the most abundant supply of water. The quantity of water consumed daily in each house in London, in 1810, before the establishment of the new water companies, did not exceed 50 gallons, but since that period the consumption has reached 200 gallons per house per day. This includes manufactories, baths, water-closets, &c. If a similar increase in the consumption should take place in Paris, the quantity required would be 140,000 cubic metres per day, for the use of the 909,126 inhabitants. London pays annually for water the sum of 284,1887., averaging about 32s. per house for six persons; consequently, if Paris were called upon to pay 60,000l. per year, it would average about 8s. for every family of six persons for an equal supply. 27. EMIGRATION FROM GREAT BRITAIN. According to the abstract of the late Population Returns it appears that while the population of England and Wales in 1821 was 11,978,875, there had emigrated in the next ten years 124,888. In 1831 the population was 13,897,187, and the emigration from that period to the present year was 394,105. The population of Scotland in 1821 was 2,093,456, and in the first decennial period there were 20,969 emigrants; and in 1831 it was 2,365,114, and the emigrants in the same period 66,173. These details only include those who have left in emigrant ships, while a large portion of passengers embark for the colonies and foreign lands in trading vessels, of whom no account is preserved.

28. FATAL EXPLOSION ON THE BRISTOL AND GLOCESTER RAILWAY. -A fatal accident took place on the Bristol and Glocester Railway, which is unfinished, at shaft No.

5, near the entrance of a tunnel, running within two fields of Wickwar, about fifteen miles from Bristol, by which three men lost their lives on the spot, and five more were so seriously injured that it was necessary to convey them to the Bristol Infirmary. It appears that on the Saturday previous a quantity of gunpowder (upwards of half a cwt.) which had been slightly damaged by damp, was placed in the blacksmith's shop of the works, close to the entrance of the tunnel, for security. The blacksmith having been ordered to sharpen some of the workmen's tools on the Monday, proceeded to do so, unaware of the presence of the powder in his shop, and while engaged in his work at the anvil a spark from the anvil, it is supposed, must have ignited the powder, which suddenly exploded, spreading destruction all around, blowing away the blacksmith's shop, the mill-ring, and a portion of the tunnel, together with the blacksmith and seven other men, who were unfortunately at work near the spot, three of whom were killed instantly, the head of one being blown entirely off his body, while another man was blown to a distance of upwards of seventy yards, where he was seen by the distracted multitude who had assembled on hearing the explosion, in a burning state, his clothes being ignited and having burnt into a flame. The shock of the explosion was distinctly felt in all the surrounding villages, and was considered by many persons to be the shock of an earthquake, and occasioned the greatest alarm. It is stated, that it was distinctly felt at a distance of seven miles and a half, and that it threw down an

outhouse, which was loosely built, at a distance of five miles from the place. The bodies of the killed were horribly mutilated, and the wounded in the infirmary presented a frightful appearance from the extensive injuries which they had received.

THE EXPLOSION ON THE BRISTOL RAILWAY.-Tuesday the inquest was held before the county Coroner, at the New Inn, Wickwar. On proceeding to the stable a sickening sight presented itself; there lay the remains of the two who were killed instantly; Jones was completely naked except his boots; one side of his face and the lower part of his body had been blown away, which gave rise to the belief that he had the barrel of powder in his arm when it exploded. The head of Stephens was a shapeless mass, and he was otherwise much injured. Ben nett's body lay in a back kitchen, and was dreadfully injured. The first witness called was,

John Stephens, who said, I have been employed as a foreman under Mr. Brunel for nearly fifteen years, but am at present a subcontractor under Mr. Nowel; the injured men worked for me; on Friday evening, after work, I told James Jones, one of the men killed, who had charge of the powder, to put it in the blacksmith's shop, and take it out again on Monday morning before the men came to work; we have put it there frequently before on Saturday nights, for safety, as the door has a lock, and the key is kept by the banksman; on other nights the powder is left in the open air. On Monday morning, about a quarter before seven, I

called from the shaft to see

about some fresh horses, as the water was gaining on us; I went down to the blacksmith's shop, and saw several men there. I stopped about two minutes talking to my cousin Matthew Stephens, and then ran off to see for the horses. When I had gone about thirty-four yards I heard the explosion. It did not appear to me louder than the report of a fowling-piece. I turned, and saw something like a bundle of burning rags coming in the air towards me and fall within a yard and a half of where I stood. I took no notice of it, there being a rumbling noise that took my attention, and in about a second after a quantity of timber and stones fell around, but nothing struck me. At that instant I heard the cries of the poor fellows who were hurt, and afterwards found it was the body of Jones that had fallen by my side. There were nearly a hundred men at the spot in five minutes, and we rendered all the assistance in our power. We found that two were dead, and another died about two hours after. We brought them all here; and Mr. Roberts, the surgeon, attended them immediately. The only way I can account for the accident is, that Jones must have gone to work behind time, and that he was in the act of taking out the powder when it caught, When I was there I did not notice the powder, and thought it had been removed according to order; neither the blacksmith nor any of the men could have thought of its being there. They were all very sober

men.

Two other witnesses were called, but nothing further was elicited, all who were present in the shop

having been either killed or taken to the infirmary. The inquest was then adjourned for ten days, when it was hoped some of them would be sufficiently recovered to attend.

The names of those dead areMatthew Stephens, twenty-seven, single man; James Bennett, twenty-nine, wife near her confinement; and James Jones, twenty-seven, single,

GLASS COFFIN.- One of the workmen employed at a new glass house, erected at Mexborough, near Doncaster, having manufactured a

glass coffin, has bequeathed it to a cousin who holds a situation in Guy's Hospital, in trust to enclose his body in it when he dies, in order that his cousin may see whether his corpse decays more rapidly than if he were in one of wood or lead! The coffin is made of clear glass a quarter of an inch thick, six feet two inches long, twentyone inches across the shoulder, and fifteen inches deep. It is ornamented with the usual decorations of the "narrow house" in blue glass, with the name of the intended occupant on the lid !

Rt. Hon. Sir John Cam Hobhouse Rt. Hon. T. Babington Macaulay.

First Lord of the Treasury.
Lord Chancellor.

President of the Council.

First Lord of the Admirally.

Lord Privy Seal.

Chan. of the Duchy of Lancaster.

First Commis. of Land Revenue.
Home Secretary.

Foreign Secretary.

Colonial Secretary.

President of the Board of Control. Secretary-at-War.

Master of the Mint.

Viscount Morpeth

Chief Secretary for Ireland.

Postmaster-General.

Paymaster-General of the Forces
and Treasurer of the Navy.
Master General of the Ordnance.
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance.
Clerk of the Ordnance.

Storekeeper of the Ordnance.
Vice-Pres. of the Board of Trade.

Lords of the Treasury.

Joint Secretaries of the Treasury.