The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-01-20
WATCHMAKrNR IN AMERICA.
Testimony OF the Swiss Commfssa oner -
American Superior to Foreign watches.

NJ. Edouard Favre Ferret, SWISS
Commissioner to the Centennial Exhibition,
and member of the International jury on
watches. has given the results of his obser-
yations on American Matchmaking in pub
lie address at thaux-de- Fonds, Loole and
Nsuebatsl. Being himself a large watch
manufacturer / is statements made pro-
/ found impressio1 in Switzerland, and will
be read with the liveliest interest in this
eauntry.N After sketching the growth of
Matchmaking in Besanqon, by which the
French market for watches was lost to Swift
zerland, he spoke substantially as follows:
For long time America has been the
principal 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 father of American matchmaking, trav-
eled through the canton of Neuchatel,
studying our mode of manufacturing, seek
ing to inform himself of everything, and
carefully noting the weak points of our
industry. After his return to the United
States In 1854, he founded 8 factory at Bos-
ton" The Boston Watch Company" The
c pital scarcely SIC ),0C1, was subscribed By
capitalists u ore than by practical business
men. In the beginning, the C mpany turn
ed out only the rough skeleton movement
and attended TO the finishing; all other
parts, such as trains, balances, Jewels, &C.,
were imported from Switzerland. Little by
little, however, the factory extended It's.
operations and produced other parts. But
as the profits were small, the capitalists
abandoned it and it failed in 1856.
Another American, Mr.. Robbins, scented
q good speculation and bought the factory
and tools for $75 600. A new company,
1.-The American Watch Company" was
formed, with capital of $500, 0eo. which
WIS increased to 100000 before the war
which put on foot million of soldiers, and
as every one wanted watch, there was
great animation in the watch business. At
this juDCture, which might have been a
lucky one for our industry, we failed to
comprehend our real interests. Instead of
sending good watches to the Americans, the
worst trash was sent. The Americans, how
ever, went to work on an entirely different
plan. The company increased their plant
and turned out a better ordinary watch than
the Swiss watch At the end of several
years the American watch enjoyed good
reputation, while ours were 0iscredited ev-
erywhere. In 1866, the capital was in
creased to $750,000, and the operations of
the company grew to immense proportions.
The Watham company give employment to
SO workmen and make about 425 move
ments per day. They have again increased
their capital, till it amounts to ST. 500, OOO be-
side $3C0, 900 as reserve fund This watch
factory is real power; there is none like it IN
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 Wa.tham Company announced re-
duction of from 40 to so per cent on prices
areaiy lower than their rivals, the reduc-
ton to date back to January 1, 1876. It 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 clmpauy. Their tools work
so re ;ularly, that all paris of the watch
may be interchanged, by simple order on
po-tal card, without neces stating the for
irding of the adjoining piece.
The question has often been asked, can
the Americans sufficiently supply the de-
mand of their markets? Yes, they can: we
are driven out Of the American market. In
1860 the American Companies produced
q 1000, which can be easily doubled We
sent to tie United States in 1872, 366, OC0
watches. In 1876 We shall barely send them
IS 900 watches. The Americans have already
begun to send their manufacture to Europe.
In England they sell annually from 20 coo
to 10000 watches. The American watch
commences to drive from the English
market the Swiss watch and even the Eng
lish watch. The Americans began by
creating a demand for their goods in the
Indies and in Australia, and then-thanks
to some powerful importing houses-they
invaded England. At Moscow and st.
PeteI5burgh they have already established
important branch offices. Their aim is to
drive us first out of their own country, and
| then to compete with US on our own soil.
l sincerely confess that l personally have
doubted that competition. But now have
seen-I have felt it-and l am terrified by
the danger to which our industry is exposed
| Besides, | am not the only one to think SO:
The Societe Interc lntonale have sent dele
gate to make inquiries, and his report per-
| fectly agrees with mine. Up to this very
day we have believed America to be Deepen
dent upon Europe. We have been mistaken.
| The Americans will send us their products
since we cannot send them our own. Their
| importation is not confined to watches
alone. Already America has commenced
| ID send cotton goods to England, which
| hitherto monopOliZed that article in the
markets of the world.
Can the Americans maintain their prices :?
Yes, they can, for if they obtain q good
profit on their superior quality goods, they
can afford TO be satisfied with smaller
profit on the lower grades of watchc7. In
America every thing is made by machineI J /;
here we make everything by hand In
Switzerland about 40, OC0 workmen make, on
an average, each 40 watches per annum. In
the United States, the average is about $50
watches. Therefore, the machinery pro-
duces three and q half to four times more
| than the workmen.
Had the Philadelphia Exhibition taken
place five years later, we should have been
totally annihilated without knowing whence
nor how we received the terrible blow We
have believed ourselves masters of the stu
adon, when we really have been on a vol
cano. And, to day, we must actually strug-
gle, if we do not want to encounter, in all
the markets, that rival manufacture. For q
long time we have hoped that the customs
duties, amounting to Is per cent, might be
reduced. We cannot count upon it.
America needs all her resources, and
whether Democrats or Republicans be in
power, we CANNOT hope for reduction of
import dutieI. We must, therefore, make
up our mind to lose the American market.
1t hes been complacently said that the
Americans do not make the entire watch,
but are dependent upon Switzerland fol-