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92 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, i8j6. PORTUGAL. Portugal surprised us by the excellence of several exhibits of gold and silver damasks for church purposes, and of rich brocades and brocatelles for furniture and curtains, as well as well-made dress silks; all evincing an unexpected progress in that country towards industrial independence. The leading exhibits were as follows: Gold and silver damasks .... David Jos6 da Silva & Son, Oporto. Gold and silver cloths .... Viuva Ferreira Campos & Co., Oporto. Upholstery stuffs ..... National Silk-Weaving and Spinning Co., Lisbon. Gold and silver galloons and gimp . . Custodio Lopez da Silva Guimaraes, Penafiel. Black and colored failles and brocatelles . Ramires & Ramires, Lisbon. In observing, as we do in this slight sketch, the high attainments made in silk fabrication by countries regarded as barbaric, as well as those possessing all the modern inventions, we perceive that there are no conditions in any country, where civilization has dawned, prevent ing the appropriation of this industry. The raw material, unlike wool and cotton, from its high intrinsic value, compared with its weight, being almost as transportable as the precious metals, is almost equally available to every country. Where traditionary skill, which still nour ishes the manufacture in the declining countries of the East, is want ing, or favorable circumstances, like the exodus of silk workmen into England from the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, do not exist, the encouragement of governments and the enterprise of the people must give the impetus to a manufacture which every self-dependent nation aspires to plant upon its soil. What these influences have accomplished we shall now attempt to trace in the history of the silk fabrication in our own country. SILK-CULTURE AND FABRICATION IN THE UNITED STATES. The exhibits of American silks at Philadelphia were, without question, the most triumphant trophies of achievements in the textile industry within the last two decades displayed by any nation or de partment of textile fabrication. The brief period within which our silk-manufacture has reached its high position tempts us to describe the steps of its progress. But a detailed history would be unsuited to the general plan of this report, while any attempt at original his torical research in this department is rendered unnecessary by the full “particulars in relation to silk and the silk-manufactures, chronologi cally arranged, prepared by Mr. Franklin Allen, Secretary of the Silk