189 
DRESDEN. 
Dresden, the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony, lies on both sides of the 
Elbe, 116 miles south-east of Berlin. It is chiefly famous for its great art 
collections, and in order to be convinced that the city is not only a pleasure 
resort but also an important manufacturing centre, it is necessary to travel 
round the suburbs, more especially those known as the Friedrichstadt, Leipziger 
Vorstadt, Pieschen, Cotta, Löbtau, Mickten, Plauen, and Uebigau, all of which 
may be said to be working-class districts, in so far as that term can properly 
be applied to any part of a town in which the top story of almost any house is 
likely to be occupied by a working-class family. Even in the industrial suburbs, 
however, where several large factories are often to be found within a radius of 
100 yards from a given spot, their position or construction is always such as to 
produce as little unsightliness as possible in the streets which, here as well as in 
the more central part of the town, are frequently bordered with trees. 
Except in the centre of what is called the " Old Town,” where the con 
ditions as to light and air are those of three centuries ago, the streets are laid 
out on lines which suggest a desire to make the surroundings as un-townlike as 
possible. With this object trees and shrubs have been planted on every available 
open space and along the sides and down the centre of many of the main 
thoroughfares. The Elbe, which divides the " Old Town ” from the “ New 
Town,” is used to the best advantage to add to the attractiveness of the city with 
its promenades, bathing establishments, garden restaurants, gondolas and decorated 
passenger steamers. A curious contrast with the general air of prosperity 
noticeable in the streets and shops, as well as in the adult population, is to be 
found in the large number of children of the poorer classes who, when the 
weather permits, go unshod. The fact would seem, however, to be traceable 
less to poverty than to local custom and a habit of economy, for unshod children 
are not to be met with on Sundays or holidays. 
The following Table shows the population of Dresden at the census of 1871 
and at each subsequent census :— 
Year. 
Population. 
Increase. 
1871 
1875 
1880 
1885 
1890 
1895 
1900 
1905 
177,040 
197,295 
220,818 
246,088 
276,522 
336,440 
396,146 
516,996 
20,255 
23,523 
25,270 
30,434 
59,918 
59,706 
120,850 
Increase per cent. 
114 
119 
114 
124 
217 
17 7 
30 5 
It will be seen that in 1905 the population was nearly three times as great 
as in 1871 Part of the increase in population shown in the above table is due 
to the incorporation within the municipal area of outlying parishes, at various 
dates. Since April, 1901, for instance, 13 suburban parishes, with a total of 
90,000 inhabitants, have been incorporated. 
Migration does not play an important part in the growth of the population, 
the average annual increase clue to the excess of immigrants over emigrant* 
during thl If) years 1896-1905 being only 4'6 per 1,000, as compared with 
13 9 per 1,000 due to natural increase. 
Both the birth-rate and death-rate have fallen considerably during the last 
15 years, the latter to a much greater extent than the former. Thus the mean of 
the rates for the period 1901-5 shows a decrease compared with the corre- 
spending mean for 1891-5 of 4 3 per cent, m the case of the births, and