COMMEKCE AND MANUFACTURES. 63 



however, much decreased, and most of the better classes now 

 endeavour, by all means in their power, to reform the vice of 

 drunkenness among the lower orders, and except at fairs, 

 auctions, and private jollifications, we do not often see a 

 drunken peasant. 



In 1863, however, 16,202,557 kanna of brandy were 

 returned from the different distilleries in the country, and 

 putting this on an average at retail price, of about 2s. per 

 kanna or four bottles, the consumption of corn brandy alone 

 in Sweden (and I never heard that any was exported from the 

 country), covered a sum of no less than 32,000,000 of rix- 

 dollars, allowing about four kanna or about two and a 

 half gallons for every man, woman, and child in the country- 

 Besides this, we must consider the quantity of wine and 

 foreign spirits imported into the country. We must, however ^ 

 take into consideration that this brandy has not half the 

 strength of any other spirit. Its strength at the distillery 

 being 50 per cent. 



There are now, however, some very good porter and 

 bitter beer breweries in the country, and much more ale and 

 porter is annually drunk than formerly; but I always 

 fancied the bottled beer very dear, as compared to the 

 English, and not half so strong or good. 



In Great Britain, I believe the yearly consumption of 

 spirits is reckoned at three-fourths of a gallon, or about one 

 Swedish kanna for each person. In Prussia three gallons. 

 In California, a few years since, the consumption was 

 reckoned at 5000 gallons of spirits daily, or one- sixth of a 

 gallon for each person. Could this be possible ? 



I do not, however, think that the actual taste for raw 

 spirits among the lower classes (especially of the old school) 

 has much abated ; but there is now much more difficulty in 

 procuring it, especially in the country, than formerly. There 

 are plenty of " sly grog-shops " scattered about the forests, 

 which seem to answer, although the fine is heavy when they 

 are convicted. They tell me that Carlstad jail would have 

 ' ( lodgings to let/' if it were not for these illicit vendors of 

 branvin. 



