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the year 1864, so as to embrace a period of four 

 decades. But in regard to some countries that has 

 not been possible, as in certain cases the statistics 

 accessible by me do not extend so far back, and in 

 other cases have not attained to accuracy till later 

 than 1864. 



Even in regard to England, the desiderated accuracy 

 is not attained till about the year 1850, while in 

 regard to Scotland the year 1863 is the first which 

 marks its attainment. 



The vital statistics of Ireland only reach the 

 desired point of accuracy in the year 1872, up to 

 which year, indeed, reliability was not claimed for 

 them. The system of registration in Ireland was 

 not established by Act of Parliament till 1864. 



But while the people are becoming familiarised 

 with its operation, it is invariably the case that a 

 system of registration does not produce accurate 

 results until some years after its introduction. 



During the first eight years in which the Act was 

 in operation in Ireland, the reports of the Registrar- 

 General gave the annual death-rate as 16*4 per 1000 

 of population, which would make the average life of 

 the Irish people to have been at that time 60 years 

 and 302 days. 



But the sudden and thenceforward continued rise 

 in the death-rate column of Irish vital statistics in the 

 year 1872 signified the more stringent application of 

 the Act, and accordingly a closer approximation to 

 accuracy in the annual reports. Hence from 1872 to 



