Rhône (Lyons), Saône-et-Loire (Le Creusot, Chalon-sur-Saône) and Loire-Inférieure (Basse-Indre, Indret, Couëron, Trignac) also play a considerable part in this industry.
The chief centres for the manufacture of cutlery are Châttelerault (Vienne), Langres (Haute-Marne) and Thiers (Puy-de-Dôme); for that of arms St Etienne, Tulle and Châttelerault; for that of watches and clocks, Besançon (Doubs) and Montbéliard (Doubs); for that of optical and mathematical instruments Paris, Morez (Jura) and St Claude (Jura); for that of locksmiths’ ware the region of Vimeu (Pas-de-Calais).
There are important zinc works at Auby and St Amand (Nord) and Viviez (Aveyron) and Noyelles-Godault (Pas-de-Calais); there are lead works at the latter place, and others of greater importance at Couëron (Loire-Inférieure). Copper is smelted in Ardennes and Pas-de-Calais. The production of these metals, which are by far the most important after iron and steel, increased steadily during the period 1890–1905, and reached its highest point in 1905, details for which year are given below:
| Zinc. | Lead. | Copper. | |
| Production (in metric tons) | 43,200 | 24,100 | 7,600 |
| Value.... | £1,083,000 | £386,000 | £526,000 |
Wool.—In 1901, 161,000 persons were engaged in the spinning and other preparatory processes and in the weaving of wool. The woollen industry is carried on most extensively in the department of Nord (Roubaix, Tourcoing, Fourmies). Of second rank are Reims and Sedan in the Champagne group; Elbeuf, Louviers and Rouen in Normandy; and Mazamet (Tarn).
Cotton.—In 1901, 166,000 persons were employed in the spinning and weaving of cotton, French cotton goods being distinguished chiefly for the originality of their design. The cotton industry is distributed in three principal groups. The longest established is that of Normandy, having its centres at Rouen, Havre, Evreux, Falaise and Flers. Another group in the north of France has its centres at Lille, Tourcoing, Roubaix, St Quentin and Amiens. That of the Vosges, which has experienced a great extension since the loss of Alsace-Lorraine, comprises Epinal, St Dié, Remiremont and Belfort. Other groups of less importance are situated in the Lyonnais (Roanne and Tarare) and Mayenne (Laval and Mayenne).
Silk.—The silk industry occupied 134,000 hands in 1901. The silk fabrics of France hold the first place, particularly the more expensive kinds. The industry is concentrated in the departments bordering the river Rhône, the chief centres being Lyons (Rhône), Voiron (Isère), St Étienne and St Chamond (Loire) (the two latter being especially noted for their ribbons and trimmings) and Annonay (Ardèche) and other places in the departments of Ain, Gard and Drôme.
Flax, Hemp, Jute, &c.—The preparation and spinning of these materials and the manufacture of nets and rope, together with the weaving of linen and other fabrics, give occupation to 112,000 persons chiefly in the departments of Nord (Lille, Armentières, Dunkirk), Somme (Amiens) and Maine-et-Loire (Angers, Cholet).
Hosiery, the manufacture of which employs 55,000 hands, has its chief centre in Aube (Troyes). The production of lace and guipure, occupying 112,000 persons, is carried on mainly in the towns and villages of Haute-Loire and in Vosges (Mirecourt), Rhône (Lyons), Pas-de-Calais (Calais) and Paris.
Leather.—Tanning and leather-dressing are widely spread industries, and the same may be said of the manufacture of boots and shoes, though these trades employ more hands in the department of Seine than elsewhere; in the manufacture of gloves Isère (Grenoble) and Aveyron (Millau) hold the first place amongst French departments.
Sugar.—The manufacture of sugar is carried on in the departments of the north, in which the cultivation of beetroot is general—Aisne, Nord, Somme, Pas-de-Calais, Oise and Seine-et-Marne, the three first being by far the largest producers. The increase in production in the last twenty years of the 19th century is indicated in the following table:—
| Years. | Annual Average of Men employed. |
Average Annual Production in Metric Tons. |
| 1881–1891 | 43,108 | 415,786 |
| 1891–1901 | 42,841 | 696,038 |
| 1901–1906 | 43,061 | 820,553 |
Alcohol.—The distillation of alcohol is in the hands of three classes of persons. (1) Professional distillers (bouilleurs et distillateurs de profession); (2) private distillers (bouilleurs de cru) under state control; (3) small private distillers, not under state control, but giving notice to the state that they distil. The two last classes number over 400,000 (1903), but the quantity of alcohol distilled by them is small. Beetroot, molasses and grain are the chief sources of spirit. The department of Nord produces by far the greatest quantity, its average annual output in the decade 1895–1904 being 13,117,000 gallons, or about 26% of the average annual production of France during the same period (49,945,000 gallons). Aisne, Pas-de-Calais and Somme rank next to Nord.
