A part of the raw silk required for these va rious fabrics is grown in France. Linens, damasks, sail-cloth, and lace, are made to some considerable extent.
The working of the metals has much in creased, especially iron. The quality and appearance of the steel and wrought-iron goods have much improved; yet the quality of the French iron is inferior, and it main tains its ground against the Russian and Swedish iron only by means of protecting duties. In the manufacture of clocks and watches France is almost equal to Switzer land; and for chronometers and instruments for scientific purposes it is not surpassed by any country. The inventions of the French chemists and the improvement of chemical science have done much in producing with economy and expedition the many chemical agents employed in the various branches of manufacture, and particularly dyeing. The commoner sort of French earthenware has much improved in beauty of design. Fine porcelain is made at Sevres, Paris, and Li moges. The cut-glass is nearly equal to that of England in beauty of workmanship, and it is perhaps superior in elegance of form.
The means of internal communication in France are much inferior to those of Great Britain. The roads are divisible into those maintained by the central government, and designated Routes Royales and those which are kept up at the cost of the several depart ments to which they belong, and designated Routes Dkpartententales. Besides these there are Chenzins Vicinaux, or bye-roads. The Routes Royales extend about 22,000 miles. Posting and the mail service along these roads are under the control of the govern. meni. Diligences run on all these roads. The departmental roads are rather greater in length than the royal, but are mostly in bad condition. The inland water communication is carried on by means of the great rivers and by the canals which have been formed. Many of the rivers have been improved for naviga tion; and the artificial canals are rather nu merous. The canals present a united length of about 1,600 miles. The railway system of communication has not made considerable progress in France; but lines have been laid out along most of the great travelling routes in the kingdom.
The following important statistics of French commerce, shipping, and manufactures have recently appeared—mostly referring to the year 1850. There exist in France 5,607 manufactories of various- denominations in which steam machinery' is employed. This machinery is worked by means of boilers, the number of which is 9,288, and of which 8,776 were made in French establishments. These boilers represent a force of 65,120 horses' power, the horse power as 75 kilo grammes (1801b7) raised one metre (1 yard) per second ; they represent the force that would be produced by 195,361 draught horses and 1,367,530 labourers. The length of rail way now open for traffic is 2,171 kilometres (1,300 miles), on which are employed 725 lo comotives. The number of steam trading vessels is 279 ; their tonnage amounts to 40,098 tons ; and they are propelled by 502 engines, constituting a total power of 22,893 horses. The merchandise transported by these vessels amounted to 730,948 tons. The progress of steam navigation in France is indicated in the following facts :—In 1 835 there were 75 steamers, by which 1,038,916 passengers were carried, and 88.14.0 tons of merchandise ; in 1840 there were 211 steamers, 2,547,116 passengers, and 485,539 tons ; in 1845, there were 259 steamers, 3,461,336 pas sengers, and 696,066 tons; and in the last year there were 279 steamers, 2,808,886 pas sengers, and 730,948 tons. The total number of steam engines employed by land or sea in France amounts to nearly 7,000, and they constitute together a force of 110,178 steam horses, or 330,535 draught horses.
In 1850 there were 12,835 vessels engaged in the import trade, and 11,587 in the export. About 513 kilometres of new railway are expected to be opened in 1851. In 1849 the iron foundries produced 700,000 tons of iron.
In 1848 we imported the following among other commodities from Franee:— Corn .. - 390,000-qrs.