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a decrease of 1372 persons, making up a total loss in this
sub-district of 12,616 in the ten years.
In 1881 there were 8 08 persons to a house in the Parish
as a whole. Mad that proportion been maintained, no account
being taken of the "Flats," the population in 1891 would
have been, not 166,321, but 177,776 (a difference of 11,455),
or 2374 only below my estimate (180,150), which took into
account the natural increment (excess of births over deaths),
viz., 13,557; and provided for an increase by immigration of
3443 only, against an increase due to this cause of 40,588,
and 26,076 in the two preceding inter-censal periods.
In 1881 there were 7.06 persons to a "house" in the
Brompton sub-district; in 1891, according to the census figures,
only 6.63. Taking no account of the "Flats," the population,
at 7.06 to a house, would have been, in 1891, not 47,552, but
50,563, a difference of 3011. Taking the Flats into account
as "houses" the population would have been 52,405, a
difference of 4853 above the enumerated increase.
In 1881 there were 8.53 persons to a house in the Town
sub-district, in 1891 only 8. Taking no note of the " Flats,"
the population, at 8.53 to a house, would have been, in 1891,
not 1 18,769, but 126,585, a difference of 7816.
How are we to explain this extraordinary and unlooked
for discrepancy between estimated and probable numbers, on
the one hand, and the figures of the actual enumeration on
the other ?
The Census was taken during the Easter holidays and
Parliamentary recess, despite the caution given to the
authorities, in 1890, that its occurrence at that period would
probably lead to erroneous results; seeing that very many
families were certain to be out of town at that time, especially
such as reside in the west districts. The fact that large