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highest acreable yield of oats was in Dublin-9 barrels to the acre; and the lowest in Monaghan-6 barrels. Sligo gave the highest yield for barley-9 barrels per acre; and Clare the lowest-5 barrels. Dublin gave the highest yield in bere-10 barrels to the acre; and Cavan and Kerry the lowest-43 barrels. Potatoes gave the highest produce per acre in Mayo, where the rate was 24g barrels; and the lowest in Wexford, in which they were only 10 barrels to the acre. The acreable produce of turnips was highest in Donegal-10 tons; and lowest in King's County63 tons. Mangel-wurzel was also returned as highest in Donegal, in which the yield was 13 tons to the acre; and lowest in the Queen's County, in which it was 7 tons. The highest acreable produce for hay was in the county of Armagh-23 tons to the acre; and the lowest in Donegal and Kildare, in each of which it was returned as 1 tons to the acre.

Since 1851, the greatest quantity of wheat produced in Ireland was in the year 1858, when the quantity grown was 1,746,464 quarters. Oats was grown in the largest quantity in 1852, the produce being 11,712,528 quarters. The largest quantity of barley grown was in 1853, when it produced 1,398,705 quarters. Bere and rye was grown in greatest quantity in 1851, in which there were 383,336 quarters produced. Last year the produce of these crops was only 42,009 quarters. The highest yield of potatoes was in 1855, when the estimated total produce was 6,235,281 tons. Turnips gave the highest yield in 1853, the produce in that year having been 6,562,471 tons. Mangel-wurzel was produced in the greatest quantity in 1853, when the yield was 588,988 tons. Hay was produced in the greatest quantity in 1860, when the yield was 3,206,402 tons.

STOCK. The number of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs in Ireland in 1860 was as follows:-Horses, 619,811, being a decrease of 9,264 on the previous year; mules, 19,689, being an increase of 385. Asses numbered 167,845, being 1,509 less than in 1859. Cattle numbered 3,606,374, being 209,224 under those returned in the previous year. The sheep were 3,542,080, showing a decrease of 50,724 on 1859; pigs numbered 1,271,072, being 5,321 more than in the previous year; poultry decreased 190,973, the total number returned in 1860 having been 10,060,776; goats decreased by 24,821, the number in 1860 being 194,465. These animals have been gradually decreasing in number since 1854.

The value of stock in 1860 was as follows:-Horses and mules, at 81. each, 5,116,000l.; asses, at 17. each, 167,845l.; cattle, at 6l. 10s. each, 2,344,143.; sheep, at 11. 2s. each, 3,896,288.; pigs, at 1l. 58. each, 1,588,840%; goats, at 7s. 6d. each, 72,924%; and poultry, at 6d. each, 251,520.; total, 34,500,000l.

Scutching Mills.-There were 1,044 mills for scutching flax in Ireland in 1860; of these 1,016 were in Ulster, 15 in Leinster, 8 in Munster, and 5 in Connaught. 259 were in the county Donegal, of which 258 were worked by water-power and 1 by steam; 180 were in the county of Down, of which 129 were water-mills, 27 were worked by steam, 20 by the wind, and 4 were worked by both water and steam. In Londonderry there were 164 scutching mills, of which 155 were moved by water, 7 had steam-power, and 2 were worked by both water and steam. Tyrone had 145 mills, of which 3 only were steam, 1 was worked by horses, and the remaining 141 were moved by water. In Armagh there were 107 mills, of which 10 were worked by steam, 4 by water and steam combined, and 2 by horse-power; the remaining 91 being water-mills. In Antrim there were 89 mills, of

which 84 were worked by water, 3 by steam, and 2 by water and steam. In the county of Monaghan there were 50 of these mills, of which 44 were moved by water, 4 by steam, 1 by water and steam, and 1 by horses. Cavan and Fermanagh had each 11 of these mills. Of the total number of mills in Ireland, 941 were worked by the streams and rivers of the country, 63 were worked by steam, 14 had both water and steam power, 4 were moved by horses, and 20 by the wind-these latter being all in the county of Down. The only scutching mill in the county Leitrim was worked by the prisoners in the gaol of Carrick-on-Shannon.

ORDNANCE SURVEY.

Report of the Progress of the Ordnance Survey and Topographical Depôt. England. In the report of the progress of the ordnance survey to the 31st December, 1859, it was stated that the six northern counties of England which have been ordered to be surveyed on the larger scales of six inches and twenty-five inches to a mile, would be finished during the present financial year, but in consequence of the very numerous and extensive surveys which have been ordered for purposes connected with the defences of the country, and upon which 390 surveyors and draftsmen have been employed, the progress in the north of England has been greatly retarded, and the surveys of Northumberland and Cumberland are still unfinished. The progress of the survey was also greatly retarded by the almost unprecedented wet summer and cold severe winter.

