IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF SWITZERLAND.

133

The return at the foot of the previous page shows a balance in favour of Switzerland, but it also shows that she imports bread-stuffs to the value of about 1,500,000l. sterling per annum, and that her imports of cattle, &c., exceed her exports by about 200,0007. per annum. The value of watches which Switzerland exports exceeds that of the grain she imports.

The state of Switzerland furnishes a strong argument in favour of small proprietorships. They have not been produced by any sudden political convulsion, but have gradually grown up. There is nothing in the situation of Switzerland, in her soil or climate, peculiarly favourable to small farmers, yet her people are contented with their lot, and the country is increasing in wealth.

With regard to the main subject of my inquiries, I think it is evident that Switzerland will not afford England any supplies of food, on the contrary, she will purchase in the French, German, and Italian markets in opposition to England, and she will continue to compete with us in manufactures.

The return on the next page, which gives the number of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and swine, in each canton of Switzerland, was kindly supplied to me by M. Max Werth, Director of the Statistical Department, Berne :

Cologne. An investigation into the state of German agriculture-of that of the vast plateau, the cradle of nations, which stretches from Helvetia to the Baltic, from the Vistula to the Rhine, which is split up into so many different nations-or to visit and report on each of them, did not form part of my plan on leaving London. I therefore shall very briefly describe the country I traversed en route from Switzerland to Belgium. I selected the railway on the east of the Rhine, and chose to travel only by day.

The railway from Basle to Mayence traverses a level plain; there is hardly a spot of picturesque beauty, except at Heidelberg. The ride is for many hours through Baden, which lies between the Black Forest and the Rhine. The Valley of the Rhine is here very wide; the French mountain range of Jura forms a background at a considerable distance. The soil is cultivated in patches, and you travel for miles and miles without seeing a fence, and get almost tired of the unvarying sameness. The inhabitants live in villages, and you do not see at every step those pretty chatelets which add so much to the beauty of the Swiss landscape, while the almost total absence of animal life in the fields-no cows, no sheep-greatly lessens its attraction.

My first day's journey occupied the section from Basle to Mayence, via Frankfort, which occasioned a détour of twenty-five to thirty miles, but I wished to see that city. I reached Mayence at 7.30, having been twelve hours on the road. The contrast between the comfort and the expense of continental, as compared with English, railways has been often referred to. I will give my experience. I found the secondclass carriages on the French, the Swiss, and the German lines fully equal to the first-class carriages on the English lines. The third-class are much superior to most of the second-class in England. The charge is much more moderate on the Continent. From Basle to Frankfort is 212 miles; the charge, second-class, is 11 florins 21 kreutzers, or 198. 4d. British. From Cologne to Brussels the distance is 149 miles; the charge, second-class, is 19 francs 10 centimes, or 15s. 6d.; third-class, 3 thalers 10 silver groschen, or 10s.; being less than a penny per mile.

Frankfort, the free city, glorious title! is a place of large trade, and contains 82,000 inhabitants. It lies on the river Maine, which is navigable for ships of considerable size; it deservedly ranks among the handsomest and most opulent cities of Germany. It was the birthplace of Göethe, whose house is still shown. The monument to this poet forms a prominent object on the north side of the town. It also contains one to Gütenberg and to Schiller. distance from Frankfort to Castel, opposite Mayence, is about twenty miles. The railway traveller is ferried over. The Rhine is here crossed by a bridge of boats. Mayence, which has a population of 42,000, is the strongest fortification of the Germanic

The

confederation. In peace it is garrisoned by 6,000 soldiers, half of whom are Prussians and half Austrians. It was taken by the French in 1792, but retaken by the Prussians in the following year. It became French again in 1797, but was assigned to Germany in 1814. Moored in the stream are a number of floating mills with large paddle-wheels, which revolve from the pressure of the water on their floats. They grind corn for the inhabitants. The valley of the Rhine narrows considerably at Mayence, and the portion of the river between Mayence and Cologne is all that is considered worth a traveller's time. Above Mayence and below Cologne, the banks are low and the country uninteresting, but between those cities it winds its way among hills, and the scenery is very pretty. I cannot say it is grand or sublime. The voyage up against the stream occupies about twelve hours, down, with the current it takes nine hours, or in the express boats, which do not stop at all the small towns, the voyage may be performed in seven hours. About an hour's sail from Mayence we pass the celebrated Schloss Johannisberg, situate on a vine-clad eminence 340 feet above the Rhine. It forms a conspicuous object in the landscape. It was given with the estate by the late Emperor of Austria to Prince Metternich. The estate only comprises 40 English acres, but it yields an annual revenue of 6,000l. to 7,000l. a year, or 1507. per acre. This arises from the very high price realised for the wine, the flavour of which is considered unsurpassable, and it is bought for the cellars of regal and ducal personages; a bottle rarely comes into the hands of a commoner. The vineyards are tilled with great care, but whether the flavour