( XIV ) 
many places suffered severely from an epidemic of scarlet fever, and 
trying and exceptional climatic conditions prevailed, which swelled 
the number of deaths from bronchial affections, and cut off many of 
the verj' young, the weakly, and the aged. I'otatoes were much 
cheaper than in the winter of 18G8, but the prices of both beef and 
mutton were higher. 
In the quarter under review 10,830 of the English people, 2622 of 
the Scotch, 9654 of the Irish people, G550 foreigners, and 619 persons 
of origin not distinguished in the returns, left ports of the United 
Kingdom for foreign and colonial settlements. They constituted a 
total emigration of 30,275 souls, of whom 26,900 went to the United 
States. The number of emigrants was 4289 in excess of that in tlie 
winter of 1868. 
Sping Quarter (^April, May, June). — Births registered were 188,459, 
The annual birth-rate per 1000 of population was 34*61 ; the average- 
of ten springs (1859-68) being 3G-65. 
Deaths registered were 118,849. The annual deatli-rat© per 1000' 
of population was 21-83 ; the average of ten springs (1859-68) being 
22-03. 
The birth-rate was remarkably low, and trade in the iron and 
coal mining districts was so depressed that many workmen were 
compelled to seek new fields of labour. So low a biiih-rate had not 
been recorded since 1847, and there are only three instances in the 
last twenty-one years which approximated to it, viz., in 1848, 1853, 
and 1858. 
The death-rate was slightly below the average of the season ; so a 
mild April, followed by a cold May and June, did not act very 
unfavourably on the public health. The annual rate of mortality in 
the population of the country districts was at the rate of 20-56 per 
1000, the average rate being 20-32 ; while in the chief towns, where 
the inhabitants are in closer proximity to each other, the mortality 
was at the rate of 22-78, against an average of 23-39. The mortality 
of Liverpool was 27-29 ; that of Manchester, 24-99 ; and of ShefiSeld, 
24-53 per 1000. In Bristol the rate was 21-61 ; and in Birmingham, 
18-26 per 1000. The mortality of London has increased from 20-17 
and 21-88 to 22-25 per 1000 in the three spring quarters of 1867-8-9. 
Eecent analyses have proved that the waters of the Thames and 
Lea are still contaminated with sewage. The unsatisfactory state 
of the metropolitan water supply has been the subject of a report by 
a Eoyal Commission, who show the expediency and advantage of 
consolidating the water supply of London under public control, as 
in the case of Manchester, Glasgow, &c. Such an arrangement 
would, for many reasons, be very desirable; moi-e Cf^pecially as 
