The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-24
LIQUOR, Use
ON DECLINE.
Latest Figures Show Decided
Failing Off in Use Of 1ntoxi-
cants in England.
STILL DRINKS IN 4 PLENTY
Some Interesting Figures From
the Latest Publicatior1s--The
Irishman Slandered.
STILL DRINKS A PLENTY

(From Our Regular Correspondence
WARRINGTON, ID. c., May 23.-Figures
were presented In this correspondence
some time ago. taken from official reports
to the Department OF Commerce and
Labor, which showed the enormous In
crease In consumption OF alcoholic liquors
In France and showed that there was
a decrease in the last ten years In nearly
all other countries including the United
states. The decrease In England was
nearly fifty per cent in the past de-
cade 1t was more than that in the
United States. Recently there have
been figures published which showed that
drinking was on the increase In England.
and alarmists have been calling on tenn
perance workers in that country to take
steps to prevent the growth Of the drink
habit. a
1t would appear that there is no rca-
son for alarm. Frank w. Mahin, United
States consul at Nottingham, England.
in a report Just made to the DEPART
ment OF Commerce and Labor presents
figures which show that there was an
enormous falling OF In the amount. OF
spirits consumed In Great Britain and
Ireland in 1903, as compared with 1902.
The statistics were compiled for the Lon
don Times by Rev. Dawson Burns, D. D.
SOME COMPARATIVE FIGURES.
The amount Of British spirits consumed
in 1903 was 3s7sS.447 gallons costing salt
5000; the cost Of the spirits consumed
In 1902 was 1921, se7,552
The cost Of other spirits consumed In
1903 was s5279o,75o. and the total cost
OF other spirits consumed In 1909 was
s5S.s02s20.
The total cost Of all spirits consumed
In 1903 was s2s4,6oo,372, while the cost Of
all spirits drank In 1902 was s57S597 $50.
In 1862 the beer drunk In Great Britain
and ireland amounted to s514,537,07o, while
the bar bill OF the country for 1903 was
only s1o,233,S37, a pretty large amount
to spend for that which was not me-
cessity. but considerably smaller
amount than In the preceding year.
The people OF Great Britain and Ire
land drunk S4.s4S,720 barrels Of wine in
1903. costing i6l,os4,272 The e. cost .os OF the
wine drunk In 1902 was $67,2s2s sS.
The amount Of British cider, wines,
etc.. consumed in 1903 was 100000 gal
Ions, costing s7.29o,75O The amount con-
sumed In 1902 Is not given. but the cost
Is stated at the same as for the last
year
To summarize Tho total amount paid
for spirits In 1902 was s2s45oO, 372 The
.
The total cost OF the beer, wine
and cider drunk In 1903 was $57s5s7 ,sSs.
The cost in 1902 was $3.50. 059, SIT.
The total cost OF the spirits, beer wine
and cider drunk in 1902 was sS7S,b6e, 1s9.
The total bar bill OF 1903 was Ss4s.aS sos.
A SUBSTANTIAL DECLINE.
The foregoing figures show substan-3
tial decline of about s25,G0,oNo IN me
amount paid for drink in 1908. No reason.
therefore, Is suggested In the report OF
the consul, but 1t Is known that business
was very dull in all lines In Great
Britain last year, and 1t Is probable that
the decline In drinking was largely due
to the depression In trade. OF course,
It is possible that the activity of tenn
perance workers, which Is greater now
than at any period In the history of the
world. probably. may have had more
to do with the increase In sobriety than
appears.
The average expenditure per head for
Intoxicating liquors in the United King
dom in lan2 was s20.o3; In 1902, the average
per head was s2o.S2. 1t Is calculated that
the total expenditures for alcoholic
liquors is made by fifty-five per cent.
OF the population. in which case the
average expenditure per capita must be
placed at sSs42. estimating the population
of the United Kingdom at AZ, 37s,556.
NOT THE GREATEST DRINKER.
The average Irishman appears to be
entirely willing to allow the world to
go on thinking him the greatest drinker
of spirits in the world, but the figures
do not bear out the belief Official re-
turns to the government show that Ire
land consumes slightly more spirits per
annum than England. but that Scotland
consumes nearly twice as much. Englant
consumes more than seventy-five per
cent more beer than Ireland per capita,
and over 800 per cent more than Scotland.
or the three countries OF England, Scot
land and Ireland. England consumes far
more intoxicants per capita, and Ireland
much the least.