MISCELLANEOUS ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 643, 26 March 1864, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

England, daring the first week of January, was visited by the severest frost which has been experienced for three years ; and the weatherwise predicted that if> would be of long continuance. But, on the,6th January, it was apparent that a change was approaching, and on the 11th the frost nearly disappeared. The extreme cold had the effect of stimulating charity, and subscriptions for the benefit of the homeless and breadless poor poured in apace daring the week.

A largo increase has taken place in the pauperism of the cotton manufacturing districts. Many mills have been closed, and in others the hours of labor have been curtailed. This state of thing 3is attributed to the uncertainty which prevails "as to the present price of cotton being maintained." Mr Faraall reports an increase of upwards ' of 5000 in the number of persons receiving parochial relief; and Mr Maclure states that there has been an accession of about 5000 to the roll of poor people who are assisted by the relief committee only.

The Cunard steamer Asia, in a recent passage from Boston to Queenstown, experienced very heavy weather. Her decks were swept by several fearful seas ; the quartermaster washed overboard and drowned ; the boats carried away ; and at one time there was five feet of water in the cabin. On ths 18th of January,' tho steamship Louisiana, from Liverpool, the sth January, put into Queenstown, having sustained very great "damage" by the gale raging in the Atlantic. 'But the loss of life waa still more serious,- no less thau'SQVen'teen persons being washed overboar<J~two enjSneers, three firemen, 'five Beftmen a ana4everi r ps3senfjers. It is feared that numerous other casualties must have occurred.

Mr Thackeray, who died intestate, is said to have been worth between forty and fifty thousand pounds. He had but lately built the residence in which he died, and which cost nearly LBOOO.

The revenue returns tor the year and quarterhave been published. They can be considered in no otherwise than as very satisfactory. They show a very small decrease, but it is a decrease, due to remissions of taxations in the tea duty and! the property-tax to a much greater amount ; the recuperative forces at work, both in production and consumption, having done much to nil up the void caused by reductions in the rates of those imposis. The gross decrease of the year is L 1,913,000,, 913,000, and the net decrease L 552.809, the difference 11,350,191, representing the increase accruing from every class of revenue except customs and property tax. The losa ua« der the two last mentioned heads, resulting from, remissions, is less than was estimated by Mr Gladstone.

The annual statement of the trade and navigation of the United Kingdom with foreign andBritish possessions for the year 1862 has just bega issued. The total of the real value oi merchandise exported amounted to L 166,168,134, and! total of merchandise imported was L 225,716,978; c The exports show an increase of six and a half millions over that of the year 1861, and the' imports an increase of eight and a quarter millions. In the year 1858 the exports wereL 130,782,779, and the imports U64,583,832.

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