The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-24
The Ebb Of British Emigration.

The comparative inertness of English
manufactures and the signal falling off in
exports which have marked the last three
years, might have been expected 10 ac-
celerate the outflow of emigrants from the
ports of the United Kingdom. The facts,
however, show contrary state of things.
1t is obvious. from lately published report
OF the London Board of Trade that the
univer sal character of the present CONNER
cial crisis is very generally understood,
aud that the surplus population OF the
British Islande have been kept at home by
the misgiving that they might 20 further
and fare worse.
II appears that emigration from Great
Britain, which in 1862 aud for some time
previously had maintained mean annual
rate Of one hundred and twenty thousand,
suddenly expanded in the ensuing year
not less than eighty per cent, and thar,
Notwithstanding the existence of our civil
war, Ut least nine-tenths of this great gain
were absorbed by the United States. From
that date the number OF emigrants in
creased with tolerablo steadiness up to
1873, when IL showed tho astonishing total
OF three hundred and ten thousand. The
decline has since been precipitate. the ag-
gregnte OF departures from British ports
having shrunk in 1874 to two hundred and
forty thousand, and in 1916 to about one
hundred aud seventy thousand, or the
lowest figures recorded in thirteen years.
Equally curious is the change which has
taken place In the relative proportions
OF nationalities. The Scotch element, in-
deed. is stationary, having contributed
ruther more than ten per cent to the total
emigration IN 1853, and about twelve per
cent. last year. On the other hand. il is
plain that Englishmen at present emigrate
IN much larger numbers than Irishmen
The quota of English emgrants In 1855 was
hfty-seven thousand. against seventy mine
thousand from Ireland, and, Ave years
later, tweDty-six thousand, against sixty
thousand from the latter country. BY
1870, however, the proportions were al
ready reversed, the departures from Eng
land showing an excess of twenty-five per
cent; and finally, In the year which has
just closed the English emlgrants outnum-
bered the Irish two TO one. We may like
wise note that the natives OF foreign coun-
tries embarking in the ports of the United
Kingdom, who in 1863 contributed only
FOUR per cent to the aggregate outflow,
are now credited with twenty. or nearly as
much rs the contingent from Ireland.
Attention is called bt this report TO some
interesting notifications in the prefer
epces of emigrants for different countries
The canny Scotchmen who in our flush
times of ls69-70 pronounced for the United
States in the ratio of four to one. were last
year for the most part evenly divided be-
tween this country and Australia. Ireland
remains, IN the main, faithful to us. al
though NTH of her quota was diverted to
Melbourne and sydney, against one-twen-
tieth five years AGO. What is more note
worthy, the prejudice which formerly
held the English emigrant aloof from us
nus been replaced by n potent attraction.
Thus in 1853 we secured but ihiriy-three,
and the Australian colonies ffty-five per
cent. of England's surplus population.
Now, on the other hand, more than half
falls to us, against less than quarter to
Aus, ralia. Collated with those of 1874. the
statistics OF last year attest "a decisive
slackening of the tide toward all Of those
countries which have hitherto been the
favorites of the British emigrant, while.
notwithstanding the aggregate d, ease,
South America and South Africa EXHIBIT
positive and considerable gains. None of
the regions that are open TO the colonist
is so rich in opportunities rs those fertile
and thinly populated territories which lie
north of the Cape OF Good Hope; ana il IL
not surprising that the current of emera-
ton should set more and moro strongly in