Jan. 1, 1865.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



THE SILK INDUSTRY OF BALE. 273 



great and injurious fatigue. It was to preserve to his family life and 

 health, which induced the ingenious but poor Jacquard, of Lyons, to 

 invent his celebrated machine which was burnt by Lis ungrateful 

 fellow-citizens. At this place 6,000 looms are still worked by hand } 

 about 500 by water-power, and 750 by steams. Another pecu- 

 liarity of the Bale industry which enables it to maintain its superiority 

 as regards its principal rival at St. Etienne is, that the greater part of 

 the looms belong to the manufacturer and not to the operative ; for the 

 manufacturer has the means and more inclination for improving his 

 loom, because it is for his own peculiar benefit. He is thereby enabled 

 to keep the wages at a more uniform level, and, on the other hand, 

 is less dependent upon the abilities of the operative. While at St. 

 Etienne the rate of wages varies as it were with the rate of exchange, 

 and the manufacturer has no stable foundation on which to fix the price 

 of his article ; the reverse is the case at Bale. The wages remain very m arly 

 constantly the same. During the last hundred years the number of 

 looms has increased more than sixfold, the number of manufacturers 

 hardly fourfold, so that at present a far greater number of looms fall 

 to one mandfacturer than formerly, and hence they are better enabled 

 to manage the scale of prices. The operative pays 2 per cent, of his 

 wages for the use of the loom. Other security than " honesty and 

 faith " are not required of him. The wages are as follows : — 



Fr. c. Fr. c. 



Silk reeler . . . . 1 50 to 2 per day. 



Warper . . . . 2 50 to 3 „ 



Lace-maker (weaver) . . 4 to 5 „ 



The majority of the operatives contribute monthly towards the sick 

 relief fund, out of which they are supported daily in case of sickness, 

 or else the hospital charges are paid. Few manufacturers have a 

 private fund for this purpose ; several, however, give annual donations 

 to the existing public funds, and frequently they are assisted by testa- 

 mentary endowments. 



One principal advantage of the Bale ribbon manufacture consists in the 

 perfection of the ribbon-looms. In fact, they have improved from year 

 to year, particularly of late, so that already a considerable demand for 

 them exists from abroad. There are several workshops of high reputation. 

 Bale possesses seven loom-mechanicians, occupying about 250 operatives ; 

 eight loom-mechanicians (in the country), with about fifly operatives. 



The annual number of new looms manufactured is about 500, 350 

 of which are destined for Switzeiland, and 150 for abroad. The waste 

 of old looms is made up annually by about 100 new T ones. They repre- 

 sent a total value of about 700,000 francs ; the raw material of which 

 maybe estimated at 200,000 francs, leaving a profit of about 500,000 francs. 



Dyeing has also made considerable progress, both as regards quantity 

 and quality. Certain colours are nowhere to be found so fine as here. 

 This particular branch seems destined to have a brilliant future ; for 



