, 1891-07-30
FAMINE oE he EuruRE.

Possibilities Of the Extinction of the
Human Race by Starvation
M. Rayeustein, a member of the
British association for the Advancement
of science, has been computing the
probable increase of the human race on
the earth. He arrives at the startling
conclusion that in ls2 years the density
of population upon the globe will be such
that the means of subsistence will be in
adequate 10 its support. He estimates
the population of the world of the pres
ent year at 1,46s, OOO, 900. He find that
the average increase every ten years is
about s per cent.
The section of the country still open to
colonization comprises parts of Africa,
North and South America, Australia,
some outlying islands, the steppes and
deserts. The total area of all the habit
able lands in the world is over 4G, OOo, 600
of square miles. OF this area the fertile
or comparatively fertile lands are over
2S, 1000, 900 of square miles, the bare grass
lands or steppes IA, OOO, 900, and the bare
deserts 1000, $50 square miles.
To the steppes he allocates a popula-
ton of ten to the square mile, and to the
desert regions one to the square mile.
The bulk of the population would, there
fore, have to subsist on the 5000, 900
square miles of fertile lands. Compar-
ing the density of population-inIndi
l75 to the square mile, in China 295 to
the square mile and in Japan 26i to the
square mile-he arrives at the conclu-
sion that a world population Of 2O7 to
the square mile in the cultivable regions
would be n fair estimate.
This 2O7 persons to the square mile
will be reached in 1872 years at the pres
ent rate of increase, when the total pop
ulation of the c%ultivable area would be
$3.50, 700, 900, and the total number the
earth would feed ., 1914, 200, 900.
Any further increase of population
must either be provided for by a diminu-
ton of subsistence to each individual or
by some improved mode Of production,
or by keeping down the future birth rate
below the death rate. Mr.. Ravenstein's
statistics do not concern us of the pres
emit generation very vitality. We can
leave the solution to our great-grand-
children. We nave increased and null
tiplied very comfortably in spite of the
lugubrious warnings of Mr.. Nautilus,
and perhaps they also will multiply and
increase in spite of Mr.. Ravenstein.
If any race must go to the wall, it may
be confidently predicted 1t will not be
the white race. There will be a Oar
winian survival of the fttest. The weak
er races will disappear before the
stronger. The Indian will ultimately
vanish from this continent, and the Afri-
can in his native land bids fair to be
decimated.
The ~tendeucyof population to the cities
must also be taken into account in any
comparison of people TO areas of reason
able subsistence. Concentration in large
towns always tends to increased produc-
ton within a wide circuit around them,
especially in the line of fruits and vege-
tables. Two hundred years hence the
desert lands which Mr.. Ravenstein re-
CARDS as incapable of cultivation may
blossom as the rose. Already irrigation
is working wonders in the unpromising
soil in some of our western states. Mod.
ern science will teach many ways of in
creasing the food supply.
Mr.. Ravenstein's speculations are
plausible and his statistics suggestive
enough, but the figures of today may be
utterly falsified by the figures of 200
years hence. Many things may inter
vene in the meantime to keep down pop
ulation or increase the food supply. The
extinction of the race by starvation is n
very emote contingency indeed, and
MIR. Ravenstein's 1872 years bid fair to
out indefinitely before that con-
tingency occurs. Baltimore Sun.