aliortIlautons.

The Cabinet meetings come still thicker, and their deliberations run to a still greater length. Meetings were held. on Saturday, and on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday ; and another is to be held today. The meet- ing of Wednesday lasted four hours. and a half. We have realized the mystic experience of "three Cabinet meetings on successive days," which. is traditionally said to bode infallibly the death of a Ministry ; and the Court Circular of yesterday states that Lord John Russell, "accompanied by his lady,'-' left town after the Cabinet Council on Thursday evening, for Windsor, on a visit to her Majesty—he and Lady John having been Alters only as lately as last week.

Several of the leaders of the Country party were entertained at Burgh- ley House, Stamford, during the past week, by the Marquis of Exeter, previous to the commencement of the Parliamentary session. Amongst those present, were the Earl of Derby, the Duke of Montrose, the Earl Malmesbury, the Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Burghley, Mr, Disraeli, Mr. 'lorries, Major Bereaford, Mr. Newdegate, Captain Vylie, and Sir Charles Knightley. The Countess of Derby and Lady Burghley were amongst the visitors at Burghley. The party assembled on Thursday, and separated yesteiday.Aforning Herald, Jan. 27.

The Earl of Derby will entertain at dinner a number of the Peers of the Country party on Monday next; and on the ensuing Wednesday and Saturday the noble Earl will give dinner-parties to the Members of the Lower House who at present sit at the Opposition side of the Commons. —Standard; Jan. 27.

Although the intentions of Lord John Russell have, of course, been shrouded in all secrecy of official reserve it is now whispered that the fbllowing boroughs are certainly amongst those marked for positive disfranchisement,Calne, Chippenham, Totness, Harwich, Bt. Alban's. 'three others, not named, are likewise, it is said, to lose all Parlia- mentary privileges. Besides these, many other boroughs are to have enlarged constituencies given them by amalgamation with neighbour- ing towns. Additional Members are to be allotted to London and to Lancashire. Amongst the other chief alterations proposed will, it is said, be a ten-pound franchise for counties, and &five-pound franchise for boroughs. Not a word is yet said upon that most impottant point the ballot. —Daily News, Jan. 27. —• Wo understand that the Marquis of Normanby has, since his return to this country, resigned his appointment as British Ambassador at Paris. We believe that Lord Cowley, Minister at Frankfort, will succeed to the post which is become vacant by the resignation of the Marquis of Nor- manby.—Globe, Jan. 28.

The Gazette of Tuesday formally notified the appointment of Charles Henry Darling, Esq., to be Lieutenant-Governor of the Settlement of the Cape of Good Hope and its dependencies.

. It is now certain that an augmentation of the Army will take place. We understand that within the last few days orders have been issued to raise recruits in anticipation of this augmentation. This increase, it is now settled, will be in the infantry, and will, we hear, be effected by raising all regiments at home from 750 to 1000 rank and fele each. Some other changes are to be made, but we understand that the entire aug- mentation will be about 10,000 men : no officers are, it is said, to be added.—Daily Hews,. Jan. 28.

A rumour has obtained currency amongst the Rural Constabulary, within the last few days, that the Government have it in contemplation; to arm the various bodies of the County Police in this kingdom with guns and bayonets, after the manner of the Irish Constabulary, and that the constables will in future be enlisted for a period of seven years.— .Afraidaester Courier.

Recruiting for the Army is going on pretty actively at the rendezvous in Liverpool. An advance in the bounty-money has taken place.—Lirer- pool Albion.

It is now said, one degree more definitely than the Portsmouth corre- spondent of the Daily News surmised last week, that orders have been sent out recalling to England three of the principal, ships composing the squadron now lying in the Tagus and as many of the vessels whioh eon- tribute to form our fleet in the Mediterranean.

It is said that a Commission, consisting of Major-General Carden of the Royal Engineers, Colonel Colqnhoun of the Royal Artillery, and Sir E. Belcher, KN., has been appointed to examine and report on the jtate of the defences in the Channel Islands.—.Daily News.

The French war-steamer Arid l visited Jersey last week, in order, as it was rumoured, that inquiry should be made into the truth of a repre- sentation made to the French Government that 5000 muskets had been landed at that island from Antwerp for French refugees. The com- mander of the steamer having ascertained that there was no truth in the representation, left Jersey for Granville on Saturday last.—Jersey Times.

