The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-03-18

rials. SC, the productions and profits
were inccnsiderable.
At length they began to procure from
Geneva the articles of which they stood
in need, and they also procured many
necessary articles from England; but
the high prices which these articles cost,
induced many of the workmen to attempt
| to provide them for themselves They not
only thus succeeded in riyaling foreign
tools, but they eventually made many
superior ones, till then unknown.
From that period. ,hey have constant
ly invented other instruments. in order
to facilitate and perfect the art of watch
making and at the present period, the
manufacture of watch making tools and
appurtenances is become a branch of in.
dustry OF so much impor tance as to ena-
BILE the inhabitants to supply them TO
those countries from whence they for
mcrly imported them.
About century ago, fow merchants
of Neufchatel began to collect together
small parcels of watches, in order to sell
them in foreign markets. The success
which attended these speculations indu.
ced and encouraged tho population to
devote themselves still more to the pro.
duction of articles If ready sale SO
much SO, that nearly the entiro inbabi-
tants havo embraced the watch making
trade.
Within the last half century tie pop
ulatiOn has increased three-fold, indepeu-
dent of the great number of workmen
who are established in almost all the
towns Of Europe. in the United States,
and even in the East Iudies and China.
From this period great change has be.
come apparent in the country Of Neuf.
chatel, where, Notwithstanding the bar
renness Of the soil and severity of tho
climate, beautiful and we'll built villages
are every where to be seen, connected by
easy communications, together with IA
very considerable and industrious popu.
lation. in the erj 1yment, if not Of great
fortunes, of happy and easy iudepen
dence.
The great reputation for superiority
which the Swiss watches have attained
IL. in great measure, to bo attributed
to the independence Of the workmen and
to the advantage which they have derv-
ed from a careful aud studied execution
IF the several articles intrusted to their
respective and particular talents. In.
deed, on the one hand, each citizen work.
ing at home and for whomsoevcr pays
him the best price and Oh the other
he merchant having an interest to en-.
courage, by rayug the best prices to
those who furnish him with the best ma
teIIals aud work L kid of emulation is
naturally excited among the workmen,
To- obtain i preference and advantage -
Pr.haps. also, the ,pirit which is natur.
a,y ditfuscd anrnl the inhabitants OF
muuutainou> cuIu. 81 added TO the hab.
its aud Gus, u,s = .ne SWISS workmeu.
who are at tno -.ina tlme, landed pro-
prietors, has not a Ittle contributed {.
this development oi talent among the
| population. Living simply, and in the
bosom Of their families, occupied entire.
ly-with the exception Of a few light ag-
ricultural cases-in the labors Of their
art, and not being exposed to those temp
tati01.S 1chich eriSt and corrupt large
societies, it is very natural that they
should be more assidious of attaining
| perfection in their art; aud the more so
still, as, deriving greater benefit from
it, their reputation and their interes is
are equally engaged.
The present condition Of this branch
of industry, says our informant, is ex.
tremely prosperous, and it is with great
difficulty that they can succeed in execu
ting all the orders which they receive.
AS to the probable fate Of this trade,
it is even permitted to hope, aud with
much probability, that it is susceptible
Of extension. A watch is no longer as
formerly, au object of luxury, destined
exclusively for the rich; it has become
an article of the first necessity for every
class of society and os together with
the increased perfection OF this article,
its value has, in the same time, consid-
erably diminished it is evident that a
common watch, which will exactly iud.
cate the hour of tho day. is actually, by
its low price, within the reach Of almost
every individual, who will likewise feel
anxious TO possess one.
For this reason, and just in proportion
as commercial and maratine relations
are extended and emancipated from the
trammels in which the great central
marts Of commerce have involved them
30 will distant nations become civilized
and it may be fairly anticipated that the
art Of matchmaking will form part OF
the great current Of improvement.
The humber of watches annually man
ufactured in Neufchele is calculated tC
be from one hundred thousand to one
hundred aud twenty-five thousand, O
which about thirty six thousand are il
gold aud the balaucc 10 silver.
Now, supposiug the first, on an aver
age, 10 be worth thirty dollars, and the
others four dollars, it would represent {
capital Of ouer ti00 mtiltons of dollars
without taking iuto consideration the
sale Of clocks aud instruments for watch
making, which OF themselves amount tC
q considerable sum.
The United States is said to consume
the largest quantity of these watches -
With the exception Of gold and silver fol
the manufacture Of the watch cases, tn,
| nther matatinls fnr tho Consideration al