Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/696

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INDIA.

population is of more value, females especially are valued by the hill tribes, and among them marriage is at a later and more healthy time of life.'

It was found at all the enumerations yet taken in India, that there exists a high proportion of children to adults. Thus, while the per- centage of children under 12 years of age was 29 in England and 36 in the counties at the last census, it was in many parts of India as high as 55. Various reasons are adduced to account for such a remarkable result, among which may be mentioned the custom of polygamy, the main cause of which is reported to be ' the desire to have male issue, which induces Hindoos to marry as many wives as they can afford to keep until a son is born.'

The three largest towns in India are Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. Enumerations of the population of Calcutta were made in January 1866, of Madras in January 1863, and of Bombay in February 1864, the results of all of which are shown in the follow- ing tables. The first gives the number of inhabitants of the three towns, distinguishing males, females, and children : —

Towns

Males

Females

Children

Total

Calcutta

Madras ....

Bombay

Total.

19S,077

134,302

. 436,305

115,311 165,307 207,285

64,536 128,162 172,972

377,924 427,771 816,562

768,684

487,903

365,670

1,622,257

l

The origin, caste, or religion of the inhabitants of Calcutta is specified in the subjoined statement : —

Origin, caste, or religion

Males

Females

Children

Total

Europeans

6,820

2,545

1,859

11,224

Indo-Europeans

4,082

4,218

2.736

11,036

Armenians

291

238

174

703

Jews ....

240

228

213

681

Greeks ....

17

7

6

30

Africans

39

9

5

53

Asiatics

786

412

243

1,441

Chinese ....

378

—

31

409

Parsees ....

73

15

10

98

Hindoos

119,539

78,901

40,750

239,190

Mussulmans. Total.

65,812

28,738

18,509

113,059

198,077

115,311

64,536

377,924

The following table gives the same particulars about the inhabit- ants of Madras : —