Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-26
NUMBER THE PEOPLE
cESsus-TAKERs WILL START OUT
AND COUNT EVERY iNHABrTANT.
DIFFICULTIES THEY WILL ENCOUNTER
A Tickiish TssI1 TO Number the saw
age Tribes of the Interior of
Africa, or the superstitious Semi
Barbarinnx of the Chinese Empire.
Correspondence OF The Dlspatch)

Correspondence OK the Dispatch)
LONDON. June la gigantic scheme
has been evolved for numbering the peo-
pie OF the earth. 1t Is the intention to /
select q day in the year 1900. and have
an army of census-takers start out on |
that particular day In every quarter OF
the globe and count the heads OF every |
person upon whom the sun rises. The
reports are all to be sent in TO a central
establishment at Berne, and so the great |
est demonstrating on record will be COM
pleted by the actual counting Of the peo-
pie OF the world.
Some say that the scheme is not posi-
BILE OF accomplishment, but II Will be
done, and no effort will be left unmade
and no expense spared 10 have the returns
accurate. To guide them In their task,
the census-takers will have the estimated
population made by John Bartholomew.
f. r. G. S., Of Edinburgh. who has fig
ured out that in round numbers the popu-
lation of the world is 1,440650,0OO. divided
as follows: lndo-Germanic or Aryan,
5S5 900: Monaghan or Turainian, 6SO,Voo,-
900; negro and Bantu, 150,OO,OOO; Hotten-
| tot and Bush, $780, COO; Malay and Polyne-
| H.
| 10000.
To improve on this estimated population
| by actual counting of the various races
is the work that the census-takers who
start out from Berne will have set Tor
them 10 do. They expect that the most
difficult part Of their undertaking Will be
10 count the millions Of China and the
vast hordes Of savages in the interior Of
Africa. How they hope TO prevail upon
the fierce tribes of the Dark Continent
to submit to the counting process, When
those savages have resisted all previous
efforts Of the white man TO make triends
with them, the promoters OF the census
| scheme do not say. Neither are they on
record with any explanation OF the means
, az their command for overcoming the
scruples OF the half-civiliZed races in the
heart of the Chinese empire about allow
ing the prying curiosity Of the white man
10 be gratified without fight and the
. shedding Of blood.
1t is asked whether or not the census
, takers intend TO make the complete SUD
ugation of the savage tribes Of Africa
an incident OF the census-taking; no"
J | they propose to break into the seclusloi
| OF the Asiatic mountain tribesman's DO
y main without an army at their backs
\ whether or not they will include explorer
\ of repute among the men they VIII SEM
10 count the people Of the unknown re
gions beyond the Himalayas or IN IN
land of eternal ice that surrounds IN
| North Pole. These difficulties are but
4 few Of the many that suggest themseNe
4 IN those who question the success Oh III
attempt 10 number the people.
4 In answer to those who point out IN
I difficulties TO be looked for in counuh
2 the people of the Chinese empire thos
4 who favor the plan TO take a census .
Y the worlds population point out ina
a II Hung Chang has been consulted, an
- has given his enthusiastic endorsement
h and promised 10 render any assistanc
ir bis mower. At present no friend ma
q arisen In the heart of Africa 10 ofter
| safe passage through that land or my'
y terry 10 the man who comes win pemc
A and pad to number the inhabitants. an
Y OF ali lands IL is important TO include
| the demonstrating, for the figures give
7 OF the numbers OF its inhabitants chans
q | every time an explorer dives INTO Ut
| ! interior. and after lapse OF time emerg'
y | 10 tell. the world that he mas discover
! a new race OF people numbering le
Y ,,,Ilions 20 be added to the known pop
q | lation OF Africa. ~,
7 west OF India are the vast lands TIL
@ Alexander overran in his conquest-A
l ghanistan, Persia, and Turkey, IN Asi
" How many scores OF millions OF eve
q hundreds OF millions may they not co
| tain? Many Of the uplands OF Pers
y are practically unknown " wy - -.
= world, but they can support great pop
r lation. No one knows how many peol
a Arabia contains.
7 Nobody knows how many Esquima'
q there are dwelling in the lands OF etc
! nal ice that encircle the North Pole MAJ
y OF the islands OF the vast Pacihc swai
a with Inhabitants living on the op
Y bounty Of Nature, whose free and car
a less life has captivated the imaginati
I Of highly-cultivated men IKE Ropett 10.
q stevenson. and when the census is col
| nleted ~ II proves practicable, what
= T. probably show the total population
L N hap