EXPENDITURE OF THE WORKING CLASSES. $37 



achieved in this direction. Dissociated from industrial enterprise it 

 might easily become popular in England. Some of its collective econo- 

 mies are certainly deserving of imitation, and the experience not only 

 of the Continent, but also of America, may soon bring us face to face 

 with the question whether the preparation of dinners, in large towns, 

 should not — at least for the working classes — be left to the outside 

 specialist like the old-home industries of baking and brewing. An ex- 

 cellent example of scientific observation is 'Les Maisons types,' by M. 

 de Foville, the well-known master of the French Mint. He describes in 

 detail the various forms of huts, cottages and houses scattered over 

 France in such a fashion that it is said the traveler in a railway train 

 may tell, by reading the book, through what part of the country he is 

 passing; and he gives the reasons, founded upon history or local cir- 

 cumstances, for the peculiarities in architecture to be observed. The 

 book is a useful warning against rash generalizations as to the best 

 type of house for a working man. 



A well-informed writer shows, in a recent article in the 'Times/ 

 that not less than about fifty million gallons of water a day might 

 be saved in London, "without withdrawing a drop from any legitimate 

 purpose, public or private, including the watering of plants." He 

 says: "The detection of waste is carried out by means of meters placed 

 on the mains, which record automatically the quantity of water passing 

 hour by hour throughout the day and night. The whole area served by 

 a given water supply is mapped out into small districts, each of which 

 is controlled by one of these detective meters. The chart traced by the 

 apparatus shows precisely how much water is used in each of the 

 twenty-four hours. It records in a graphic form and with singular 

 fidelity the daily life of the people. It shows when they get up in the 

 morning, when they go to bed at night, when they wash the tea-things, 

 the children and the clothes; it shows in a suburban district when the 

 head of the household comes from the city and starts watering his flow- 

 ers; it shows when the watering-cart goes round; but, above all, it shows 

 when the water is running away to waste, and how much." 



I quote this not to multiply examples of the waste of wealth, but to 

 illustrate the insight which a few figures, such as those recorded by this 

 meter, give us into the lives of the people. How much more does the 

 account-book, a detective meter of every economic action, give us an 

 animated photograph of the family life. Nothing is so calculated to 

 stimulate social sympathy or to suggest questions for consideration. 

 Like a doctor's notes of his patients the facts are not for publication 

 in any form which will reveal the identity of the subject; but when we 

 have enough of them they will be of the highest scientific value. We 

 have at present too few to offer any useful generalizations. All that 



