These miglity influential manufacturing' aristocrats are in many cases the great obstacles to the improvement of the manufactures by means of smaller but more skilful producers, who are now quite shut out from competition by the privileged monopolists. In this respect the Russian aristocracy stand in the same relation to the manufacturing industry^ as the English aristocracy do to the agricultural. In England, where the importation of raw produce is so greatly needed, the sole proprietorship of the soil by the powerful aristocracy not only makes bread dear, but prevents the improvement of agriculture. In Russia, where there is a superfluity of raw produce, but a want of manufactures, the aristocracy manufacturing for themselves have demanded a high tax on the foreign article, and, partly because their social position gives them a natural preponderance, partly because for the advancement of some particular branch of industry they unite to obtain monopolies from their government, a bar is placed to the invention and acquisition of the other classes, who moreover must pay much dearer for the necessary manufactures on that very account.
St. Petersburg reckons within its walls, and in its neighbourhood, the largest and most magnificent industrial establishments, particularly those which produce the more unusual and costly articles, and the workmanship is infinitely superior to any thing that has hitherto been produced in other parts of Russia. Among them may be enumerated the cotton-spinning, cotton-printing, dyeing, glass and looking-glass manufactories, the cannon foundries, the Gobehn tapestry establishment, and those for cutting and polishing precious stones, paper and fire-arms. All these are the property either of foreigners or of the crown, under the management of foreigners, and serve as patterns and examples to the whole empire.
All these establishments are readily shown to strangers ; partly because, as they are only imitations of what has long been known in other countries, they contain no mystery, and partly because Russian hospitahty does not readily aUow them to refuse the request of a foreigner. Hence many a tiling, in this distant region, becomes known to the curious stranger, that has been churlishly hidden from him in his native land.
It is characteristic of Russia, which possessed universities before it had schools, that establishments for the manufacture of costly carpets should be thought of before they had learned to spin cotton. The " Spalernoi manufactory," where the Gobelin tapestry is made, is the oldest in St. Petersbm-g, as the academy founded by Peter the First is the oldest school. In Peter's time, the workmen were one and all French and Italians. AVithin the last fifty years they have been all Russians, the Director, of course, excepted, who is an Italian, and the designer a Frenchman. The establishment is recruited from the great Foundling Hospital, which gives yearly a certain number of boys, who are taught weaving and drawing in the house, and gradually work themselves up to sub-masters and masters.
Ordinary carpets are made here for sale, but the real Gobelin tapestry is destined for the court alone. The opulence of the Russian court in palaces creates a, constant demand for these productions, which are also often sent as presents to Asiatic and European potentates. In 1836 there were in the manufactory 24 masters and under masters, 52 workmen, and as many apprentices ; it is, perhaps, the largest existing estabhshment for this branch of Industry, which is now rather out of fashion in other parts of the world.