Page:Transactions of the Geological Society, 1st series, vol. 2.djvu/67

so much show an increase of population^[1] as an increase of comforts amongst the inhabitants at large, the consequence of a more extensive system of cultivation, and the diminishing number of fishing boats that used to take out in the months of harvest upwards of 2000 of the most active inhabitants of the labouring class.^[2]

An account of the coals imported into the Isle of Man for ten years, ending the 5th January 1791.			An account of the coals imported into the Isle of Man within twelve years; viz. from the 5th January 1798, to the 5th July 1810.
Years.	Chaldrons.[3]	Bushels.	Years.	Chaldrons.	Bushels.
1781	2728	18	1798	5559	18
1782	2652	27	1799	5258	9
1783	2853	18	1800	5693	27
1784	3236	9	1801	6130	0
1785	3585		1802	6379	27
1786	3796	18	1803	7041	16
1787	3379	18	1804	7244	27
1788	3719	27	1805	6823	22
1789	3659	18	1806	6937	35
1790	4321	9	1807	7461	25
			1808	8807	4
			1809	9020	4
	─────	──		─────	──
Total	33932	18	Total	82357	34
	─────	──		─────	──

As to the great advantage the inhabitants would derive, were coals to be discovered on their isle, I should entertain some doubt, when I consider that the inhabitants of the city of Dublin have their coals put into their cellars at less expence than the persons who live in the County of Cumberland, twelve miles distant from

1. The Census of 1792, returned 28,000 inhabitants nearly, but Mr. Curwen observes that all the estimates of the population of the Isle of Man published at different periods, have been much overated. He hardly thinks it can exceed 23,000 or even so much, viz. 6000 inhabitants at Douglass, 2000 at Castle-town, 2000 at Peel, and 1500 at Ramsay, besides 11,000 spread over the islands, considering how few villages there are, and how small their sizes are.
2. Ibid.
3. A chaldron is a measure of 36 bushels.

Vol. II.H