THE TECHNOLOGIST. [Jan. 1, 1865. 



274 PAST AND PRESENT STATE OF 



while formerly Bale manufacturers had to send their silk to France to 

 be dyed, the reputation of the Bale dyers frequently induced the con- 

 trary to take place. The dyers are responsible to the manufacturers for 

 the proper dyes, as well as for any spoiled or damaged goods, and that 

 at the current price. The dyers' wages are from two francs to fifteen 

 francs and upwards. With superfine colours a deduction up to 10 per 

 cent, on the length of the ribbons is made for the higher dyeing price. 



There are in Bale eight dyeing establishments, the largest of which 

 employs 300 hands. 



In 1846 the total value of ribbon manufactured at Bale amounted to 

 at least 20,000,000 francs annually, somewhat less than half the product 

 of the silk manufacturers of the whole of Switzerland, the export of 

 which was estimated at about 46,000,000 francs. In the above 

 20,000,000 francs are included — for actual wages, 2,070,000 francs, 

 1,500,000 of which were paid in the canton of Bale country, and 500,000 

 in Bale town ; for dyers' wages, exclusively to dyers of this place, 

 620,000 francs ; for finishers (" appretur"), dressers and packers, sala- 

 ries of employes, cost of management in general, 1,530,000 francs, or 

 about 4,500,000 in toto, which are annually paid away on the spot. At 

 present the total production may be about 35,000,000 francs. 



With regard to the goods themselves, they may be classed into 

 about one-third figured and two-thirds plain articles. In the same way 

 as, 100 years ago, there was a transition from linen and woollen ribbons to 

 silk ribbons, so within the last thirty-five years the figured (fancy) articles, 

 which, at the beginning of this century, were almost unknown, were 

 adopted. It Avas in the nature of things that, owing to the increased com- 

 petition of the native and French manufactories, the plain articles would 

 have to suffer the most, and that those articles would pay.the best which 

 left more play-room to the spirit of invention, taste, and activity. It was 

 not, however, the prospects alone of a greater gain which occasioned 

 the increase in the manufacture of figured silks, but with the decrease in 

 the former the market of the latter increased enormously when Switzer- 

 land had learned to manufacture cheaply, as well as tastefully and 

 beautifully. At the same time the great improvements in the ribbon, 

 and in the adoption of the Jacquard machines, as well as in the intro- 

 duction (for the first time at Bale) of bars for several shuttles, promoted 

 the manufacture of figured articles. As a proof of the progress of this 

 industry it maybe worth mentioning that several houses have succeeded, 

 under equal conditions, in the manufacture of rich figured ribbons in 

 such a way as not only to successfully cope with their French competi- 

 tors, but even to secure a market at the focus of fashion and taste at 

 Paris, at a disadvantage of from 5 to 7 per cent, which Bale manufac- 

 turers have to pay as import duty into France. The principal articles 

 of the Bale ribbon industry are the beautiful courant ribbons ; the quite 

 rich ones are still left to the French manufacturers. With regard to 

 patterns, the French manufacturers complain of being purloined by the 



