TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 167 



circulation under ^5 is much greater tlian the amount of notes of £5 and upwards. 

 It is also a law, that the amount of small notes circulated in the agricultural and 

 highland districts is higher in proportion than in districts more wealthy and more 

 densely populated ; and finally, it is a law, that the fluctuations in the amount of 

 small notes do not correspond from month to month with the fluctuations in the 

 amount of large notes. 



After discussing the causes of these respective changes, the author proceeded to 

 the fourth head. 



He considered that the law of 1845, for regulating the circulation of Scotland, was 

 more favourable than the law of 1844 for regulating the circulation of England, inas- 

 much as not only were the small notes continued, but the banks were allowed to issue 

 beyond their certified amount on holding an amount of gold equal to the amount of the 

 excess ; and also, if two banks of issue should unite, the new bank is allowed to issue 

 to the amount previously issued by both the united banks. From these and other 

 causes the circulation of Scotland has continued to increase since the year 1845, 

 while that of the Private and Joint Stock Banks of England has considerably 

 declined. The banks are indeed put to the expense of bringing gold from London, 

 but they endeavour to reimburse themselves in some degree by increased charges on 

 London payments and cash credits, thus proving that restrictions upon banks are 

 taxes on the public. The measure, however, has not inoculated the people of 

 Scotland with the love of a gold currency, a feeling which would be disastrous for 

 Scotland. The gold when required is quietly brought down from London, is quietly 

 locked up in the bank vaults, and when no longer wanted is quietly sent back again. 

 Upon the whole, the author thinks that the Scotch bankers are pretty well satisfied 

 with the Act of 1845 ; and were an English statesman to ask them the question once 

 addressed by a minister of commerce to a body of French merchants, " What can 

 I do to serve you?" they would probably make the same reply, "The greatest 

 service you can render us is to let us alone." 



On the Localities of Crime in Suffolk*. By J. Clyde, Jun. 



In Suffolk, the greatest amount of crime is committed in the villages, not in the 

 large towns. 



On the Fluctuations in the number of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, and 

 in the Number of Deaths from Special Causes, in the Metropolis, during 

 the last Fifteen Years, from 1840 to 1854 inclusive. By William A. 

 Guy, M.B., Cantab., F.R.C.P., Prof For. Med. Kings College, 

 Physician to King's College Hospital. 



The objects of this communication were, — 1st, to reduce the facts contained in the 

 " Summary of births, deaths, and causes of deaths in London, for the fifteen years, 

 1840 to 1854, compiled from the weekly returns, and published by authority of the 

 Registrar-General," to a form admitting of comparison of one year with another, 

 and useful for purposes of reference ; and 2nd, to invite attention to the most re- 

 markable results of such a comparison of year with year, and especially to the fluc- 

 tuations occurring in the mortality from special causes. 



For the accomplishment of the first of these objects, the author made use of the 

 " Summary "just referred to, which also states the estimated number of the population 

 of the metropolis for each of those years. All therefore that remained to be done, 

 to reduce these facts to a form admitting of comparison, was to equalize the length 

 of the several years by reducing them to the common standard of 365 days, and the 

 number of living persons to one million. The tables in the Appendix are the results 

 of this twofold work of equalization. They display, for the fifteen years 1840 

 to 1354 inclusive, the number of births and deaths in a million persons living during a 

 year of 305 days. 



After some explanatory statements, in reference to the return of births, deaths, 

 and marriages, and some observations on the statistical education which the registrars, 

 coroners, and medical profession were receiving at the hands of the Registrar-Gene- 



* Since published in the Journal of the Statistical Society. 



