1853] 



EXTRACTS FROM THE CENSUS OF THE CANADAS. 



93 



Great Britain— Census of 1851.-21,121,967 

 " 1841.-18,658,372 



Increase in 10 years.. 2,463,595 or 13,20 per cent, 



Ireland— Census of 1841.. 8,175,124 

 " 1852.. 6,515,794 



Decrease in 10 years. . 1,659,330 or 20 per cent. 



Upper Canada— Census of 1S51 . . ' 952,004 

 " 1841.. 465,357 



Increase in 10 years.. 486,647 or 104,58 per cent. 



The first census of Great Britain was taken in 1801, at which 

 date the population amounted to 10,567,893, and thus it has 

 doubled itself in half a century, an increase nearly equalling that 

 in all preceding ages. It is supposed that in the eleven centuries 

 which elapsed between the landing of Julius Ca:sar and William 

 the Conqueror, the population hardly doubled itself; thus, that 

 which in former times it required eleven centuries to accomplish 

 in England, has been done in Upper Canada in 10 years. The 

 census returns of all countries prove how much faster population 

 increases in modern than iu ancient times. In the last 10 years 

 5,308,181 have been added to the population of Great Britain, 

 which exceeds the known increase of the last 50 years of the last 

 century. 



Whilst the population of almost all other countries is increasing 

 that'of Ireland is, from various causes, 286,033 less than it was 

 in 1851 ; the greatest decrease has been in the county of Cork, 

 where, in 10 years, the population has been reduced from 773,398 

 to 551,152. 



It may be argued that it is not fair to take the whole of the 

 United States for a comparison with Upper Canada, much of that 

 country being comparatively old and long-settled. It will be 

 seen from the United States census, that the three States of Ohio 

 Michigan and Illinois contained in'1830, 1,126,851. In 1850 

 they contained 3,505,000, a little over 320 per cent, in 20 years. 



Canada West contained in 1830, 210,437; in 1849, it con- 

 tained 791,000, which is over 375 per cent, for the same period 

 of 20 years — so that the increase in these three choice States was 

 55 per cent, less than that of Canada West during the same time. 

 The Western States attract an enormous population and at this 

 time settlers are crowding into Iowa, and peopling the banks of 

 the Missouri. 



The statistics of Canada prove the same feeling to exist here as 

 in the United States. The Gore and Wellington Districts have 

 increased 1900 per cent, in 33 years up to 1850. The Western 

 District has increased over 700 per cent.; the London District, 

 550 per cent. ; the County of Norfolk, 550 per cent. ; the County 

 of Niagara about 380 per cent. ; while in eight years the County 

 of Oxford has doubled its population. 



And in the far West of Canada the Counties of Huron, Perth 

 and Bruce, have increased from 5,600 in 1841, to 37,580 in 

 1851, being upwards of 571 per cent, in 10 years, an increase 

 almost beyond comprehension. It appears from Smith's work 

 on Canada, that the Huron District has made more rapid progress 

 since its first settlement in 1827, than the States of Ohio, Michi- 

 gan and Illinois did in double that time, or than Lower Canada 

 did in 104 years ; the latter is doubtless owing to the almost 

 entire absorption by Western Canada of the vast immigration 

 from Europe. 



This immense increase is not however confined to the rural 

 districts, for the cities and towns will equally vie with those of 



the United States, and a few extracts from the Rev. Mr. Lillie's 

 excellent lectures on the growth and prospects of Canada, afford 

 an interesting proof of this fact. 



The population of Boston was, 



In 1790 18,038 



1S10-. 33,250 



1820. -. 43,299 



1830 ..- 61,391 



1840 .- 93,000 



1840 - 135,000 



" Dividing the above into two periods of 30 years each. Bos- 

 ton contained at the close of the first about 2-|- times its number 

 of inhabitants at the commencement, while the close of the 

 second shows 3 T V times the number of the beginning, the popu- 

 lation of 1850 is eight times (or nearly) that of 1790. Toronto 

 being in the former of these years over six times what it was 18 

 years before (in 1832,) and more than 75 times what it was 49 

 years before (in 1801.) Between 1840 and -1850, the increase 

 was on Boston 45 per cent.; on Toronto 95 per cent." 



" New York, the emporium of the New World and a city 

 which for its age may vie with any in the world, numbered — ■ 



In 1790 -. 33,131 



1810 .. - 96,373 



1830. 202,548 



1840 ..--3X2,710 



1S50 . 517,000 



Its increase thus stands as compared with Toronto— 2-J- times in 

 the 20 years from 1830 to 1 850, against 6 times in the 18 years 

 between 1832 and 1850, — 16 times in 60 years against 75 times 

 in 49 years— -66 per cent, between 1840 and 1850, against 95 

 per cent. 



" St. Louis, which had in 1850, 70,000 inhabitants had 

 increased it 15. times that in 1820. Toronto had in 1S50 increased 

 hers 18 times that in 1817." 



"The population in Cincinnati was in 1850, 115,590, or 12 

 times its amount in 1820, 30 years before; and Toronto had in 

 1850, 18 times its population in 1817, or 33 years before." 



Hamilton had in 1836 a population of 2,846 and now by the 

 last census 14,112. 



Dundas has in 6 years increased from 1,700 to 3,517. 



The increase in Brantford during the last 10 years has been 

 nearly 300 per cent, and during the year 1850-51, rose from 

 3,200 to 4,000, or 25 per cent, Belleville, in the same period 

 has increased from 3,500 to 4,569. London, from 5,124 to 

 7,035. 



Gait has increased in five years from 1,000 to 2,248, and 

 Guelph in 7 years from 700 to 1,860. 



Woodstock has increased in 1850-51, from 1,200 to 2,112, 

 and Ingersoll has increased in 4 years from 500 to 1,190. 

 Kingston, in 10 years, from 6,292 to 11,585 

 Toronto, "■ ' " 14,249 to 30,775 



Lower Canada, though not advancing in the same ratio, pre- 

 sents some few instances of an enormous increase in her popula- 

 tion. Among these we may instance — 



The County of Megantie, which in 7 years, from 1S44 to 1851 

 increased from 6,449 to 13,835, or at the rate of 115,40 per cent. 



The County of Ottawa, which in the same time has increased 

 from 12,434 to 22,903, or 84.42 per cent. 



