?17
If there had been an increase of more than 25 per cent. in the population of
1901 in 1906, there should have been a corresponding increase in the con-
sumption of food, etc., in the City. If we examine the figures in the Adminis-
tration Reports of the City we find that the amounts of grain and other food-
stuffs consumed in Bombay, as shown by the amounts that paid octroi dues in
the years 1899 to 1909, was as follows :-
Year.
Candies of Grain.
Maunds of Ghee.
Candies of Firewood.
1899 ... ...
14,85,140
3,52,392
6,47,470
1990 ... ...
6,95,271
3,30,744
5,66,262
1901 ... ...
10,65,640
3,24,243
6,74,552
1902 ... ...
10,41,474
3,34,745
5,56,060
1903 ... ...
9,49,052
3,53,018
5,77,070
1904 ... ...
16,95,010
3,66,895
5,89,196
1905 ... ...
9,33,513
3,91,157
5,82,525
1906 ... ...
10,34,788
3,88,371
5,78,700
1907 ... ...
10,15,669
4,05,287
... ...
1908 ... ...
11,74,695
4,02,793
... ...
1909 ... ...
9,72,280
3,92,288
... ...
The figures given above refer to the net amount of goods paying town dues
and as such are supposed to represent local stock and consumption. It may be
remarked that since 1901 there has been a great increase in the number of
buffaloes, bullocks and horses in the City, all consuming a considerable amount
of grain, and tending to swell the total of grain consumed each year. In 1904
also arrangements were made to impose a special check upon the quantities of
goods paying town dues, as fraud had been detected in the claims for rebate
on exportation.
Further evidence is supplied by an examination of the figures which shew
the number of animals slaughtered in the municipal slaughter-houses each year
for food. These figures of course relate only to food consumed by the flesh-eating
portion of the population and they are liable to be influenced very greatly by
increased prosperity, higher wages leading to an increased consumption of meat.
The figures given below show that there has been only a moderate increase
since 1901.
Year.

 Buffaloes, Cows, Bullocks and
Calves.
Sheeps and Goats.
Pigs
1900 ... ...
 43,547
 603,208
 656
1901 ... ...
 44,388
 578,861 
649
1902 ... ...
 42,157
 616,295
 680
1903 ... ...
 38,793
 624,341
 654
1904 ... ...
 41,908
 616,634
 599
1905 ... ...
 48,483
 650,289
 628
1906 ... ...
 47,834
 674,191
 641
1907 ... ...
 47,304
 669,014
 631
1908 ... ...
 49,253
 653,372
 568
1909 ... ...
 48,665
 633,057
 563
In addition to these facts the census of 1906 only showed an increase of
about 10 per cent. in the number of inhabited houses in the City as compared
with 1901. Taking everything into consideration there does not appear to
have been such an extraordinary variation in the mean annual population
during the past ten years, as that shown by a comparison of the census returns
of 1901 and 1906.
41. Unfortunately it is impossible to say whether the mean annual
population of Bombay amounts to 700,000 or to 900,000 and unless measures
were adopted for keeping an accurate record of all those who enter and leave the
island, so as to correct the estimate of the population from time to time, it is
difficult to see how a definite standard is to be obtained. Many years ago the
B 136-5