226 OS SILK. MANUFACTURE IX THE EXHIBITION. 



of export to Europe, while in the other a disease as mysterious in its 

 origin, progress, and agency as the cholera, has destroyed myriads of 

 "worms in the silk producing districts of Italy, France, and elsewhere on 

 the continent. 



But severe as are these trials, they are not unmitigated evils, and 

 afford additional illustrations of the theory — as paradoxical as it is true — 

 that war, pestilence, and famine are more frequently than otherwise the 

 harbingers of improved civilisation, open up new fields of production, 

 and give to the resources of art and science, larger scope for profitable 

 development. It cannot be doubted that when the American ports are 

 again thrown open to the commerce of the world, cotton cultivators and 

 merchants will find that in the European markets, which they have so 

 long abandoned, they will have seriously to cope with other and newer 

 producers in far distant climes, who have been encouraged and stimulated 

 to competition by the prices their cotton has commanded during the 

 years of famine. So of silk ; China and Bengal have come to the rescue, 

 and have not only supplied to a great extent the vacuum occasioned by 

 the devastating worm-disease with the raw material, but millions of eggs 

 from the vast regions of Asia have been exported to Europe, where, by 

 crossing enfeebled breeds with the more healthy and hardy races of the 

 far East, the foundation has been laid for an ultimate supply of silk 

 larger in quantity and better in quality than was ever before known. 



It will also be found that a new and formidable producer has recently 

 entered the field of competition. Japan, whose many natural resources 

 are beginning to be understood, is already giving earnest of an intention 

 to achieve for itself a position as a commercial country. Of this, as 

 regards silk, some interesting particulars have been furnished to the 

 Jury by Lord John Hay, published in the last number of the 

 Technologist. 



In reviewing the progress of this trade since 1851, so far as the silks 

 now exhibited afford the necessary evidence, it is proposed to take each 

 important country alphabetically, and to group together those which do 

 not seem to require separate notice. Acting on this arrangement, the 

 first country which challenges attention is — 



Austria. — It will be seen in the list that out of thirty-six exhibitors of 

 raw, thrown, and manufactured silks, the jury have only awarded medals 

 to nine, and made honourable mention of nineteen others. Some progress* 

 however, is apparent since 1851, which may be attributed to the removal of 

 the incubus of prohibition and the substitution of a moderate import duty. 

 This relaxation has produced its natural result, for the opportunity it has 

 for the first time afforded to the silk manufacturers of Austria, of com. 

 paring the productions of other countries with their own, has led to an 

 appreciable improvement ; and the occasional introduction of weaving 

 by power enables them to produce some classes of plain goods, which 

 being cheaper than heretofore, find markets in the Danubian principali. 

 ties, in other parts of Germany, and even in the United States. But the 



