METALLlTilGY, 70 



of the proprietors, but in the first place for the satisfaction 

 of the claims of the Government, under the control of a 

 Committee of Tutelage, or so called " Tutor ;" and the 

 issue has been that many of them have become Govern- 

 ment works.' 



Of these works I may state, as is stated by Barry, that 

 they are, or were, of a character peculiar to the country, 

 and such as are not to be met with elsewhere. 



' Many of the establishments extend their operations 

 over a space containing from three-quarters of a million 

 10 a million and a-half English acres ; and erect their 

 works here and there where a favourable site exists, thus 

 forming little principalities containing numerous villages, 

 which are entirely supported by che labour of the mines ; 

 and in the olden times the " Barrin " lived in almost princely 

 style — in a palace surrounded by highly ornamental gar- 

 dens and extensive parks, laid out with the most excellent 

 taste. In his gardens were hot-houses, vineries, and 

 orange-houses, erected at great expense. Frequently he 

 had a private theatre of his own, a band of music in con- 

 stant attendance ; and I know of at least one of the iron- 

 masters of the last generation, who supported a company of 

 actors and actresses, collected from among his own mujiks, 

 whom he sent to St. Petersburg and Moscow to be educated 

 expressly for his own stage. Such a man, in the days of 

 serfdom, had all the state and authority of a monarch, 

 enjoying unlimited and irresponsible power among his 

 servile dependents. Of course, the condition of these last 

 was regulated bj' the character or caprice of the master : 

 some were cruel ; but, on the other hand, some governed 

 their people with a kindness and discretion wonderful to 

 think of in men brought up as they had been.' 



Connected with this development of metallurgical and 

 manufacturing operations by Demidoff and BotachofF, 

 occurred the development of mining operations in the 



Urals. 



