two years to five years, to which last period 414 were sentenced. Of the whole, 423 boys and 116 girls could neither read nor write; 352 boys and 84 girls could read and write imperfectly; 70 boys and 17 girls could read and write well; and 2 boys, both under 15, had had superior instruction. Their ages were 94 under 10 years of age, 104 under 11, 157 under 12, 204 under 13, 232 under 14, 232 under 15, and 41 under 16. Their crimes included-3 for burglary, 31 for house-breaking, 2 for highway robbery, 10 for arson and wilful burning, 3 for horse-stealing, 5 for sheep and cattle stealing, 2 for receiving stolen goods, 12 for the unlawful possession of goods, 6 for embezzlement, 939 for larcenies, and 67 for vagrancy and other items make up the remainder. At the commencement of the year there were 3,233 youthful offenders in the reformatories, and, in addition to the 1,064'committed, there were 17 admitted from other certified reformatories, 19 from prison after confinement, 21 re-admitted after absconding, and 6 from leave of absence or service-making a total for the year of 4,360. There were 602 discharged by order of the Secretary of State, 358 on completion of their terms of detention, 45 had absconded, 21 committed to prison for refractory conduct, 16 removed to other reformatory schools, and 23 had died-a total of 1,065. The number remaining in the schools at the end of the year was 2,610 boys and 685 girls. The cost paid by Government, at rates varying from 48. to 78. per head, was 54,845l.; and the sum of 2,4041. was recovered from the parents; the increase of the charge on the Treasury from the previous year being 2,4591. Industrial Schools.-The constitution of the Middlesex Industrial School at Feltham remains as it was. It is for boys only; none are admitted under 7 nor above 14 years of age: a previous commitment to prison is not necessary, and the children may be sent to the school by any two or more justices on any conviction punishable on summary or other convictions. On Sept. 30, 1861, 422 juvenile offenders were under detention in the school. During the year ending Sept. 29, 1862, 208 were committed, making a total of 630 who were under confinement within the year. Of this number, 59 were discharged on the completion of their respective terms of detention; 4 absconded and were not retaken; 2 were condemned to 3 years' penal servitude, each upon conviction for stealing; and 2 died: 67 were thus removed from the school, leaving 563 under detention on Sept. 29, 1862. This number shows an increase of 141, or 334 per cent. upon the number remaining on Sept. 29, 1860; and this following an increase of 161, or 617 per cent. for that year as compared with the preceding year; 21, or 100 per cent. of the number committed during the year, were convicted on indictment; 187, or 90'0 per cent., were committed on summary conviction by the magistrates; 199 were committed under sentence of 3 years' confinement; 8 for 2 years; and I only for 1 year; 36, or 172 per cent. of those committed, were 10 years of age or less; 34, or 164 per cent., were 11 years of age or above 10; 34, 12 years or above 11; 70, or 33.6 per cent., were 13 or above 12; and 34, 14 years or above 13. Of 19, or 9.1 per cent. of the boys committed, both parents were dead; of 79, or 38'0 per cent., one parent was dead; 10 of the boys had been deserted by one of their parents; 2 by both; of 3 of the boys, one of the parents was in prison; 7 were otherwise uncontrolled by one of their parents; 3 by both; 81, or 38.9 per cent., were under the control of one parent; 94, or 45°1 per cent., of both; 34, or 16.4 per cent., of the boys had been once previously committed; 10 had been twice previously; 5, three times; and 3, four times; 156, or 750 per cent. of the whole number, were sent to the school on their first conviction; 166, or 798 per cent. of the whole number, were committed for larcenies; 9 for attempts to steal; 5 for unlawful possession of goods; 2 for fraudulent offences; 3 for house-breaking or shop-breaking; I for attempting to break into a house; for malicious offences; 1 for forgery; 3 for uttering counterfeit coin; and 14 for vagrancy. The number of industrial schools certified under the Act of 1861 and the former Acts, up to Sept. 29, 1862, was 29, being 6 more than the number at the same period of the preceding year. In 26 of these schools, children were under detention during the year, leaving 3 only of the schools certified under the Act to which no commitments have been made; up to Sept. 29 in the preceding year, 14 only of the 23 then certified schools had received children on commitment. The number under detention also has considerably increased, the commitments during the past year, under the provisions of the Act of 1861, having amounted to 369247 males and 122 females. Adding to these 178-116 males and 62 females-the number remaining at the close of the preceding year, a total appears of 547-363 males and 184 females-as the number who were under detention during the year ended Sept. 29, 1862. Of these, 60-36 males and 24 femaleswere discharged, and 7-2 males and 5 females-died during the year, leaving 480325 males and 155 females--remaining under detention on Sept. 29, 1862, an increase of 302-209 males and 93 females-upon the number at the close of the preceding year. The cost amounted to 4,9487. 