The great economic forces were in fact as active and powerful as ever. In the City the population had fallen in the decade from 111,784 to 74,635. In every one of the six parishes or districts composing the Central group the population had likewise decreased. In the Eastern group, the population of three had decreased, whilst in the others there were increases--notably so in Poplar, where there was an increase of 37,000, and in Bethnal Green, where there was an increase of 15,000. In the Northern group all had increased, except St. Marylebone--the increase in Hackney being over 41,000, and in Islington over 58,000. In the West, there were also large increases--Fulham 27,000, Paddington 21,000, Kensington 50,000. Only St. James' (Westminster) and Westminster had decreased, and they in reality belonged more to the centre than to the west. On the South side, with the exception of Christchurch, St. Olave, and St. Saviour's--all in Southwark--and Greenwich, there was an increase in all the parishes or districts, the increases in some being very large; 40,000 in Camberwell, 46,000 in Lambeth, 55,000 in Wandsworth. The figures thus furnished by the Census enabled a fairly accurate calculation to be made as to the death-rate. It now appeared to be 24·6 per 1,000 living. The Registrar General, in his report for 1873, entered into a comparison with previous years which may be assumed to be as accurate as any such calculations could be. The mortality was as high as 29·4 in 1854. It was 26·5 in 1866 (when cholera was epidemic), and it was as low as 21·5 in 1872, and 22·5 in 1873. "The mortality never having been so low in any two consecutive years since 1840, and by fair inference never so low in any two years since London existed." This was distinctly encouraging, demonstrating as it did the good results ensuing upon the great works of improved drainage and sewerage, and a healthier water supply. As to the housing of this huge population, it was shown that the number of inhabited houses had increased from 360,035 to 419,642. The reports of many of the Medical Officers of Health throw much additional light upon, and explain or elucidate the facts set out in the Census, and carry on the narrative into later years of the matters recorded by the Census Commissioners. Thus, as regarded the reduction of the population in the central group of parishes, the Medical Officer of Health for the Strand District ascribed it in part to the new Law Courts, and to the circumstance that residential houses were, in increasing numbers, becoming converted into business premises. "But," he added, "it is also probably in some measure due to the greater facilities for locomotion to suburban homes"; which is notable as almost, if not absolutely, the first recognition of this cause affecting the population.