Till the war which has the generals and soldiers of Great Britain certainly did not bear so high a character as her seamen, but their exploits du ring that war has raised them to an equality ; and the exertions of this country in increasing her troops, far surpassed those she had put forth at any former period. In the year 1775, the whole regular troops amounted only to 33,190; in 1783, to 90,395; in 1793, to 38,945; and in 1801, to 149,865 : all these, however, except the last, were periods of peace. At the termination of the present war, Great Britain maintained upwards of 28,000 cavalry, 7500 foot guards, 191,000 infantry, and 71,000 militia. The English militia amounted to upwards of 51;000: besides these, there were the local militia, vo lunteer corps, foreign troops, artillery, The population of England and \Vales was long a subject of great uncertainty, till it was at last determined by the result of an act of parliament in December 1800, which directed a general enumeration of houses,,fami lies, and persons. From this enumeration it appeared, that there were in England 1,472,870 inhabited houses, occupied by 1,787,520 families; and that the total num ber of persons was 8,331,434: While in Wales there were 108,053 inhabited houses, occupied by 118,303 families; and that the total number of persons was 541,546: In the year 1811, a similar enumeration took place, of which the following are the results : From a comparison of the population of England in the years 1801 and 1811, it appears that it had increas ed 141 per cent. during that period ; while the popula tion of Wales had increased 13 per cent. The popula tion of the manufacturing districts had increased in much the greatest proportion ; in 1801, the population of Lancashire was 672,731 ; in 1811, it was 856,000. In 1801, the population of the west riding of Yorkshire was 563,953'; in 1811, it was 675,100. There is also reason to believe, that• the population of England and Wales, between 1785 and 1795, increased nearly in the same proportion as it did between 1801 and 1811. The pro portion of sexes was much the same in 1811 as in 1801, that is, about 10 males to I I females of the resident population. The following Table exhibits the increase between 1801 and 1811, in a more particular point of view : Till the enumerations of 1801 and 1811, it was gene rally supposed, that there were not more than 5 per 3011S to a house in London, and the other great towns; but the result of these enumerations proves, that, taking the whole of England and NVales, the proportion of in habitants to a house is about 51. while in the towns it varies very considerably from 43 to 91..
Although there are no certain data, by means of which the population of England and Wales can be ac curately ascertained, previous to the enumeration of 1801, yet the following Table, constructed on the best information regarding this subject, it is presumed, ex hibits pretty nearly the state of the population, at dif ferent times, prior to 1801: The average number of registered burials was sta tionary for 21 years, from 1780 to 1800; the average number being about 192,000 per annum. From 1800 to 1805, the average was 194,000; and from 1805 to 1810, the average number was 196,000.
In 1780, 1 in 40 died annually.
In 1790, 1 in 45. In 1800, 1 in 47. In 1810, 1 in 49 or 50.
The next Table shews the number of marriages, on a medium average of 5 years, and also on a median average of 10 years, from the passing of the marriage act to the year IR 10 In the following Table, the number of baptisms to 100 marriages, at different periods, from 1760 to 1810, is given : The last Table we shall give on this subject exhibits the population of each county ; the area of each county in square miles ; the number of people in each county to a square mile ; and the annual proportions in each county, of baptisms, burials, and marriages : In treating of the population of England, it would be improper not to notice the state of the poor, and the mode by which they are supported; and yet our limits compel us to be very brief on this subject. By the 43d
of Elizabeth, chap. 2. every parish is bound to provide for its own poor ; and authority was given to justices of the peace, &c. to rate every parish at such a weekly sum of money, as they should think necessary for this purpose. In 1776, a return was made to parliament of the total expenditure for one year, on account of the poor, from which it appeared, that the sum expended was 1,530,8041.; and that there were 1970 work-houses capable of accommodating 89,775 persons. In 1786, another return was made, from which it appeared, that the expenditure for the poor had increased to 2,004,238/. In the year 1803, a very detailed return was again made, from which the following particulars appeared : The number of persons maintained in work-houses was 83,468; the expence incurred, 1,016,4451. ; the number of persons relieved out of work-houses was 956.298, besides 194,052, who were not parishioners ; the expence incurred for them was 3061,4461. The number of persons relieved in and out of work-houses was 1,039,716, which was about 12 per cent. of the resident population. The total sum raised by the poor's rate, and other parochial rates within the year, ending Easter 1803, was 5,348,205/. The average rate in the pound was, in England, 48. 434.; in Wales, 7s. Ud.; and the average of England and Wales, 4e. 5Id. No return has been made since the year 1803; but the amount of the poor's rate at present cannot be much less than 8,000,0001.
Constitution, Government, and Laws, Civil and Religious.
THE English government is distinguished from that of other nations, principally, by this circumstance, that in it the right of making and that of enforcing the laws, or the legislative and executive powers, are distinct and separate. The legislative authority is vested, by the constitution of the kingdom, in the Parliament, which consists of King, Lords, and Commons. It is not ac curately and satisfactorily ascertained, at what precise period the Parliament, as it is now constituted, was formed; that is, when the Commons first began to com pose a distinct assembly from the Lords; but the ge nerally received opinion is, that the Parliament was, on the whole, much the some as it now is, so long ago as the 17th year of King John, A. D. 1215.
With respect to the manner and time of the assem bling of Parliament, it is usually and regularly sum moned by the King's writ and letters, issued by the advice of the privy-council, at least 40 days before it begins to sit. The Parliament cannot meet of its own authority, it being a part of the royal prerogative to convene it at such time and place as the King shall deem proper. If there should be no Parliament in be ing at the death of the King, the last Parliament re \ ivies, and is to sit again for six months, unless his suc cessor shall dissolve it.