————
—
671,092,6
Total
"
33
Switzerland imports chiefly from the neighbouring countries, but her
export trade is largely with England and America, as well as with
Germany and France. Of the industries of the country, the largest as
well as the oldest is the production of silk goods, dating back to the
thirteenth century, the chief seats being Zurich and Basel. Cotton
manufacture is carried on at Zurich, Aargau, St. Gall, and other
places; embroidery is made at St. Gall and Appenzell; and watches at
Neuchâtel and Geneva. This last town has also a great trade in
jewellery and musical boxes. Then there are considerable
manufactures of machinery, cheese, condensed milk, and other
things, and wood carving is carried on to a large extent. The last
returns give the exports of silk as 198,768,230 francs, cotton as over
158,000,000, and watches over 84,000,000.
[Pg 411]
"VICTIMS OF THE WORK," ST. GOTHARD TUNNEL, FROM A
BAS-RELIEF BY VELA.
(Photographed by Guler. By permission of the Sculptor.)
[Pg 412]
This is not the place for details respecting the railway system, but it
may be noted that the total length of the Swiss lines is now over three
thousand kilometres. A special feature of the Alpine lines is, as every
one is aware, the skill with which the engineering difficulties have
been surmounted. The St. Gothard line, with its fifty tunnels, is the
most conspicuous of these successes. This grand international
enterprise owes its execution to Dr. Alfred Escher of Zurich, and the
famous engineer, Louis Favre of Geneva. Vela, the Ticinese sculptor,
has produced a fine group of relievi as a memento of the many poor
victims of the great undertaking. The tunnel is between nine and ten
miles long, and was completed in seven and a half years.
There is no doubt that the thriving condition of Switzerland is chiefly
due to three causes—the thriftiness of the people, their natural ability,
and perhaps, more than all, the excellence of the educational system.
On this last point much has been written by the late Matthew Arnold
and Sir F. O. Adams, and to their works the reader must be referred
for details. We may here mention, however, that besides the primary,
secondary, and high schools, which are to be found in every canton,
Switzerland stands out conspicuously by the number and excellence
of its technical and trade schools. The great Polytechnikum of Zurich
is the pride of the country, and Basel, Zurich, Bern, and Geneva have
universities, and Neuchâtel and Lausanne academies.[108] Primary education is entirely free, and to it the greater share of the education
vote is assigned—in 1887, nearly seventeen and a half million francs
out of a total of twenty-six and a half millions given to education.
Attendance at school is compulsory, and there were in 1887, 467,597
children attending the primary schools.
[Pg 413]
PORTRAIT OF GOTFRIED KELLER, THE POET. (After a
Photograph.)
[Pg 414]
Of men of intellect, of talent, of artistic, scientific, or literary skill,
Switzerland has produced many, and has sheltered many more. The
numerous academical institutions, literary, scientific, and musical
societies, draw together large numbers of superior intellects.
Amongst the numberless men of science now or lately living may be
mentioned Agassiz, Desor, De la Rive, Heer, Merian, Studer, and Dr.
Ferdinand Keller, the discoverer of the lake dwellings. In literature we
have Viet, Marc Monnier, Zschokke, as well as Leuthold, Gotfried
Keller, and Ferdinand Meyer. Keller has a reputation more than
European; he has been called the German Shakespeare. He belongs
to Zurich. The occasion of his seventieth birthday (on July, 1889),
brought a remarkable demonstration. The Assembly voted him an
address, and enthusiastic congratulations poured in upon him from all
quarters. From Germany Von Moltke himself headed the list of
admiring friends who sent messages. Keller is acknowledged to be
the greatest living German poet. Amongst painters are Calaine,
Diday, Girardet, Gleyre, Vautier, and Böcklin, whom the Germans
consider one of their greatest living painters; and of sculptors, there
are Vela and Lanz. Gustave Weber and Joachim Raff are well-known
musical composers, with whom we must name Baumgartner, who
has raised Keller's "Oh, mein Heimatland," into the position of a
second national anthem.
We see in Switzerland a nation which once played
[Pg 415]
a conspicuous part in European military affairs, but which has now
become a land of peace, whose neutrality the Powers vouchsafed at
the Vienna Congress. In the exceptional position she holds, she
deems it part of her mission of peace to promote the general welfare
of the world, so far as lies in her power. Most important international
institutions owe their origin, or at least their successful establishment,
to Switzerland. Thus she started the Geneva Convention, under the
presidency of General Dufour, in 1864. This Convention had for its
object the mitigation of the horrors of war, and every European nation
was represented at it. The declaration of the neutrality of all nurses,
medical men, hospitals, &c., on either side, and the adoption of the
distinguishing badge, the Geneva cross, are too well known to need
description here. Then at the suggestion of Germany the International
Postal Union was founded at a meeting at Bern. And quite recently
the International Congress of labour delegates is under consideration
to be called with the view of settling some of the social questions
affecting labour. A particularly interesting Swiss foundation was
started in 1886, to provide for poor soldiers incapacitated by war, and
to assist relatives dependent on those killed in battle. It was founded
to celebrate the five-hundredth anniversary of Sempach, and is
appropriately named the Winkelriedstiftung.