We are glad to find that the Admiralty have ordered the Windsor Castle, of 120 guns, now building at Pembroke, to be cut in two amidships,

in order to introduce about 23 feet of reidship body, and also to 1; lengthened abaft to receive the screw and engines of 780 horse-power, made by Mr. Robert Napier of Glasgow, originally for the Simeon; and. we hope to see a similar operation performed on many more of the ships now building. The Royal Albert, 120, building at Woolwich, it is said, is also to be adapted for the screw, to be propelled by the engines of 620 horse-power, made by Seaward for the Euphrates : thus bringing into use some of the engines of large power now lying on hand.—elforning Herald.

The Polyphemus steam-sloop, now ready at 'Woolwich, is ordered to be taken to Sheerness, where she will be stationed as an advanced war- steamer; and all the vessels ready for service at the various ports are to be fitted with their guns on board, and to be kept in such a state of effi- ciency as to be ready for service, if manned or commissioned, on the shortest notice.—Daily News.

• The respected Member for Carlisle, Mr. Philip Howard, has pointed our particular attention to a letter from Mr. Scott Niumiyth Stokes, the Secretary of the Roman Catholic "Poor School Committee," to himself, which he has had published in the Morning Chronicle. It seems that the Ecclesiastical Mies Act has had the totally unexpected and fatal effect of intercepting from Roman Catholic schools the promised aid of the Committee of Privy Council on Education. In the end of November last, the Privy Council announced to the Poor School Committee, that the Law-officers of the Crown had been consulted on their school deed, had advised their Lordships, that the words "Roman Catholic bishop of the district" are contrary to the Ecclesiastical Titles Act, and had suggested as Unobjectionable the roundabout description of such persons by the phrase officiating as a bishop of the Church of Rome, and as eccle- siastical superior of the persons in communion with that church residing within the district." The legal advisers of the Poor School Committee, in reply, held that this periphrasis is as contrary to the statute as the phrase objected to ; and the Chairman of the Committee rejected it as deroga- tory. The result is, that the schools which the minute of Privy Council of 1847—drawn up after Parliamentary debates—declared should parti- cipate in the Parliamentary grant, are shut out from all such participa- tion: of the 475,0001. voted since 1847, Roman Catholics have received nothing to help them in providing schools.

The official examination ordered by the naval department of the Board of Trade into the circumstances of the loss of the Amazon, was opened at the Privy Council Office in London, on Monday, and was continued on Tuesday and Wednesday.. Captain Beechy, Captain Walker, and Cap- tain Henderson, are the Commissioners. The evidence yet adduced has only been a repetition of what was given before the Directors of the West Indian Steam Packet Company. Mr. Vincent, however, deposed with ap- parent truthfulness, that it was full twenty, minutes after the bursting out of the fire' whenhe left the ship in the dingy, instead of less than ten minutes, as hitherto stated. - The examination is adjourned till Tuesday next ; when the munagere of the Packet Company, and the builders of the Amazon, now absent in the North of England, will be examined as to the structure and appointments of the ship.

There now remain but faint hopes that any more survivors may yet be metered to their friends. The Madrid steamer from Gibraltar and the Spanish coast has come home without the least scrap of the hoped-for tidings. Another of the lost boats of the ship has drifted to the South coast of England, but probebly it is one of the two boats out of which crews were rescued by the two Dutch ships.

The Standard announces that the injurious differences between the North-western end the Great Northern Railway Companies,' with respect to a division of the traffic to and from the towns of York, Leeds, Wake- field, Doncaster Lincoln, and Peterborough, have been amicably settled. Gentlemen on behalf of each company met Mr. Gladstone the Member, at Oxford, and received his arbitration of the matters in dispute. It is now understood that the two companies -will charge equal [and we sup- pose heightened] fares to the towns above mentioned.'

The Registrar-General has published his quarterly report showing the births and deaths which occurred in the autumn quarter ending December 31, and the marriages which were solemnized in the summer quarter ending September 30, in the year 1851. The deaths in the autumn quarter were 99,248—a number below the average. The average deaths of former autumn quarters have been 1.099, of the population ; the deaths of the last autumn quarter were but 2.020 of the population. The mortality of the large town districts in the last quarter of 1851 is slightly below the average; but the mortality in the small towns and in the country districts has increased to some extent, and thus left the mortality of the kingdom above the average. In London, 14,355 deaths were registered in the quarter, while only 12,956 deaths were registered in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Scarlatina, measles, smallpox, and fever, have been epidemic in many districts, and are still prevailing. There were 1050 deaths by bronchitis; 1053 from pneumonia—showing a prevalency of the tendency to inflamma- tions of the air-tubes and lungs. Consumption was unusually fatal : 1737 persons died of this disease, which was the cause of one-eighth part of the total deaths. Typhus or continued fever was fatal in 770 instances, erysipelas in 116.

