Genre:

Regular Feature, Editorial, News-Commentary

Subjects:

Population, Imperialism, Prognostication, Spiritualism, Disease, Sanitation

    Reports that 'Since Napoleon surrendered at Sedan in 1870 the population of India has increased by seventy millions, and at the end of the next century George Hamilton calculates that its population will be doubled. We cannot again invoke the Malthusian trinity of war, pestilence, and famine to keep the population within the means of subsistence; but the problem of feeding double the number of people within the present limits of Hindostan is not exactly a task to be coveted' (228). Suggests that 'the Kaiser, like our Queen, has a firm grip on the doctrine of spirit return' (231). Also observes that the Indian 'plague, which is still devastating Poona, has arrived at Lisbon and Oporto. Having come to Europe, it will probably be a most effective sanitationist. Note that the hot weather sent the death-rate in Dublin up from 23 to 38 per 1000 in the last weeks in August' (235).