THE CORAL FISHERY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. 377 



Italian coral trade, as furnished in the official Exhibition catalogue of 

 that kingdom. 



Coral is an important branch of industry and commerce in Italy. 

 Genoa, Leghorn, and Naples, have been from old times the three great 

 centres to which the raw material has been carried, and where skilful 

 artificers have established themselves in order to work at its transfor- 

 mation into ornaments. Coral is obtained in large quantities in the 

 Mediterranean, and at depths ranging from 200 to 600 feet. Four 

 varieties are distinguished : 1st, red, which is subdivided into deep 

 crimson red, pale red, and vermilion, which is very rare ; 2nd, black ; 

 3rd, clear white ; 4th, dull white, which is the most common. The 

 produce of the fishery varies yearly, and even in the richest spots the 

 fishing should only be carried on at fixed- intervals. 



The coasts where this valuable zoophyte is found in the greatest 

 abundance are those of Corsica, Sardinia, Provence, Africa, the vicinity 

 of Trepani, and the Straits of Messina. Three hundred and forty 

 Italian barques, manned by 3,400 sailors, are employed in the fishery. 

 The average profits made by each boat are from 280Z. to 3201., and the 

 total profits may be estimated at 180,000Z. The raw coral is sold in the 

 markets of Genoa, Leghorn, and Naples, where it receives its first polish, 

 and undergoes its successive manipulations. The price of the raw coral 

 varies according to the size of the pieces. The smallest, called 

 " Ferraglio " of Sardinia, range from 9d. to lOd. the kilogramme. Those 

 called " Barbarie," from Is. lOd. to 2s. 2d. Medium size " Fanagliatura " 

 of Sardinia, 21s. 6d. to 24s. 2d. Large size " Fanagliatura," 41. 4s. 

 Large size, of Barbary, 41. 12s. 6d. the kilo. 



Besides several second rate establishments, there are in the city of 

 Leghorn four principal manufactories for working in coral. 



Each of these employs from 250 to 300 workpeople ; this branch of 

 industry thus giving occupation to a thousand women. The coral which 

 is annually wrought into little globules, round, egg-shaped, smooth, or 

 cut into facets, &c, amounts to 25,000 kilos. The greater part is sent 

 to the East Indies, by way of Marseilles ; a large portion is exported to 

 Germany, especially for necklaces of an inferior quality, destined to 

 serve as funeral ornaments. It is also sent to Russia, where coral is in 

 great demand. The total value of these exports is not less than 20,000Z. 

 Naples and Sicily derive an annual profit of 88,0O0Z. The quantity of 

 coral brought yearly to Genoa, amounts to about 37,000 kilogrammes, 

 worth 480,000^ There are twenty-four coral venders in the city, 

 fourteen of whom have their own manufactories. 



The greater part of the coral is wrought into beads. This work, 

 which consists of three different operations, cutting, piercing, and round- 

 ing, is executed by the country people, and principally by the women of 

 the Val de Bisagno. The manner in which it is distributed among the 

 inhabitants of the different communes of the valley, affords a striking 

 example of the principle of division of labour. All the workmen em- 



VOL. III. K k 



