Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-28
HOWENGLAND TAKES HER GEMS Us

A Quick and Accurate Method of
EnumeratiOn-The Population Of
the United Kingdom Counted i'm a
Day.
boston Herald
In Great Britain census has been taken
every ten years since 1901. and the system is
Until near the close of the last century, there
was no real method, and all previous estima-
tions Of the population of the United Kingdom
were mere It seems the
considering that, in the American colonies,
enumeratiOns of the population had often been
made by order of the home government. In
John Sinclair, who, through his personal efforts
in enlisting the cooperation OF all the clergy
men Of the established church, collected re-
turns which were OF great value, although ne
cessarily incomplete: After seven years he
completed his compilations, and published the
results in twenty-one volumes, probably the
greatest statistical work ever undertaken and
Under the system adopted in 1851. the census
in Great Britain is now taken in one day, the
31st Of March. In 1851 3O,G10 enumerators We're
appointed in England and Wales by the 2,190
enumerator having distinctly refined district
assigned to him. In Scotland the thirty-two
sheriffs appointed the temporary registrars
merators For the smaller islands, the govern
ment appointed 257 enumerators, and In Ire
land the census was taken by the constabu-
ldl SOluC uily . OC1OAC CltC CCuouo pIluUou
schedules were delivered at every house or
tenement; in Wales these were printed In
Welsh for the benefit of the lower classes
These schedules contained questions about the
name, relation to head of family, condition,
age, sex, occupation, and birthplace OF every
person In Great Britain, and also as to the
number of deaf, dumb and blind. Measures
were taken to secure accurately the names Of
night laborerS, persons out OF the country,
travellers, seamen, soldiers, etc. These sched-
ules were all filled up In the night Of March
80 81, and were taken up at an early hour on
March 81 the collector filling up the parts that
had been left blank through their negligence or
inability. All unoccup1ed houses and buildings
floating population who spent the
nights in boats and barges, in barns, sheds, ETC.,
were required to be estimated as nearly as
possible. The enumeratOrS were allowed one
week to make their returns In, all Transcribed.
and the summaries and estimates completed
according to detailed Instructions The dis
trict registrars had to complete their revision
OF the returns OF their subordinates In q fort
night, paying particular attention to nine Spe-
cially defined points. These revised returns
were again revised by the superintendent
Registrars" and then transmitted to the census
office. The census was the most successful, in
country up to that time, and the same system
has been pursued, with little variation, ever
since. The digestion Of the census reports by
the central authorities is conducted most
thoroughly and scientifically, and the complla-
lions are OF the greatest value to stattSuctan3
and economists. The British system has served
as model for many other countries, where the
Census Is now taken IN one day Dy means OF
printed schedules