1875.] Oil [Delmar. 



beginning of the seventeenth century to about the year 1850. The popu- 

 lation is stated to have been 7,500,000 in the year 1618 and 13,705,500 in 

 1849. This is an increase of but 83.7 per cent, in 231 years! 



Third. The table shows a comparatively rapid increment of population 

 since about the year 1850, to-vfit: from 13,705,500 in 1849 to about 17,300,- 

 000 in 1874, an increase of 26.2 per cent, in 25 years. This is the period 

 of recent progress in Spain to which attention has been directed, and it 

 is believed no better proof can be adduced in support of this allegation 

 of progress than the rapid increment of population which, in spite of 

 foreign and civil wars, has taken place. 



Rural and Civic Population. 



The cadastral returns of 1826 gave the rural population at 80.4; the 

 civic at 18.5, and the ecclesiastical at 1.1 per cent, of the whole. The 

 proportion of rural population therein shown is probably correct at the 

 present time. 



Agricultural Population. 



Spanish statistics, at least as they reach compilers outside of Spain, are 

 proverbially incomplete, contradictory and obscure, and they are no less 

 so on this simple subject than on any other which I have found it neces- 

 sary to examine. The agricultural population of a country but half 

 cultivated, and that portion but indifferently tilled — a country, which, as 

 a rule, has forbidden the importation of breadstuffs, while it had none to 

 export ; which is neither a pastoral nor a new country ; and in which the 

 struggle for subsistence is so great that a local and tempoi-ary drought is 

 enough to stimulate what is else a constant but sluggish stream of emi- 

 gration to other countries — ought to be uncommonly large. On the con- 

 trary, my information states it to be comparatively small. If the latest 

 figures before me are corrrct, the agricultural population of Spain is but 

 55 per cent, of the whole ; whereas I am confident it is not less than 65 

 to 70 per cent. The following is the statement : 



Occupations of the Population of Spain, 1857. 



Non-Agricultural Male Adults. 



Number. 



Army, Navy and Military functionaries 



Officials : State 22,363 



Municipal 62,976 



Provincial 4,693 



Nobility 



Clergy 



Students 47,312 



A dvocates 5, 673 



Writers , 9,351 



241,385 



90,031 



478,716 

 125,000 



62,836 



