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the ancient city of Chester. The Exchange and Town-hall formed a spacious pile of buildings, erected during the years 1695-8, and embellished during the mayoralty of the Earl of Derby in 1702. The structure originally rested on stone pillars, admitting of a public thoroughfare beneath; but in the year 1756 the west side was filled up with a row of business premises, subsequently converted into policeoffices and bridewell. Beside the Exchange and the apartments specially appropriated to municipal business, the building included the Recorder's Court, in which the sessions were held and elections conducted; and at either end this hall was adjoined by the Prentice and Mayor's Court and the Council Chamber. About 6 P.M. smoke was perceived to issue from the rooms over the latter. Before the fire-brigade could make any effectual efforts the flames, fanned by a strong breeze, had spread over every part of the buildings, which were almost totally destroyed. The breeze carried the flames and a mass of sparks in the direction of the adjacent cathedral and Bishop's palace. The beautiful new Market-hall was also exposed to danger. In the Town-hall and Exchange Room were many portraits of local celebrities and benefactors to the charities of the city. These were nearly all destroyed.

FIRES IN THE METROPOLIS IN 1862. In a former part of this Chronicle (p. 23) will be found a brief summary of the Fires in the Metropolis in 1861: the Superintendent of the London Fire Brigade has made his Report for the present year. From this document it appears that there occurred in January, 106; in February, 112; in March, 92; in April, 111; in

May, 106; in June, 92; in July, 121; in August, 136; in September, 119; in October, 86; in November, 100; and in December, 122. Total, 1303. Of this number 494 occurred from unknown causes. Of the rest, 198 happened through the careless use of candles;

from gas, 124; from defective flues, 96; from lucifer matches, 15; from smoking tobacco, 24; from sparks from fire, 95; from spontaneous ignition, 17; from overheating stoves, 28; from hot ashes, 19; from airing linen, 10; from children playing with fire, 27; from intoxication, 9; from naptha, 2; and the remainder from various causes. The force of officers and men of the Fire Brigade has been increased by 14-the strength of the force now being 130.

THE WEATHER OF THE QUARTER.-The weather of the autumnal quarter was subject to very trying variations. From the 1st October to the 17th the weather was unusually warm, being 4 degrees in excess daily. From that date to the 6th November it was cold; and thence to the end of the year there was again an excess of 4 degrees. We therefore had a decidedly mild Christmas. The Christmas weather was indeed warmer, with the three exceptions of 1848, 1852, and 1857, than it had been for 20 years. The rainfall was very great, exceeding any that has occurred for 43 years. The College of Stonyhurst had the largest share-54-4 inches fell there. At Truro 44.5 in., at Barnstaple 43.7 in., at Bath 45-6 in., at Allenheads, 457 in. The lowest fall was at Scarborough, 204 in.; at Greenwich, 26-2 in.

The last quarter of the year is stated by the Registrar-General to

have been less than "moderately good;" for, although the average of births was, as in the preceding three quarters, somewhat in excess, the mortality was in excess like wise.

The total number of children born within the quarter was 171,811; in the same quarter of 1861, the births were 166,174. In the whole year, 711,691 persons were born an excess of 16,129 over the number born in the previous year.

The number of deaths in the quarter was 114,542 — in 1861, for the same period, 104,917. In the year, 436,514 persons died; in 1861, 435,337.

These figures would give an increase of the population, by the excess of births over deaths, of 275,177 persons; but this natural accumulation is diminished by the stream of emigrants. The whole emigration of 1862 consisted of 121,214 persons, from all parts of the United Kingdom; but of these not more than one-third, or about 40,300, were of English origin.

There were 48,659 marriages in the last quarter of 1862; a number nearly the same as that of the corresponding quarter of 1861, but less than that of 1860. The circumstances that have tended to depress marriages in England, have not prevented an increase of them in certain parts. There is in England as much diversity in the social condition of the populations of different localities, as in the nature of their respective soils; they have their various times and opportunities to win and to lose; to marry and abstain from marriage. In five divisions, London, the North Midland counties, Wales, the South-Eastern

counties, and Northern counties, there was an increase of marriages; but in the Northern, the increase is scarcely perceptible; in the remaining six divisions there is a decrease : in the North-Western division-that in which the manufacturing industry has been so long in a state of prostration-the deficiency amounted to 15 per cent.

Although, no doubt, the health of the population in the distressed cotton districts must have been affected by their privations, it does not appear that the increased mortality of this quarter was due to local circumstances; but is rather to be attributed to the general effects of a wet and unhealthy season. The proportion of deaths in the distressed districts rose from 2·46 per cent. to 2.66 per cent.; but this is due to causes constantly at work in the great manufacturing towns. The increase in Yorkshire, which is not included in "the distressed districts," rose in a larger proportion; and in London the proportion rose from 2.22 to 2:44 per cent. Moreover, while in some of the divisions of the distressed unions the mortality greatly increased, in others it sensibly diminished. The decrease in the deaths of children, which has been before noted, is again remarkable, and is attributed to the same cause as heretofore that the mothers, not being drawn from their homes for labour in the factories, have more time to attend to their children.

The most noticeable feature of the condition of the people at this time is, of course, the increase of pauperism. This is entirely due to the enforced idleness of a whole population dependent on a parti

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With the exception of the three counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derby (and indeed of parts only of them), the condition of the population was favourable work was plentiful and provisions moderate.

The average price of wheat per quarter in Dec., 1862, was 48s. 2d.; in 1860 and 1861, 56s. 9d. and 59s. 3d.; butchers' meat was dearer. Potatoes 100s. per ton, compared with 122s. and 120s.

