CORN. Average Prices of Corn per Imperial Quarter in England and Wales, with the Rate of Duty on Foreign and Colonial Wheat, during each week of the Second Quarter of 1844; together with the Average Prices for the whole Quarter.(Continued from p. 190.) Foreign and Colonial Wheat and Wheat-Flour imported in each of the Months ended 5th May, 5th June, and 5th July, 1844; the Quantities upon which Duties have been paid for Home Consumption during the same Months; and the Quantities remaining in bond at the close of them.-(Continued from p. 190.) CURRENCY. Quarterly Average of the Weekly Liabilities and Assets of the Bank of England, in the Quarters ended 20th April, 18th May, and 15th June, 1844; and in the corresponding Quarters of the preceding Year.-(Continued from p. 191.) Average Aggregate Amount of Promissory Notes which have been in Circulation in the United Kingdom, distinguishing the several Banks, or Classes of Banks, by which issued in each part of the Kingdom, with the Average Amount of Bullion in the Bank of England, during the four weeks ended the 27th April, 25th May, and 22nd June, 1844, respectively.-(Continued from p. 191.) Consolidated Fund Operations.-The total income brought to this account in the quarter ended 5th July, 1844, was 13,377,8837.; the total charge was 10,219,3377., leaving a surplus of 3,158,546l. The amount of Exchequer Bills issued to meet the charge on the Consolidated Fund for the quarter ended 5th April, 1844, and paid off out of the growing produce of that fund for the quarter ended July 5th, 1844, after deducting 300,000l. paid off out of the Sinking Fund, was 3,667,3177. The surplus of the Consolidated Fund for the quarter ended July 5th, 1844, was 1,033,0817.; and the probable amount of Exchequer Bills required to meet the charge on the Consolidated Fund for the quarter ended July 5th, 1844, was 4,700,3987. BANKRUPTCY. An Analysis of the Bankruptcies in England and Wales, gazetted in each Month of the Quarter ended June 30, 1844; showing the Counties and Branches of Industry in which they have occurred. (Continued from p. 192.) QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE STATISTICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. DECEMBER, 1844. A Statistical View of the Recent Progress and Present Amount of Mining Industry in France; drawn from the Official Reports of the "Direction Générale des Ponts et Chaussées et des Mines," in continuation of a Paper read before the Statistical Section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at its Meeting in Newcastle in 1838. By G. R. PORTER, Esq., F.R.S., Corresponding Member of the Institute of France. [Read before the Statistical Section of the British Association at York, Ar the present time, when the most strenuous exertions are being made for the advancement of the material interests of this country in all their leading branches, and while those exertions are being attended by the measure of success which usually accompanies industry directed by intelligence, it must be interesting to know whether other nations are engaged in the same pursuits, and in what degree success may have crowned their efforts also. Our mining industry, if not the greatest, is, without doubt, one of the greatest sources of our wealth. It has been one of the chief means whereby we have been enabled to take and to maintain the station which we occupy among the nations of Europe. The knowledge of this fact has naturally led to this consequence, that other countries have striven to rival us so far as the means for such rivalry have been within their reach, and that their Governments have shown a desire to foster and encourage pursuits from which they have expected to draw results commensurate with those which have thus excited their emulation. In no country have greater efforts to this end been made than in France. Whether the means whereby success has been sought have been the most judicious that could have been adopted on the part of the Legislature of that country is, however, very questionable. The latest of the official documents that has been hitherto compiled having reference to the mining operations of France, relates to the year 1841, being five years in advance of the returns brought forward at the meeting of this section of the British Association in Newcastle. It will be interesting to compare the results obtained at the end of that interval of time, as an element of importance towards forming a judgment concerning the future progress of the mining industry of France. With this view, the facts will be presented as nearly as possible in the form given to the inquiry in 1838. The system of Government inspection of the mines in France was begun in 1832, during which year, as well as in 1836 and 1841, the VOL. VII.-PART IV. U value of the principal mineral productions raised in that country was as The actual increase of value realized from the production of these mineral substances will be seen to have been Francs. Francs. During 4 years, 1832 to 1836. 48,477,460, or 12,119,365 per annum. During 5 years, 1837 to 1841. 24,127,635, or 4,825,527 per annum. During 9 years, 1832 to 1841. 72,605,095, or 8,067,233 per annum. The per centage increase in 1836 over 1832 was 45.84, or 11.46 per annum. The per centage increase in 1811 over 1836 was 15.64, or 3.12 per annum. And for the whole 9 years, 1841 over 1832 was 68.65, or 7.63 per annum. The number of coal fields (bassins houillers) which were open in 1836 was 46. This number was in 1841 increased to 62; of which number 9 furnished anthracite only, and 14 furnished lignite only; the other 39 furnished bituminous coal, 5 among them yielding anthracite also. These coal-fields are situated in 41 of the 86 departments into which France is divided. They are here arranged in the order of their productiveness as given in the accounts for 1841: Puy de Dôme Vaucluse 6,977 4,294 Bouches du Rhône. Allier Haute Loire 63,532 51,564 Calvados Sevrès (Deux) 51,345 Oise 2,500 2,145 42,345 Var. 37,207 Vosges 1,684 Alpes (Basses). 1,085 Aisne 738 Two departments-Moselle and Lot-which each produced a small quantity of coal in 1836, had ceased to do so in 1841. The quantity |