TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 175 



istical State in Europe — would be enumerated. What degree of reliance was 

 to be placed on tbe census of China he did not know. The most remarkable recent 

 statistical operation, and one which did infinite credit to the Government, tbe Civil 

 Service, and the people, was tbe census of British India, which was found to con- 

 tain more subjects than had ever been conjectured. In the last century some 

 thinkers called in question the account of the origin of mankind in tbe hist chapters 

 of Genesis. They contended that it was impossible to admit that tbe millions of 

 people then living on tbe earth could have descended from two ancestors — Adam 

 and Eve. But Euler undertook to meet the objectors, and he showed that by a 

 process of doubling tbe population from one pair, it might be increased to any con- 

 ceivable number. Tbe subject bad been prosecuted still further by Malthus and 

 others, and in tbe abstract nothing was simpler than the exponential equation by 

 wbicb tbe number of years in which a sum of money, increasing at compound in- 

 terest, or a population increasing at any rate in geometrical progression would 

 double itself. It bad been laid down that a population eoidd double itself in 

 twenty-five years, but it bad not yet been proved. It was true that the popidation 

 of tbe United States, during a period of seventy years, was doubled every 2;jj years, 

 but it did not double itself at tbat rate, for the increase was largely due to immi- 

 gration. 



The autbor next pointed out that tbe natural increase of population was due to 

 tbe excess of births over deaths ; and be filso showed by a series of statistics that 

 the reduction of the death-rate did not imply a more rapid increase of population. 

 He argued further tbat a diminution of the "mortality of England by sanitary im- 

 provement was in no danger of multiplying men beyond tbe means of subsistence. 

 Experience proved tbe contrary : the birtb-rate and the death-rate by tbe providence 

 of tbe people rose and fell together. The birtb-rate was depressed below its 

 standard in England and France ; it varied with the prosperity of tbe country, witb 

 tbe demand for people, and it could be reduced to as low a figure as tbe lowest 

 attainable deatb-rate ; and he contended that to keep a population stationary, or to 

 retard national growth, there was need of neitber of tbe destroying angels — war, 

 pestilence, or famine. While he did not decry the existence of armies and navies, 

 be utterly denied tbat wars were necessary to cbeck tbe g-rowtb of population. 

 Although it bad been sbown tbat tbe birtb-rate could be reduced, be asked wbether 

 it would be wise in this country to accept tbat policy wbicb bad been advocated 

 by Malthus, Mill, Drysdale, and others. He shared in the admiration which bad 

 been expressed of Mill, and appreciated mucb tbat Malthus had written ; but against 

 nothing was it more clearly their duty to protest than tbe errors of authorities in 

 philosophy. Admirable as were the industry and thrift of the Frencb peasant, be 

 could no more bold tbat England was called upon to practice his social philosophy, 

 than to revolutionize our agriculture by eitber cutting up the land into infinites- 

 imal parcels, or ceasing to employ in its culture tbe several capitals of tbe land- 

 lord in acres, tbe farmer in stock, or tbe labourer in thews, sinews, and inherited 

 skill. 



On the Cost of adopting the System of Public Prosecutors in England, as illus- 

 trated by the results of the Scotch and Irish Systems. By W. Neilson 

 Hakcock, LL.D. 



Tbe autbor showed that the extension to England of tbe system of public pro- 

 secution, which bad long existed in Scotland and Ireland, was apparently only a 

 question of time. In 1872 Mr. Walpole had said, " it was really a disgrace", and' lie 

 used the word advisedly, that England was the only country in the world where 

 prosecutions for crime were left at the mercy of private individuals, who might or 

 not proceed with them as they thought fit." That the delay in adopting so eesen- 

 tial a reform is connected with fears of the cost, appears from the observation of 

 the Home Secretary, who, while announcing tbat a bill was prepared, said, a 

 " public prosecutor was an expensive luxury." The Scotch system of a local Crown 

 Solicitor, called a Procurator Fiscal, in CO districts in Scotland, taking charge under 

 tbe direction of the Lord Advocate (who corresponds to the English and Irish 



