DANTZIG.
175
veal, 7 per cent. ; mutton and goat, 4 per cent. ; and horse, 1 per cent. It is to
be observed that while bacon and sausages do not figure among the items just
enumerated, both are comprised, inasmuch as they are made from the carcases
of animals which have passed through the slaughter-house.
From returns furnished for the purposes of the present inquiry by 264
typical working-class families in Dantzig as to weekly consumption and cost of
various household provisions, it would appear that meat is used much more
sparingly by the working classes than by the more favourably situated sections
of the population. Among the 264 families, consisting of 1,306 persons, it was
found that the per capita consumption amounted to about 26 ounces per week,
which would mean a yearly consumption of about 83J lbs. per head as against
119 lbs. per head of the population of all classes, though the former figure
covers meat of all kinds, whilst the average figure quoted for the whole
population is exclusive of poultry and game, of which considerable quantities
are eaten by the middle and well-to-do classes. Of the consumption shown by
the budgets, 42 per cent, was pork and bacon, 25 per cent, sausage, and 22 per
cent. beef. Veal accounted for 8 per cent.
It will be noticed that among the flesh foods of the workman’s family the
importance of pigs’ meat is somewhat obscured by the prominence of the item
“ sausage,” which represents about one-fourth of the total weight of meat
consumed. It has to be observed, however, that pork is one of the chief
ingredients in the various kinds of sausages largely consumed by workpeople.
Nor is it unlikely that a considerable part of the horseflesh consumed in Dantzig
(75J tons in 1904) is sold in this form, if one may judge by the quantities of
sausage exhibited in the shops where nothing but horseflesh is sold.
The following statement shows the predominant retail prices charged at
butchers’ shops in Dantzig at October in each of the years 1905 and 1906 for
various cuts of fresh meat. Each price is based on returns made for the purpose
of the present inquiry by a number of butchers with a large working-class
custom, each doing business in a different part of the town :—
Predominant Prices paid by the Working Classes in October, 1905, and
October, 1906.
Predominant Price per lb.
Description of Cut.
Beef :—
Rib
Silverside
Shin, with bone
Steak
Flank
October, 1905.
October, 1906.
Id.
4 \d.
9M.
7#d.
8| d.
5d.
10 id.
8jt?.
Mutton :—
Leg ... ... ..
Shoulder ... .
Breast
Neck
Chops
Veal :—
Hindquarter
Shoulder, with bone ..
„ without bone
Loin ... ... ••
Shin
Pork :—
Leg ...
Foreloin ...
Belly
Spare Rib
Chops
8#
8¿d.
7#
9fd.
8K
Id. to 8fd.
Is. Id.
8|d. to 11 d.
,, 5\d.
8W. „ 8#
8fd.
8W.
8#
9#
9\d.
8\d.
8\d.
8fc?.
9\d.
9\d.
8 d. to 9 d.
Is. 2§d.
8|i/. to 11 d.
4|d. „ 5fd.
8fd. „ 8fd.
8fd.
8%d.
9fd.
9\d.
It will be seen that the general rise in the price of meat in Dantzig to
which reference has already been made, is reflected m the above table. The