158. 7d.; 7151. 48. only was recovered from the parents. The Second Part of the Judicial Statistics relates to the departments of the Civil Law, but as the jurisdiction of the Insolvency Court, and that of the County Courts in insolvency, ceased from Oct. 11, 1861, and jurisdiction in cases of bankruptcy having been given to the County Courts (except in the metropolitan circuits), the forms of the returns required created a difficulty, and were not prepared in time to be given for the year 1862, but returns for the two years, 1862 and 1863, are promised for the ensuing year. In the Courts of Common Law in 1862, | Bristol Tolzey Court the plaints were 567, there were issued 114,301 writs of summons, the amount claimed 13,3177. and the judg 549 writs of capias, 29,100 appearances were ments were for 4,8361. In no other court entered, 41,297 judgments and 30,523 execu- were there so many as 300 suits, and the tions issued. There were 2,255 causes en- whole amount claimed was 188,823., extered for trial and 1,179 were tried, of which clusive of Liverpool, for which only the 198 were undefended." Of those defended, amount recovered is given, and of Bradford, 304 were tried in the Queen's Bench, 362 in for which no amount is given, and of which the Common Pleas, and 315 in the Ex- the aggregate above given is 148,9351. Two chequer. At Nisi Prius 1306 causes were other local Courts, the London Lord Mayor's entered, of which 373 were heard in the Court and the Stannaries Court, for DevonQueen's Bench, 198 in the Common Pleas, shire and Cornwall, are of a peculiar charac and 454 in the Exchequer, and there were ter. In the Stannaries Court there were but 1,059 causes tried on circuit. The total 97 processes, chiefly regarding the windingamount of fees received in the three Courts up of mining companies. In the Lord was 67.6517. The total amount recovered Mayor's Court, 4,109 actions were entered in all the suits was 234,880l. There were for an aggregate of 90,5197., of which but three suits for sums above 5,000l.. three 21,9381. were recovered on judgments; but for sums between 5,000l. and 3,000l., and 585,5337. were brought before the Court on 380 for sums between 50l. and 201. 619 foreign attachments, that is, money or goods attached in the city by some creditor on affidavit of debt: the results are imperfectly shown, as it is stated that the proceeding usually leads to a private settlement. In the County Courts there were 847,288 plaints, including 320 sent from the superior courts; and the causes determined were 467,451, of which 869 were with a jury. The judgments were-for plaintiff, 259,400; for plaintiff by consent, 187,646; for plaintiff by default, 1,128; non-suited, 10, 170; for defendant, 9,107. The total amount for which plaints were entered was 2,006,680l.; the amount recovered was 1,000,2231., exclusive of 40,1731. for costs; and the fees on all proceedings amounted to 270,6411. There had been issued 122,285 executions against goods, and 4,849 sales made; 26,767 warrants of commitment, upon which 9,373 debtors had been imprisoned. The number of plaints in the year showed a decrease of 56,669 from those of the previous year. In the local Borough, Hundred, and Manorial Courts, of which there are thirty-three named, several have had no business, and others very little. In the Cambridge Chancellor's Court there were no suits; in the Oxford Chancellor's Court there were 87 suits for sums amounting to 2,995., and Judgments were obtained for 1,415. In the Sheriffs' Court of London there were 11,277 plaints entered for sums below 20l., and 133 for sums above 20l.; the whole amount claimed was 38,451l., and judgments were given in 5,414 suits for 18,451.; there were 1,819 judgment summonses issued, 1,310 executions against goods, and 77 debtors were imprisoned. In the Liverpool Court of Passage, there were 1,720 plaints for sums below 20l., and 1,768 for sums above 20l.; and judgments were obtained by plaintiffs to the amount of 56,0227.; there were 531 executions against goods issued, and 250 sales, but there were no debtors imprisoned. In the Manchester Court of Record there were 4,690 writs issued for sums below 20l. and 1,078 above; the total amount claimed was 63,4227., and judgments were obtained for 20,1371. In the Salford Hundred Court of Record there were 3,446 writs issued for sums below 201., and 656 above; the claims were 33,745., and judgments were obtained for 11,868%. In the Bradford Manor Court there were 2,581 plaints, all for sums of less than 20%., but the total amount claimed and the sum recovered is not stated. In the High Court of Chancery.