251 
mountain regions where, generally, tlie floods are moderated by 
large natural sheets of water and by short runs to the sea. 
There have recently been introduced into the Houses of 
Parliament two Bills for the conservancy of rivers and for the 
prevention of floods, — one in the House of Lords, and another 
in the House of Commons. 
These Bills testify to the public anxiety felt in these matters. 
They are now under consideration, and there is, perhaps, no 
question which better deserves the careful consideration of 
the community at large. It is, however, essential that every 
district should be considered with reference to its peculiar cir- 
cumstances; for, great as have been the achievements of 
science and the knowledge which has resulted from the applica- 
tion of those mental gifts with which God has blessed us, no 
scientific research has been able to reduce the various altera- 
tions to which our climate is subject to any fixed law. 
We have seasons of comparative drought and of heavy rain, 
and though our sufferings from these causes are not so great 
as they are in many countries, we very much depend upon 
the state of the weather ; and the native energy of our people 
is constantly called into requisition to counteract the evil 
influences of either too much rain or too little. 
Cultivation in this country is carried on by the application 
of labour which contributes to the hardihood and persever- 
ance of our people, the necessity for which is one of the many 
benefits which we enjoy. 
Our population is constantly increasing, and is perhaps 
more numerous upon the ground on which they live than 
that of any other country. 
In the first fifty years of this century, the population of 
England and Wales increased from less than nine millions 
to nearly eighteen millions : so that in those fifty years the 
increase in population was equal to the whole increase which 
had taken place since these islands were inhabited. 
The ordinary decennial census will be made this year ; but 
in 1871 the population of the district which, in 1851, was 
not 18 millions, had increased to about 22 J millions. 
While the increase has been general all over the kingdom, 
the aggregation of people in large towns has been most 
remarkable, and the produce of the land has not kept pace 
with the products of manufacturing industry. Food has, 
therefore, to be imported from foreign lands, but water for the 
supply of the towns and for the general purposes of agri- 
culture cannot be imported. It is fortunate, therefore, that 
the rain which falls is sufficient, if properly utilised, for all the 
wants of the inhabitants. When this fails to meet such wants, 
VOL. xv. t 
