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4
VITAL STATISTICS.
Area and Population.—The area of the County Borough of
West Ham is 4,706 acres. The Census population in the year 1891
was 204,902. The inhabited houses numbered 32,066. The number
of persons per house were 6.3. The number of persons per acre
were 43.5.
At the middle of 1899 (the year under review) the population
was estimated by the Registrar-General to be 300,241. For the
purposes of these statistics I shall, as in former years, take a smaller
figure, namely 286,500, while at the same time, for convenience of
comparison, giving the rates calculated on the basis of the RegistrarGeneral's
estimate in brackets after my own figures. As the
Registrar-General's estimate is based upon the assumption that
the ratio of increase of population during the inter-censal period
1881-1891 will be continued during the next 10 years, and my
reduction of his estimate is based on an assumption that the increase
recorded at the last Census has not been maintained, the correct vital
rates will probably be found between the dual rates tabulated below.
Births and Deaths.—The number of births registered during
the year was 8,779, giving an annual birth-rate of 30 6 (29.7) per 1,000.
This number was greater by 29 than the number of births
registered in 1898, but only 16 in excess of the births in 1897,
showing the stationary character of the birth-rate. The annual
birth-rate of Registration London was 29.4 per 1,000.
Distributed to their various Wards the births were as follows :-
Stratford, 1,622
816 males
806 females
Forest Gate, 1,640
823 males
817 females
Plaistow, 2,994
1,521 males
1,473 females
Canning Town, 2,523
1,315 males
1,208 females