BANK RATE OF DISCOUNT. The alterations in the Bank rate of discount during this half-year have been three. On the 10th July, the bullion having increased from 16,220,7711. to 17,055,5377., the rate was lowered from 3 to 24 per cent. This did not check the flow of bullion into their vaults, and on the 24th, the rate was again lowered to 2 per cent., a lower rate than has been known for ten years. It remained at this figure until the 30th October, when it was raised to 3 per cent. The French rate remained fixed at 3 per cent. until the 6th November, when it was raised to 4 per cent.

In every respect the money market had remained steady throughout the year. The extreme range of Consols was only from 91 to 94,

or 3 per cent. The lowest rate of discount, the highest price of consols, and the largest stock of bullion were noted at the same time-namely, in July. In this month the bullion had risen from 15,961,4391. to 18,448,443l. It fell to its lowest point in December, when the Bank return was 14,823,000l.

This equable condition of the money market produced and probably was governed by the steady and satisfactory course of trade. Excepting in those branches of manufacture which were affected by the cotton famine, trade was brisk, and the exports, with those exceptions, showed a decided increase. The number of bankruptcies of mercantile houses were few, and not for large amounts. The loans to foreign States amounted to about 15,000,000l. sterling. Those contracted in the latter half of the year were a Portuguese loan of 5,000,000l. offered at 44, for which biddings were made to the amount of 21,000,000l.; a Peruvian 4 per cent. loan of 5,500,0001., which that Government afterwards repudiated; a Venezuelan 6 per cent. loan of 1,000,000l.; and some extensive purchases of Turkish Consolidés, by which the fortunate holders realized large profits.

The smooth and prosperous current of monetary affairs in the Old World offer a remarkable contrast to the fever of speculation in the United States. In October the premium on gold had risen to 20, and before the end of the year to 39 premium.

PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.

TREATIES.

Treaty between Her Majesty and the United States of America, for the Suppression of the African Slave Trade. Signed at Washington, April 7, 1862. Ratifications exchanged at London, May 20, 1862.

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States of America, being desirous to render more effectual the means hitherto adopted for the suppression of the Slave Trade carried on upon the coast of Africa, have deemed it expedient to conclude a Treaty for that purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honouraable Richard Bickerton Pemell Lord Lyons, a Peer of Her United Kingdom, a Knight Grand Cross of Her Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States of America;

And the President of the United States of America, William H. Seward, Secretary of State;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full

powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles :

I. The two High Contracting Parties mutually consent that those ships of their respective navies which shall be provided with special instructions for that purpose, as hereinafter mentioned, may visit such merchant-vessels of the two nations as may, upon reasonable grounds, be suspected of being engaged in the African Slave Trade, or of having been fitted out for that purpose, or of having, during the voyage on which they are met by the said cruizers, been engaged in the African Slave Trade, contrary to the provisions of this Treaty; and that such cruizers may detain, and send or carry away, such vessels, in order that they may be brought to trial in the manner hereinafter agreed upon.

In order to fix the reciprocal right of search in such a manner as shall be adapted to the attainment of the object of this Treaty, and at the same time avoid doubts, disputes, and complaints, the said right of search shall be understood in the manner and according to the rules following:

First. It shall never be exercised except by vessels of war,

authorized expressly for that object, according to the stipulations of this Treaty.

Secondly. The right of search shall in no case be exercised with respect to a vessel of the navy of either of the two Powers, but shall be exercised only as regards merchant-vessels; and it shall not be exercised by a vessel of war of either Contracting Party within the limits of a settlement or port, nor within the territorial waters, of the other Party.

Thirdly. Whenever a merchantvessel is searched by a ship of war, the commander of the said ship shall, in the act of so doing, exhibit to the commander of the merchant-vessel the special instructions by which he is duly authorized to search; and shall deliver to such Commander a certificate, signed by himself, stating his rank in the naval service of his country, and the name of the vessel he commands, and also declaring that the only object of the search is to ascertain whether the vessel is employed in the African Slave Trade, or is fitted up for the said trade. When the search is made by an officer of the cruizer who is not the commander, such officer shall exhibit to the captain of the merchant-vessel a copy of the before-mentioned special instructions, signed by the commander of the cruizer; and he shall in like manner deliver a certificate signed by himself, stating his rank in the navy, the name of the commander by whose orders he proceeds to make the search, that of the cruizer in which he sails, and the object of the search, as above described. If it appears from the search that the papers of the vessel are in regular order, and that it is employed on lawful

objects, the officer shall enter in the log-book of the vessel that the search has been made in pursuance of the aforesaid special instructions; and the vessel shall be left at liberty to pursue its voyage. The rank of the officer who makes the search must not be less than that of lieutenant in the navy, unless the command, either by reason of death or other cause, is at the time held by an officer of inferior rank.

Fourthly. The reciprocal right of search and detention shall be exercised only within the distance of two hundred miles from the coast of Africa, and to the southward of the thirty-second parallel of north latitude; and within thirty leagues from the coast of the Island of Cuba.

II. In order to regulate the mode of carrying the provisions of the preceding article into execution, it is agreed:

First. That all the ships of the navies of the two nations which shall be hereafter employed to prevent the African Slave Trade shall be furnished by their respective Governments with a copy of the present Treaty, of the instructions for cruizers annexed thereto, marked A, and of the regulations for the mixed courts of justice annexed thereto, marked B, which annexes respectively shall be considered as integral parts of the present Treaty.

Secondly. That each of the High Contracting Parties shall, from time to time, communicate to the other the names of the several ships furnished with such instructions, the force of each, and the names of their several commanders. The said commanders shall hold the rank of captain in the navy, or at least that of lieutenant: it being,

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