[ 878 ] 
all from both our Britifh Ifles, after the deduction 
of our lofles; and that in England, taken by itl'elf, 
the natives would be in a decreafing ft ate, if it were 
not for the fupplies from Scotland and Ireland. As 
this feems to be of fome importance to difcover, be- 
caufe of its confequence with regard to Policy, and 
the influence it may fometimes have, I fhall endea- 
vour to fhew it as plainly, as the prefent circurn- 
ftances of things will allow. 
Dr. Elalley has fhewn, from his Table of the Pro- 
babilities of life at Breflau, that the number of men 
able to carry arms in any country, between 18 and 
6 years of age, or, as they are called, the fencible 
men, may be eftimated as a fourth part of the 
whole people, children included. From which it 
demonftrably follows, that the fourth part of the 
annual increafe will likewife be the increafe of the 
fencible men ; and that their increafe or decreafe will 
always be in that proportion. And therefore, if in 
England the annual increafe of the people docs not 
exceed 1 8000, as I have before proved from the 
proportion of births and burials, and the whole num- 
ber being fix millions, the annual increafe of the 
fencible men will not be above 4500. 
But in Scotland and Ireland this increafe may be 
reafonably fuppofed to be more, in proportion as 
there are more marriages than in England. And 
therefore, to avoid any uncertainty in calculation, 
we will fuppofe the annual increafe in thofe coun- 
tries, to be double in proportion. That is, as we 
have from obfervation, aflumed the births to be to 
the burials as 1 1 2 to too at an average through 
England, we will now allow them in Scotland and 
Ireland 
