Fifth class.-Ten second-rate rigged ships for cruising: the Bellerophon, the Audacious, the Invincible, the Iron Duke, the Swiftsure, the Triumph, and the Vanguard in the first list, and the Penelope, the Royal Alfred, and the Repulse in the second. The vessels of this class carry each 10-ton and 12-ton guns, behind 6-inch armour, and 8-inch armour at the water-line. Their size, with the exception of the largest, Bellerophon, is nearly equal, from 6,000 to 6,900 tons, and their speed from 13 to 14 knots an hour. The Bellerophon, besides being of greater size, 7,551 tons, varies from the rest in being without the 8-inch armour at the water-line; but its speed, on the other hand, is nearly 15 knots an hour. A subdivision of this class of fast cruising iron-clads form three smaller vessels, the Penelope, the Royal Alfred, and the Repulse, all with 12-ton guns behind 6-inch armour. The whole of the vessels of this class are broadsides, very powerful for their size, and especially adapted for foreign service.

Sixth class.-Seventeen third-rate rigged ships for cruising: the Warrior, the Minotaur, the Achilles, the Black Prince, the Agincourt, the Northumberland, the Lord Clyde, the Lord Warden, the Caledonia, the Ocean, the Prince Consort, the Royal Oak, and the Zealous, in the first list, and the Hector, the Valiant, the Defence, and the Resistance in the second. The vessels of this class vary greatly in size, but their armament, strength, and, to some extent, speed, are very similar. They are mainly armed with guns weighing less than 12 tons, and protected in general by less than 6-inch armour. Foremost in this division stand the Warrior and Minotaur, the former with 4-inch armour over the middle part of the hull only, and the latter with 5-inch armour over all parts. The Warrior, Black Prince, and Achilles, are each 380 feet long, and of 9,137 tons, while the partly sisterships, Minotaur, Agincourt, and Northumberland, are 400 feet in length, and of 10,627 tons. All these ships are of great speed, varying from 15 to 16 knots an hour; nevertheless their great length and consequent 'unhandiness,' together with limited fighting power, render them unfit for anything beyond the protection, or destruction, of mercantile fleets. Next in rank to the Warrior and Minotaur, of lesser power as well as speed, come the Lord Clyde and Lord Warden, both wooden ships; and then follow the Caledonia, Ocean, Prince Consort, Royal Oak, and Zealous, five converted line-ofbattle ships. A subdivision of the class, imperfectly armed and protected, are the old iron-clads, Hector, Valiant, Defence, and Resistance, constructed in the years 1861 to 1863, after the model of the Warrior.

Seventh class.-Eleven iron-clads of small size for coast defence: the wooden sloops Favourite, Pallas, Research, and Enterprise; the gun-vessels Viper, Vixen, and Waterwitch, the last on the hydraulic

principle of propulsion; and the floating batteries Erebus, Terror, Thunder, and Thunderbolt, built during the Russian war. All these vessels are of antiquated construction, and pronounced to be very nearly useless for modern warfare.

Among the unarmoured ships of the British navy, the number of which is little added to at present, the most noteworthy are four iron-built frigates, the Shah, the Inconstant, the Blonde, and the Raleigh. The Shah, launched in August 1873, an iron screw frigate, cased with wood, of 5,696 tons burthen and 4,500 horse-power, and carrying 26 guns, is believed to be the swiftest vessel in the navy.

The naval force, like the army of the United Kingdom, is recruited by voluntary enlistment. The men are divided into two classes, made up of those who engage in the navy for ten years, which is called continuous service,' and of those who volunteer for shorter periods, the former having a higher rate of pay. Any person may enter the navy as a common seaman, on application to the commanding officer of one of Her Majesty's ships in commission, provided he is approved by the examining surgeon, and has not previously been discharged from the service with disgrace.'

Area and Population.

The population was thus distributed over the various divisions of the United Kingdom at the census of April 3, 1871:—

The numbers of the population here given are exclusive of men in the army, navy, and the merchant service abroad, estimated at

229,000 in total.

The division of the sexes in the United Kingdom was as follows, at the census of April 3, 1871 :

The enumerated population of the United Kingdom is variously defined for fiscal, statistical, and administrative purposes, as shown in the following table:

Population, 1871

United Kingdom: including Islands in British Seas, and Army,

Navy, and Merchant Seamen abroad.

United Kingdom: including Islands in British Seas, but excluding
Army, Navy, and Merchant Seamen abroad

United Kingdom: excluding Islands in British Seas, and Army,
Navy, and Merchant Seamen abroad.

31,857,338

31,628,338

31,483,700

The population of the United Kingdom increased at the rate of 8.8 per cent. in the ten years 1861 to 1871.

Computed on the basis of the registration of births and deaths, the population of the United Kingdom and its divisions was, exclusive of army, navy, and merchant seamen abroad, as follows, at the end of June, in the ten years from 1865 to 1874:

The Registrar-General of England states that the population of the United Kingdom is increasing at the rate of 1,173 a day. But emigration takes away 468 of that number, leaving 705 a day to swell the population at home.

Subjoined is a more detailed account of the population of 1. England and Wales; 2. Scotland; 3. Ireland; and 4. Islands in the British Seas.

1. England and Wales.

England and Wales, taken by themselves, are more densely populated than any other country in Europe, except Belgium. On an area of 58,320 square miles, or 37,324,883 acres, there lived, on the 3rd of April 1871, according to the census, 22,712,266 inhabitants, or 389 individuals per square mile. The population of England and Wales was as follows at the eight enumerations, 1801 to 1871:

The following table shows the area, in statute acres, number of inhabited houses, and population of each of the 52 counties of England and Wales, at the date of the census of 1871 :