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Again in the years 1858 and 1860, the excess was much
less than in 1856 and 1857, by a very large number, and
what is more singular still, the past year's excess is ninetyeight
less than in the year preceding, the numbers being
respectively 232 in 1864, and 330 in 1863. There is, I
believe, no way of account ing for these extraordinary fluctuations
but by attributing them to the migratory tendencies
of the industrial population. When work is plentiful and
the food of the people abundant, then is the population
found to largely increase—when otherwise, there is a
corresponding falling off in the number of inhabitants
observable. These fluctuations are well marked in the
above table, and cannot prove otherwise than instructive.
STATISTICS OF MORTALITY.
The population of this sub-district continues largely to
increase by births, as may be seen by the above Table.
To what extent it may have increased by immigration
since the last census, there are few or no data upon which
we can rely ; unless therefore it is permitted us to assume
a corresponding increase in the past year to that of former
years, we cannot arrive at even an approximate estimate
of the present population. In my last report I added
half the natural increase of the population to that of the
last census as the probable amount of increase by immigration.
By adopting a similar calculation now, and adding
to the estimate made for the year 1863, (which was 2l.780)
both the natural increase of the past year and the assumed
increase by immigration it is clear that even at this very
low estimate, the inhabitants of this parish will have numbered
22.128 at the close of the year 1864. When the
extraordinary number of new houses that have.lately sprung
up in many parts of the parish, and now for the most part
occupied, is considered, the above estimate cannot in any
way be looked upon as an exaggerated one.
Upon the above calculation then it is most satisfactory
to find that the rate of mortality for the past year will be