Glass is manufactured in the departments of Nord (Aniche, &c.), Seine, Loire (Rive-de-Gier) and Meurthe-et-Moselle, Baccarat in the latter department being famous for its table-glass. Limoges is the chief centre for the manufacture of porcelain, and the artistic products of the national porcelain factory of Sèvres have a world-wide reputation.
The manufacture of paper and cardboard is largely carried on in Isère (Voiron), Seine-et-Oise (Essonnes), Vosges (Epinal) and of the finer sorts of paper in Charente (Angoulême). That of oil, candles and soap has its chief centre at Marseilles. Brewing and malting are localized chiefly in Nord. There are well-known chemical works at Dombasle (close to Nancy) and Chauny (Aisne) and in Rhône.
Occupations.—The following table, which shows the approximate numbers of persons engaged in the various manufacturing industries of France, who number in all about 5,820,000, indicates their relative importance from the point of view of employment:
| Occupation. | 1901. | 1866. | |
| Baking....... | 163,500 | . . | |
| Milling....... | 99,400 | . . | |
| Charcuterie...... | 39,600 | . . | |
| Other alimentary industries ... | 161,500 | . . | |
| Alimentary industries: total.. | 464,000 | 308,000 | |
| Gas-works...... | 26,000 | . . | |
| Tobacco factories..... | 16,000 | . . | |
| Oil-works ........ | 10,000 | . . | |
| Other “chemical”[1] industries.. | 58,000 | . . | |
| Chemical industries: total ... | 110,000 | 49,000 | |
| Rubber factories..... | 9,000 | 25,000 | |
| Paper factories..... | 61,000 | ||
| Typographic and lithographic printing | 76,000 | . . | |
| Other branches of book production. | 23,000 | . . | |
| Book production: total... | 99,000 | 38,000 | |
| Spinning and weaving.... | 892,000 | 1,072,000 | |
Clothing, millinery and making up of fabrics generally
|
1,484,000 | 761,000 | |
| Basket work, straw goods, feathers. | 39,000 | ||
| Leather and skin..... | 338,000 | 286,000 | |
| Joinery....... | 153,000 | . . | |
| Builder’s carpentering .... | 94,900 | . . | |
| Wheelwright’s work.... | 82,700 | . . | |
| Cooperage...... | 46,600 | . . | |
| Wooden shoes ...... | 52,400 | . . | |
| Other wood industries .... | 280,400 | . . | |
| Wood industries: total... | 710,000 | 671,000 | |
| Metallurgy and metal working.. | 783,000 | 345,000 | |
| Goldsmiths’ and jewellers’ work .. | 35,000 | 55,000 | |
| Stone-working ...... | 56,000 | 12,000 | |
| Construction, building, decorating. | 572,000 | 443,000 | |
| Glass manufacture ..... | 43,000 | . . | |
| Tiles ........ | 29,000 | . . | |
| Porcelain and faïence.... | 27,000 | . . | |
| Bricks....... | 17,000 | . . | |
| Other kiln industries.... | 45,000 | . . | |
| Kiln industries: total... | 161,000 | 110,000 | |
| Some 9000 individuals were engaged in unclassified industries. | |||
Fisheries.—The fishing population of France is most numerous in the Breton departments of Finistère, Côtes-du-Nord and Morbihan and in Pas-de-Calais. Dunkirk, Gravelines, Boulogne and Paimpol send considerable fleets to the Icelandic cod-fisheries, and St Malo, Fécamp, Granville and Cancale to those of Newfoundland. The Dogger Bank is frequented by numbers of French fishing-boats.
- ↑ Includes manufactories of glue, tallow, soap, perfumery, fertilizers, soda, &c.
