The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-22
THE COST or LYING ABROAD.

III ucihut vi personal experience, IL Il llttle
book compiled by Mr.. Bidwel one Of II. Is.
Ms Consuls. and published in London last
year 10y Sampson. Low 4 Co. Mr.. Bidwcl not
only had excellent opportunities Of obtaining
the facts himself. but made use of the weekly
answers 10 inquiries by correspondents OF the
queen newspaper. From what he says il APP
pears that prices ON the Continent have risen
during the last quarter OF u century In a far
greater ratio than in the United Kingdom and
that at the present time Americans could live in
their own fashion cheaper there than almost
anywhere else. and decidedly cheaper than in
New York. House rent in London is high in
fashionable quarters. but onsideraby less than
here or in Boston. AS regards other expenses.
an American lady who kept house Tor some ten
years in London. and for the past four years
has resided in New York wrtcs
FIFTY pounds month amply suniccd there din Lon.
dom 10 cover all hous keeping expenses which were IN
my departing mt household oi two, and sonnet times
three or tour, grown members several children and
eight indoor servants. There generally dinner
party week These expenses included the wages
Of the women servants but did not include taxes coal
winc or anything connected with the horses AMI stable
-" In New York. with only nve servants and les,com
pany the lowest monthly average is csD-siOn When
was In London u lady not going out very much could
dress well and iashionaby on $500 to 81 ona year In
New York don't think lady who goes out al all into
society dress well much less than 81 500 unless
she happens he unusually clever IN having bOnncts
styhshly manufactured at home. We found both for
and women servants that pays here Just rs many
dollars month pounds per year In England"
Inquiries lately made in Dublin show that
roomy house in the best situation. capable of
accommodating family Of fourteen. would cost.
with taxes. from $40 TO 600 a year; indoor
man servant. with livery. 900 to 800 year;
groom. with livery. $3.50 TO sG.25 week ton
this he boards himself; good cook. from 800 to
5000 "a year houscmaid. from $50 to $40 year;
f..,... ..afI -. M hoe kanf
ton. and lamb. 10 to 20 cents per pound; horses
at livery. IS to 1925 n wcek-a little less If kept
at home. In fact. Dublin is some 30 per cent.
cheaper than London. and Ireland is to-day. on
the whole. the best place in the world TO live at
once luxurously and cheaply.
Since 1S4S. the United Kingdom and the Con-
tinent Of Europe have reversed situations in
point Of cost Of living. TWENTY-FIVE years ago,
English gentlemen out at elbows went abroad
to economize. They do so no longer, for the
simple reason that they can do IT better at
home. Three or four years ago number Of
English civil servants made petition to the
Treasury for an increase Of pay. on the score
that In the past twenty five years the price OF
living had risen Is per cent; but in most other
European countries it has risen in far greater
degree.
In France. in 1915. the annual charge per
head Of the national debt was ~. 1G. while IN 1870
1t was s2.40. In England on the other hand. 1t
was 1855 per head in 1915 and 1895 per head
in 1869 10. The national debt of France now
considerably exceeds that Of England. Eng
lands long peace. while the Continent has been
ablazc. and her hitherto extraordinary COM
mercal prosperity during the reign Of Vie
toria. have changed her from the dearest TO
the cheapest Of countries 10 live in. at least ac
cording to the American idea and standard of
comfort. for the English are. after ALL the ONLY
people who live in the same sort ~ way
that we DO Unfortunately for Americans
wishing TO 20 abroad. England Is not tile coun-
try in which many desire to live perhaps for
the very reason that il is too much like their
own.
| The rise in prices In New York seems to have
been greater than anywhere in Europe. moro
| especially in point of rent The British Consul
| Gcno raj in New York reports to the Foreign
| Onic,:
I'm 1855 paid for nrnishc house 81 aooa wear In
isoo-o2 paid tor unuri,hed house one ih.d lari,r
Than ", house and vastly superior To 81 SD
| Formy present house pay $500 unlurnshed
This statement was made in 1875. and proha-
| bly about twenty per cent. has now been taken
of this rent. He proceeds to give examples Of
| the rise in other respects:
In door man servant .......... si5nsis sllasl,
! Cook ......... ............ 2ut ~
! Housemad. ...... .. .............. SO its ld
Gentlemcns clothing he reports IA having
| doubled in cost. and Indies honncts rs having
risen from 81 in 1858 to from sls 10 $50 in 1875.
The rise In house rent between 1858 and 1870
was about the same H. New York and i'm Paris
hut wages and other items have increased in u
| larger proportion here. and Partisan rents are
to-day decidedly lower than those in New York.
Prices in all parts Of Germany show great IN
crease in the cost Of living but more especially
in the north. In Hamburg 1t has risen about
80 per cent at Leipsc the lodgings viii h cost
SIS in 1883 cost SIP in 1875 At Frankfort
house rent has increased 80 pcr cont In Brr-
| lin and Vienna the enormous rise in prices is
notorious.
ST. Petersburg Is by far the dearest capital in
the world In fact English attaches try TO avoid
going there ON account ~ the ruinous EXPENSES.
! Living has increased in cost IS per cent since
ISIS. and it will now be dearer than ever. The
| British Ambassador states that the price OF n
furnished room in the highest story of Il hotel
Is $3.50 year. Clothes are - per cent. Icurcr
than in London; in iact. taking quality into ac-
count. clothes are now cheaper in the United
Kingdom than anywhere in the world. In Ire
land suit ofstout. durable clothes can De DO lt
for s..
In Switzerland n considerable rise has oc-
Cured. especially at Geneva. which has now
''H0'b W. wv 'H'uI Nt Il4bNu N'l'~NI az
Geneva states that the rent ofthe house he lived
in in ls5s was Gl2O. and has risen tu t2iO.
In Rome house rent has risen 100 per cent.
but the fact that a irst-ratc mercantile Arm con-
sidrr- 5000 Just remuneration to Il rst-cla~s
clerk seems To point To- the conclusion thai liv-
ing must still be moderate. at all events for
Italians.
In Belgium considerable rs" has ,nkrn
place. but it is. nevertheless, perhaps the best
continental country for Americans who wish t.
live more chcaply. because you may live
with the utmost comfort in Bruss"ls. where
life is far more luxurious than in Germany. al
least 80 per cent. cheaper than in New York
Fuel is far moro moderate than in most parts
Of tho continent, and open nrcplaces abound
Prices have risen. and are rising in Copcn,
hagen. especially in the matter Of meat. which
ia considerably affected 10y the large exports I,
England. Fuel Is excessively dear. The con.
sumption in nm ordinary eight -roomed hous,
costing from 75c. to 81 .25 a day.
In Sweden tho rise since 1853 is computed az
% per cent Clothing of all kinds i, drurrl
thnn in England.