The Jews

"The statistics of the Jewish population are among the most singular circumstances of this most singular of all people. Under all their calamities and dispersions, they seem to have remained at nearly the same amount as in the days of David and Solomon-never much more in prosperity, never much less after ages of suffering. Nothing like this has occurred in the history of any other race; Europe in general having doubled its population during the last hundred years, and England having tripled hers within the last half century, the proportion of America being still more rapid, and the world crowding in a constantly increasing ratio. Yet the Jews seem to stand still in this general movement. The population of Judea, in its most palmy days, probably did not exceed, if it reached, four millions. The number who entered Palestine, from the wilderness were evidently not much more than three; and the census according to the German statistics, which are generally considered to be exact is now nearly the same as that of the people under Moses; about three millions. They are thus distributed:-

In Europe, 1,916,000, if which about 658,000 are in Poland and Russia, and 453,000 are in Austria.

In Asia, 738,000 of which 300,000 are in Asiatic Turkey.

In Africa, 504,000, of which 300,000 are in Morrocco [Morocco].

In America, North and South, 15,000.

If we add to these about 15,000 Samaritans, the calculation in round numbers will be about 3,l80,000.

This was the report of 1825-the number probably, remains the same. This extraordinary fixedness in almost universal increase, is doubtless not without a reason-if we are even to look for it among the mysterious operations which have preserved Israel a separate race through eighteen hundred years. May we not naturally conceive that a people thus preserved without advance or recession; dispersed yet combined; broken yet firm; without a country, yet dwellers in all; every where insulted, yet everywhere influential, without a nation, yet united as no nation, ever before or since; has been appointed to offer this extraordinary contradistinction to the common laws of society, without a cause, and that cause one of final benevolence, universal good, and divine grandeur?"

The Comet.-Sir James South has received a letter from professor Schumacher, stating that the comet recently discovered by M. Faye in the constellation of Orion, actually belongs to our system. In a postscript to his letter, the, professor says that its period is six years and 219 days. It is much to be regretted, says Sir James South, in a letter to a contemporary,

owing to extraordinary unfavorable weather, which, since its discovery, seems to have prevaded [pervaded] not only Great Britain but even Europe, the observations of it are so few. Since the 30th November, he has seen it but once; and in Ireland neither Earl of Rose nor Dr. Robinson obtained even a glimpse of it.

Dreadful Coal-pit explosion.-A terrible coal-pit explosion, accompanied by fearful loss of human life, occurred in the vicinity of Whitehaven, between the hours of five and six on Thursday evening week. The dreadful event took place at a colliery called Duke's Pitt, at the time it was in full operation, and arose, it was supposed, from the fire-damp becoming ignited and exploding in the lowermost gallery in the pit, where no fewer than sixteen miners were at work, and eleven horses, all of whom were instantly hurled into eternity. Most of the unfortunate sufferers, we regret to say, are married men, and have left large families, totally unprovided for, to lament their dreadful fate. Up to ten o'clock on Friday morning only eight of the sixteen bodies had been recovered.-Liverpool (Eng.) Albion.