For Scotland, the story is much the same-a decline in the marriage-rate of 6.6% from 1876 to 1901, accompanied by one of If, ignoring the intervening years, we contrast the changes of the marriage and birth-rates in 1876 and 1926, the result is as follows Marriage rate Birth-rateper cent. per cent.
Australia. . . increase 10.5 decrease 36.2 France . . . „ 7.6 ” 28.2 New Zealand . . „ ” 48-8 Germany. . . decrease 9'4 ” 49'4 Italy . . . " 9.8 ” 29•1 Netherlands . . „ 20.3 35.6 Sweden . . . „ 11.3 ,, 45-1 Denmark . . „ 12.3 ” 35.6Switzerland . . „ 12.9 ” 44•8 England and Wales „ 13.3 ” 51.0 Scotland . • ” ,, Norway . . . „ 26.o ” 38.o Only in the case of Norway does the decline in the marriage rate show any proportion to that of the birth-rate; the latter de crease is, in every other country three or four times as great.
It would possibly be more accurate to correlate the fall in the birth-rate to that of the marriage-rate as a decline in the former will, after a lapse of 20 years or so, result in the proportion of those attaining the age at which marriage is most common in Europe (2o-3o years) being smaller than before. In view, there
fore, of the heavy decline in the birth-rate in the belligerent countries (and to a lesser degree in the non-belligerent ones) of Europe during the World War, one may reasonably forecast a decided drop in the marriage-rate in another decade with a further decline in the decade following. (S. DE J.) The United States.-The marriage rate is slightly lower in the United States than it is in Europe. Reliable data for years earlier than 1890 does not exist. Since then for selected years the rate has varied as follows: 1890, 9.1; 1906, 10.2; 1916, 10.5; 1926, 10.3. Birth-rate statistics for a reliable registration area are available only from 1915 on. The birth-rate between 1916 and 1926 declined from 24.8 to 20.6, or 17%, while the decline in the marriage rate was but I•I%. The United States thus followed European countries in showing a decrease in birth-rate which is far greater than the decrease in the marriage rate.