The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-18
STRANGE GROWTH OF ENGLAND.

a dispatch is going the rounds of the
papers stating that the recent census Of En-
gland and Wales shows q population of
$4,000, Geo, being an increase of 5000 900 dur
ing the decade. The population Of England
and Wales when the last census was taken,
on April 4. 1881, was 26O0O,OO0. In 1871 it
was 100000; in 1851, 2O,J0o, eco; in 1851,
100000; in 1871, IL, CO. GEO. The decennial
rate o. increase has been from lS41 to 1851
1865; from 1851 TO 1861, 1l.93; from 1861 TO
1871, 1890; from 1871 to 1851, 1886. The
increase from 1881 to 1891 would appear
from The figures given in the dispatch to
have been about 1920 The decennial in-
crease in the population Of the United
States during the same decade was about
%. 1t thus appears that despite the crowd
ing Of England and the impcdiments which
poverty interp0ses in the way Of natural
increase, its people are growing in numbers
about half as fast as the people Of the United
States.
The fact is remarkable, because it is not
certain that there is any natural Increase
in England and Wales. The conditions of
life are so hard and it is so difficult for
young man to feel sure that ne can support
a family that the marriage rate is low. 1t
has been stated by an apparently reliable
statislician that the death rate in England
really exceeds the birth rate-the official
figures on the subject not being always
trustwoTthy-and that the number of natives
does not increase. but On the contrary,
shows a falling off from year to year.
Again, according 10 the latest statistics
OF EN- grafton aud immigration, Great Brit
ain loses every year over 100000 souls by
eXpatrIatiOn. The average number Of emf
grants to the United States, the British
colonies and other countries during the past
seven or eight years has been about $4,000
per year, tile average number Of immigrants
about 10, 600 a year; net loss TO Great Bit
ain 10000 a year, or 2,GCO,00 in a decade
Of which the share Of England and Wales is
about 10000 year, or J, 100000 in the dec
AIDE. According TO this England would
have gained by natural increase during the
last decade not 100000 but 100000 souls,
which is rot credible, especially as the fact
Of there being any natural increase at all is
denied
The solution Of the mystery is probably
to be ,uUd in an underestimate Of the tide
Of migration from Continental Europe into
En- gland. There are probably far more
Germans and Poles and Italians and French
men and Slavs floating every year into En-
gland than the StatstclanS reckon. For
eigners moving into London or Liverpool
are not obliged to record their arrival.
Shipmasters are not particular about re-
porting The steeraee passengers they carry.
Custon-house officials and trade cbroniclers
know exactly how much wheat or wine is
received at British ports each year. But it
is nobCdy's business 70 keep finger On the
pulse Of the migration Of human beings into
the United Kingdom. and the so-called re-
turns are mere guesses. That the immigra-
ton is larger than Is reported may be in
ferTed from the repeated complaints that
this or that field of labor in London, former
ly in the hands Of natives, has been invaded
by foreigners.
The prime effect Of increased facilities for
transportation and cheaper rates Of travel
has been to enable people TO move in droyes
from places where life is hard to places
where the rewards Of labor are more lib
eral. Only few years ago, workingman
in Central Europe had to make the best of
his lot, bitter as it was, because he could not
afford to move elsewhere. Now transporta-
ton companies will transfer him from place