THE POPULATION OF INDIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5167, 13 June 1891, Page 3

THE POPULATION OF INDIA.

Tho census of India has boon taken with wonderful facility, a fact all the more creditable as thn collectors and cnumoratora were almost exclusively natives. The total, 285.900,000, is about 10,000,000 more than was expected from the eatimatos officially issued during the last few years. It was expected that tho result would show an increuso of about J per cent, per annum, whereas it is Bhown that the rate has been over 1 per cent,, or about the same as tho rate of increase m tho Unitod Kingdom, and very much above the average increase throughout Europe. In the whole rango of ancient and modern history thoro is nothing more remarkable than this rapid increase of the Indian people, whioh were previously so numerous that their density averagod 200 to the square mile ; for although tho rate has boon frequently exceeded m now and sparsely peopled regions, there has never before been such an immense aggregate increase m any old country. OTho United' States, whore the increaao is less than 1,600,000 a year, have been the wonder of the present century, but their growth is largely due to outsiJo pressure, whereas the Indian increaseis tho result of pel f -contained power and re eourcea. Tha growth is the mist important factor m tha expansion of tho British Empire, the population of which is now increasing r.t tha rate of 1,000,003 every thrco months. Ono of tbo peculiarities of tho Indian augmentation of population is to bo seen ia the faofc that the inhabitants cf tho towns are increasing more slowly than those of the rural districts— an experience tha revorso of that realised throughout, tho rost of the world. The rensono for thia are to be seen m the higher death rates of the towns and tho absence of inducements to the rural population to better their position by crowding into them. With a few exceptions the industries of India aro not carried on m manufactories, but by individuals who can work anywhere, Tho foreign comtnGrco of the country, too, is usually m the hands of Europeans, who increaso but slowly.