468 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



France, nas 12,435,000 males above the age of 20, or only 5 per 

 cent, more of this class of the population than France has. The 

 proportion of males above 20 in the one case is 31 per cent, and in 

 the other 26^ per cent. only. In the United Kingdom, where the 

 total numbers by the last census available for me in preparing 

 this paper, are less than in either France or Germany, the 

 proportion of males above 20 to the total population is 25| per 

 cent. only. On the other hand, the number of males between 20 

 and 40 is jDroportioned more equally in each case to the total 

 numbers of the population, being about a seventh. Conse- 

 quently France, although it has a male total population approxi- 

 mating to that of Germany, in spite of its smaller numbers, has 

 only 6,376,000 males between 20 and 40, as compared with 

 6,577,000 in Germany ; while the United Kingdom, with its 

 smaller population than France, had in 1881 very nearly 

 the French numbers of males between 20 and 40. Mo doubt 

 in 1891 the figures would show a still greater superiority on the 

 part of Germany to France in this particular, while the United 

 Kingdom would be nearly on an equality, but without the very 

 latest figures these are good enough for illustration. France 

 has undoubtedly a much greater mass of_ old lives to support 

 in proportion to its population than either Germany or the 

 United Kingdom. As they all have, however, the same proportion, 

 of males between 20 and 40, it follows that in Germany and the 

 United Kingdom there is a much heavier burden of children 

 than in France. These are material difierences in the constitu- 

 tion of the respective populations. At present the burden on 

 the vigorous in each case is much the same, though heaviest, 

 perhaps, in the case of France, as the old lives may be assumed 

 to be more costly than the young, but natural growth must 

 inevitably make an enormous difierence in a few generations. 

 Every ten years Germany and the United Engdom, with the 

 same proportion of non-effectives to support that France has add 

 greatly to their total numbers, and increase their preponderance 

 over France in numbers alone. 



The point is not without interest in comparisons between 

 young and old countries. There are many comparisons in 

 which, owing to the different composition of the jjopulation in 

 a new country from what it is in an old country, the apparent 

 superiority of the new country is to be explained, not by any 

 superior quality, but by the mere fact that there is a less per- 

 centage of the people at ages above 40, and a larger percentage 

 in the prime of life than there is in an old country. For this 

 reason in part thei^e may be less mortality, less sickness, and 

 larger consumption of certain necessaries and luxuries in a new- 

 country than there is in an old country measured |:»er head. 

 But so far as this explanation holds, there is no superiority in 

 the race of the new country over the old. As far as ratesof 

 mortality are concerned statisticians in Australasia are familiar 

 with the fact, and quote rates not upon the actual populaiion, 

 but upon a standard population in whicli the totals are redis- 

 tributed according to age, but the correction is required in 

 many other directions as well. 



Although also statisticians are usually correct when they deal 