The right to offer an asylum in time of war she considers one of her
most precious privileges. Seeing, however, how frequently her well-
meant intentions are misinterpreted, and her hospitality
[Pg 416]
abused, she may probably have to restrict her offers of asylum. In
fact, the Bundesrath have even now under consideration the question
of how best to maintain her rights in this respect, whilst seeing that no
injury is done to foreign interests. One thing is certain, she will not
give up the right of asylum. Meanwhile the refractory foreign elements
residing in Switzerland are not only endangering her safety, but doing
harm to the character of her people. The confusion of 1848-9 brought
to Swiss territory fugitives from all parts of Europe. As many as ten
thousand fled from the Grand Duchy of Baden, when the Prussian
troops checked the rising there. Many distinguished men, who would
otherwise have met with death, or lingered indefinitely in prison,
found a safe retreat in Switzerland. We need only mention the great
composer, Richard Wagner, and Rüstow, Mommsen, Semper, Joh.
Scherr, Kinkel, Köchly, from amongst a host of scholars who took
refuge there, and settled for years at the Swiss universities. Köchly's
scholarship and activity brought in a conspicuously successful period
of classical study at Zurich University (1850-64),[109] and his successor, Arnold Hug, was no less devoted and successful.
In 1853 Austria turned out six thousand Swiss (Ticinese) in the
harshest manner from Lombardy, on the plea that Italians had been
allowed to combine on Swiss ground against Austria. Six years later
the Swiss had an opportunity of heaping coals of fire on the head of
Austria, for when the Austrian garrison was driven from Fort Laveno,
on Lake
[Pg 417]
Maggiore, the soldiers were not only freely admitted into Swiss
territory, but were liberally treated. Mazzini, too, the Italian patriot,
sought safety in Switzerland, causing her, by the way, considerable
trouble. The Franco-German war, again, offered the Swiss many
opportunities of showing their usual benevolence and charity towards
distressed foreigners. To the Germans who had to leave France on
the outbreak of war, making their way home through Switzerland, the
Swiss people showed innumerable kindnesses, many of the people
being poor, and destitute of even necessaries. And when they heard
of the siege of Strasburg, their old friend and ally of centuries ago, the
Swiss sent a deputation to invite the weak and tender to go home
with them. This was done with the consent of both belligerents, and
fourteen hundred persons, chiefly women and children, and old men,
accepted the invitation. It was a touching scene when they left with
their protectors, and few eyes were dry. Every one knows how
Bourbaki, failing to relieve Belfort, was compelled to flee into Swiss
territory, with his eighty-five thousand men and nine thousand horses
(February 1, 1871). The troops were disarmed, and quartered all over
the country, and remained till peace was concluded. High and low,
rich and poor, the Swiss vied with each other in showing kindness to
the refugees. Miserable in the extreme had been their condition on
their arrival, but they left recruited in health, improved in appearance
and full of gratitude. As they departed the air was filled with shouts of
"Vive la Suisse." That same spring, too, when seed
[Pg 418]
was wanting with which to sow the ground in many districts of France,
the Swiss sent large quantities of potatoes, oats, barley, and beans,
and other seed corn, besides money and clothing. And during the war
Swiss aid was distributed amongst French and Germans impartially.
It is not from self-interest or vain-glory that the Swiss act thus, but
from motives of humanity and benevolence. And, though the "right of
asylum" is liable to be abused, its nobler side is not to be forgotten. It
is to be hoped that Switzerland will ever keep her present
independence and neutrality, the very existence of which bears
witness to the more human tendencies of modern European politics.
It remains only to give a few figures respecting the present numbers
of the population. They are taken from the official returns, and though
the report is only provisional,[110] it may be taken that the figures are substantially correct. It appears, then, that the total population of the
Republic, on December 1, 1888, was 2,934,057 actually, or
2,920,723 in regular residence. In 1850 the actual population was
2,392,740, thus the increase during the thirty-eight years has been
over half a million. Of the 2,934,057 enumerated on December 1,
1888, 1,427,377 were males, and 1,506,680 females; 2,092,530 were
German-speaking, 637,972 French-speaking, 156,606 Italian-
speaking, 38,375 Romansch-speaking, 8,574 were of other
nationalities; 1,724,957 were Protestants, 1,190,008 Catholics, and
19,092 of other religions, or of none. The canton with the largest
population was Bern, with 539,271, Zurich coming next with 339,014,
whilst that with the smallest number of souls was Lower Unterwalden,
with 12,524. The most populous town is Zurich, with 90,111
inhabitants, those coming next in order being Basel, with over 69,000,
Geneva 52,000, Bern, 45,000, Lausanne, 33,000.
