THE REGISTRAR GENERAL’S QUARTERLY RETURN .— From the quarterly return just received, we find that 121,682 deaths were registered during the quarter ending March 31. This, although less than the number of deaths in the winter of last year by 4220, is still above the average, of the last ten years. The registrar say “The people have suffered, and have died in unusual numbers in many districts. Diptheria has prevailed extensively.” Taking the healthiest part of the country as examples of what the mortality ought to be if sanitary and other improvements were carried out, the registrar comes to the conclusion that ‟35,058 unnatural deaths, were registered in the 90 days.” ‟This implies” he adds, ‟not only loss of national life, but loss of health and English vigour, which it is desirable on every account to raise to the highest pitch in the present days.” After investigating the causes of the additional deaths in various districts, the registrar brings his remarks to close in the following words: ‟It is a melancholy task to record the fatality of disease arising through the neglect of sanitary arrangements in this and other countries; and to observe so much activity in inventing opportunities of destruction, with so much apathy in applying measures already invented for promoting the well-being of the population. Man is the only animal, Pliny says bitterly, that takes a pleasure in the destruction of his own species: surely somebody will one day arise to teach the world the truer pleasure of saving mankind.” In the county of Hampshire a considerable decrease in the mortality is observable when compared with the winter quarter of last year; the deaths being less by upwards of 300. This decrease is distributed principally in the districts of Portsea Island, the Isle of Wight, Havant, Fareham, and Basingstoke. In Winchester, Southampton, Petersfield, Andover, &c., the deaths are on the increase. In Portsea Island the decrease amounts to nearly a hundred; the number of deaths having been 446 against 542 in the corresponding quarter of last year, but it must not be forgotten that even the more favourable number is after the rate of 25 in the thousand, which is not considered a low mortality. The importance therefore of increased exertions in carrying out drainage and other health-preserving works is clearly apparent. The marriages for the quarter ending December, 1868 have been: Hampshire, 1062; Portsea Island, 212; Alverstoke, 46; Isle of Wight, 128; Havant, 7; Fareham, 21; Southampton, 147; Winchester, 69; Petersfield, 28; Andover, 37. The births for the quarter ending March, Hampshire, 3673; Portsea Island, 734 ; Alverstoke, 162 ; Isle of Wight, 394; Havant, 59; Fareham, 127; Southampton, 430; Winchester, 193; Petersfield, 77; Andover, 120.