274 Mr Harvey on the Methods employed for examining 
of Charles accord with the actual returns of that parish ; and 
how wide is their difference, with respect to that of St Andrew. 
TABLE OF RESULTS. 
St Andrew. 
Charles. 
By actual Enumeration in 1821, 
By supposing the average Excess of Baptisms above 
12206 
9385 
Burials to bear a constant ratio to the Population, 
By supposing, according to Dr Price, an Equality in 
13680 
9405 
the Births and Deaths, - 
13614 
9344 
Mean of the two hypotheses, - 
Difference between the actual Enumeration and the 
13647 
9374 
Mean, - 
1441 
11 
After examining this Table of Results, and observing the 
close approximation of the resulting numbers for one parish, 
and the discordance which reigns among the results of the other, 
there could be but little room for doubting that some error ex- 
isted, either in the present or preceding returns of St Andrew’s 
parish. An accidental conversation, however, between the over- 
seers of 1811 and 1821, fortunately led to the discovery, that the 
Registered Seamen belonging to the port, and which, by one of 
the enactments of the act relative to the population, ought to be 
omitted in every case, were nevertheless actually included in the 
census o/H811 ; and on making application to the proper officer 
of the Customs, it was found, that the Registered Seamen for 
the last-mentioned period amounted to 1424, agreeing within 
Ml of the mean of the two hypotheses adopted as tests , — a coin- 
cidence most striking and remarkable, and affording a strong 
proof of the accuracy of the principles which had been adopted. 
Such coincidences stamp a value on the practical applications 
of mathematical science. It proves, by a species of evidence of 
the most unquestionable kind, that, notwithstanding all that has 
been urged against employing algebraical analysis to the details 
of population, and to other subjects of a kindred nature, much 
solid and useful information is frequently to be gained, by a 
judicious application of its powers ; that many errors may be 
removed by its means, from the increasing mass of our experi- 
mental results ; and that very often, as every one accustomed to 
pursue trains of analytical inquiry must have found, new views 
are opened of the subject under consideration, and its various 
elements brought under the controul of some generalizing prin- 
