Final report of the Anthropometric Committee / F. Galton, Chairman.

Date:
[1883]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Final report of the Anthropometric Committee / F. Galton, Chairman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    31/74 (page 17)
    d. British compared with other Races and Nationalities. 85. Considering the large number of different races included in the British Empire, and the political and commercial relations of its people with nearly every other country, the Committee think it will be interesting and useful to give a table showing the average stature of the different races and nationalities of the world, as far as it has been able to ascertain them from published records. The list is very imperfect, and it is probable that many of the measurements need revision by more extensive observation. No nation is so favourably situated for revising and completing the list as our own; and the Committee hope that the table will be instrumental in promoting further observations of the kind, especially by medical officers in the Navy and Army, and others practising in our numerous colonies and dependencies. It is interesting to find that, with the exception of a few imperfectly-observed South Sea Islanders, and whose actual numbers, if the measurements are correct, are very few, the English professional classes head the long list, and that the Anglo-Saxon race takes the chief place in it among the civilised communities, although it is possible it might stand second to the Scandinavian countries if a fair sample of their population were obtained. Table VI.—Showing the Stature of Adult Males of the British Isles relative to that of other Races and Nationalities, arranged in the order of greatest Stature. Race or Nationality Authority Metres Ft. in. 'Samoa . . L853 Lapey rouse . \ Tahiti and Pitcairn 1782 Garnot, Beechey Polynesians w Marquesas . 1763 New Zealand . 1756 Porter, Cook, &c. Various \ 1762 5- 9-33 Polynesians . 1753 Wilkes, Novara . Sandwich . . 1731 Lesson, Rollin . J English professional class Anthropometric Com. 1757 5- 9-14 Patagonians T1778 M n stprs 'l 1754 5- 9 00 • \ 1730 D’Orbigny. . J Angamis of the Naga Hills . Woodthorp 1754 5- 9 00 Negroes of the Congo .... Topinard . 1752 5- 8-95 Scotch, all classes (recruits, 5 ft. 8'03) . Anthropometric Com. 1746 5- 871 Amakosa Kaffirs, South Africa Sir A. Smith 1741 5- 8 50 Iroquois Indians ..... Gold .... 1735 5- 8-28 Todas of the Nilghiries .... Marshall . 1727 5- 7-95 Negroes of Calabar .... Topinard . 1727 5- 7-95 North American Indians Baxter 1726 5- 7-93 Irish, all classes (recruits, 5 ft. 8-04) Anthropometric Com. 1725 5- 7-90 United States (whites, all classes) Baxter 1719 5- 7-67 English, all classes (recruits, 5 ft. 7*71) Anthropometric Com. 1719 5 - 7-66 Norwegians f 1727 immigrants to U.S. 1717 Becldoe . . f Baxter . . J 1719 5 - 7-66 Zulus • •••*• Roberts 1707 5_ 7-19 English labouring classes Anthropometric Com. 1705 5- 7 08 Canadians, chiefly French immigrants, U.S. America ..... Baxter 1703 5- 7 01 Tajiks of Ferghana and Samarkand Ujfalvy 1705 5- 7-10 Swedes, immigrants to U.S. America Baxter and Beddoe 1700 5_ 6-90 Chipeway Indians ..... Oliver 1700 5- 6-90 Kabyles, large race .... Topinard . 1-699 5- 6-85