DEPOPULATION OF RURAL ENGLAND 381 



farm workers will be seen. In 1851, of every 100 

 male persons over ten years of age 19 were workers 

 on farms, while in 1901 the proportion was only 6 in 

 100. Between 1881 and 1891 the decline was 9 per 

 cent, and between 1891 and 1901 it was 15 per cent. 

 In no other important industry in this or any other 

 country at any time has such a falling off been seen. 

 It is a just gauge of the effect which our fiscal and 

 agrarian policy has had on the rural population. 

 Whether or not a compensation has been found in the 

 direction of trade and manufacture let the state of 

 our towns bear witness. 



In contrast to the decay of the agricultural population 

 is the enormous rapidity with which the inhabitants of 

 Urban districts have increased during the ten years. 

 Those Administrative counties which contain residen- 

 tial, mining, or manufacturing centres show a large 

 growth of population, varying up to as much as 40 per 

 cent. In the large towns the increase has been very 

 striking, and the larger the town the more rapid the 

 increase in proportion. 



Among the 1122 Urban districts are 75, each of 

 which had in 1901 a population of above 50,000. 

 These 75 towns had grown in numbers during the ten 

 years at the rate of 14 per cent. In some of them 

 the rate of increase is almost incredible. West Ham 

 increased by over 30 per cent ; Willesden, ^j per 

 cent; East Ham, 193 per cent; Walthamstow, 105 

 per cent ; King's Norton and Northfield, loi per 

 cent; Handsworth, 61 per cent; Cardiff, 27 per 

 cent; Gateshead, 28 per cent; Plymouth, 21 per 

 cent; Southampton, 27 per cent; Smethwick, 51 per 

 cent ; Middlesbrough, 20 per cent ; West Hartle- 

 pool, 46 per cent ; and Walsall, 20 per cent, etc. 