Scotland. The progress of the survey of Scotland, and of the revision of the northern counties of Ireland, has been also greatly retarded by the same causes, a portion of the surveyors and draftsmen for the military surveys having been taken from the parties employed in those parts of the kingdom. The surveys of the counties of Dumbarton, Stirling, and Clackmannan were finished last year, and the survey is now proceeding in Perthshire and Forfarshire, and these counties will be finished during the financial year

1861-2.

Ireland. The revision of the county of Armagh has been finished during the last year, and the revision is now in progress in the county of Louth. The outline map of Ireland, on the scale of one inch to a mile, will be finished on the 31st March next, and twelve sheets, with the hill features engraved, have been published, and several others are in progress. Numerous plans on the scale, replotted from the original survey, have been made during the last year for the Landed Estates Court, the Judges of the Court having found from experience that for the registration and transfer of property, plans on this scale, and made under the authority of Government, are absolutely necessary; but the entire cost of replotting these plans is paid by the Court out of the proceeds of the sales of the estates.

MILITARY SURVEYS.-London and the Thames.-This survey will embrace a considerable area round London.

Chatham and Sheerness.-This will embrace a large area round these

towns.

Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.-This includes a district round Portsmouth, extending from the east of Hayling Island to the river Hamble, about 10 miles, with a breadth of about 6 miles, and part of the Isle of Wight.

Plymouth and its Environs.-This includes a district of about 13 miles in length E. and W., and of about 6 miles in depth N. and S.

Pembroke and its Environs.-This includes an area of 10 miles in length by about 7 in depth, besides several detached portions.

Dover. This includes an area of 5 miles by 4 miles round the town.
Harwich.-This includes an area of 5 miles by 3 miles.

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Torbay. This includes the whole bay, and a belt of country about 1 mile in width round it.

East Hampton.-About 2 miles in width and 1 in depth.
Shoreham-About 6 miles in width and 1 in depth.
Newhaven.-About 6 miles in width and 2 in depth.
Cannock Chase.-About 6 miles in width and 5 in depth.

These military plans on the scale have been found necessary, and answer perfectly both for the purchase of the land required for the fortifications and also for the designs for the works themselves.

With the exception of the last, all these surveys are made on the scales which have been adopted for the national survey, and drawn on the projections made for the complete survey of the several counties in which these places are situated, so that if Government and Parliament should approve of the extension of the cadastral survey to the remainder of these counties, the plans now made will form integral portions of the national survey.

It is of great importance, now that we are about to complete the survey of Northumberland and Cumberland, that the question of extending the cadastral survey to the remaining three-fourths of England and Wales should be taken into consideration during the present session of Parliament, because if the cadastral survey is to be extended over the remainder of the country it should be undertaken at once, and whilst we have an admirably trained body of surveyors and draftsmen for the performance of the work.

All parties appear to be agreed as to the importance and necessity of having a court in this country analogous to the Landed Estates Court in Ireland, to give facilities for the transfer and registration of property, and every lawyer knows how important to the working of such a court is an accurate survey made under the authority of the Government; it has been experimentally proved in Ireland, and will undoubtedly be also proved so

here.

LEVELLING.—The principal lines of levelling in England and Wales have been printed during the last year; we have already published the principal lines of levelling taken in Ireland; and those of Scotland are now in the press, and will be very shortly pablished.

TOPOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL DEPOT.-The work done in the present year in the topographical department has been of a very varied description. The survey of the barracks and forts in Great Britain and Ireland has been continued, and 92 barracks and forts have been surveyed and drawn, and the lithography of them is in progress. The third volume of the Barrack Manual, containing the forts and barracks in the Dublin district, is nearly ready for publication. A work, containing returns of the strength, organization, equipment, &c., of the armies of Europe, has been published in three volumes, corresponding in size to the Barrack Manual.

Plans have been lithographed for the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, Treasury, Council of Military Education, and different departments of the War Office, and a large number of drawings of military stores have been printed. Plans, illustrating the movements of the allied forces in China, have

been published, and copies sent to every regiment in the service. Returns of the equipment of an army in the field have been commenced; they are intended to comprise the number, price, and weight of every article necessary for the supply of bodies of troops, of different strength and of all arms of the service. These will be tabulated in books prepared for the purpose, and accompanied by drawings of the several articles. Drawings have been made of the reviews of the volunteers in Hyde Park and Edinburgh before Her Majesty, and will shortly be lithographed and published.

During the past year, an officer of artillery, Major Miller, has been added to the topographical staff, which now comprises an officer of artillery, engineers, and infantry.

FIRES IN THE METROPOLIS.

