Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-04-23
COST OF LIVING ABROAD.
Interesting Contrast Between Prices in
London and in America,

Interesting Contrast between Prices in
London and in America,
A London letter to the Philadelphia
Press says; There is no city in which
you can get more for a siXpence or less
for guinea than in London. TLis
was what Richard Rush, the American
diplomatic representative to England,
said away back in the twentics. These
words are as true to-day as they were
when the shrewd, observant American
gave utterance to them. Bread to-day
isoheaper in Lonlon than in New
York, Vienna, Berlin or Brussels. You
can get suit Of clothes made to meas
ure from real Scotch Tweed for $lj,
fashicnably cut and well finished
Hundreds of tailorS will be glad to take
your measure and furnish a well-Gtting
suit of common, but still fair material
for SO ! 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 | can get as goOd a pair of
hand sewn understandings as wish
to wear. A good silk hat may he
bought for So, and derby of the --latest
fashion for triie over s.. Shifts and
underwear are less than two-thirds the
price asked for them in New y ork, and
the gloves | wear cost NE - cents a
pair, and 1 have never yet found them
20 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 a rental Of $50 to 500
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 five
cents pound cheaper, and meat only is II
dear commodity. Not nearly 50 much
dearer though as is generally supposed.
Yesterday bought a leg of excellent
mutton for 20 cents per pound, and for
,r,t ;,,i,, 70 # IN lint +,.,, Ar.
asking q cents per pound. Then,
again, fish is ridiculously cheap. l
read in an Exeter paper that herring
were sold in that town one day last
week at the rate of tWenty-four for )
cents and that sprats were retailcd at ,
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 henimble siXpcnce'
In the west end of London the most eX-
tortiOnate prices are asked by the trades
men. Fifteen dollars for Il pair Of
trousers and $35 for a coat and vest are
by no means exceptional prices, and
there are plenty of knights of the shears
who would charge $50 for suit of even
ing dress that one could readily match
at city tailor's for So. | 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
$15. London boarding houses are an
abominatiOn and a snare. One can get
infinitely better accommodation and
food in Philadelphia, Baltimore or Bos-
ton for S. per week than can bo 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, | think, quite
as expensive as the uniform fare
charged in the states, and to make a
journey of few hundred miles in a
lirst-class carriage will cost at least so
per cent. more than in covering a like
distance Of ground in the state journey
ing in luxurious ease in Pullman car.