DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0197
OF THE WORLD'S INDUSTRY. 365
it not that they are so made purposely to suit the particular habits of an agricultural
population, who mow all crops, whether of grain or other kinds, close to the surface of a
soil generally abounding in stones. A scythe of hard steel, with a fine edge, though it
might perform its work better where unimpeded, would be liable to constant injury, very
difficult of repair, under such circumstances; whereas these Tyrolese or Styrian scythes
yield at once to the blows which they receive upon their edge. 'The labourer carries
with him a small hammer; and whenever the blade has so far lost its shape as to need
renewal, he beats it out in a few moments to its original form; hence the softness of the
metal, in most cases considered wholly inconsistent with excellence in this branch of
manufacture, becomes an essential property.
3. From the States of the Zollverein, and from Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Schweriri,
in Northern Germany, there was a collection of articles of almost every description. The
two latter States contributed only on a limited scale ; Mecklenburg some razors, and
.Hamburg also, together with a small collection of tools, of fair quality. The former com-
modities were not good of their kind, and those from Mecklenburg apparently very high
in price. Of the cutlery from the Zollverein, much, though highly finished, was of an
ordinary description, consisting of table and pocket knives in considerable variety; but
there were also certain " spear knives," designed for fishing by the natives in the South
American rivers, and adapted for their markets, which deserved notice as of superior
manufacture. Among the tools the same character prevailed as in the cutlery, though
there were certain " web-saws" which evinced higher skill. There was an assortment of
scissors, chiefly from Solingen in West Prussia, worthy of attention as being manufactured
in great numbers from an ore producing a "natural steel," which is of such quality as
to suffice for the purpose to which it was here applied, and to save the manufacturer the
cost and labour of the converting process, thereby enabling him to produce such goods at
a price much lower than would be profitable with the ordinary methods. The workman-
ship of these scissors appeared to be fair; but the jury were unable, after much attention
to the point, assisted by the judgment of Mr. Ragg, an experienced workman, to satisfy
themselves entirely as to the real quality of the metal, although the material from which
they were said to be manufactured had been examined by Mr. Henry, and was pronounced
by him to be steel.
4. The collections from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway were small, and contained little
that required notice. From the two latter countries the number of exhibitors bore a
large proportion to the extent of the contributions, indicating establishments on a very
limited scale; and although Sweden has long produced the most valuable iron, as the
raw material of the finest steel and of the most finished cutlery, it does not appear
that the manufacture itself has made any great advance. The collection consisted of some
razors, spring-knives, and other cutlery tools of an ordinary kind. From Denmark there
was one singular article, a set of files, hollowed, and made to fit within each other: they
were curious, and difficult of manufacture, but of no apparent utility.
5. Of the three contributions from Russia, one only was from a private individual, the
other two were from imperial establishments. The former contributed a varied assortment
of cutlery of all kinds, and of fair quality; the latter some tools, which could not be
ranked very high, and some scythes of the same kind as those whose peculiarities were-
described in the Austrian department. The Russian implements of this description were
the best.
6. From Spain and Portugal the contributions were very small. The former exhi-
bited only an assortment of files from Placenzia, of very fair quality; the latter, some
"agricultural implements," consisting of pruning-knives and scissors., probably adapted
to the vine cultivation, but of little merit as manufactured goods.
VOL. H. 2 u
it not that they are so made purposely to suit the particular habits of an agricultural
population, who mow all crops, whether of grain or other kinds, close to the surface of a
soil generally abounding in stones. A scythe of hard steel, with a fine edge, though it
might perform its work better where unimpeded, would be liable to constant injury, very
difficult of repair, under such circumstances; whereas these Tyrolese or Styrian scythes
yield at once to the blows which they receive upon their edge. 'The labourer carries
with him a small hammer; and whenever the blade has so far lost its shape as to need
renewal, he beats it out in a few moments to its original form; hence the softness of the
metal, in most cases considered wholly inconsistent with excellence in this branch of
manufacture, becomes an essential property.
3. From the States of the Zollverein, and from Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Schweriri,
in Northern Germany, there was a collection of articles of almost every description. The
two latter States contributed only on a limited scale ; Mecklenburg some razors, and
.Hamburg also, together with a small collection of tools, of fair quality. The former com-
modities were not good of their kind, and those from Mecklenburg apparently very high
in price. Of the cutlery from the Zollverein, much, though highly finished, was of an
ordinary description, consisting of table and pocket knives in considerable variety; but
there were also certain " spear knives," designed for fishing by the natives in the South
American rivers, and adapted for their markets, which deserved notice as of superior
manufacture. Among the tools the same character prevailed as in the cutlery, though
there were certain " web-saws" which evinced higher skill. There was an assortment of
scissors, chiefly from Solingen in West Prussia, worthy of attention as being manufactured
in great numbers from an ore producing a "natural steel," which is of such quality as
to suffice for the purpose to which it was here applied, and to save the manufacturer the
cost and labour of the converting process, thereby enabling him to produce such goods at
a price much lower than would be profitable with the ordinary methods. The workman-
ship of these scissors appeared to be fair; but the jury were unable, after much attention
to the point, assisted by the judgment of Mr. Ragg, an experienced workman, to satisfy
themselves entirely as to the real quality of the metal, although the material from which
they were said to be manufactured had been examined by Mr. Henry, and was pronounced
by him to be steel.
4. The collections from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway were small, and contained little
that required notice. From the two latter countries the number of exhibitors bore a
large proportion to the extent of the contributions, indicating establishments on a very
limited scale; and although Sweden has long produced the most valuable iron, as the
raw material of the finest steel and of the most finished cutlery, it does not appear
that the manufacture itself has made any great advance. The collection consisted of some
razors, spring-knives, and other cutlery tools of an ordinary kind. From Denmark there
was one singular article, a set of files, hollowed, and made to fit within each other: they
were curious, and difficult of manufacture, but of no apparent utility.
5. Of the three contributions from Russia, one only was from a private individual, the
other two were from imperial establishments. The former contributed a varied assortment
of cutlery of all kinds, and of fair quality; the latter some tools, which could not be
ranked very high, and some scythes of the same kind as those whose peculiarities were-
described in the Austrian department. The Russian implements of this description were
the best.
6. From Spain and Portugal the contributions were very small. The former exhi-
bited only an assortment of files from Placenzia, of very fair quality; the latter, some
"agricultural implements," consisting of pruning-knives and scissors., probably adapted
to the vine cultivation, but of little merit as manufactured goods.
VOL. H. 2 u