APPENDIX. 399 



(Geneva, Neufchatel, and Berne), where precious metals are 

 worked, and partly from the manner in which these regula- 

 tions are enforced. Government's stamp or mark, where it is 

 required, is not considered as a taxation, but as a security for 

 purchasers ; and in our town, for instance, it is not a compul- 

 sory measure, but every watchmaker or goldsmith is allowed 

 to sell his work stamped or not as he likes. A very large 

 number of watches or goldsmith's ware, which are smuggled 

 into France, England, or other countries, are not marked. 

 Official returns of these stamps are therefore of no use, and 

 lead only to errors. 



However, being particularly desirous of collecting some facts 

 that may be acceptable to you, I consulted at Geneva a gen- 

 tleman who is known to have paid, for many years, consider- 

 able attention to our commerce and manufactures; and at 

 Neufchatel, another gentleman, a merchant, whom I know to 

 be a very sensible and well-informed man. They have made 

 some calculations for me which I consider as near the truth, 

 particularly as I see how well they agree with the numbers 

 given in Picot's Statistique de la Suisse, 2d edit. 1830. The 

 following are the accounts given to me : 



1. Consumption of Gold. 



Gold watches and jewellery are made chiefly at Geneva. 

 From official returns, we know the total number of workshops 

 and workmen. We know also from private inquiries the 

 quantity of gold required every day for three of the largest 

 manufactories, and combining these two documents, we sup- 

 pose that the yearly consumption of gold at Geneva Ounces . 

 is about . . . . 75,000 



A very small number of gold watches are manufac- 

 tured at Neufchatel, but it cannot exceed . 1,000 



Total consumption in Switzerland, not below 76,000 



This is for the years 1829 and 1830. 



gramm. 

 One ounce=30-r59 French metric system. 



