Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/478

 134 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — INDIA AND DEPENDENCIES

III. Occupations of the Population.

The following table shows, in thousands, for 1891, the distribution of the total population, male and female, according to the occupations by which they live, whether as workers or dependents : —

State and Local Admini- Glass, pottery and stone strations 5,600 ware. . ., 2,361 Defence 664 Wood, cane, and matting. 4,293 Service of Foreign States. 500 Drugs, dyes, gums, &c. . 392 Provision and care of cattle 3,646 Leather, horns, boxes, &c. 3,285 Agriculture 171,735 Commerce 4,686 Personal, household, and Transport and storage 3,953 sanitary services. 11,220 Learned and artistic pro- Food, drink, and stimulants 14,576 fessions 5,672 Light, firing, and forage. 3,522 Sport and amusements 141 Buildings 1,438 Earth work and general Vehicles and vessels. 147 labour. 25,468 Articles of supplementaiy Undefined and disreputable 1,563 requirement 1,155 Independent means. 4,774 Textile fabrics and dress. Metals and precious stones 12,611 3,821 Total .... 287,223

IV. Movement of the Population. The registration of vital statistics among the general population is still very imperfect. The following table shows for 1896 the mean ratio of births and deaths per thousand of the population for the provinces of British India as officially recorded. It is admitted by the local authorities that the returns for more than one are defective : —

— Births Deaths Bengal 38-03 34-17 N. W. Provinces and Oudh 35-4 33-32 Punjab ...... 43- 31-5 Central Provinces .... 31-72 49-31 Lower Burma 32-27 23-63 Assam. . . 33'69 36-33 Madras 29-9 20-6 Bombay ...... 36-76 31-69

The number of coolie emigrants from India in 1S89 was 15,706 ; in 1890, 18,298 ; in 1891, 17,185 ; in 1892, 13,751 ; in 1893, 12,636 ; in 1894, 17,932 ; ill 1895, 13,103 ; and in 1896, 12,390. The bulk of these emigrants go to British Colonics, mainly to Demerara, Trinidad, and MaurjtiiTS.