The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-04-25
COST OF LIVING ABROAD.
Interesting Contrast Between Prices In
London and In America.

Interesting Contrast Between Prices I'm
London and In America.
A London letter to the Philadelphia
Press says: There is no city in which
you can get more for sixpence or less
for guinea than in London. TLis
was what Richard Rush, the American
diplomatic representative to England,
said away back in the twenties. These
words are as true to-day as they were
when the shrewd, observant American
gave utterance to them. Bread to-day
ischeaper in London than in New
York, Vienna, Berlin or Brussels. You
can get suit of clothes made to meas
ure from real Scotch Tweed for SIS,
fashionably cut and well finished.
Hundreds of tailors will be glad to take
your measure and furnish weE-fitting
suit of common, but still fair material
for $40. 1 can buy ready made shoes
for $3.50 every bit as good as can pur-
chase in New York for S., while for
that sum l can get as good pair Of
hand sewn understandings as l wish
to wear. A good silk hat may be
bought for So, and derby of the latest
fashion for triGe over 81. Shifts and
underwear are less than two-thirds the
price asked for them in New York, and
the gloves [ wear cost me Is cents
pair, and I have never yet found them
70 split or tear Ladies' attire is pro-
portionately cheap. Houses and rooms
may be had within two and one-half
miles of the city, with gardens four
times as large as the area the residence
stands on, for rental of $3.50 to 5000
per annum; return fare by rail to the
city costing from 6 to s cents, daily.
Vegetables are about half the price
they are in the states. Butter is Eve
cents pound cheaper, and meat only is a
dear commodity. Not nearly so much
dearer though as is generally supposed.
Yesterday bought leg of excellent
mutton for 20 cents per pound, and for
prime joints of beef the butchers are
asking "a cents per pound. Then.
again, fish is ridiculously cheap. I
read in an Exeter paper that herring
were sold in that town one day last
week at the rate of twenty-four for 8
cents and that sprats were retailed at 2
cents per quart.
But Mr.. Rush was as right about the
purchasing power of the guinea as he
was in his estimate of the liberal equiv
alent obtainable for the nimble sixpencer
In the west end of London the most ex-
tortionate prices are asked by the trades
men, Fifteen dollars for pair of
trousers and $35 for coat and vest are
by no means exceptional prices, and
there are plenty of knights of the shears
who would charge $50 for a suit ofeven-
ing dress that one could readily match
at q city tailor's for $55. know sever
al "snips" that are glad to array Gus
toners in all the glory of"clawhammer'
coat, low cut vest and pants en- suite for
SIS. London boarding houses are an
abomination and snare One can get
infinitely better accommodation and
food in Philadelphia, Baltimore or Bos-
ton for S. per week than can be pro-
cured in London for double the money.
Railway travelling, too, is much more
expensive in England than in America
Even the third-class is, l think, quite
as expensive as the uniform fare
charged in the states, and to make q
Journey of a few hundred miles in a
lirst-class carriage will cost at least SO
per cent. more than in covering like
distance of ground in the state journey
ing in luxurious ease in Pullman car.