398 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 



proximate estimate. Such an estimiate, based on the fact that, 

 unlike the samlags, the private liquor dealers are pursuing 

 a business strictly for private gain and on the further fact that 

 the number of private retail saloons in the citv is gi-eater than 

 that of the samlags by one, it seems — and this is the opinion held 

 by Norwegian authorities such as Aarestad and Irgens, noted 

 and keen observers of the conditions as they find them in Chris- 

 tiania — that there is no exaggeration in saying that the private 

 dealers have for a considerable number of years supplied at 

 least one-half of the spirituous liquors consumed in Christiania. 

 For a somewhat reasonable estimate of the total consumption 

 in the capital city, then, we may simply go back to the preceding 

 table and multiply by two the figures found in the column under 

 "number of litres sold." From these facts we may also draw 

 the following inferences : first, that the samilags have not had a 

 very firm grip on Christiania ; and secondly, that it would be 

 grossly erroneous to attribute the city's increase in dninkenness 

 to them alone. We shall later see whether it is fair to attribute 

 it to them at all. 



It is evident, as before intimated, that in dealing ^^4th the 

 consumption of liquors we should present an incomplete account 

 w^re we not to consider the sales of ale and wine which during 

 recent years have been increasing enormously. As in Sweden, 

 the sale of these beverages has been conducted not so much by 

 samlags as by private individuals. Aile and ^\^ne have not been 

 considered as dangerous intoxicants by Scandinavia, and in no 

 place, therefore, have they come under the absolute control of 

 samlags. The license for selling these beverages, too, which at 

 its highest cannot, according to law, exceed $107.20, is so small 

 that the business of the ale and wine traders has become exceed- 

 ingly lucrative. In Christiania we find not less than 282 of 

 these traders and in nearly every city they are becoming more 

 and more numerous. It is impossible for the samlags to com- 

 pete with them for ihey, unlike the samlags, are not bound by 

 strict rules and regulations. Out of this source arises a 

 difficulty which we shall consider later on. 



From the preceding data it should now be evident that the 

 total amount of liquor consumed in ISTorway is made up of 