In the South-eastern division' the mortality was near' the average-- Brighton, *however, being "extremely unhealthy " ; in the South Mid- lend division health "unusually good" ; in the ..Eastern Counties di- vision, ." the deaths were fewer than usual" ; in the South-western "above the average" ; in the West Midland "the average" ; in the North Midland, "very little above the average." The sani- tary effect of agricultural improvements in the Newark district, is strikingly shown by the mortality returns. "The village of North Clifton, where the drainage was bad, low fever was seldom out of the place ; but now, through the influence of an intelligent farmer, the place has been well drained and nuisances removed; and, as a consequence, there has not been any fever in the place for about a year and a half." The mortality of Cheshire and Lancashire was above the average of thew counties themselves. Their population was 2,063,913, and their funerals 54,938. The mortality of the West Midland division, including the Staffordshire and Warwiekshile coal districts, was lower than this, but still too high—the population was 2,132,853, and the funerals 49,238. The Registrar-General oliserves—" The excess of sickness and death in Lancashire is constant; in bituney, in adult age, and in both sexes. Yet the land of a great part of the county is high and salubrious, and the occupatioa of the people has nothing in it ementially injurious. What, then, is wanting ? Apparently only this one thing,— that the leading men of Lancashire, animated by good-will, should apply that skill and vigour which have been so successful in the use of machinery and the production of clothing for mankind, to the amelioration of the social condition of the two millions of Englishmen around them."

The births registered in the autumn quarter, ending December last, were 149,15.5. The births of the whole year then ending were 616,251. These are the greatest numbers ever registered. The average annual rate of births, in the ten years 1841-50, was 3.261 per cent ; in the year 1851 the rate was 3.428 per cent. To every 100,000 of the population 3428 children were born in 1851, instead of 3261; and there was consequently an excess of 167, or of 5 per cent. The excess appears to have been dis- tributed very generally- over the whole country.

The deaths in the autumn quarter, having been 99,248, and the births 149,155, the excess of births was 49,907. This was the excess for Eng- land and Wales alone—on a population of 17,977,000. In the same pe- riod the emigration from the ports of the whole United Kingdom, chiefly Irish, from Liverpool, was 59,200 people.

The marriages of the summer quarter, ending September last, were 74,310; this was fewer than in the preceding spring quarter, as is usually the case; but it was also fewer than in the corresponding summer quarter of 1850. Yet the marriage returns of both 18.0 and 1851 ex- hibit the excess which, since 1750, has been invariably observed when the substantial earnings of the people are above the average.

Each of our readers may mark the specific movement of his own particular district "The number of marriages is leas than it was in the previous dune quarter, which is usually the ease, and slightly less also than it was in the corresponding quarter of 1850. In parts of the country the decrease is not inconsiderable ; in others the marriages of 1851 exceeded those in the corre- speeding quarter of 1850. Thus, in London, the marriages in the quarter ending September 1851 were 7345, or 583 more than in the September quar- ter of 1850, and 1548 more than in the quarter of 1847. In Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire, the marriages still exceed the average ; in Berkshire, the excess is inconsiderable. The excess was chiefly in Guildford,.Dartford,Tunbridge, Dover, Eastbourne, and Lewes. In Brighton, the marriages were 154, which is near the average, but less than in the corresponding quarters of 1849-50. In the South Midland division, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshir' e„, Northamp- tonshire, Bedfordshire, and Cambridghire, have fewer marriages in the quarter of 1851 than in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. In F. and Norfolk, Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and Somersetshire, a similar de- cline took place ; in Suffolk and Cornwall the marriages slightly increased. In the South Midland, Eastern, and South-western counties the number of marriages, though leas than in the corresponding year of 1850, was not below the average. The same state of things is observed in the West Midland di- vision : the marriages were less numerous in Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Shropshire, than they were in the previous year; in Staffordshire and Worcestershire the numbers remained above the average, and there was a considerable increase in Wolverhampton and Stourbridge ; in Warwickshire the marriages are more numerous than they were in 1850 and the increase is chiefly in Birmingham and its suburbs. In Leicestershire, Nottingham- shire, and Derbyshire, the marriages rapidly increased from 1847 up to 1850, and have now slightly declined. Lincolnshire, which was at the low- est point in 1850, increased in 1851. The marriages in nearly all the dis- tricts of Lancashire, including Liverpool and Manchester, declined, but were more numerous than in any previous September quarter except that of 1850. The marriages have progressively declined in the North Riding of Yorkshire since 1848; they still remain above the average in the West Riding. In Keighley, Halifax, Leeds, and Sheffield, the number of marriages in the quarter exceeds the number in the corresponding quarter of any previous year since 1847. In Leeds and Sheffield the increase is remarkable. In Hull and Soulcoates the rate of marriage declined. In the Northern counties and in Wales the rate of marriage remained above the average, but was rather lower than it was in the September quarter of 1850."

