Page 18 - clra62_0019-(GIPE)

12 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
twice that of the United Kingdom. and more than half
that of Russia. Austria-Hungary also came near. as it
now does. to the French numbers. Now the population
of Germany considerallly exceeds that of France; that
of the United Kingdom is nearly equal. and that of
Russia is more than double. These facts correspond
very closely with the transfer of military preponderance
on the Continent from France to Germany, and with
the increasing prominence of Russia, which woulc\prob-
~bly be much more felt but for the simultaneous growth
of Germany. They also explain why it is that the
United Kingdom, with an economic and social develop-
ment resembling that of France in many respects, has
fallen less behind in the political race; why its relative
position among European powers, though not what it
was fifty years ago, is less weakened than that of France
has been. Fifty years ago it was the leader among
powers which were occupied in restraining France,
singly a greater power than any. Now it is aboutequal
in numbers to France, although its whole position is
changed by the fact that no power, not even Germany,
preponderates to the same extent as France once did.
As regards the future again, what the figures suggest
clearly is a possible rivalry between Russia and Ger-
many, and the further relative decline of Austria and
France-the United Kingdom continuing to grow, but
occupying from year to year a different place, as its
interest in the so-called balance of power becomes less.
Our change towards Europe is, however, affected in
part by the growth of our relatiorts beyond seas, which
is another of the great facts of population, evident on
the surface of the figures, that I shall afterwards have
to notice.

Of course these changes have had the effect of raising
questions of domestic, as well as of foreign, interest;
and here again we are indebted to statistics mainly for
the suggestion of the questions. One of these ques-
tions is, in the case of France, what are the causes and