3 NOVEMBER 1855, Page 1

The results of the Registrar-General's last report differ some- what

from previous accounts. It seems that the population does not continue stationary; the emigration having declined to the rate at _which it was moving in 1847, and thus not countervail- ing the natural increase. The health of the country has also decidedly improved ; an effect ascribed to better weather, and per- haps to better sanitary arrangements. But the sanitary arrange- meats are not yet sufficient to check the amount of preventible deaths. One calculation shows the importance of this process : if all the deaths in the Crimea were added to the deaths in Eng- land, the sum would be less by 20,000 than the deaths registered

in England during the summer quarter of 1854. But we may reduce the proportion still lower, if we will push forward those sa- nitary improvements which still hang fire. We notice some stir, at least in the Metropolis. It is not altogether carnal matter`that the City is about to try a new form of pavement; for if a rational con- Struction of our ways could be practically adopted, it would greatly facilitate surface-drainage. The subterranean drainage is also about to undergo a useful discussion. Mr. F. 0. Ward, the inde- fatigable advocate of the tubular system, has brought the subject before the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers, in such a way as to compel discussion. He charges his chief opponent, Mr. Bazalgette, who advocates wide drains, with altering and suppres- sing important data; and he has demanded a special committee for anquiry into his own allegations. The Court has postponed the discussion to a special meeting next week, in order that Mr. Ba- zalgette may appear and state his case contra. Mr. Ward insists that his plan would secure a great saving of expense, and there- fore, it is to be presumed, a greater expedition in accomplishing it. On this radical question we shall now, it is to be hoped, have a judicial and effectual decision.