The Registrar makes this comment on the general aspect of the mar- riage returns since 1840. "The rapid increase of the marriages in Eng- land, from 29,221 in the September quarter of 1840 to 37,155 in 1851, is partly due to the increase of the population, and partly to the increased disposition to marriage. In the September quarter of 1841 and 1851, out of 100,000 persons, 365 and 409 married ; consequently, out of the same number of persons, 8 married in 1841 and 9 in 1851."

Result of the Registrar-General's return of mortality in the Metropolis for the week ending on Saturday last—

Ten of Weeks 1641-30.

Week of 1891.

Zymotic Diseases 2,043 .... 220 Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat 530 .... 42 Tubercular Diseases 1,860 .... 171 Diseases of the BraM, Spinal Marrow, 'Nerves, and Senses 1,249 ..... 127 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels

Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration 2,397 ...... 198 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Orgsus of Digestion 611 .... 64

Diseases of the ' '

y , 105 .... 16 Childbirth, diseases of the Uterus, &c 115 .... 7 Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints,itc 71 .... 8 Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, Atc. 12 .... li Malformations. Si ..... 6 Premature Birth. 227 .... 23 Atrophy 138 .... 31 Age 698 .... . 86

Sudden 4 4 • i

123 .... 8 Violence, Privation, Cold, andIntemperance..., 214 .,... 41

.--- — Total (including unspecified causes) 10,891 1.061

Lord John Russell has presented the Reverend Hayward Cox, Rector of (lanai, Oxford, and examining chaplain of Dr. Hampden, Bishop of Here- ford, to the Rectory of Tenhy, in Soiath Wales. The living is in the gift of the Crown, and is valued at 3171.

The King of Prussia has conferred the order of Merit upon Professor Ri- chard Owen' of the Royal College of Surgeons, London in consideration of the eminent services rendered by that gentleman to natural science.

The Glasgow Herald contradicts the statement that Mr. Burns, who was killed by pirates, Sulu. or Dyak, in the Bay of Maladu, Borneo, was a grand- son of the Scottish poet. [A former contradiction, to the same effect, was it- self contradicted.]

The late Lewis Raphael, Esq., the brothr of the late Mr. Alexander Ra- phael, Member of Parliament for St. Alban',, has bequeathed, it is said, 10,000/. to Cardinal Wiseman.

The late Mr. Thomas Dickinson, of Upper Holloway, who carried on an extensive mercantile concern at Whitechapel, has left large legacies to chari- ties. The reversionary interest of 12,000/. (in addition to 10001. immediate) is bequeathed to the Governesses Benevolent Institution, on the death of his daughter, Mrs. Henry F. Richardson. Mr. Dickinson has also bequeathed (all free of legacy-duty) 45001. to the Animals Friend Society, 10001. each to the London Hospital, the Indigent Blind School, the London Orphan Asy- lum, the Infant Orphan Asylum, the Marine Society, the National. Benevo-

lent Institution, the Destitute Sailors Home, the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, the Royal Free Hospital, 500/. to the Holloway Dispensary, 500/. to the La- bourers Friend Society, 40001. to Whiteclutpel parish, the interest to find twenty poor people with bread, potatoes, and coals, who are oonstant attend- ants at divine service, 40001. on similar conditions to Holloway parish, 2000/. to the Idiot Asylum, 10001. to the Fistula Society, 1000/. to the Charing Cross Hospital. The legacies are of various amounts, not exceeding 20,000 . to each relative, with legacies of 10,000/. and 50001. each to other branches, with 10,000/. to his housekeeper.

We understand, with much regret, that the drainage of the Haarlem lake, which was commenced in 1846, is likely, by adverse circumstances, to be de- layed two or three years more, before the 50,000 or 60,000 acres of land covered by this vast sheet of water can he laid bare. Gigantic and propor- tionately powerful as were the engines, they have not been proof against ac- cidents arising from the severe work they have had to perform. The boilers are leaky and out of' order, and have been sent to Amsterdam for repairs, while several portions of the machinery have become unfit for service, and will have to be replaced. To add to these difficulties, a storm on the 4th and 5th instant caused considerable injury to some of the dams.—.Mining Journal.

The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have given directions, as a pre- cautionary measure against accidents from fire on board steam-vessels, that the felt and wood used for the clothing of boilers are to be Burnetized; and that the engineers are in future to make special reference to their final re- port on the machinery of vessels—either when first fitted or after general repair—as to the clothing, and its security or otherwise from ignition.