The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-20
THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD.

Inc controversies WlicE nave arisen over
Purter's census of the United States Illus
trate the difficulties which have been en-
countered by geographers who have at
tempted to enumerate the people of the
world. If a census-taker, with ample means
and machinery at his. command, could not
ascertain how many people there are in San
Francisco or New York. what insoluble
problems must be grap2led with by one who
undertakes 10 count the population of
Africa, China and Turkey-in which coun-
tries there is no basis for calculations, nor
records for comparisoni
The task, difficult as it is, has once more
been assumed BY the editors Of the Be-
vo!kerunsen der Erde OF Gotha, Germany.
For twenty-one years these gentlemen have
Issued periodical computations OF the
Worries POPULATION, and ii is little re-
markable that their conclusions have varied
Dut slightly. Before their time geographers
INDUCED IN gnesses which were widely
apart. Mate-BruD, in other matters the
highest of all authorities on questions
geographical, figured in 1910 that the world
contained 640,000,000 people. Balbi, in 1913,
allowed 714,0C0,C00, and when he revised his
estimates in 1S43 lie did not raise it above
739, 0C0,GC0. Bernoulli, whose repute as Il
careful statistician stood high, could not
find in 1910 over 100000 people 1t was
not till the editors of the Beyolkerupger
brought to bear on the question a large fund
OF information and a more scientific method
OF reckoning that the true figures were seen
TO be far above tile guesses of the geo.
graphers. In 1880 DR.. Wagner, the chief
editor OF that periodical, announced that the
population OF the world could not be less
than 1,45G,CC0,C00; and nov, On fuller data,
he Increases his total to 1,4s0 600, coo. Il ap-
pears 10 be generally admitted in scientific
circles that he Is not far from the truth.
His method is very simple. In a certain
number of Countries censuses are taken
periodically. These are not always accu-
rate, uor are they all taken in the same
year; but the returns are probably approx
mateiy correct. These demonstrating couu-
tries are reported 10 contain $50, 000, coo peo-
pie-about one-seyenth more than used to
be allowed for the whole world The popu-
lation OF the countries in which no census is
taken, to wit: all of Africa, all of Asia,
outside OF British India. Turkey and Ger
tain islands and odd spots here and there, is
then estimated from the reports of travellers
and such other factors as can be brought
to bear. The aggregate Of these estimates
Is then footed up, and added 10 the census
returns. and the product is supposed to be
the total population Of the world.
The estimates are OF course mainly con-
Jectural. NJ. LevasseGr, the French stats
ucIan, held in 1856 that Africa contained
100000 more people than Wagner could
lind there. 1t is morally impossible to say
how many human beings live in the Soudan
or on the borders OF the vast network of
rivers which empty into the Congo and the
lakes. SANKEY'S estimates of the popula-
ton Of the Congo Basin are now believed
to be wide of the truth With regard to
China the popular understanding has varied
greatly. At the beginning of the century
the prevailing estimate of population was
about 400,000,000 There was a census
taken In 1912, but its results did not COM
maDd belief, and after 1912, when the con-
troll of the bulk of the Chinese revenues
passed Into the hands of the English, an at
tempt was made to count the people by
figuring the land and house tax, and it re-
suited in an estimate Of 250,000,0 900. OF
late years this guess has been discredit.d
and disposition has been eyinced by geo.
graphers to return to the old figure
OF 400,000,000 as nearer the mark. Dr.
Wagner cuts this down to $50, Geo, 600. 1t
may be noted that the census of Hindostan,
which is reliable, establishes the capacity
VI h''itiS i"Seo " hIuiIPiy bioIe rapidly
than Euroreans or Americans. 1t seems
quite possible that the next census taken
by tue Government of India may show a
population of 30O,00O0O0 in the countries
which are subject to or under the protec-
torate of Great Britain.
Something like 80 per cent of the popula-
ton of the world appear to live in Asia.
Not quite 10 per cent live in the Americas.
I'D TO the present time. power has not gone
with numbers. Civilization has clothed the
cultured man with more than tenfold the
vital energy of the barbarian.