[Pg 419]
INTERIOR OF LAUSANNE CATHEDRAL. (From a Photograph.)
[Pg 420]
Here must end our short sketch of this remarkable little state. From
the very earliest times its peoples have been particularly interesting—
from its prehistoric lakemen with their almost unique series of
settlements, down through successive nationalities of Helvetians and
Romans, Alamanni and Burgundians to the modern Germans,
French, Italians, and Romansch. Switzerland has bred or has been
closely connected with some of the proudest ruling families in
European history—Habsburgs and Zaerings, Carlovingians and
Burgundians, Hohenstaufens and Savoys. Some of the most glorious
victories recorded in history have been gained by the little Swiss
nation in defence of their beloved fatherland; the fame of Morgarten,
Sempach, Grandson, and Morat is not likely to die out while
European civilization lasts. Constitutionally the history of Switzerland
is of surpassing interest. Step by step we have seen a handful of
gallant people free themselves from oppression by emperor or duke,
by prince or lord, by prelate or cloister. Inch by inch the people at
large have gained their political rights from foreign overlords or from
native aristocracies. We have seen how a tiny confederation of three
petty states has grown into a league of eight, and then of thirteen
[Pg 421]
independent districts, and how this has developed into the federal
state of twenty-two cantons of our own day. Lastly, some of the
institutions of the country, notably the Initiative and the Referendum,
are well-nigh unique of their kind, and certainly are of the greatest
interest to the student of political history and development; whilst
Switzerland's noble efforts for the amelioration and benefit of
mankind at large cannot but command our admiration.
"Il est à nous, notre libre avenir;
Morgarten, Grandson, jours de fête,
Si vous ne deviez revenir,
O Saint Jacques, O sainte defaite,
Dans ton pourpre linceul, tu nous verrais dormir."[111]
The End.
FOOTNOTES:
That of Lausanne is to be made into a university.
"Life of Köchly," by Prof. A. Hug, 1878.
"Vorläufige Resultate der eidg. Volkszählung vom 1 Dezember, 1888."
De la Rive, Genevan poet.
[Pg 423]
INDEX.
A Aargau, subject land, 186 Adams, Sir F. O., 412 Adolf of Nassau, 131 Æneas Sylvius, 203, 253 Ætius defeated Huns,
45; gave Savoy to Burgundy, 51 Agassiz, 14 Agen, battle of,
20 Agnes of Königsfelden, 141 Alamanni, 39, 46, 47,
49 Albrecht of Habsburg, 113, 120, 131, 132 Alcuin,
64 Allobroges, 21 Allmend, or common land, 48, 126 Alpinus,
37 Alpnach, bay of, 355 Ambühl of Glarus, 176 Amman chosen in Uri, 127 Am Stoss, battle of, 181 Appenzell,
181; admitted as an ally, 182; admitted as a canton, 237 Aquæ (Baden), 35 Aquæ Sextiæ, battle of, 21 Arbedo, engagement at,
188 Arelatisches Reich founded, 73 Arnold of Brescia, reformer,
100, 152 Arnold von Melchthal, 120 Arnulf of Kaernthen,
76 Arth, Battle of, 354 Asylum, Right of, 416, 418 Augusta Rauracorum, 35, 39 Augusta Vindelicorum, 32 "Äusserer Stand," Society, 320 Austria, 143, 146, 166; defeated at Sempach, 172; defeated at Naefels, 177; claims the Forest,
178 Autun, battle of, 55 Avars, the, 76 Avenches, 97,
213; battle at, 368 Aventicum, 14, 34, 39 B Baden (Zurich),
186 Barbarossa,
96 Basel,
14; treaty of,
236; divided, 387 Bayard, 240 Beccaria, 294 Bellinzona,
188 Bern, founded, 97; defeated at Schosshalde, 158; forms Burgundian Confederation, 159; rules over Hasle, 163; League with Austria, 166; power over house of Kyburg, 166; seizes Habsburg,
186; fortifies Morat, 212; natural bent for rule, 245; governing families of, 320; plundered by French, 351, 353; population, &c.,
420 Berchtold V. founds Bern, 97; defeated by Savoy,
98 Bertha, the "Spinning Queen," 74, 86
[Pg 424]
Bertold I., Duke of Zaeringen, 93 Bertold II., 94 Bertold IV.,
96 Beza,
290 Bibracte, battle
of,