Deaths,

----

181

The numbers of those who die, after compleating their 80th year of age---proportioned to the whole numbers of Annual Deaths;---at the following places, respectively; viz.

10. Brefaw, according to Dr. Halley,

40.

34.

II. Paris, deducting children fent to the country; M. Buffon, 31. 84

The proportions which the numbers of annual deaths bear to the whole numbers of the living at the following places, refpectively; viz.

The proportionate numbers of Annual Deaths, to 100 Annual Births; at the following places, refpectively;-viz.

(a) Out of 198 deaths, in the congregations of Chrift-church and St. Peter's, from Chriftmas 1781 to Christmas 1782,---24 died of the small pox, 21 of purging and vomiting, and 27 of fits and convulfions. The average number of deaths, in the fame congregations---during the years 1788, 1789 and 1790--is only 145; and not quite 145. 7-8, during the 22 years, from which the table for Philadelphia No. I is formed--The deaths, therefore, in 1782, exceeded the average number of thofe for the 22 years, in the proportion of 136 to 100: and, confequently, the year 1782 was unufally fickly in Philadelphia, as well as at Salem in MassachuTetts. In the year 1739, alfo (viz: fron Chriftmas 1788 to Christmas 1789,). out of 164 perfons, who died in the congregations of Chrift-church and St. Peter's, 20 died of the meailes. From thefe circumftances, it is reasonable to fuppofe---that even the fecond table for Philadelphi gives the probabilities of life too low, for this city; becaufe, out of the four years above mentioned, one was more fickly than common; and, during another, near one eighth of the deaths from which that table is formed, were occafioned by a diforder not annually epidemic.----In the year 1782, there died between the age of 80 and 90 years, out of 198,---3 perfons; in 1788, out of 126,---1; in 1789, out of 164,----3; and in 1790, out of 145,---5; being, in the whole, 12 out of 633 and this gives the proportion of 6 perfons, out of 1000, attaining to 90 years of age.

(b) The meafles having been very mortal at Salem, in 1783,---that year has been omitted, in calculating the proportion of deaths for the first twenty years of the ages.

(c) The number of deaths at Salem, exclufive of the fill-born, during the years 1782, 1783, 1789---averaged 1674 per annum; and the number of those who died between 80 and 90 years of age, during the fame term, averaged 4 per annum--- This gives the proportion of thofe dying, between the 80th and 90th year of life, in that town, as 23. 88 out of 1000 deaths. ' The bills for 1782 and 1783 do not notice any deaths, after 90 years of age, and this is alio the cafe, with the bill for 189: but, in the two former, the lifts of ages comprehend 36 deaths -See the table ages unknown," and, in the year 1795, three furvived 90 years of age.for Salem, for the year 1790.

of "

(d) Out of 191 deaths, from which this table is found, two were between the age of 90 and 10 years, and I at 103 years.

(e) According to M. Buffon, the proportion of deaths, at Paris, in the two first years of The number of deaths, he life, is 313, 21 out of 1000; and, at London, 334. 59, out of 1000.

obferves, is greater at Paris than in London, from two years of age to five; lefs at Paris than at London, between 5 and 50 years; pretty nearly equal, in both cities, between 50 and 60; and much greater at Paris than at London, from the octh year of age to the end of life --This thews, continues M. Buffon, that old age is, in general, much leis in. London than in Paris: -for, out of 1000 perfons, 212 died after compleating their 60th year, at Paris; whereas, only 138, out of 100c, died after that age, at London.--The continual supply of people, mostly from about twenty years of age and upwards, which great cities draw from the country, gives the proportion of thofe who die at old age, in fuch cities, much higher than the number of thofe born in them would give. Hence the favorable appearance, with refpect to longevity, which many great cities exhibit, is extremely fallacious: and this obfervation is particularly applica'ble to London, where the continual diminution of the number of its inhabitants, occafioned by the great excefs of deaths beyond the births, renders fuch fupplies neceffary, to fupport its po-pulation.

(f) The still born are included, in the number of deaths.

This town contains, according to M. de Buffon, 2337 inhabitants.

(b) From the 1st of July, 1790, to the 1st of July, 1791, the number of deaths at Sávah-na, was in the proportion of one out of every 31 7-10 of the total number of white inhabitants (exclufive of Mariners and Sojourners) in that city. It appears by the cenfus, that, in January 1791, Savanna contained 1712 white inhabitants.

(i) Berlin contains, according to Dr. Price, 134,000 inhabitants.

(j) Dr. Price fuppofes the proportion of annual deaths to the whole number of the living in Edinburgh, to be nearly the fame as in London---I have therefore given the proportion of one to twenty-fix, for both cities; and my reafons for affuming this proportion---which differs confiderably from that stated by Dr. Price---will appear, in the courfe of the foregoing obfer

vations.-.

(k) By the London Bill of Mortality, nrade up from the 16th of Dec. 1788, to the 15th Dec. 1789, it appears---that, in the 123 parishes in London and Westminster, and the 23 Of this Out-parifbes in Middlesex and Surry, 20,749 perfons were buried within the year. number, thofe who died after compleating the feveral periods of age, after mentioned, give the following proportions, viz.

(1) This town contained, in the year 1770,---16,380 inhabitants,

Out

312. 95

Thefe proportions correfpond fo nearly with thofe given by M. Buffon, in his estimate of the probabilities of life, for London, as to induce a belief, that the calculations of that cele brated Philofopher may be depended upon, in this inftance.

No. VIII.

Extract of a Letter from Andrew Ellicott, to DAVID RITTENHOUSE, Efq.dated at Pittburg, November 5th 1787, containing obfervations made at Lake-Erie.

Read Nov. 21, 1788

Ο

N the thirteenth of last month, while we lay on the banks of Lake-Erie, we had an opportunity of viewing that fingular phenomenon, by Seamen termed looming. It was preceded by a fine Aurora-borealis, on the evening of the 12th-the 13th was cloudy; but without rain: about ten o'clock in the morning, as I was walking on the beach, I difcovered fomething that had the appearance of land, in the direction of Prefque-Ifle; about noon it became more confpicuous and; when vieweft by a good Achromatic-Telescope, the branches of the trees could be plainly discovered-From 3 o'clock in the afternoon, till dark, the whole Peninfula was confiderably elevated above the horizon, and viewed by all our company with admiration.There was a fingular appearance attending this Phenomenon, which I do not remember to have seen taken notice of by any writerThe Peninsula was frequently feen double, or rather two fimilar Peninsula's, one above the other, with an appearance of water between:-the feparation, and coincidence. was very frequent, and not unlike that obferved in shifting the index of an adjufted Godfrey's quadrant.As fingu

lar