Trade 9; steam 2; steam-engine 2; cooking 1;
carelessness 1; unknown 1.

Fire in soot 1; trade 3; candle 1; flue 1; curtain 1; unknown 2.

18

List of Fires which took place in London in Ten Years, from 1833 to 1842.-continued.

TRADES.

Damaged.

288886

CAUSES.

Trade 23; gas 1; flue 3; unknown 10.

3 Trade 1; unknown 2.

Trade 2; candle 1; gas 2; unknown 3.

Lucifers 4; candle 2; smoking tobacco 1; gas 1; un

1838

1833

(Silk) (Willow).

Wine and Spirit Merchants

Unknown 4; curtain 1; trade 1; candle 3.

Cat 1; Unknown 1.

Straw in cellar 3; stove 1; packing 2; trade 37; gas 6;
flue 1; unknown 3; incendiarism 1.

269 1,611 3,894 2,142 3,632 5,774

MISCELLANEOUS.

South Australia.-The colony of South Australia embraces the territory comprised between the 132nd and 141st degrees of east longitude, and extends from the sea coast on the southward to the 26th degree of south latitude. Of the greater portion of this extensive country nothing is as yet known. The peninsula formed by St. Vincent's and Spencer's Gulfs on the west, and Lake Alexander and the Murray on the east, (the western boundary extending from Cape Jervis in latitude about 36° 20′′ to the head of Spencer's Gulf in latitude about 3210, and the eastern boundary extending from Cape Jervis to the great bend of the Murray in latitude 34°),-Yorke's Peninsula, between Spencer's and St. Vincent's Gulfs, and the peninsula of Eyria, the boundaries of which extend from Sleaford Bay, in a northerly and easterly direction as far as the head of Spencer's Gulf, and in a northerly and westerly direction as far as Streaky Bay, are the only portions of the province which have as yet been explored, and the latter of these is still only very imperfectly

known.

The settlement of the colony has not, excepting a few hundred persons at Port Lincoln, yet extended beyond the peninsula formed by the Murray and the gulf; nor, considering the vast extent of available country still unappropriated, is it likely to do so for some years. From Adelaide as far as Lake Alexandrina on the east, and Encounter Bay and Cape Jervis on the south, lies a fine extent of country, consisting alternately of rich alluvial vallies, and mountain ranges of grassy forest. The only rivers of any consequence that empty themselves into the sea, which forms the western boundary of this country, are the Sturt and the Onkaparinga rivers, and several smaller streams. On the east the Bremer, Angus, Finniss, Inman, Hindmarsh, and other streams, disgorge into the Lake and Encounter Bay.

The census of 1842 exhibits a return of 14,625 souls; but as no returns have been made for many remote districts, and as no allowance has, notwithstanding, been made for omissions, it is believed that the actual population of the province is not at this time under 16,000 souls.

Taking the above return as the basis of our calculations, the male population of the province is nearly as one and a half to one of the females, a state of things which accounts in some degree for the scarcity of female servants. Taking the present population of the province at 16,000, and the land selected in the province at 320,000 acres, an allowance of 20 acres of land must be made for every man, woman, and child in the province, independent of the thousands of acres which are at present grazed upon, although not selected, or even surveyed.

Upon the calculation of 20 acres of land for every man, woman, and child in the province, there is at the present moment sufficient land surveyed to accommodate a population of 32,000 souls; that is, a population twice its present amount.

The number of children in the province under seven years of age are not given in the above census, but they may be set down at 3,000, and, in the past year, the births may be calculated at rather more than three times the amount of the deaths.

The farmers have found great difficulty in getting in the harvest this

year, from want of hands; and as 200 additional shepherds will be wanted almost immediately, there are not a sufficient number of labourers · in the colony for the requirements of the ensuing year, by nearly 1,000. It is hoped, therefore, that the friends of the colony in England will impress upon the Colonial Office the necessity for the speedy renewal of emigration.

Turnpike Trusts.-From the Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the subject, it appears that for every 200 miles of turnpike road, there are, on an average, ten surveyors; whereas, if the highways and turnpike trusts were consolidated, one properly qualified surveyor might perform much better the service with which the ten are charged. There are, it appears, 1,116 turnpike trusts, comprehending about 22,000 miles. The officers employed consist of 1,120 treasurers, 1,135 clerks, and 1,300 surveyors: total 3,555. The annual cost of the repair of the turnpike roads is 517. per mile, making a total expenditure of 1,122,000l. per annum. The debts amounted to upwards of 9,000,000/., and they appeared to be rapidly increasing. The average expense of the management of the highway and turnpike roads is estimated at 107. per mile per annum; but it is calculated that if the management of the turnpikes and highways were consolidated, they might be better managed at an expense of from 30s. to 21. per mile per annum. On comparing the actual expense of the repairs of roads under a scientific management of the highways with the common cost, it appears probable that by management on an extended and appropriate scale, upwards of 500,000l. per annum might be saved on that branch of administration alone.

The Committee of the House of Commons, which sat in 1834, examined some of the most able engineers in the country; and a Commission subsequently appointed, at the head of which were the Duke of Richmond and the Marquis of Salisbury, coincided in recommending the adoption of the principle of consolidation as the only means of retrieving that branch of administration.-Report on the Sanitary Condition of the Labouring Population of Great Britain, p. 325.

Private and Joint-Stock Banks.

An Account of the Number of Private and Joint-Stock Banks registered in each Year from 1820 to 1842, both inclusive.