KÖNIGSBERG. 
285 
contain 2 302 kilograms of bread, or exactly 5 lbs. 1 oz., which corresponds to a 
price of 4§d. for 4 lbs. Bread was at that time dearer than in any month since 
February, 1903 (when the 6<7. loaf weighed 2*297 kilograms), and had been 
rising steadily in price since January, 1904, when sixpence worth of bread 
weighed 2*509 kilograms, or 7\ ozs. more. Thus, in January, 1904, 4 lbs. of 
bread were being sold for about 4\d. It may be added that the weight of the 
6d. loaf has been declining steadily since October, 1905, and by October, 1907, 
it had reached 1*806 kilograms, which would correspond to a price of about 6d. 
for 4 lbs. 
Although fresh milk is cheap in Königsberg (about 2\d. a quart), the bulk 
of the milk used by working-class families is skimmed and costs about Id. the 
quart. The coal used for domestic purposes is imported from Scotland, and 
costs Is. 4(7. per cwt. when bought in small quantities. 
Meat. 
The whole of the meat consumed in Königsberg is home grown, and here, 
as in all other parts of Germany, pork is the principal flesh food, as may be seen 
from the subjoined table showing the consumption as estimated from the 
Municipal Slaughterhouse Returns :— 
Total and per capita Consumption of Meat in Königsberg, Year ended 
March 31 st, 1906. 
Consumption. 
Total. 
Pork (including Bacon) 
Beef 
Veal 
Mutton 
Horse 
Fresh meat of all kinds 
cwts. 
114,694 
76,371 
13,385 
8,831 
6,566 
219,847 
Per capita. 
lbs. 
58& 
39 
1 
112 
In the previous year the total consumption of meat was 250,362 cwts., and 
the amount per head of population 143 lbs., so that in a single year there was 
an absolute decline of 12 per cent, and a per capita decline of 22 per cent, in the 
meat consumption of the town. There can be no doubt that this was closely 
related to the great increase in the price of meat which Königsberg was 
experiencing in common with every other part of Germany. It need scarcely 
be said that the yearly consumption of meat per head is less among the working 
classes than that shown above for the whole population. 
Returns obtained for this inquiry from 224 working-class families con 
taining 1,022 persons, showed a meat consumption at an average yearly rate of 
91J lb. Of this 37 per cent, was pork and bacon, 26 per cent, sausage, and 24 
per cent. beef. 
The average wholesale price of pork in the Königsberg market in the year 
ended March %lst, 1906, was 64*88 marks (£3 4s. 10yt.) for 50 kilogs. 
(110 lbs.), or 31*2 per cent, above the corresponding price for the previous 
year, and this rise was accompanied by a decrease of 28*2 per cent, in the per 
capita consumption of this kind of meat. Beef prices in 1905-6 were only 
4*6 per cent, higher than in 1904-5, but the per capita beef consumption was 
12*7 per cent, less. Veal and mutton may be left out of consideration, especially 
in so far as the working classes are concerned ; but not horseflesh, of which the 
consumption increased from 5,268 to 6,566 cwt. (or 25 per cent.) in the 
aggregate, and from 3 lbs. to 3 lbs. 5 ozs. (or 11 per cent.) per head of 
population in 1905-6 as compared with 1904-5. By November, 1906, the date 
of the visit to Königsberg for the purpose of this report, meat prices had, 
however, dropped considerably, as may be seen from the following table :—