The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-02 00:00:00

ie,------'....e.

NUMBERS-Ntrf)A TEST OF THE
STRENGTH, OR PROSPERITY, OF A POPU-
LATION.

(From Mr. Chadwick's Report on the S.".aniki ry con-
dition of th? Labouring Population of Englan.d.)
The depress'ng effect of adverse sanitary circum-
stances, such as bad sewerage, drainage, and other
local defects on the labouring strength of a population,
and on its duration, is to be viewed with the greatest
concern, as exhibited to a great extent at the present
day in the streets and dwelling-houses of the British:
people in our towns and counties. This depressing.
effect rests on that which most distinguishes our island
population, and which it were a truism to say consti-
tutes the chief strength of the nation—the bodily
strength of the individuals of the labouring class. The
greater portion of the wealth of the nation is derived
from the labour obtained by the application of this
strength.
Simple enumerations of the numbers of a popular
tion are of themselves but imperfect means for judg-
ing of its progression in strength. This is best
shown in the increased proportions of the adults, who
are of the age and strength and skill for • productive
industry; in the extended period during which each
adult labourer occupies his post.
M. Mallet (Registry Report on Geneva) bears tes-
timony that the experience of that city is confirma-
tory of the important rule, that the strength of a
people does not depend on the absolute number of its
population, but on the relative number of those who
are of the age and strength for labour. .It is proved
that the real and productive value of the population
has there increased in a much greater proportion than
the increase in the absolUte number of the population.
The absolute number of the population has, only
doubled, in the instance of Geneva, during three
centuries ; but the value of the population has more
than doubled upon the purely numerical increase
of the population. In` other words, a popula-
tion of 27,000, in which the probability of life
is forty years for each individual, is more than
twice es strong for the purposes of production as a
population of 27,000, in which the probability or value
of life is-only 20 years for each individual.
The important general fact of the proportion of
adult physical strength to the increased duration of
life, or improved sanitary condition of the individuals
is verified by the examinatapns of the individuals
of different classes. M. Villerme states that the dif-
ference of strength between classes among wham the
value of life differs, is well known to the officers -en-
gaged in' recruiting the army, though no one has
collected the facts to determine the precise differ-
ence. The time allowed to M. Villerme only en-
abled him to do so at Amiens. The result was, that
the men of from twenty to twenty-one years
of age were found the more frequently
unfit for the trade of arms from their stature, consti-
tution, and health, as they belonged to the poorer
classes of the manufacturing labourers. In order to
obtain 100 men fit for military service, it was neces-
sary to have as many as 343 men of the poorer
classes; whilst 193 conscripts sufficed of the classes
in better circumstances.- Analogous facts were ob-
served in the greater part of the towns in France in
which he conducted his official investigations.
In the evidence of recruiting officers, collected
under the 'Factory Commission of Inquiry, it was
shown that fewer recruits of the proper strength and
stature for military service are obtainable now than
heretofore from Manchester.
Of those labourers now employed in the most
important manufactories, whether natives or
emigrants to that town, the sons who are
employed at the same work are generally
inferior in stature to their parents. Sir James
M‘Gregor,:the Director-General of the Army Me-
dical Board, states the fact that " A corps levied from
the agricultural districts in Wales,. or the Northern
Counties of England, will last longer than one re-
cruited from the manufacturing towns, -from Birrning- •
hitt), Manchester, or near the metropolis." Indeed
so great and permanent is the deterioration, that out
of 613 men enlisted, almost all of whom came from Bir-
mingham and five other neighbouring towns, only
238 were approved for service.
The chances of life of the labouring classes of
Spitalfields are amongst the lowest to be met with,
and there it is observed of weavers, though not
originally a large race, that they have be-
come still more diminutive under the noxious
influences to which they are subject. Dr.
Mitchell, in his Report on the condition of the hand-
loom weavers, adduces evidence on this point. One
witness well acquainted with the class states, "They
are.decayed in their bodies ; the whole race of them
is rapidly descending to the size of Lilliputians. You
could notraise a grenadier company amongst them all.
The old men have better complexions than the young?
Another witness, who says there were once men as
well made in the weaver trade as any other, " recol-
lects the Bethnal-green and Spitalfields regiment of
volunteers during the war as good-looking bodies of •
men, but doubts if such could be raised now." Mr.
Duce concurs in the fact of the deterioration of their
size and appearance, withirithe last thirty years, and
attributes it to bad air, bad lodging, bad food, which
causes the children to grow .up an enfeebled and dimi-
nutive race of men."
To whatever extent emigration takes place from
England,. there must of course have been a pro-
portionate immigration from other placesto make up
the increase of population beyond the apparent in-
crease from births. It is observed in some of the
worst-conditioned of the town districts that the posi-
tive numbers of the natives of the aboriginal stock
continually diminishes, and that the vacancy as well
as the increase is made up by immigration from the
healthier districts. In a late enumeration of the
settled inhabitants of the labouring classes in the
lower parts of Westminster, it appeared that rv:t more
than one-third of them were natives of London. If
inquiry had been made as to whether their parents
were natives, it would probably have been found that
still fewer had inhabited the district for more than
one generation. •
D WARKANATH TAG° RE.

