The Hickman courier., 1877-01-26
MATCHMAKING IN AMERICA.
TESTIMONY or THE Swiss COMMISSION ER.-Axn.l-
1cAN SUPERIOR TO FoREIGS WATCHES.

NAICHMAkAAG IN AMERlCA.
TESTIMONY or THE Swiss CoNAussIoNE ER.-AMlzi-
IcAN SUPERIOR TO FOREIGN WATCHES.
Mr.. EdOuard Favre Perret, Swiss Commits
sioner to the Centennial Exhibition, and
has given the results Of his observations on
American watch making in public address
at Chaux defends, Locle Apd Neuehatel
Being himself large wateIs manufacturer,
his statements made a profound impression
in Switzerland, and will be read with the
liveliest interest in this country. After
sketching the growth of matchmaking in
Besangon, byF which the French market for
watches was lost to Switzerland, he spoke
substantially as follows:
For long time America has been theprin-
cipal market for our watches. To-day we
must earnestly prepare to struggle with the
/ Americans on the fields where hitherto we
/ have been the masters. Mr.. Dennison, the
I father of American matchmaking, travelled
I through the canton of Neuchatel studying
/ our mode of manufacturing, seeking to in
/ form himself of everything, and carefully
noting the weak points in our industry. Al
/ ter his return TO the United States, in 1854,
/ he founded factory at Boston-"Ihe BOs-
B ton Watch Company" The capital, scarcely
/ 100000, was subscribed by capitalists more
] than by practical business men. In the begin
( ming the company turned out only the rough
skeleton movement and attended 10 the I'm
/ ishing; all other parts, such as trains, bal
4 ances, jewels, &c, were imported from Swift
/ zerland. Little by little, however, the fac
( tory extended its operations and produced
/ otherpar Bat as the profits were small,
/ the capitalists abandoned it and l. failed in
/ 1856.
Another American, Mr.. Robbins, scented
a good speculation and bought the factory
and tools for $4,000. Anew company, "The
American Watch Company was formed,
with a capital of 100000, which was in
creased TO $500 0C0before the war which put
on foot million of soldiers, and as every
one wanted n watch, there was great ami
, nation in the watch business. At this Juno
ture, which might have been a lucky one for
our industry. we failed to comprehend our
real interests. Instead Of sending good
watcher to the Americans, the worst trash
was sent. The Americans, however, went to
work on an entirely different plan. The com
pany increased their plant and turned out
better ordinary watch than the Swiss wa ch
At the end of several years the American
watch enjoyed a good reputation, while ours
was discreSited everywhere. In 1865, the
capital was increased TO $50 600, and the
[ operations Of the company grew to immense
proportions. The Waltham company give
employment to 900 wOrkmen and make
about 425 movements per day. They have
again increased their capital. till il amounts
10 81 l,bIU. .DtSIUeS cDDD,bDU as a reserve
fund. This watch factory is a real power
there Is none IKE It an Europe We have seen
it in all its details and we have admired its
splendid organization.
Last May, on the eve Of the Exhibition, we
still seemed masters of the situation. One
event, however. dealt US mortal blow. The
. Waltham Company announced reduction Of
from toto 50per cent. on prices already lower
than their rivals, the reduction to date back
to January /, 1876. 1t is unnecessary to tell
you, gentlemen, how very detrimental this
was to the Swiss watch. Still another and
more important reason explains the growing
prosperity of the American Company. Their
"a, Is work so regularly, that all parts Of the
watch may be interchanged, by a simple or
der on a postal card, without necessitating
the forwarding OF the adjoining pieces
The question has often been asked, can the
Americans sufficiently supply the demand Of
their markets? Yes, they can: we are driven
out of the American markets. In 1850 the
American Companies produced only $1,000
watches To-day, they produce $50 900 which
can easily be doubled. We sent to the United
Statesin 1872, SOC, 600 watches. In 1876 we
shall barely send 5000 watches. The Amer
leans have already begun to send their manu-
facture TO Europe. In England they sell an
uuallv from 10000 TO 10000 watches. The
American watch commences to drive from
the English market the Swiss watch and even
the En2llsn MALH0- Inc Americans began by
creating a demand for their goods in The In
dies and in Australia, and then-thanks TO
some powerful importing houseS-they in
vaded England. At Moscow and ST. Peters
burgh they have established important
branch offices. Their aim is to dive Us first
out OF their own country, and then to ccm-
pete with us on our own soil sincerely
confess that personally have doubted that
competition. But now / have seen-I have
felt it--and / am terrified by the danger to
which our industry is exposed. Besides, I am
not the only one to think so; the Societe In.
tercantOnale have sent a delegate to make
inquires.lnnd his report perfectly agrees with
mine. Up to this very day we have believed
America to be dependent upon Europe We
have been mistaken. The Americans will
send US their products since w cannot send
them our own Their imported lon is not con.
fined to watches alone. Already America
has commenced to send cotton goods to En-.
gland, which has hitherto monopolized that
article in the markets of the world
Can the Americans maintain their prices
Yes. they can, for if they obtain a good profit
on their superior quality goods, they can af.
ford TO be satisfied with a smaller profit on
the lower grades of watches. In America
everything is made by machinery; here s4s
make everything by hand. In Switzerland
about 10 600 workmen make, on an average
each 40 watches per annum. In the United
States, the average is about $50 watches.
Therefore the machinery produces three
ana a half to four times more than the work
men.
Had the Philadelphia Exhibition tax en- place
five wears ago we should have been totally
annihjlated without knowing whence nor
how we received the terrible blow. We have
believed ourselves masters of the situation
when we have been on yOlcaHO. And, to-
lay. we must actually struggle II we do not
want to encounter, in all the markets, that
rival manufacture. For long time we have
hoped thrt the customs duties, amounting 70
25 per cent, might be reduced. We cannot !
count upon it. America needs all her re |
sources. and whether Democrats or Republi |
cans be in power, we cannot hope for p re- |
duction of import duties. We must, there
fore. make up our mind te lose the American \
market. 1t has been complacentlv said that /
the Americans do not make the entire watch, 1
but are dependent upon Switzerland for sew
eral parts of the watch. This ~ mistake.
rhe Waltham Company make the entire
watch from the FIRST screw to the case and
lial. 1t would even be difficult for them to
1se our products, so great is the regularity,
10 minute the precision with which their
machines work.
They arrive at the regulation Of the
yatches-so to say--without having seen IT.
When the watch is given to the adjuster, the
oreman delivers to him the corresponding
-
alton among the audience.] Here is what
have seen, gentlemeni | asked
rom the director of the Waltham Company
watch of the fifth grade, A large safe WIS
,pened before me; at random took waten
,ut of it and fastened it to my chain. The
Iirector having asked me to let him have the
vatch for two or three days, so as to observe
IS motion, answered, "On the contrary !
,ersist in wearing it Just as it is TO obtain an
xact idea of your manufacture" At Paris :
ct my watch by regulator on the Bouie-
ard, and on the sixth day observed that II
aried 80 secondsl And this watch is OF the
fifth American grade, it costs 70 francs move
aent without cases.) On my arrival at Loele :
showed the watch to one of our hrst so. !
nsters, who asked permission to take
own-that is, to take ii to pieces. i, how
yer. wished to observe it. and here is the I
esult which | noted: Hanging daily varia-
ION. / x seconds; variation in different po.
itions from TO seconds; in the heated
DOM the variation was very slight. Having