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institutions, though these deaths have been registered in Bethnal
Green, and if the forms of the Local Government Board were
rigidly adhered to, would have to be shown.
POPULATION.
The population of Bethnal Green, as enumerated in April, 1891,
was 129,1134, but upon taking into consideration the slow rate of
our increase between the census of 1881 and that of 1891, compared
with the increase of previous intercensal periods, and looking
also at the fact that the births during 1892 were 87 fewer than
these of 1891, I am of opinion that our population is diminishing.
This opinion is confirmed by the decrease in the number of
inhabited houses, as these are gradually being replaced by manufactories
and warehouses. I believe that in the near future a largo
portion of the North and South Sub-districts of Bethnal Green
will cease to be residential, and will become, like the City of
London, one vast manufactory and storehouse.
To go more into detail: the recent census has shewn that
during the last ten years the South district has been decreasing in
population, that the North district has been almost stationary,
while the East district has been rapidly growing.
In a district in which the population has been diminishing
irregularly, the task of estimating the number of inhabitants is
more than ordinarily difficult, the only certain fact wo havo to
dopond upon is the number of births, for birth rates are known
to vary very slightly.
The population of this district as enumerated in March, 1891,
was found to be 129,134, and this number of persons produced
4,998 children during the year, but as during 1892, only 4911
births were registered, I am reluctantly drawn to the conclusion
that our population must have proportionately diminished, and
that our numbors are 2094 fewer than they were when the census
was taken.'