Report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the existing State of Legislation, and of any existing Arrangements for the Protection of Life and Property against Fires in the Metropolis.

THE Committee was appointed the 10th February, 1862, and it consisted of Mr. Hankey, Mr. Cowper, Mr. Locke, Mr. Cave, Mr. Henry B. Sheridan, Mr. Cubitt, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Peacocke, Sir Joseph Paxton, Mr. Benyon, Mr. Alderman Salomons, Mr. Tite, Mr. William Miller, Mr. Vance, and Mr. Clive. The Committee sat thirteen days, and on the 8th May reported as follows::

Your Committee have endeavoured to obtain the best information as to the actual state of the metropolis and its immediately surrounding parishes, with respect to the protection of the inhabitants, and their property generally, as to the means of extinguishing fires.

The number of fires in London in 1833, was 458; and in 1861, 1,183. The area of the metropolitan police district includes 217 parishes, with a population of about 3,000,000, residing in about 462,000 houses; and the rateable income for taxation is about 13,500,000l. The extent is about 16 miles from Charing Cross, on all sides, and includes an area of about 700 square miles.

This is exclusive of the City of London, which includes 97 parishes, with a population of about 115,000, inhabiting about 13,500 houses: and the rental for rating is about 1,337,000l.

Thus the whole of the metropolitan police area and the City of London together, extending over about 700 square miles, may be considered as containing rather above 3,000,000 of inhabitants, residing in about 475,000 houses, and the rental for taxation about 14,800,000l.

This area, however, which includes every parish excepting the City of London, of which any part comes within 16 miles of Charing Cross, is considerably larger than the area of the Metropolitan Board of Works, which includes 79 parishes, and covers an area of about 170 square miles, with a population of about 2,800,000, residing in 360,000 houses, with a rental for rating of about 12,450,000l. The area of the Metropolitan Board of Works, has been considered sufficient for the objects of the present inquiry.

The only existing Act of Parliament for the prevention of loss by fire, affecting parishes within the bills of mortality, is that of the 14 Geo. 3, c. 78,

called An Act for the further and better regulation of buildings and party walls, and for the more effectually preventing mischiefs by fire within the cities of London and Westminster, and the liberties thereof, and other the parishes, precincts, and places within the weekly bills of mortality, the parishes of St. Marylebone, Paddington, St. Pancras, and St. Luke's at Chelsea, in the county of Middlesex.' The clauses in this Act which relate to protection against fire, are 74 to 86, both inclusive, and they are still in force; the other parts of this Act have been repealed by an Act in the 18 & 19 Victoria: by the 75th clause of this Act, every parish is obliged to keep one large engine and one small, called a hand engine, a leathern pipe, and a certain number of ladders. There is, however, a provision in the 3 & 4 Will. 4, c. 90, s. 44, "The Lighting and Watching Act," which extends to England and Wales, to enable the inspectors appointed under that Act to provide and keep up two fire-engines; and it is found that certain of the parishes in the metropolitan district, without the bills of mortality, avail themselves of this provision.

It is difficult to ascertain how far the Act of George the Third is attended to, or when it ceased to be considered practically of importance; your committee have not ascertained that any prosecution or indictment against parishes for non-performance of the strict law has taken place, or that any penalties have been enforced.

For many years previous to 1832, the principal fire insurance offices in London kept fire brigades at their individual expense; to these brigades were attached a considerable number of men usually occupied as Thames watermen, retained in the service of the different fire offices, from whom they received payment only on the occurrence of fires, and they wore the livery and badge of the respective companies. These fire brigades were considered as giving notoriety to the different insurance companies, and a considerable rivalry was maintained, which was productive naturally of good, as well as of some considerable evil on occasions of tires.

The large expenses thus incurred induced an attempt to be made, which was effectually carried out in the year 1832, by Mr. R. Bell Forde, a leading director of the Sun Fire Office, to form one brigade for the purpose of promoting economy, as well as greater efficiency. The London fire brigade thus commenced its operations under the united sanction of, and from funds contributed by, most of the leading insurance offices in London.

The expense at first was 8,000l., the number of men employed 80, and the number of stations 19. This expense has been gradually increasing until it has reached nearly 25,000l. during the past year. The number of the men is now 127, and the stations 20.

In 1834, only two years after the commencement of the brigade, and immediately after the destruction by fire of the Houses of Parliament, the attention of the Government was directed by the offices supporting the brigade to the insufficient protection against fire in the great public buildings in London, and a suggestion was made to place the parochial engines under the inspection of the commissioners of police. This recommendation was not adopted by the Government. The insurance offices have again directed the attention of the Government to the subject, and they have addressed a letter, dated 21st February, 1862, to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, stating their wish and intention to give up the brigade at as early a date as may be consistent with the formation of new and efficient

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