DIVIDEND, in commerce, is a word which has two distinct meanings. In its more general employment it is under stood to express the money which is divided, pro rata, among the creditors of abankrupt trader, out of the amount real ised from his assets. [BANKRUPT.] The other meaning attached to the word dividend is not so appropriate as that which has just been explained. It is used to signify the half-yearly pay ments of the perpetual and terminable annuities which constitute the public debt of the country, and does not therefore strictly express that which the word is made to imply. The payment of those so-called dividends is managed on the part of the government by the Bank of Eng land, which receives a compensation from the public for the trouble and expense attending the employment. The exact number of individuals who are entitled to receive these half-yearly payments is not known, as the number of annuitants is not nearly so great as the number of distinc warrants, because many individuals are possessed of annuities due at the same periods of the year, which are included under different heads or accounts in the books of the bank, as bearing different rates of interest, or being otherwise under different circumstances ; and besides, many persons hold annuities which are payable at both half-yearly periods. It is
certain, however, that the greater part of the public creditors are entitled to annui ties for only small sums, more than nine tenths of the payments being for sums not exceeding 1001., and nearly one-half for sums not exceeding 101. The number of warrants issued for the payment of divi dends at each quarter of the year ending 5th January, 1843, was as follows :-5th April, 89,560; 5th July, 191,980; 10th October, 89,379; 5th January, 192,970.