126 MANUTACTDRES OF RUSSIA 



CHAPTER IX. 

 The Metal Industries. 



THE mauufaxiture of articles from metal for the trade has been a prominent industrj' 

 in Eussia for many years, even antedating the reign of Peter the Great. This 

 statement is confirmed by the fact that many articles bearing inscriptions have been 

 preserved to this day, as well as by many written documents, amongst others the 

 coui't rolls. Thus, the fabrication of bells began in Eussia soon after the intro- 

 duction of Christianity. The forging of side arms of different sorts should be classed 

 among the most ancient, and was especially developed during the civil wars between 

 the Eussian princes and frequent wars with nomads and Tartars. Finally, owing. to 

 the Eussians being a very religious people, who in their most happy as well as most 

 unhappy moments were always building churches and decorating them, the industry 

 of making church ornaments and ikon trimmings of precious metals also dates 

 from very ancient times. At the end of the seventeenth century this industry 

 attained such development that Peter the Great found it necessary to stamp silver 

 and gold fabrications, in order to protect their quality. 



But the small quantities of gold and silver, as also of other metals, of which 

 the principal are copper, iron and steel, produced by Eussia, retarded the free devel- 

 opment of these manufactures, centralizing them principally near the Imperial palaces, 

 as all the metal produced in Eussia, and imported, was taken there to be stamped. 

 Thus Moscow was the principal centre of the Eussian metallui'gical industry before 

 the reign of Peter the Great ; the best gun makers and goldsmiths were there : 

 amongst them were many experienced foremen who came from abroad under special 

 invitation and inducements of the Government. 



During the reign of Peter the Great, namely, from the beginning of the eight- 

 eenth century, the metallurgical industries attained a remarkable development, owing 

 to the genius and interest of that great Emperor. He founded several metallurgical 

 manufactories especially iron works, the principal locality for such being the Urals. , 

 rich in extensive veins of different metals, and in large areas of forests of fir trees, 



