The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-11-04
Mornlng Star and Catholic Messenger.
T1W ORLEANS, SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 4,
THE COST OF LYING.
n. Y. Srn.

pared with the new. 10 a4uesuon Va So
interest, and one. on which it is exceedingly
djficult to arrive at an accurate conclusion.
We belieye the best source of information
in regard to il, in default of personal expe-
Iience, 10 a little book compiled by Mr..
Bidwell, one Of 81. B. Ms consuls, and
published in London last year by Sampeen,
Low d. Co. Mr.. )Bidwell not only had
excellent opportunities of obtaining the
facts himself, but made use of the weekly
answers to inquiries by correspondents OF
the Queen newspaper. From what ne says
it appears that prices on the Continent have
risen during the last quarter OF century
in q 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 fashion
able quarters, but considerably less than
here or in Boston. AS regards other ex
for some ten years in London, and for the
past four years has resided in New York,
writes:
"Fifty pounds a month is amply sufficient
there lin London) TO cover oil housekeeping
expenses which were in my department. for
household of two, and sometimes three or
four, grown up membeis, several children
and eight in-door-servants. There was gener-
- ally o dinner party once week. These ex-
penseB included the wages OF the women
servants, but did not include taxes, coal, wine,
or anything connected with the horses and
stable.
"In New York, with only five servants and
less company, the lowest moutbly average is
G80-S4o0. When was in London q lady not
going out very much could dress well and
fashionsbly on $3.50 to 81 900 year. In New
York don't think lady who goes out at oil
into society can dress we'll on much less than
81 500, unless she happens to be unusually
clever in having bonnets stylishly manufao.
tnred at home. We found both for men and
aeFyAOtH that here ilBt
many dollars per month as pounds per year in
England"
Iuquiries lately made in Dublin show
that o roomy house in the best situation,
capable of accommodating family of
fourteen, would cost, with taxes, from fl7O
to f2O0 q year; indoor man servant with
livery, $3.50 to $635 week (ou this he
boards himself; good cook, from 500 to
$2O8 q year housemaid, from $50 to $40
. year lady'S maid, from 800 to 500 a
year best beef, mutton, and lamb, Is to
% cents per pound horses at livery, S5
to Sc 25 q week-a little less if kept at
home, In fact, Dublin is some 20 per cent.
cheaper than London, and Ireland is to-
day, on the whole, the best place in the
world to live at once luxuriously and
cheaply.
Since ls4s, the United Kingdom and the
Continent Of Europe have reversed situa-
tious in point of cost of living. Twenty five
years ago, English gentlemen out at elbows
went abroad to ecOnomize. They do 30 no
longer, for the simple reason that they can
do it better at home. Three or four years
ago q number of English civil servants
made patition to the Treasury for ON in
crease of pay, on the score that in the past
twenty-f years the price of living had
risen Is per cent; but in most other Euro
pean countries it has risen in far greater
degree.
In France, in 1915, the annual charge per
l1r L. laI& yuhi iIn
in 1870 it was $2.4O. In England, on the
other hand, it was 80 65 per head in 1915,
and 80 95 per head in 1869 20. The ma
aoual debt of France now considerably ex-
eee6s that Of England. Engiand's long
peace, while the Continent has been abaze,
1nd her hitherto extraordinary commercial
. prosperity during the reign of Victoria,
have changed her from the dearest to the
cheapest Of countries to live in, at least
according to the American idea and stand
ard of comfort, for the English are, after
all, the only people who live in the same
sort of way that we do. unforeunateiy 1oI
Americans wishing to go abroad England
10 not the country in which many desire to
live, perhaps for the very reason that II
.is too much like their own.
The rice in prices in New York seems tt
have been greater than anywhere in Eu
rope, more especially in point of rent. Th'
British Consul General in New York re
porte to the Foreign Ohce:
"In 1858 paid for furnished bonse 81 30
. year. In 1860 81 paid for an nnfurnishe
house, one third larger than my present house
and vastly superior to it, 1890. For my pre-
sent house pay So 500, unfurnished."
This statement was made In 1875, an
probably about twenty per cent. has no
been taken eff this rent. He proceeds
give examples of the rise in other re
spects: ,o,-
1nsosr man servant. StIs s'5SS
G'O0k.-...----...--..---.---. e9 - we
Gentlemen's clothing be reports as ha'
Tng doubled in cost, and ladies' bonnets
having risen from o. in 1858 to from 8.
to $50 in 1875.
The rise in house rent between 1858 ar
1870 was about the came in New York al
in Paris, bat wages and other items ha
Increased in larger proportion here, al
Partisan rents are to-day decidedly low
than those in New York. Prices in 1
parts Of Germany show great increase
the cost of living, but more especially
the North. In Hamburg it has risen abo
30 per cent at Leipsic the lodgings wh
cost E75 in 1858 cost Gll2 in 1875.