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of the population being obtainable from official returns the
Companies found it necessary to rely upon estimates compiled
from such other sources of information as they had at their
command. According to the returns made by the Companies
themselves the total population supplied by them in 1891 was
estimated at 5,469,791; but it would seem, however, that
5,237,062 persons must be accepted as the closest approximation
that could, under the circumstances, be made.
In turning to the future requirements of this ever-increasing
population, the first question that presented itself for discussion
was what area ought to be taken into account; and it soon
became apparent that neither Registration London nor the
London of the County Council, nor even Water London, was
sufficiently extensive for the purpose. Not only should
suburban districts be included in the area to be reported upon
by the Commission, but such more remote districts must be
considered as might reasonably be expected to be reached by the
spreading of the population of London at no very distant time.
After due consideration, the Commissioners determined to take
as their basis that area known as Greater London, and to add
to it certain parts of Water London which lie outside Greater
London as now computed. The report states that the increase
in population of this area, as shewn by the census returns for
the last 50 years, has been far from equable. Taking, however,
the average annual increase per cent, in the whole period as a
basis, they think it may safely be computed that the population
of Greater London will continue to increase at the rate of 18*2
per cent, decennially, or in the ratio of 1-82 per cent, annually.
The report sets out at length a table showing the yearly
and monthly daily average both of water returned to the Official
Water Examiner under the Metropolis Water Act, 1871, as
supplied by the Companies in the year 1891. From this and
similar calculations made from other returns, it appears that
the quantity of water consumed per head of the population
differs widely in the districts of the several Companies.