TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 163 



to send him with Sir John McNeil to the Crimea, where he rendered essential 

 service to his country, helped to save the army, and afterwards endured a persecu- 

 tion which he merited only by honesty and endured with brave constancy. M. 

 "\'illerm(S in France is a great name gone; we may place it after that of M. Qui^telet. 

 His contributions to statistics are clear, truthful, and practical. Like the Earl of 

 Shaftesbm-y, he strove to do good to workmen by judicious regulations. In Germany 

 Dr. Casper, a most amiable and excellent physician, has left works which are often 

 cited in England. Let iis strive, gentlemen, to continue the labours which these 

 men began, and to imitate their virtuous love of statistical truth. 



On the Rates of Mortalitij and Mai-nar/e amongst Europeans in India. 

 By Samuel Brown, F.R.S. 

 After some introductory remarks, supported by very sugo;estive and encouraging, 

 because low, ratios of mortality among Europeans in Iiidia, the author s'tated 

 that, in reference to the mortality amongst civilians in India, the general conclu- 

 sions at which he had arrived fi'om a large mass of original observations which he 

 had laid before the Section, are :— 1. That a considerable diminution has taken 

 place of late years in the mortality at the middle ages (twenty to thirtj^-five), and 

 at aU ages if we compare it with the earlier observations of the present century ; 



2. that a very marked distinction may be observed in favour of married life ; 



3. that, as compared with Farr's English healthy life-table, the difference varies 

 from § to 1 per cent, between the ages twenty and fifty-five, after whicli it fluc- 

 tuates, but is generallj^ rather higher than the English rate. Otlier statistics are 

 also given with regard to marriage. This subject may be fully illustrated by some 

 facts which have been collected recently in a paper read before tlie Statistical 

 Society, and published in the ' Statistical .lournal,' by Mr. P. M. Tait. The 

 Eurasians, as the name indicates, are a mixed race, the descendants of Europeans 

 (originally, to a great extent, Portuguese) and Asiatic parents. Latterly the 

 British is the predominant European element; but the name appears applied 

 indiscriminately to the children of other colonists — Jews, Syrians, Christian 

 Arabs, Armenians, Persians, Danes at Serampore, Chinese, and Americans. They 

 are looked upon with some prejudice by the natives, being described as having 

 the vices of the natives and Europeans without the probity of the latter. But 

 they are much employed in the superior government offices ; and some Indian 

 officers who have employed them bear witness to their quickness at computation, 

 intelligence, probity, and unquestionable loyalty. They form a large proportion of 

 the members of the Uncovenanted Service Pension Fund. Out of 945 who entered 

 in twenty-four years, ending 20th April 1857, there were 093 of this class, or 73 

 per cent., 246 Europeans, or 2G per cent., and the remaining 8, or 1 per cent, were 

 not described. Hitherto the mortality of Eurasians has been thought to be greater 

 than that of Europeans, and some assurance companies decline them at European 

 rates of premiimi ; but at ages under forty it seems that about 13'5 Eurasians die 

 per 1000, and 17'6 civilians. It is probable, however, that, with the recent 

 improvement in European life in India, the difference would be found scarcely 

 perceptible. In the recent and very elaborate ' Report of the Commissioners 

 appointed to inquire into the Sanitary State of the Ai-my in India,' in which Dr. 

 Fan- took so conspicuous a part, the fullest evidence was taken upon every subject 

 that affects the health or mortality of the Indian army, the causes of the excess of 

 the death-rate amongst Europeans as compared with natives, and the remedies 

 suggested for its almost entire disappearance. 



On the Progress of Postal Banhs {Post-Office Savings- Banks). 



By W. Chexavtnd. 



Between September 1861 and Midsummer 1864, 3000 of these banks had been 



established in the United Kingdom ; and the amount standing in the names of the 



depositors up to that time, vdth accimiulations of interest, amounted to upwards 



of four millions. 



11* 



