Irish Vital Statistics

London Globe. Much Iigrbt is thrown on the social condition of any commimity by the annual returns of births, deatlis and marriages, and, at a time when the state of Ireland is exciüng somuch attention, the Kegistrar-General's report for that country has more than usual interest. The population of Ireland still shows a decline, which is due entirely to emigration. The excess of births over deaths in 1881 was 35,812, representing a natural increase of population; but as the emigrants numbered 78,417, there is an actual loss of 12,605. There is some set off in the number of emigrants, but these are probably very few, and there is no official record of theni. The cstimated population in the middle of the year was 5,144,983. Both absolutely and in proportion to the estimated population, the births deaths and marriages were under the annual average of the preceding ten years. The total number of man-iages during the year was 21,826, which is slightly above the record for the previous year, but inferior to the average of the preceding ten years, and that, again, is much below the marriage rato of all other countries the statistics of which are available. The low marriage rate is attributed lo the extensive eniiration which takes place among persons of marnageable age. Owing, however, to a pecuíiarity of the law in Ireland as regards Roman Catholic marriages, it is certain that a considerable number- among the poor probably a very considerable number - escape registration. With regard to the educational status of the persons married in 1881 it annears that 16,129, or 73.9 per ;ent. of the husbands, and 15,131, or 59.3 )er cent of the wives, were able to ;io-n their own namos. In 1871 the perjcñt.age of men able lowrite their names was but 62.5, and of women but 54.8, The pvoo-ress made in the ability to vvrito in the coursc of the intervemng ten years had therefore been considerable. Leinster is still the best cducated province, and Connaught the worst. In tlio former 79 per cent. of the men and 77 of the women were able to write, while in the latter tbe respective percentages were 03 and 61. More boys than girls were born in Ireland in 1881. Of the former the number was 64. 793,of the latter 61,054- a proportion of 106,01 bovs to 100 girls. The legitímate births were but 2J per cent. of the whole-a result which, as the Registcr-General rcmarks. bears a very favorable com ¦ mrison with the returns in most other eountries. The death-rate for all Ireland was 17.5 per thousand, and a little below the rate of the last ten years. The death rate is the highest in Leinster whereitis 20.1. Ulster toltows rtöi 17 5 Munster 17.2, and Connaught ló.ó. The statistics of violent deaths for the vears are instructive. They numbercd 2 152- hio-her than the number recórded inany year quoted in the returns, which go back of 1881. The pro „ortion of vfolent to natural deaths was 41.6 to every 100,000 inhabitants.