TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 151 



to the diminished price and axigmented speed. The comparative effect 

 of swift packets on canals was stated to be very small. The practica- 

 bility of augmenting the celerity on railroads to even fifty miles an hour 

 was advocated, and illustrated by the results of actual trials. 



Outlines of a Memoir on Statistical Desiderata. ByW. R. Greg, Esq. 



In this communication the author brought forward proofs of the total 

 deficiency of statistical information on some subjects of national im- 

 portance, and the unsatisfactory nature of that which had been collected 

 by public authority, on others. From examinations of population ta- 

 bles, tables of births and deaths, criminal statistics, the statistics of 

 education, of illegitimate birth, and of stolen property, the author is led 

 to conclude, that " with the exception of the revenue and commercial 

 tables, no general statistical documents yet exist in England from 

 which any philosophical inferences can be safely drawn, and that till 

 the materials are wholly re-collected, all attempts to elicit such in- 

 ferences can only end in disappointment and error." In order to 

 obtain more satisfactory results in future, he deems it highly necessary 

 to depart from the plan so commonly resorted to, of issuing circular 

 queries, and to commit the task of obtaining authentic and complete in- 

 formation to individuals who shall make the execution of it their pro- 

 fessional duty, and whose labours shall be remunerated accordingly. 



On Formula of Returns of the gross Receipts of the Revenues of Great 

 Britain, and of Savings Banks Returns. By Jeffries Kingsley, Esq. 



The object of this communication was to enforce the propriety and 

 advantage of an uniform and well-considered plan of gross, rather than 

 net returns, on the above-named subjects, under the authority of Par- 

 liament. 



M. Le Play presented to the Section a copy of a " Resum^ des 

 Travaux Statistiques de I'Administration des Mines en 1835." 



