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208
(28.36), and the lowest recorded in the eleven years.
In South Paddington the 385 births registered were
78 below the average (463), and the smallest total on
record, that for 1898 (407) being the next lowest.
The birth-rate for the year (11.52) was 2.14 below the
mean-rate (13.66), and the lowest on record for the
period under review, the next lowest being that for
1898 (12.2).
The birth-rate for England and Wales was 29.3 in
1899, as compared with a decennial mean of 30.3, last
year's rate being the lowest for the eleven years. In
London a rate of 29.4 was recorded, 1.3 less than the
decennial mean (30.7), and 0.1 less than the rate for
1898.
With a few exceptions the birth-rates not only of
England and Wales, but of all European countries,
have steadily fallen since the early '70's. An upward
tendency has been noted here and there after a period
of low rates, but on the whole, the birth-rate of the
civilized world appears to be shrinking in a manner
which may fairly cause some anxiety.
Of the 2,940 children whose births were recorded
in the Parish, 129 (73 boys and 56 girls) were illegitimate.
The legitimate births were equivalent to a
rate of 21.76 per 1,000 inhabitants, compared with a
decennial mean of 23.18, a shrinkage of 1.42 or 6.3
per cent., and the illegitimate births to a rate of 0.99,