London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. 2

by Henry Mayhew

We have now seen what a vast number of surplus labourers may be produced by an extension of time, rate, or mode of working, as well as by the increase of the hands, by other means than by the increase of the people themselves. If, however, we are increasing our workers at a greater rate than we are increasing the means of work, the excess of workmen must, of course, remain unemployed. But are we doing this?

Let us test the matter on the surest data. In the first instance let us estimate the increase of population, both according to the calculations of the late Mr. Rickman and the returns of the several censuses. The first census, I may observe, was taken in 1801, and has been regularly continued at intervals of ten years. The table first given refers to the population of England and Wales:—

INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF ENGLAND AND WALES.

Years.	Population, England and Wales.	Numerical Increase.	Increase per Cent.	Annual Increase per cent.	Increase per Cent. in 50 Years, from 1801 to 1851 = 101.	Annual average increase per Cent., 1·41.
[43]1570	4,038,879
1600	4,811,718	772,839	19	0·6
1630	5,601,517	789,799	16	0·5
1670	5,773,646	172,129	3	0·08
1700	6,045,008	271,362	5	0·2
1750	6,517,035	472,027	8	0·2
[44]1801	8,892,536	2,375,501	37	0·7
1811	10,164,068	1,271,532	14	1·4
1821	11,999,322	1,835,250	18	1·8
1831	13,896,797	1,897,475	16	1·6
1841	15,914,148	1,982,489	14	1·4
1851	17,922,768	1,968,341	13	1·3

INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF SCOTLAND.

Years.	Population, Scotland.	Numerical Increase.	Increase per Cent.	Annual Increase per Cent.	Increase per Cent. in 50 years, from 1801 to 1851 = 78.	Annual rate of Increase per Cent., 1·16.
[45]1755	1,265,380
[46]1801	1,608,420	343,040	27	0·6
1811	1,805,864	197,444	12	1·3
1821	2,091,512	285,657	16	1·6
1831	2,364,386	272,865	13	1·3
1841	2,620,184	255,798	11	1·1
1851	2,870,784	245,237	10	1·0

INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF IRELAND.

Years.	Population, Ireland.	Numerical Increase and Decrease. † denotes Increase. * „ Decrease.	Increase and Decrease per Cent.	Annual rate of Increase and Decrease per Cent.	Total Decrease in 30 Years, from 1821 to 1851 = 4 per Cent.	Annual rate of Decrease for 30 Years, from 1821 to 1851, ·1 per Cent.
1731[47]	2,010,221
1754[48]	2,372,634	†362,413	†19
1767	2,544,276	†171,642	†7
1777	2,690,556	†146,280	†6
1785	2,845,932	†155,376	†6
1788	4,040,000	†1,194,068	†42
1805[49]	5,395,456	†1,355,456	†34
1813[50]	5,937,858	†542,402	†10
1821[51]	6,801,827	†863,969	†15	†1·4
1831	7,767,401	†965,574	†14	†1·3
1841	8,175,124	†407,723	†5	†·5
1851	6,515,794	*1,659,330	*20	*1·8

INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.