The glass-cutting department is perhaps the largest in the world ; there are not less than three hundred workmen employed in this screeching, scratching, crushing, cracking, crashing, detestable labour. If the torture to which the ears of the workmen are subjected, the whole day long, does not totally deaden them to all harmony, a song, after their work is over, must be a heavenly enjoyment. It is singular enough that this manufactory should excel less in the fineness and accuracy of the cutting, than in the boldness and dexterity with which castings on a large scale are executed. Much work is done here for the Russian churches, in which balustrades and frameworks of glass are greatly in fasliion.
The following anecdote of the inventive spirit of a Russian was related to me.
The emperor wished to illuminate the Alexander column in a grand style ; the size of the round lamps was indicated, and the glasses bespoken at this manufttctory, where the workmen exerted themselves in vain, and almost blew the breath out of then bodies in the endeavour to obtain the desired magnitude. The commission must be executed, that was self-evident ; but how ? A great premium was offered to whoever should solve this problem. Again the human bellows toiled and puffed, their object seemed unattainable ; when at last a long-bearded Russian stepped forward, and declared that he could do it ; he had strong and sound lungs, he would only rince his mouth first with a little cold water to refresh tliem. He applied liis mouth to the pipe, and puffed to such purpose that the vitreous ball swelled and swelled nearly to the required dimensions, up to it, beyond it. " Hold, hold,' cried the lookers on, "you are doing too much, and how did you do it at all ?" " The matter is simple enough," answered the long-beard; "but first, where is my premium ?" And when he had clutched the promised bounty he explained. He had retained some of the water in his mouth, which had passed thence into the glowing ball, and there becoming steam, had rendered him this good service.
It is a known fact, that some of the transplanted branches of industry have attained a higher degree of perfection in Russia, than in the country whence they were brought. Sealing-wax is one of these, which can no where, out of England, be obtained better than in Russia. The same may perhaps be said of the paper from the Peterhof manufactory.
When the Emperor Alexander was in England, in 1815, he invited English paper manufacturers to Russia, who formed this establishment, for which they brought the necessary machinery from their own country. Not less than 70,000 reams of paper, of all sorts, the finer particularly, are made here yearly. The coarser kinds are abundantly fiu-nished by the hiland manufactories. All the most dehcate and daintiest materials that lovers or ladles can desire, whereon to waft their compliments and slg-hs, are here to be had in abundance and in immense variety.
The Russians greatly esteem an elegant handwriting, and like to have paper and envelope worthy of it. The queer shaped, scrav/led, and smeared epistles that sometimes pass through the German post, are never seen in the hands of a Russian. The workmen, 800 in number, are supplied from the FoundUng Hospital, all dressed in snow-white, like so many cooks, with paper caps of their own fancy on their heads. The execution of the English machines is like witchcraft ; thrown in at one side a slimy chaos, the matter comes out firm and perfect paper at the other. We were told in the manufactory, that Russia had already been able to acknowledge her obligations to England, by sending thither no small quantity of paper. It is also sent to America.
Under the same roof with the paper manufactory, is the imperial establishment for the cutting and polishing of precious stones. The wealth of the Ural and Altai mountains in these costly articles, and the active search for them, are likely to increase the amount of labour performed in this establishment. In no court in the world are such quantities of jewels employed as in the Russian. The number of orders and crosses worn on the uniforms of the nobles leads already to an enormous consumption. Still greater is that caused by the rings, bracelets, and other ornaments lavished as marks of imperial favour. The emperor and empress scarcely go any where without leaving behind them some testimonies of satisfaction in the shape of jewels ; reversing the eastern custom, where the smaller must pay this homage to the greater luminary. When they travel, a jewel casket, destined for this purpose, and which rarely comes back unemptied, is always among their baggage. If these gifts were always faithfully preserved, and not turned into money again, as they generally are, all the diamond mines of Brazil and the east would not be able to supply the constant demand.