-In the appel late Courts of the Lord Chancellor, the Lords Justices, the Master of the Rolls and the three Vice-Chancellors, there were 681 sum. monses to originate proceedings, and 16,569 other summonses; 13,228 orders were made, and 882 advertisements issued; 8,132 debts were claimed upon, and the amount proved was 1,329,9697.; there were 1,643 accounts passed, on which 5,955,8837. were received, and 5,421,1327. disbursed or allowed. The sale of 519 estates under the orders of the Court realized 1,205,671.; and 88 estates were bought, for which the returns do not state what sum was given. As regards orders for winding-up companies, 3,371 were declared included in lists of contributors, and 159 excluded; the amount of calls made was 1,024,671.; the amount received on calls or by way of compromise was 107,9697.; other assets realized were 234,110l.; there Iwere dividends paid to creditors to the amount of 260,157., and 139,8051. ordered to be returned to contributors: the fees levied in stamps amounted to 9,135%. There were 363 titles directed to be investigated; 2,260 certificates filed; 41,001 appointments by summons, adjournment, &c., disposed of; 2,434 orders waiting for accounts or inquiry; and 97 winding-up orders were still pending. The Registrars entered for hearing at the commencement of the year 401 pleas, demurrers, causes, claims, rehearings, and appeals; 2,069 were set down during the year; 1,915 were heard; 132 were otherwise disposed of; and 398 remained at the close, Nov. 2, 1862. The chief other business of the Registrars' Office is returned under the fol lowing heads:-Orders made on the hearing of petitions under the Winding-up Acts, 9; on the hearing of other petitions, 2,386; on the hearing of special motions, 812; on sunmons drawn up by the Registrars, 6,034; on motions or petitions of course, 501; certifi cates for the sale, transfer, or delivery of stock or other securities, 3,094; and the amount of fees levied by stamps was 12,497. The evidence of 338 witnesses was taken by tion under the judge's direction, were the examiners, and the fees paid by stamps granted; the caveats against grants numwas 2231. In the office of the Clerks of Re-bered 284; the total amount of fees received cords and Writs there were 2,883 suits insti- was 56,362l., and that of the duty stamps tuted, and the total fees collected amounted was 495,4051. to 22,7261. In the Courts of the Lord Chancellor there were 1,876 petitions entered, of which 21 were for hearing before the Lord Chancellor himself, 112 before the Lords Justices, 478 before Vice-Chancellor Kindersley, 662 before Vice-Chancellor Stuart, and 603 before Vice-Chancellor Wood; the fees amounted to 1,477. Before the Master of the Rolls there were 736 petitions entered on causes, and 3,443 for orders of course; and the fees were 2,1441. The Taxing-masters made 3,286 orders and references for taxation, 2,907 certificates and allocations, and taxed 6,948 bills; the amount of costs taxed was 703,322.; the fees levied on suitors were 21,7771. The Masters in Lunacy made 56 inquiries, and 152 reports to the Lord Chancellor as to the property, kindred, and maintenance of lunatics and their families. The summonses for proceedings before them numbered 4,073; the amount of receipts in the accounts passed by them was 367,5761.; and that of disbursements allowed, 314,5271. The Accountant-General's return states that 16,968,360l. were paid into Court in the year ending October 1st, 1862, and that 15,305,7841. had been paid out of Court; the total number of accounts was 24,252; the amount of cash, securities, &c., carried over was 1,8531.; and the amount of fees collected by stamps was 6521. The Suitors' Fund for the year ending Oct. 1, 1862, produced an income of 131,920l., arising from dividends on 3,897,8541. stock, 18,8201. balance in hand, and 550l. for rent of offices let to Commissioners of Patents; of this 30,405l. were carried over to the Suitors' Fee Fund, 59,1841. were disbursed in other payments, and 42,230l. was the balance in hand. The receipts of the Suitors' Fee Fund, from the fees levied on the suitors, were 90,8641.; and the total receipts, including those from the Suitors' Fund, were 157,9761. the payments were 152,3221., leaving a balance of 5,652l. The payments from the two funds, amounting to 211,507, were distributed thus:- compensation in lieu of abolished offices, 58,4927.; salaries of officers, 119,295.; pensions to retired officers, 11,794.; rents, &c., of offices, 2,6087.; expenses of copying in the offices, 8,1987.; miscellaneous payments, 11,120l. Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes. In the year 1862 there had been 268 petitions filed in matrimonial causes, of which 4 were for nullity of marriage, 200 for dissolution, 42 for judicial separation, 13 for restitution of conjugal rights, I for jactitation of marriage, and 2 in formâ pauperis. There were 16 applications for protection of property, and 80 for alimony. There were 680 summonses, and 408 citations issued; 211 appearances were entered, and 230 answers filed. There were 179 trials, of which 42 were tried before the judge ordinary and a jury, 1 before the full Court, and the remainder by the judge ordinary, on oral evidence. There were 6 applications for new trials, but no appeals. Admiralty Court-At the beginning of the year, 159 causes were pending, and 485 were instituted during the year. The greatest number of cases were for salvage (112), and for damage by collision (193). The total amount for which all the causes were instituted was 586,601l. There were 171 judgments or decrees; 109 for plaintiffs, 32 for defendants, and 30 in causes by default. The costs amounted to 18,8931. Judicial Committee, and Appeals to the House of Lords.-There were 51 appeals to the Privy Council entered in 1862, and 99 stood over from 1861; of these 48 were heard and determined, 14 were dismissed for non-prosecution. Of the cases heard, 23 of the judgments were affirmed, 4 varied, and 21 reversed. At the end of the year 94 causes remained for hearing. The Coun cil office fees were 1,3817.; and in 38 appeals, in which the costs on one side only were taxed, the amount was 9,0821., an average of something above 2671. for each case. the House of Lords there were 49 appeals and causes in error entered in the year, and 26 stood over from 1861. In Ecclesiastical Courts.-These are now reduced to the Arches Courts of Canterbury and York, and 28-Diocesan Consistory Courts. The Probate and Divorce and Matrimonial Courts have absorbed most of the previous business of the old courts, and in 12 of them there was none whatever. In the remaining 18, the number of suits was 31; The Court of Probate in the year granted 2 were abandoned, I was dismissed, and 11 8,139 probates, 4,304 administrations, and are still pending; 15 were for church-rates, 900 caveats; there had been II trials by 3 for pew-rights, 3 for disturbances in church special jury, 2 by common jury, and 18 be- or church-yard, and 2 for publishing a book fore the judge only. The amount of fees in containing doctrines contrary to the Articles court and contentious business was 1,574., and the Liturgy. There was only I senthe taxed costs were 12,725., and the tence for payment, 10 interlocutory decrees, amount of stamps issued for probate and 2 suits agreed, I sequestration, I appealed administration was 707,6317. By the 40 dis- against, and 2 in which nothing was prayed. trict registrars, 13,339 probates, and 5,823 The faculties applied for were 79, of which letters of administration in common form, 45 were for altering, restoring, or repairing and 15 probates and 9 letters of administra-churches, and 1 for removing a body. XI.-CHRONICLE OF THE SESSION OF PARLIAMENT, 1863. [26-27 Victoriæ.] THE Fifth Session of the Sixth Parliament of Queen Victoria Feb. was opened by Royal Commission. In the Speech was an6. nounced the approaching marriage of the Prince of Wales to the Princess Alexandra of Denmark; that the Greek crown had been offered to Prince Alfred and declined; and that the protection of the Ionian Isles would be resigned, in order that they might be incorporated with the kingdom of Greece whenever a stable government had been organized. It next praised the patient endurance shown by the manufacturing population of the cotton districts under their severe privation. It stated that the neutral position between the contending parties in the United States would be maintained; that the commercial treaty with France had been productive of great benefit; that a similar treaty had been concluded with Belgium; and that papers would be laid before the Houses relating to transactions in Japan. The Address in the House of Lords was moved by Earl Dudley. The Earl of Derby, approving of many parts of the conduct of the Ministry, accused them of being tardy in refusing Prince Alfred to the Greeks, and of being hasty in ceding the Ionian Islands. In the House of Commons the Address was moved by Mr. Calthorpe. Mr. Disraeli questioned the propriety of allowing British subjects to engage in the service of the Emperor of China against the Taepings as likely to lead us into a war, and also deprecated the cession of the Ionian Islands. After a reply from Lord Palmerston the Address was agreed to, as it was also in the Lords, without a division. Feb. 10. (COMMONS.) In reply to questions, Lord Palmerston stated that the Ionian Islands were not a British possession, but only under British protection; and that the offer to give up the protection had only been made on certain conditions. Feb. 13. (COMMONS.) Mr. Peacocke moved an address to the Crown, praying that no sales of Crown lands within fifteen miles of the metropolis should be made which would in any way affect forest rights or facilitate inclosures. After a slight discussion it was carried by a majority of 113 to 73. 