6 Statistics of Van Diemen’s Land. 
the population at 73,000 for that year,* it appears that the 
births average 1 in 53, the deaths 1 in 62, and the marriages 
1 in 99; and for 1848, taking the last census, the ratio of 
births was 1 in 42, of deaths 1 in 69, and of marriages 1 in 
88. Comparing the two countries, the births would seem to 
be fewer, at variance ceterts paribus with the actual fact ; 
a discrepancy explained by reference to the peculiar com- 
position of the population, and the marked disparity of 
the sexes. The déaths show very favourably for Van Die- 
men’s Land ; the rate of mortality among the bond scarcely 
exceeding 1 in 100: but it must be borne in mind that they 
have escaped the perils of infancy, and have mostly attained 
to middle age,—a period of life most favourable to its 
prolongation. The marriages bear a higher proportion. 
Table 14 is a return of the net Revenue of Van Diemen’s 
Land for 1849, amounting, exclusive of the balance in the 
Treasury on the first day of the year, to £153,806 7s. 4d. 
Of this total, 49°5 per cent. was derived from the Customs, 
4°3 per cent. from the Post-office, 7-7 per cent. from Licences, 
4:3 per cent. from Fees and Fines, 20°3 per cent. was con- 
tributed by the Home Government in aid of Police and 
Gaols, &c., and 10 per cent. a loan from the Land Fund to 
repay a portion of the debt due to the Commercial Bank. 
The residue is made up of Tolls and Rates, and other mis- 
cellancous receipts. Of the £75,983 7s. 10d. received from 
Customs, 63°3 per cent. were collected at the port of Hobart 
Town, and 86°7 per cent. at the port of Launceston. 
Table 15 is a corresponding return of Expenditure from 
the Colonial Treasury during the same period, amounting to 
£156,484 15s. 3d. Of this amount, 29°7 per cent. was for 
the Civil Establishment, 21°88 for Police, 3°2 for Gaols, 
* The population for 1849 is assumed to be in round numbers 73,000 ; and 
has been obtained by adding the arrivals and deducting the departures, as well 
as by adopting a similar process with the births and deaths, for 1848 and 1849. 
