The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-06
EUROPEAN POPULATION.

No adequate conception prevails in America
as to the extent of the growth in wealth and
population which has been going on in every
part of Europe in the course of the last de-
cade. Confning their gaze to their own
wonderful material development and the
enormous expansion in their own population,
the American people have been disposed TO
forget that the spirit Of progress. so observa-
bic here, is also at work with almost equally
conspicuous results in every division of the civ
ilized globe. The American traveller who re-
visits Europe to-day after an interval Of a
score Of years is almost as much struck with
the advance which has been made by the
European countries in that length OF time as
the European traveller who revists this coun-
try after the same interval is with the adj
vance which has been made in the United
States during the same period.
1t is estimated that in the mere point OF
population the European countries have in
creased a. much since the battle of Waterloo
as the same countries did in the course OF the
whole four hundred years which preceded
that event This remarkable fact Is attribu-
ted largely 10 the scientific inventions which
have extended the sphere of employment. IL
is not uninteresting to note III connection
with this. that at the time that machinery
was substituted for labor by hand, it was
anticipated by the lower classes that it would
curtail and not increase population. The
exact opposite has turned out to be the case,
and as every form Of industrial interest has
been perfected in methods the European pop
ulation has continued TO increase.
To what extent this.increase has gone will
be shown by few figures. In the course of
the last five years the population of the Ger
man Empire has, in spite Of emigration.
grown from 49 42O 800 b 81, 9S5, 1896 an increase
of over two million and o half of people.
From being q small city at the beginning Of
the present century Berlin has become one OF
the three largest centres of population in the
world, and it is growing with rspidity that
is only rivaled by Chicago and London.
In ten years the population of Great Britain
has increased 3,50O,OOQ. The growth Of all
its leading cities has been phenomenal, but
it has been. as in Germany and America,
principally at the expense OF the country dis
tricts
The population of Austria increased IN the
interval between the years 1880 and 1880 about
5000. 900. and an equal addition was made
during the same length of time to the popu-
laion of Italy. although the latter country
was suffering during this period from heavy
drain in the form Of emigration in the direc-
ton of the United States and the Argentine
Confederation.
Between 1880 and 1890. the population of the
Russian Empire expanded in number at least
fifteen millions, an increase IN excess OF
that observed in the United States during the
same length Of time, but it ought to be re-
membered here that Russia in this interval,
made large additions to its population by Its
annexation of Asiatic territory. Neyeithe-
less the growth in the size OF its original
population was remarkable.
France. alone of all the European coun-
tries with the probable exception Of Spain.
has remained stationary in its population.
Tie population of Spain has been fuctua-
ting.