Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-11-07


to the dogs, Tut in Western Switzerland
education is probably quite as far advan-
ced as anywhere in Europe This little
patch of the old world has three Uuiver-
sites, one at Basle, one at Eune, and one
here in Zurich, which together have Il5
Professors besides 80 or 40 Tutors. At
Geneva and also at Lausanne are theolo.
gical and philosophical schools. with forty
or fifty Professors. In Zurich is the
Polytechnic School, sustained by the Gov,
eminent at an annual expense Of about
$4,000. Professor Liebig says that its
laboratory is the best appointed in the
world. The southern facade of the ed;6ce
is rich in frcscoes of those who have borne
the palms in all ages--Homer. Aristotle,
Plato, Newton, &c. Here the engineers
and officers of the army are taught At the
public expense.
Switzland understands that a standing
army is incompatible With the liberty
and growth Of the State, and hence it is
forbidden by the constitution, but every
citizen is obliged to bear arms. Military
instruction commences at an early age, L
believe at the age of eight. Yesterday l
met troops of boys in uniform with light
muskcts in their hands g,ing to drill, not
ouly with muskets but with artillery.
The school boys are instructed in arms.
but they are not put into the "bunde-
souzug" or army, till of age, where they
serve till they are "a. There is the active
army, to be ready at any iustsnt. In ad-
dition there is the reserve, composed Of
men between 35 and 40 ;;then the militia
or landwcfr, composed Of men from 40 to
45, and then the defense, composed of all
above 45 able to shoulder musket.. This
active army numbers not far from 80, 0QV
men, the reserve about As 600, the militia
about 65000 aud the defense say lJO.-'
O00--.a total of about $50. .O0Ofor the de:
tense Of the country. The ordinary anu
al expenses for maintaining the army,
including manufacture Of all arms aud
purchase Of supplies is about $600,000,
but this year will bring in large budget
on account of the war between Austria,
and Prussia, Switzerland being compelled
to arm TO guard her eastern frontier.
INDUSTRY
This letter is already SO long that | can
say but little rpon the industry of this
interesting people, but it is wonderful
They are not like the ever restless YAM
KEGS of America. driving everywhere, but
they are always at work. anl though Ia
Dor commands scant pay, they are becom-
ing rich. Western Switzerland is like
! bee. hive, humming all the time. The lit
tie lake of Zurich, good sized pond. has
! twenty five steamboats, afoa' upon its wa.
ters. Upon the quay, within few rods
, of my residence, are bales of cotton raised
, in South Carolina and Alabama which
will be woven into muslius some of it in
the old fashioned hand looms, and sent
e back to the United States to be sold over
7 the counters Of Washington and Winter
streets Here at Basic, a great amount Of
! silk is produced; ribbons ana dress goods.
q The raw silk is purch hased iu China or in
e Lombardy, and otter italian silk pro-
t duc;.ng districts, ard manufactured here
l. in the houses Of the peasants
i There are abundant evidences of inOress-
s ing wealth of the people. Their rail-
d roads are the best in Europe. One OF the
i most splendid edi6ces in the world fo'
a railroad purposes is now being erected
lie here for station. 1t will cost, it is said
IN million dollars. A project has beer
Sc started of tpnneling the Alps by the st
D. Gothard pass, which will give darect com
re munication with Italy. The Swiss Gov
y ernment is ready and anxious to take hole
il of the enterprise, bat Italy has en- exhaust
ie ed treasury and cannot cooperate.
u Before the adoption Of the Constitution
IN in ls4S, switzerland was only confed
Grafton, loosely held together, but now i
is a nation. Its people are divided il
Is. religion, language, and customs, but the
d. have the instinct Of n',tional life, on
$50 have only conmeuc'.J their national el
he fstence. The Crescent talk Of the abs0rI
Of tion Of Switzerland by France or Prussl
= l.