The Council Chamber of Edinburgh, August 30,
witnessed an event unprecedented in the annals of
1 Great Britain—the presentation of the freedom of the
City to a Hindoo gentleman. This mark of distinc-
tion has been unanimously conferred by the Lord
Provost, Magistrates, and Council ofr our own
City. Dwarkanath Tagore is a Brahmin, a mer-
chant engaged extensively in home and fo-
reign trade, a large landed proprietor, and a
man of very considerable fortune. He is well
acquainted with Hindoo, Persian, and English litera-
ture and history, and is, without doubt, the most re-
markable man in India of his nation. While loyally
attached to the British Government in India, he is at
the same time devoted to the work of ameliorating the
condition of his countrymen, and has for many years
sought, both by the liberal application of his money
and his energetic labours, to accomplish plans of
local and general improvement. Several of the most
excellent institutions in Calcutta owe their exist-
ence principally, or altogether, to the benevolence
and liberality of that enlightened llindoo. As the
friend of education, Dwarkanath Tagore stands pre-
eminent among his nation. His views of the princi-
ples of trade and commerce are of The most enlarged
and liberal character ; and his wealth and influence
combined, have done much to aid the recent noble
pro'ects for facilitating the intercourse between India
and this country. For several years Dwarkanath
Taore has been one of the most active members of a
society for the protection of the owners and occu-
piers of the soil in India from the mischievous and
ruinous effects of what is known by the name of
the Resumption Regulation ; a measure neither
more nor less, than an inquisition into the titles
by which all rent-free lands are held with a view
of assessing such lands as, by the custom and law
of India, have been immemorially held tenure-free,
and absolutely
untaxed beyond the memory of any
living man ; a measure, in a word, to impose a tax of
18s. in the pound of the rack-rent, or to seize upon
and confiscate nine-tenths of every man's estate,
hitherto held rent-free, over the whole length and
breadth of Bengal, Behr, Orissa, and Benares ; a ter-
ritory which contains a surface equal to that of Great
Britain twice told, with a population exceeding that
of the kingdom of France. We understand that it is
the intention of Dwarkanath Tagore to bring this
momentous subject under the notice of the Govern-
ment and people of this country, and to endeavour, in
reference to this and other topics, to advance the in-
terests of his countrymen during his stay in Great
Britain.

DIED.—On the 15th instant, at her residence,
Baltnagown, near Portadown, Mrs. Mary Corr, at the
extraordinary age of 116 years. This venerable matron
exhibited one of tho most remarkable instances of
longevity on record, in modern Ones. She was born in
1726. and, consequently, lived, during the reigns of six
Sovereigns of Great Britain. She was a woman of great
mental and physical faculties, and gifted with a strong
understanding and most retentive memory ; and of that.
portion of our history (commencing with I.lle reign of
George .11.), so productive of great and memorable
events, she had a most vivid recollection, and d?lighted
to converse on " the deeds of other years." She was,
indeed, a living chronic!c of the last century, and de-
tailed, with surprising accuracy, the many memorable
occurrences of that eventful era. The storming of
Quebec, and the death of General Wolfe, the capture of
the Havannah, the naval victories of Admiral Rodney,.
and the taking of the city of Carrickfergus, by the
French commander, Thurot, were events which she
related with much animatio❑ ; and she related, with
much amusing effect, the national consternation on the
successes of the celebrated Paul Jones. She attended
the weekly market of Portadown regularly, till within
three years of her death ; and her sight was so good
that she could thread a fine cambric needle. She w
justly admired for her mild, unobtrusive planners and
the vast concourse who followed her mortal remains to
the family burying .ground, in Druracree Church-yard
testified die estimation in which.she was held by all who
had the *Pintoes of knowing her.— Vindicaor.

l/