Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1859-10-12
to al equally brief glance at the prob

to al equally brief glance at the prob
able advance Of rs population. Its
precise limits ne cannot, OF cou.sc
assign or even approximate, since
many elements in the calculation exist
only in the very future Of which we
arc speculating. The ultimate limit Of
the population of the whole earth is
found in the amount Of sustenauce
which its land and water can .arnish.
This is, even now, undoubtedly enough
to maintain from 100 to 200 per
square mile, or from FIVE to ten thous-
and millions. Even the latter figure,
though numbering ten times it's pres
ent inhabitants, will not seem lmpossi-
bic to those who remember the gigan-
tic vegetation Of the tropics, and that
some Of its esculents are 50 prolific
snd Nutritious that one square mile Of
them can snstain several thousand
lives. Agriculture aided by chemis-
try, is daily adding to the productive
capacity Of the soil, and that capacity
is as vet unknown. The science of
posterlty NAV find means to reclaim
regions now deemed hopeless for the
reduction of wastes, like those Of
Siberia, would not surpsss the wonders
she has already wrought.
But dropping this wider speculation,
let US return to the United States. Its
people, divided as we have seen, into
four great classes, producers, consun-
ers, sellers and carriers, will have as
sumed the very form prornotive Of the
greatest possible population. That
population can only be circumscribed
by the productiveness of its soil, the
extent Of Its labor-saving machinery,
and its capacity thereby to purchase
food from less ingenious races. All
three seem, singly, we'll nigh unlimited,
aud combined can doubtless sustain in
c.mfort population as dense as any
on the globe. The average density of
population in Europe is about 70 !;
while In Belgium it is 400; in England
$50 IN the Netherlands 300 in Ire
land 900, and in France 10. This
density is in a ratio compounded of
fertility of soil, skill of cultivation, ex-
tent of manufactures, and diversity of
pursuits. In Russia, the density is on
ly 80, although more than half Of it is
abundantly fertile. That the highest
density given above is capable Of fur
Their increase, is clear, from the fact
that Belgium and England are still
adding to their numbers at the rate of
one per cent. per annum; and whoever
will consider the immense, unused ca
pacity of southern and eastern Europe,
and imagine the high cultivation Of
England extended over the whole con-
tlnent, will conclude that it can subsist
two hundred per square mile, or 70O,-
100000, instead Of its 28O,O0O,O0O in
habitants.
In this country the density Is only
10 per square mile, though in Massa-
chuset,s it reaches $50, in Connecticut
90, in New York IS, and in Illinois
abont 80. The whole average will
increase to at least 100 without meet
ing any very serious check and if we,
with Europe, are still to be the work
shop Of the world, as doubtless VIC
shall be for several ages, a density ei
200 persons, living easily on each
square mile, will be, more SLOWLY in
deed, but most surely attained. The
former ratio gives population Of 800,
100000; the latter of 6OO,OOO,OOO.-
Beyond this population, which is com
fortably sttalnab.e by the known means
Of society, as now organized, we care
not at present to adventure.