Thompson — The Gothenburg Liquor System. 395 



We sliall first ask, — what has been the trend of the consump- 

 tion of spirituous liquors for i^orway 'at large during the recent 

 period under our consideration ? From a special report of the 

 Statistical Central Bureau I derive the following table: 



The definite amount of the consumption for 1898 has not 

 jet been ascertained. The Central Bureau, however, estimates 

 it at 2.3 litres per capita. 



For Norway at large then we have in the preceding table a 

 clear demonstration of a decrease of about .9 of a litre in the 

 per capita consumption since 1892. The reasons for this con- 

 dition will become apparent as we proceed. Here it may sufiice 

 tx) remark that the table refers only to spirituous liquors and 

 that sobriety has not been increasing everywhere alike. In 

 several of the larger cities we find a marked increase rather than 

 a decrease of drunkenness. 



Bergen is a prosperous city of sixty-five thousand inhabitants. 

 It has so often been discussed by the various ^vriters on the 

 Gothenburg system that a knowledge of its recent conditions 

 will be of especial importance. Ever since 1877 samlags have 

 been in active operation among her people. As sho'wn by Dr. 

 Gould the sales of spirituous liquors decreased from 282,128 

 quarts in 1877 to 250,881 quarts in 1888, while it increased 

 again from the latter number to 331,342 quarts in 1891. A 

 general knowledge of the condition from 1891 to the present 

 time miay be obtained from the following table derived from the 

 latest rep)orts of the samlags in the city : 