16. Feb. (COMMONS.) Mr. Cowper introduced a Bill for making a new street from Blackfriars Bridge to the Mansion House, giving the construction to the Metropolitan Board of Works; which was objected to on the part of the City. Feb. 17. (LORDS.) Earl Russell, in reply to the Earl of Derby, defended his conduct in the dispute with Brazil, which, he said, had refused an investigation as to the plunder of a wrecked ship, and had refused redress to certain naval officers who had been treated with indignity. (COMMONS.) Lord Palmerston proposed resolutions for proFeb. viding for the establishment of the Prince of Wales; 40,000l. 19. per annum from the Consolidated Fund, together with 10,000%. for the Princess; on whom would also be settled 30,000l. a-year in case of the premature death of the Prince. Feb. 20. (LORDS.) Lord Ellenborough introduced the subject of Poland, and hoped that her Majesty's Government would express their opinion to Russia of the cruelty of the conscription of Jan. 21. Lord Russell agreed that the conscription was carried out in a way to drive an unhappy people to despair. This he had represented to the Russian minister here. Feb. 23. (COMMONS.) Lord C. Paget, in Committee, moved the Navy Estimates; the money vote, he stated, was proposed as 10,736,0321., a reduction from the previous year of 1,053,273l.; and the number of men, 76,000, the same as last year. Feb. (COMMONS.) Mr. Hennessy moved an address to the Crown on the subject of Poland; not asking for a hostile intervention, 27. but for an expression of sympathy. After some discussion, Lord Palmerston said that no doubt the Treaty of Vienna had been systematically violated; that the late act of the conscription had provoked the outbreak; it was a barbarous act, a cruel, political piece of tyranny, under the pretence of a military measure. The motion was withdrawn. March (LORDS.) The royal assent was given by commission to the 5. Annuities Bill for the Prince and Princess of Wales. (COMMONS.) Mr. Cobden made a vehement attack on the Navy Estimates, urging a large reduction; he was replied to by members on both sides of the House, and the Estimates were agreed to without a division. 9. March (LORDS.) The Earl of Dalhousie noticed the insufficiency of the City police, on the occasion of the royal procession passing through the City streets, and suggested the desirableness of amalgamating the City force with the Metropolitan police, with which other lords concurred. (COMMONS.) Sir G. C. Lewis brought forward the Army Estimates, which were 15,060,2377., a million less than in the previous year; the number of men being 148,242, a reduction of only about 4000; the number of men was agreed to, and some other of the items were voted. The Malt Duties Bill was read a third time and passed. (COMMONS.) The Affirmations Bill, for admitting evidence March from persons declining to take an oath, even if sceptics or 11. infidels, but subject to objections as to credibility, and to punishment for wilful falsehood, was thrown out on the second reading by 142 votes against 96. The Security from Violence Bill, introduced by Mr. Adderley, inflicting whipping as part of the punishment in cases of violence to the person, was read a second time, after a division of 131 to 68. The Gardens in Towns Protection Bill, the London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Bill, and the Thames Embankment (North Side) Bill, were also read a second time. 12. (LORDS.) On the second reading of the Bill for the new March metropolitan station of the Great Eastern Railway, much uneasiness was expressed at the way in which railways were proposed to be brought into the heart of London, and suggestions made that a definite system should be laid down by government. Earl Granville adopted the motion of Earl Grey for postponing the reading for a fortnight, in order to have the report of an officer of the Board of Trade. (COMMONS.) A motion of Mr. Lindsay's, against building wooden ships to be cased with iron-armour plates, was rejected, after a long debate, by 164 to 81. (LORDS.) The Births and Deaths Registration (Ireland) Mar. 13. Bill was read a second time. (COMMONS.) Sir De Lacy Evans brought under consideration the propriety of amalgamating the Metropolitan and City of London police establishments, adverting to the accidents in the City, and contrasting the state of things east of Temple Bar with that of the west. Sir |