130 



by the existence of a large rentier class. In the near future there 

 appears to be every likelihood of a further expansion in manufac- 

 turing industries, while with regard to the production of animal 

 foodstuffs it seems that there can under the present conditions, be 

 no great increase without largely increased imports of animal feed- 

 stuffs. 1 



hor/i 



(b) GERMANY. 



In the years prior to 1914 the per capita consumption of meat in 

 Germany was steadily increasing, and by 1910 had nearly reached 

 that of the United Kingdom. 2 Much the greater proportion of 

 the total consumption of meat and meat products was produced 

 within the country, though in spite of all efforts to the contrary 

 there was a growing dependence upon outside sources of supply 

 for almost all kinds of animal foodstuffs. 3 The following table of 

 the per capita ratios of food-producing animals to the population 

 in different years, taken in conjunction with the increased per 

 capita consumption of meat, explains this change. 





It will be seen that the meat-producing live-stock, in terms of 

 cattle units per 100 of the population, increased by 4-2 units 

 between 1892 and 1905, but declined by -3 units between 1905 and 

 1914. Now a calculation shows that each " cattle unit '' produces 

 on an average about 135 Ibs. of meat per annum, and a decline of -3 

 units per 100 of the population would mean a decreased meat 

 yield of about f Ibs. per head, while the per capita meat con- 



1 For a further discussion of the problems relating to the increased produc- 

 tion of foodstuffs in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, see Part III., 

 Chap. II., pp. 292-297. 



2 The following figures have been given for the per capita consumption of 

 meat in Germany at different dates : 



189488 Ibs. 1908115.6 Ibs. 



190299 Ibs. 1913111.8 Ibs. 



The per capita consumption of meat in the United Kingdom in 1909 was about 

 119 Ibs. 



3 The total imports of meat and meat products (mainly fats and oils) into 

 Germany were 389 million Ibs. in 1910 and 591 million Ibs. in 1912 (U.S. 

 Dept. of Agric. Kept., 109). These figures do not include the imports of 

 meat-producing live animals from neighbouring countries which in 1912 were 

 valued at about ^4f million and at an average of 6d. per Ib. of dressed-weight 

 meat produced, would represent an additional 190 million Ibs. of imported 

 meat. This would bring the total imports up to 780 million Ibs. in 1912 or 

 approximately 10% of the total supplies. 



