POPULATION. 
The most striking circumstance which 
this account exhibits, is the great increase 
which has taken place since the enume- 
ration in 1791, the addition being more 
than a third part of the whole number of 
inhabitants at that period, or 1,376,312 
persons. Should they continue thus to in- 
crease one third of their number in each 
succeeding ten years, they would, in about 
twenty-five years, equal the population of 
Great Britain, as it appeared by the account 
of 1801 ; but should they only make the 
same addition in each succeeding ten years 
as in the above period, it would require 
about forty years to attain the same degree 
of population. 
The increase shown by the above account, 
being much greater than any other civilized 
nation can boast, it may be doubted, whe- 
ther having already made such considerable 
progress, this increase will still continue; 
but the United States are so differently 
circumstanced from any European nation 
with respect to the means of subsistence, 
that while they preserve peace with other 
powers, the vast tracts of unsettled lands 
which they possess, will long continue to 
favour the greatest natural increase of the 
inhabitants, as well as attract emigrants 
from other countries. 
Another peculiarity which these accounts 
present, is the proportion of males and fe- 
males. In Great Britain, and most other 
parts of Europe, the number of females 
living has been found to exceed that of the 
males, although the difference is not so 
great as was formerly supposed ; in Ame- 
rica, however, the fact is the contrary, the 
number of the females being equal to that 
of the males only in three or four of the 
states, and taking the total numbers of 
males and females, the proportion is ninety- 
six females to one hundred males. 
The population of Great Britain was 
long a subject of great uncertainty, both 
with respect to the actual number of inha- 
Tiitants, and their increase or diminution ; 
it became a subject of frequent controversy 
among writers on the internal policy and 
strength of the country, till it was at length 
set at rest by an act of parliament, passed 
31st December, 1800, which directed a ge- 
neral enumeration of houses, families, and 
persons, to be named on the 10th March, 
1801, in England and Wales, and in Scot- 
land as soon as possible after that day. This 
difference was necessary, because in the 
colder climate of Scotland, it-was not cer- 
tain that all parts of the country would be 
easily accessible so early in the year. An 
abstract of the answers and returns made, 
was laid before both houses of parliament 
in December following, which, though un- 
avoidably defective in some respects, fur- 
nishes much unexceptionable information on 
the subject. 
SUMMARY OF ENUMERATION, 1801. 
HOUSES. 
■ ■ 
PERSONS. fi 
Inhabited. 
By how 
many fami- 
lies occu- 
pied. 
Unin- 
habited. 
Males. 
Females. 
Total. 
1,472,870 
108,053 
294,553 
1,787,520 
118,303 
364,079 
53,965 
3,511 
9,537 
3,987,935 
257,178 
734,581 
198,351 
126,279 
144,558 
1,410 
4,343,499 
284,368 
864,487 
8,331,434 
541,546 
1,599,068 
198,351 
126,279 
144,558 
1,410 
1,875,476 
2,269,902 
67,013 
5,460,292 
5,492,354 
10,942,646 
England..... 
Wales 
Scotland 
Army, including Mi- 
litia 
Navy, including Ma- 
rines 
Seamen, in Registered 
Shipping 
Convicts, on board the 
Hulks 
Totals 
F f 
VOL. V. 
