Some Population P'igures. 495 



concerning population has always been regarded as the most useful, 

 the most valuable, and the most prominent field of Statistical enquiry, 

 and therefore, as a humble student of that great and important 

 science, it seems to me wiser, and with all modesty, to collect a few 

 general figures, and also a few figures of local signification on this 

 subject, which I may, for the first time I appear before you, deal 

 with as likely to be not only of general interest, but possibly of 

 permanent value. 



I will therefore refer briefly to some features dealing with 

 European population, and then deal with some purely affecting the 

 Cape Colony. I may overstep the bounds of the legitimate Statistician 

 by pointing a moral to adorn my tale, but I hope that may be for- 

 given, though the main object of my paper is more to present the 

 figures, leaving others to point the morals ; in fact, to be the hewer 

 of wood and the drawer of water for those whose own scientific 

 enquiries so fully occupy them that the Statistical foundation must 

 necessarily be provided. 



In referring to Statistics of European population, I may point 

 out that the subject is so large that the figures of each country would 

 require a separate paper, which would be full of interest, and there- 

 fore, with the exception of brief reference to some population ques- 

 tions of the British Isles, I can only simply point out the alteration 

 in the importance of countries, caused by the increase of population 

 during the last hundred years or so. 



When we look back one hundred years to 1806, how 

 important France loomed in the politics and history of the world, 

 and countries like Italy, Spain, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, had 

 also to be seriously considered as European Powers. To-day, 

 however, we look at the population of the principal countries in 

 Europe, and we must also take into consideration that great Western 

 Power which has practically sprung up during the last century, viz., 

 the United States, and we find that, in the first place, the population 

 of Great Britain has increased during the period mentioned from 16 

 millions to 40 ; the population of Germany from 20 millions to 55 ; 

 of Russia from 40 millions to 135 ; and of the United States from 

 5 millions to nearly 80. On the other hand, France has only increased 

 from 25 millions to less than 40 ; the population of Spain is to-day 

 under 20 millions ; the population of Italy about 33 millions ; the 

 population of Denmark about 2| millions; of the Netherlands a little 

 over 5 millions ; and of Sweden a little over 5 millions. 



It therefore appears that, leaving out the question of the United 

 States, there are only three European Powers who will be worth 

 considering in the course of the next century, if they increase in the 

 same ratio as in the past, viz., England, Germany, and Russia. 

 France will be deposed from her present position by reason of the 

 fact of her population being stationary, as it is surely obvious that 

 population is the backbone of a civilized nation's power. And, in 

 addition to the three European Powers mentioned, the other great 

 World Power is obviously the United States. 



