10 Observations on Tasmanian Statulics. 



ultimate development to acquire a renown for commercial 

 and manufacturing and moral greatness, and for the culti- 

 vation of the arts of peace, second only to her English 

 prototype. 



The ohject of the present paper is to tread closely in the 

 footsteps of those which have been previously submitted on 

 the same subject; and to present an analysis of the statis- 

 tical returns for the decennial period referred to, with 

 especial reference to the modifying effects of the Gold-fields 

 upon the condition and interests of Tasmania. 



Table 1 exhibits the population of Tasmania, exclusive 

 of the military and their families, as ascertained by census 

 taken on 31st December, 1841, and 1847, and March, 1851. 

 The population is also shown on the 3Jst December of 

 each of the three years ending 1853, — which has been cal- 

 culated by adding to the census last taken the births and 

 arrivals, and deducting therefrom the deaths and departures, 

 for the intervening periods respectively. 



The aggregate population, then, at the last authentic 

 registration in March, 1851, was 69,187, of whom 34,070 

 or 49'2 per cent, were adult males, 15,996 or 23'1 per cent. 

 adult females, and 19,121 or 27" 6 per cent, children. This 

 census, it must be borne in mind, was taken about two 

 months prior to the rise of the gold discoveries in the sister 

 colonies; and the disturbing effects produced upon the popu- 

 lation, and upon the ratio of the sexes, will be seen by a 

 comparison of the figures in the subsequent returns. Thus 

 the arrivals in 1851 were in all 6076, and the births 1840 ; 

 while the departures were 6613, and the deaths 993, 

 making the total number of souls in the colony at the end 

 of that year 69,497, in the several proportions of 46"3 per 

 cent, men, 23'8 per cent, women, and 29*9 per cent, children. 

 During 1852 the births were 2114, and the arrivals 15,203 ; 



