The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-03-12
BIRMINGHAM AND BELGIUM.

BIRMINGHAM AND BELGIUM,
The manufacturers Of Belgium have
history dating back as farns the Roman
occupation Of Northwestern Europe at the
commencement Of The Christian era The
energy and courage, which then won from
the great Cesar o respect which was &c.
corded to few other tribes, has never been
lost, and has developed itself splcudidly
iu gaining victories Of peace. The char.
acter Of the work done in Belgium is BET
ter, as rule, than is found in any other
country Of Europe, and is second only to
that done in England. In some cases,
Belgian manufacturers Of machinery have
even successfully competed in England
with British builders. The country pro-
duees its own fax, aud textiles are produ-
ced from it Of 4he best quality. Cotton
aud wool ore largely imported, in some
branches, the manufactures Of these sta
pies are carried on with greater success
than many other partof the world. The
best machinery, however, is usually pur.
yt6ssod,ii England, tdrbuporiuteudent
Of mills are frequently imported. The
manufactures in iron have au antiquity
which lntedates history The Romans
are supposed to have found rude FORCES
and furnaces in operation, and vast ciuder
heaps are found here aud there, which
testify to the extent, as well as the early
date, of the transition in Belgium from the
age Of stone and brass 10 that Of iron; and
the method Of working has been learned
also by the discovery at Lustiu, about three
years ago, Of two
ANCIENT SMELLING FURNACES,
with their contents just as they were
when they went out Of blast two thousand
years ago. They were merely excavations
10 the clay. oval in form, some twelve feet
long and yard in depth. No artificial
blast was used, buta long channel, open
ing toward the quarter from whence blew
the strongest winds, served to direct the
air supply into the lower part Of the fur
naCes. The result was the reduction Of
the ore without carbonization, the product
being rude sort of wrought iron. The
iron, found in the furnaces just referred to
contained nearly 90 per cent. Of pure iron,
The remainder consisting Of variety Of
generally injurious impurities.
From that time to the present, the
Flemiugs have never lost their skill as
workers in iron, and they have succeeded
well in keeping pace with the progress Of
Improvement. To-day, we are told that
Licge possesses 9S iron works, turning out
in 1882, 17S,OOO tuuS Of pig metal aud
1903, O00tuns Of finished iron, Chareroi
threw into market 100000 tuus Of pig
and Csc, 900 tunS Of manufactured iron.
Verviers, where was built the Thompson
road locomotive exhibited at Vienna by
Bede & Co., Seraiug, where is the estab'
lishment Of the CockeriIl company, Client,
Brussels and Antwerp, and many other
towns are we'll worth visiting, but we had
not time to explore other cells Of this busy
hive Of the Flamands.
Had the Bolgiaus the steadiuess and
persistence Of the English workman, or tho
energy and activity Of the American, this
this little kingdom would become a most
formidable industrial rival to aIlits neigh.
bors, Asst is, The people have uobly il.
Illustrated their national motto: L Union
fat Ia Force; aud by industry and fru.
gality, and by close attention 10 their pur.
suits, whether Of commerce or Of manu-.
features, have converted their once uupro.
ductive fields Into a vast and beautiful
garden, have turned their mineral resour.
Ces into national wealth, and have built
up beautiful towns aud magnificent cities
in every district Of their State, The
whole country has an area Of but eleven
thousand square miles, just the area oftbe
State Of Maryland yc! Flanders produces