BIOLOGY IN ITS WIDER ASPECTS 



1269 



inquiry is how this unequal increase of the population relates to 

 colour. The following figures are impressive : — 



The whites in Europe, or of European origin, with a total of 

 650,000,000, show an increase of 7,800,000 per annum, and that 

 means 12 per thousand. We may almost neglect the non-European 

 white races — 60,000,000, with an increase at the rate of 8 per thousand. 

 The brown races, with a total population of 420,000,000, increase 

 at the rate of 1-05 millions per annum as against the white 7-8; 

 the yellow, with a total of 510,000,000, show an increase of 3 per 

 thousand; and the black races, for instance, of India, with a total 

 of 110,000,000, increase only at the rate of 5 individuals per thousand. 

 Now these added up give the total of 1,750,000,000, and the average 

 increase per annum is 11-41 millions every year. 



What is the relation between the increase in population and colour ? 

 The rate of increase is highest among the white races and lowest 

 among the black. And why should the whites increase so enormously? 

 The answer is not far to seek. Because they rule more than nine- 

 tenths of the world's surface, and use their political power more 

 effectively than any other race. On this the enormous lead of the 

 white races most depends. 



Is the birth rate increasing or decreasing ? In 1850 the birth rate in 

 Great Britain was about 32 per thousand — an enormous birth rate 

 from our present point of view. The birth rate is less to-day, only 

 24 per thousand. The climax came in the mid- Victorian period, 

 1876, when the maximum for Great Britain was reached — 36-3 per 

 thousand. It has fallen from 36 to 24 since 1870. 



The decline of the birth rate is common to all European countries, 

 except Russia and the Balkans. It is more marked in some than in 

 others. The birth rate depends on many variable factors, and the 

 subject requires very careful handling. For instance, unless one 

 relates the birth rate to the number of child-bearing wives under 

 forty-three the figures would be extremely fallacious. 



When the crude birth rate decline is corrected in reference to 

 well-known conditions of increase we find a remarkable variety in 



