Part 31 (1/2)
In spite of the fact that Switzerland has no available coal,[74]
the long winters the Alpine herdsman and his fah lumber laid by for the purpose Farther down in the valley-lands the exquisite brocades and muslins are made on hand-looms, or by the aid of the abundant water-power Each industrial district has its special line of manufacture, so that there is scarcely an idle day in the year
In the cities and towns of the lowland district, watches, clocks, music-boxes, and fine machinery are manufactured For many years Satches were about the only ones used in the United States, but on account of the competition of American watches this trade has fallen off The mechanical music-player, operated by perforated paper, has also interfered with the trade in music-boxes
Switzerland is provided with excellent facilities for transportation, and this has done about as much for the commercial welfare of the state as all other industrial enterprises In proportion to its area, the railwaystates The roads are well built and the rates of transportation are low
In addition to the ordinary trip-tickets,the holders to travel when and where they please within the limits of the state on all roads and lake-steamers
These are sold to the traveller for about two-thirds the price of the 1,000-e roads have no superiors, and they penetrate about every part of the state below the snow line; they also cross the h one or another of these passes n traffic of the state must be carried To Genoa and Milan it crosses the Alps via the St Gotthard tunnel, or the Sioes by the Rhone Valley; between Vienna and Switzerland, by the Arlberg tunnel; and to Gerh the valley of the Main
As a result of this ed with visiting tourists at all times of the year; moreover, it has always been the policy of the Swiss Government not only to provide for them, but also to make the country attractive to them The result has shown the wisdon tourist has become one of the chief sources of income of the Swiss people, and the latter profit by the transaction to the amount of about forty million dollars a year
About all the raw material used in manufacture must be imported The cotton is purchased mainly from the United States, and enters by way of Marseille The raw silk is purchased froar, food-stuffs, and steel are purchased from Germany, and this state supplies about half the imports From the United States are purchased wheat, cotton, and coal-oil
The manufactures are intended for export The fine cotton textiles sold to the United States are worth far more than the raw cotton purchased therefrom Silk textiles, straares, toys, watches, jewelry, and dairy products are leading exports The surrounding states are the chief buyers, and none of them competes with Switzerland to any extent in the character of the exports
_Geneva_, situated at the head of the Rhone Valley, is the chief trade depot; it is noted especially for the manufacture of watches, of which many hundred thousand are made yearly _Zurich_ is the centre of manufactures of textiles and fine machinery The silk-brocade industry is centred chiefly in this city and _Basel_
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Why did not France prosper commercially prior to the time of the revolution of 1793?
What are the chief natural advantages of the state in favor of commercial developes of Switzerland been overcome?
How has the loss of her colonies affected the industrial develop Spain and Italy, which has the better situation with reference to the Suez Canal traffic?
Fron trade of each state
From the Abstract of Statistics find the trade of each one with the United States
FOR COLLATERAL READING AND REFERENCE
Adams's New Empire, pp 160-168
Fiske's Discovery of America, Vol II, Chapter XI
Procure for inspection specioods made in these states
CHAPTER XXVIII
EUROPE--THE DANUBE AND BALKAN STATES