 (8 and 9 Vict., caps. 37 and 38). Mr. Disraeli moved, as an amendment, that in the opinion of this House, no further inquiry is necessary into the operation of the Bank Act of 1844 (7 and 8 Vict., cap. 32). On a division, the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer was carried by 295 to 117. The Chancellor of the Exchequer then moved that it be an instruction to the Committee to inquire into the causes of the recent commercial distress, and to investigate how far it has been affected by the laws for regulating the issue of bank-notes payable on demand. This motion was unanimously agreed to.

Dec.

12.

(LORDS.) The Royal Assent was given by commission to the Bank Issues Indemnity Bill. The sittings of both Houses were then adjourned till Thursday the 4th of February, 1858.

1858. (LORDS.) Lord Campbell brought in a Bill to amend the Feb. 4. law of libel. The Bill was read a first time.

(COMMONS.) On the motion of Sir De Lacy Evans, it was agreed to appoint a Select Committee to inquire into the measures recently