200 Scientific Intelligence. — Political Economy . 
Thus Ireland is three times as populous as Scotland, one and a~ 
half as populous as France, and twice as populous as Germany. 
But the density of the population of Ireland does not so much 
exceed that of England as has been supposed. In Ireland, the 
people are more dispersed. In England more crowded into large 
towns and cities. The density of the Irish population is great- 
est in the countries of Armagh and Monaghan. In the former, 
there are 480 in an English square mile, in the latter somewhat 
less. This is, however, exceeded by the population of Lancashire, 
which, including the great towns of Liverpool and Manchester, 
amounts to 600 to every square mile, and excluding these to 
about 490. In examining the returns of the population of a 
country, it has been considered that an estimate may be formed 
of the rate at which the population is actually increasing, by the 
proportion of the number under ,15 years of age, to the whole 
population. In a country where the numbers are nearly sta- 
tionary, about one-fourth are below that age. In the United 
States of America, nearly one-half are below 15, and in Ireland 
about two-fifths. The different provinces of Ireland exhibit, in 
this respect, a different proportion. 
Of a million of persons, there are under 15 years of age, 
in Munster, 
- 
4-57,925 
in Connaught, 
- 
424,647 
in Ulster, 
- 
404,080 
in Leinster, 
- 
398,953 
in United States of America, 
488,908 
in Sweden, 
- 
346,105 
in parts of Switzerland, 
- 
250,000 
Hence it appears, that Munster and Connaught have been most 
rapidly augmenting. Munster even approaches the rate of the 
United States. In Ireland, the proportion of males to females is 
for every 100 males nearly 104 females. In England there are 
for every 100 males, about 106 females ; while, in Scotland, for 
about 100 males there are 113 females. This is a remarkable 
difference, and not easily accounted for. But it may be observed, 
that, in London, the proportion is rather greater, as well as 
in the metropolis of Ireland. In Dublin, the males are in pro- 
portion to the females, as 100 to 1 15 *• 
* This notice is extracted from an interesting memoir on the population of Ire- 
land, in « The Dublin Philosophical Journal,”— a work just published, which 
promises to do honour to the literature and science of Ireland, 
