TRANSACTIONS OF TBE SECTIONS. 169 



their own support or that of others. It is true that many children below 15, and 

 aged persons beyond G5, do in part earn the means of subsistence ; but there is 

 probably an equivalent number between 15 and 05 who do not actually work, and 

 thus one may be set against the other. Married women, too, and those engaged in 

 household duties, although in some instances assisting as bread-winners, must, 

 generally speaking, be excluded from the class of productive workers. These 

 together amount in round numbers to 17^ millions, leaving 14 millions of an age 

 and position to be profitably employed. So far, however, as being actually produc- 

 tive members of the community, we must except the professional class and those 

 engaged in domestic service, together numbering 3£ millions. Deducting these 

 from the 14 millions at the working age, we have 10^ millions to perform the 

 various agricultural and industrial operations on which the nation depends for its 

 sustenance (necessary and superfluous) and its growth in wealth. By the former 

 separation into productive occupations, we found that 10^ millions were so classed 

 — a number so singularly near to the 10| millions arrived at by the division into 

 ages, as to confirm the accuracy of the reasoning by which we arrive at the follow- 

 ing results, viz. : — 



1. That one third of the population is capable of labouring, and actually does 

 labour for its own support and that of the remaining two thirds which are depen- 

 dent upon it. 



2. That of the productive portion of the community about 40 per cent, are 

 either directly or indirectly engaged in the production of food, from 25 to 30 per 

 cent, in that of other necessaries, leaving 30 to 35 per cent, free for those occupa- 

 tions which furnish us with luxuries for consumption or wealth for accumulation. 



3. That therefore the growth of population in this coimtry has not hitherto un- 

 duly pressed upon or overtaken the means of subsistence. 



IV. If then, as these two sets of figures seem conclusively to show, one worker, 

 besides procuring food and necessaries for his own support, can and does produce 

 the food which nourishes six or seven others (4| to 31} millions), whilst there are 

 on the average no more than one adult and one child dependent upon each pro- 

 ducing member of the community (10j to 10^ over, and 11 under 15 years), there 

 can be no doubt whatever that the power employed in raising the means of subsist- 

 ence is far below what might be made available should more be required. If, again, 

 the strength of the nation is such that, after allowing for the employment of nearly 

 one half of its producing power (5 out of 10| millions) in labour for their own 

 necessities and the food of others, it has more than the other half (5-~ millions) left 

 to supply the remaining wants of the other 21 millions and the further desires of the 

 whole 31| millions, there can be no true reason why the growth of the population 

 needs to be restrained. Neither is there any room to fear that such a ratio of 

 increase as the present progress furnishes can do no other than add to the produc- 

 tive power of the nation. If such restriction be advocated, let it be honestly dono 

 with the object of confining the use of the nation's wealth in undue proportion to 

 a part of the community, or of substituting luxurious self-indulgence for the natural 

 use of our powers and privileges. 



The numbers and the conditions of existence with which we are now dealing 

 are those of the present time, when it is admitted that much room exists for 

 sanitary, hygienic, and moral improvement, the beginnings of, or rather some advance 

 in which we already witness. From such improvement there would certainly 

 result a strengthening of our position. Disease lessens the power of those who 

 live, and premature death destroys the power which has cost much to rear. The 

 children under fifteen years of age are rather more in number than the productive 

 workers ; and reckoning the average consumption of each as equal to half that of 

 an adult, they must absorb one sixth of the food and necessaries produced by the 

 workers. This they more than repay during mature years. If, however, life is 

 cut short before maturity, every year that it has lasted has been a tax upon the 

 means of subsistence, for which there is no recompense. Infant mortality is con- 

 fessedly higher than it ought to be. Every life which knowledge or care can rescue 

 is an addition to future producing power, and so to the surplus which makes the 

 nation's wealth. Still more is this the case with improved health amongst pro- 

 ducers, because to the extent which disease exists it not only destroys power in the 



