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8
ESTIMATE OF POPULATION.
The Registrar General estimates the population of
Bethnal Green at 130,401 in the middle of the year
1905; judged by the fall in the number of births this
figure appears to over-estimate our numbers, but I have
no doubt that it fairly represents the population of the
Borough, inasmuch as the alien immigration, which has
been going on for some years, continues unchecked;
many whole streets and blocks of new buildings in
Bethnal Green are full of Russian Jews to the entire
exclusion of our own people. These particular aliens,
when they settle in London, herd together in colonies
where they retain and continue their filthy habits and
customs, and as they do not trouble to learn the
language of their adopted country it is difficult to teach
them better.
I did hope that the effect of recent legislation would
have placed some check upon the influx of these
undesirables, but unfortunately for East London the
present Government appears to be swayed by sentimental
rather than practical considerations, for their
anxiety lest a few bona-fide political refugees should be
denied sanctuary has resulted in rendering the Alien
Immigration Act of last session a dead letter.
The recently issued memorandum of the Home
Secretary to the immigration officers directs that permission
to land is to be given to any immigrant who
simply alleges that he is flying from persecution in
disturbed districts; the "inexactitude" of any statement
made by these Russian aliens, even in the most