New-York tribune., 1895-12-23
NOTEWORTHY CENSUS FIGURES.

For the first time in the history Of the world
the population Of the United Kingdom OF Great
Britain and Ireland is greater than that OF
France This statement may be made Win
confidence though its absolute confirmation may
have 10 await the census which will be taken
next year. At the beginning OF this century
France had u, 600, 900 and the United Kingdom
only 16OOOOOO Inhabitants. The discrepancy
between them has been diminishing steadily
so that the last census. in 1891. gave France
3S 343 600 and the United Kingdom 3I,19',Ooo
inhabitants-a French majority Of only 546OO0
The vital statistics Of 1892 and 1893 showed that
in those years the deaths in France outnumbered
the births by more than 12OOO while In the
United Kingdom the births were more numerous
than the deaths by about $1,000. Since then
a change for the better has been observed III
France so that the births now probably outnum
Der the deaths by small margin. Nevertheless,
the figures we have quoted indicate almost be-
yond the shadow of a doubt that the island king
dom is now the more popuous Of the two
This result has been attained not so much by
anv very rapid increase Of British population
as by the abnormally slow increase. and some
times actual decrease, OF the French. Making
all allowances for the disastrous effects OF the
Napoleonc wars and Of the war with Germany
in 1S7O-'71, the native growth Of France has been
too small In a century it has amounted to only
II 900 600 or about 40 per cent, while that or
the United Kingdom. despite the famines IN
Ireland and the enormous emigration from all
parts. has been over 21.000,00O, or more than
13O per cent In recent years the contrast has
been most striking. In the ten years from 1881
n, ,ofE III 4,
while that Of the British Isles was 2,S62,54I. or
more than four times as great Moreover, the
evil in France s-or has in recent years been
progressive Thus in the quinquennial census
ppriod lS7G-1SS1 the growth Of population was
7G626O. In the next. 1SSl-1SS6 II was o46,ooo.
In the next, 1SSGlS91, it was 1242S9 Ana
there are those who reckon that in the next,
1S91-1S9G it will become minus quantity.
Still more impressive Is the contrast II we taKe
the emigration from the two countries INTO our
reckoning; as, indeed, we properly should. we
have said that during the century France mas
grown from 27,OOO,000 to 3S,0OO,OOO. she mas
also sent to her colonies and to foreign Iahds
about 100000 souls, making her total growth
u.JOOOOO The United Kingdom has increased
from 100000 to 31,OO0OOO and at the same
time has sent abroad no less than 11,''O.oOo, or
as much as the total growth of France making
the actual British increase the enormous totai
of 80 100000 These figures eoquently ana con-
vincingly explain the Incompatible pre-eminence
Of Great Britain as q colOnZing Power, ana
establish her rank far above all competitors as
a mother of nations" They also give vivid
color 10 the visions Of those who see In Engiish
the practically universal language OF the future.
For if. TO the great growth Of the British Isles,
we add the native growth Of the Englsh-speak-
inc British colonies and also that Of the Eng
lsh-speaking United States, it becomes evil
dent that no othel tongue is worthy TO be reck-
oncd for A moment a serious competitor
TO rehcarse in detail the apparent causes or
this striking supremacy Of Great Britain over
France would he to repeat twice-told tale.
few figures will express the gist OF the matter
more effectively than anything else. In lS.'3
there were in France 2SI,OOO marriages. Si4oOo
births and SCI, 900 deaths; while in the lhi'eu
Kingdom there were only 2GI.OU marriages. pu'
III 900 births and only I32.OOO deaths mat Is
TO say. marriages are more numerous IN france
but far more fruitful in Great Britain; and the
death rate in the latter country is far the lower
II these conditions are to prevail in future, ana
these movements Of population TO conuhue'
France may well be seriously concerned' anu
those who are specializing on the decay ana ran
of the British Empire may well revise their
estimates \ country whose native popula'ioh
is at standstill, or actually declining can
scarcely hope greatly TO extend It's power One
that shows so great vitality and increase OF
native stock as does the United Kingdom mas
not yet reached the last chapter Of its history