, 1892-04-16
TIE REGISTRAR GENERALS REPORT
JAMAICA
from The Jamaica Cleaner.

~ 49, ~ AAAtH
eighteen months ended 3lst March 1891 has
just been issued as a Supplement to the Jatnai-
ca Gazette. This document, which is dated
the 9th November 1891, gives details of the
working of the Department over which the
Registrar General presides, for a longer period
than usual, necessitated by the change in the
Financial or Official year. As a consequences
the amplitude of the statistical tables is no
ticsable, the whole Report occupying over
fifty pages of the Gasette. 1t contains in ad-
dition to the Returns of Marriages, Births, and
Deaths registered in Jamaica and the Cayman
Islands during the period mentioned, particu.
lars OF registration of Medical Practitioners
and of the registration of Trademarks. Under
the heading of Population it is stated that
Ill previous Reports issued during the doceu,
nary 1881-189l, it has been the practice to
frame estimates of population based upon the
figures of natural increase, or excess of Births
over Deaths, and such information regarding
migration as could be obtained. In this way
1t was found, that while the gain by ex-
cess of Births over Deaths during tho ten years
had been 832, 500, the loss by excess of Depar-
lures over Return or arrivals of Colon, Port Ii.
mon, and East India LabourerS, was Is, 953.
With the net increase thus shown. the total
population on 31st March, 1891 WAS estimated
at 645,377. At the time OF this Report, how
ever, the Island Census had been taken, and by
the enumeration thus made Ton, 9TH April,
1891 the number of the people was returned
as 639,49l, showing a difference between the
Estimated and the Census stated Population Of
1886. I'm my report Of the Census / sug-
gested" says the Registrar General that the
explanation Of this variance might be found,
partly in a percentage of loss i'll the Census
count. which occurs in every country, and
nerfIw in tho ipCOCnoIafaDaa oS %La p4otauoaD4s
followed as to migration"
In pursuing this subject the Report points
out that while in various connections it is
desirable to learn from time to time during
the IntercenSal years what the strength Of
population is, the subject specially presents
itself here in it's relation to the basis of Vital
Statistics, aud it would be interesting to learn
to what extent the estimated figure of popula-
ton, upon which the Island Birth and Death
rates have year by year been calculated, APP
proach the actual numbers. This, however, is
not practicable, for although the ten years
increase as shown by the Census, viz, 5S,657
may be adopted, it cannot, with any precision
whatever, be distributed over the period so as
to show the real population in any given year,
the migration having operated with such ire
gular effect during the Census interval. 1t il
submitted, however, that the estimates from
dAu6 w HLu6 mauei III the way already eX~
planned, were fairly accurate indications, see
ing that, if the last of the ten annual esti.
mates of population did contain as large al
excess as 1886, it is difference which would
hardly have prevailed in full force throughout
the ten years. and did not. to any important
extent, result in the presentation OF inexact
Marriage, Birth, and Death rates"
The Report further states that "As, for the
computation of Annual rates of Marriages.
Births, and Deaths, it is necessary to asc4r-
tain, as nearly as possible. the mean number
OF population for the year to which they relate
it has been thought best to adopt for the years
1889-9O, 1690-91, the recent Census figures as
q base, and allow for the proportion of in.
crease backward to the point of estimate. THIS
Is OF course not a completely accurate method,
asst assumes what is known not to have been
the case, viz:-that the intercensal increase
ofpopulation occurred in regular order of pro.
gression, but it is the best available process,
and the rates shown in the following state
mems have been calculated accordingly. 1t
ID added that in the event of there being no
resumption of the migratory disturbance there
will be no difficulty in estimating the popula-
ton OF the Island taking the addition by the
excess OF Births over Deaths as the annual in
orement." The population of Jamaica as shown
by the last census was 639. 491 thepercentageo of
males being478 or 305, 94S and of females
al q 0r &3Q Ed2 obou,;po a ~ak,roJ n-ozza