The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-14
Interesting to Smokers.

~
any other cigars than those Of Havana
manufacture are now content to use cigars
made at home This is one Of the measures
OF economy forced on the people by the hard
times, and II is one over which nobody need
grievc.
II the domestic cigars are properly made,
though they may not be so satisfactory TO
lastidious taste as those OF Havana manu-
iacturc, they yet may be not much more
dclctcrious in their effects than the cigars
imported from Cuba. Moreover, this forced
consumption OF our own cigars has helped
TO develop one Of the great industries OF the
country. But II is remarkable that evcn
when the cigar OF domestic manufacture is
entirely of Cuban tobacco, with the excep-
ton of the wrapper-and Havana-made
cigars may be rolled in Connecticut leaf
the experienced smoker will at once detect
it from the article which comes already
rolled from Cuba or at least he will pretend
to do it.
The Cuban war has as II is well known.
resulted in the establishment at Key West
OF large colony OF Cuban exiles, most of
whom are engaged in making cigars. These
cigars, which soil for less than those of
! Havana manufacture, are little inferior to
them In quality Throughout New York.
too, great numbers OF Cuban exiles are now
industriously employed in the same trade,
and they have helped to encourage the home
manufacture OF cigars which rank high In
the scale Of excellence. As for themselves.
the Cubans. like the Spaniards, the French,
and the Russians, are chiefly consumers OF
cigarettes, the use OF which among our own
people has increased enormously during the
last ten years.
But the manufacture of cigars in the
United States employs laborers Of all
nationalties. In this city, which is one OF
the great centres OF the trade, thousands OF
hands. chiefly Bohemians and Germans, are
occupied In the business, and on the east
side there is populous region whose
inhabitants are almost entirely engaged in
preparing and rolling the leaves, either at
their own tenements or in vast factories
Another leading centre OF cigar manufacture
is Westfed, Massachusetts,. 1t is the main
business OF the place, and employs men,
women, and children by the thousand
| Throughout Massachusetts, and Connect
lieut., also, there are cigar manufac-
tories on smaller scale in active opera
ton. At Westlleld. especially. machinery Is
extensively used in making inferior quail
ties, hut all the best are OF hand make. The
business is so extensive that it is not sur
prsnS TO find that, Of the total number OF
cigars consumed in the country now, all but
n small fraction are of home manufacture
At the Paris Exhibition a large depart
ment is devoted to the display OF manufac-
tured tobacco, and ii affords n striking proof
Of the growth OF n business which really did
not reach the position Of great industry
until about the middle OF the present CEN
fury or course, as in all other d,part-
ments OF the fair the maj or portion OF the
space is devoted TO French manufactures
and. indeed, the French Government
in its vast tobacco factories. has
carried the industry very far forward
though IN this country, In our private fac
tories, we excel IL In many rcspccts
especially in the manufacture OF cigars, and
cut tobacco for smoking and for chewing
But the French rappee snuff, made at
ChateaurouX, incontestably holds the palm.
OF smoking tobacco, which is manufactured
by machinery, single one Of the French
factories, that Of Lille, produces 5000 tons
a year. All the French cigars, like those Of
Havana, are made by hand, and they are Of
ettes the consumption OF which in Europe,
ms in this country, has greatly increased OF
late years, machinery is used, and it ia like
wise employed i'm the factories OF Havana,
New York and Dresden. which, with those
Of France, turn out the main cigarette sup
ply OF the world. The advantage Of ma
chinery over hand labor is shown in the
circumstance that one of the French ma
chimes can produce 1000 cigarettes an hour,
while the most skilled workman can make
only $50 in the same time.
The statistics OF the total and individual
consumption of tobacco in the leading coun-
tries Of the world furnish interesting and
suggestive figures. Fortunately We are
able to got them quite accurately, for the
business Of tobacco manufacture Is, in many
countries, either government monopoly or
is under government supervision. In Eu-
rope the monopoly is in force In eight differ
ent countries: Austria. France, Italy, Spain,
Portugal, Roumania, the Prncipality OF
Lichtenstcin austria, and the Republic OF
San Marine Italy. The manufacture is UNI
der government supervision in England,
Russia and Turkey, and in the United States
the internal revenue officers are supposed
to keep strict watch over it, as one of tine
chief sources Of our revenue. Some OF the
totals are enormous. For instance, in Aus
tria the consumption in 1876 was 81 ga tons
while in Hungary 1t was $1,000 tons
in France during the same year II
was LABS tons and 32,l20 in 1877
in Italy in 1876 1t was l7,2O0 tons and in
Germany the estimated consumption was
$4,000 tons. 1t Is curious to observe how
the consumption varies from one month to
another Thus, taking the observations from
two French and Italian factories, we find
that in those countries it Increases in Janu-
airy, tho cold weather; decreases in March
with the beginning of spring; rises again
but during the heats of July falls to a min
imum, to rise gradually TO a maximum dur
ing the cold weather OF December.
The following table shows the approx
innate average consumption for several diff
ior'nt countries per head and per annum;
| ,, Pound. Po"pd
hu,uiN ''''''''''t - - Germany ,.,,.,,.,,.,, al