Further Reports from Her Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular Agents Abroad Respecting the Condition of the Industrial Classes and the Purchase Power of Money in Foreign Countries (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 Excerpt: ...of setting fire to the premises. As to the means of obtaining furniture which now exists in Athens, the possessor of empty rooms has to purchase at sales, when these occur, such articles as may be presented, without regard to his taste or to their corresponding with each other. The German cabinet-maker is often unable to execute an order under months. Such being the state of things here, it would certainly be a boon to the more civilized portion of the community if some English artizans, of the crafts I have indicated above, could be made to see their way to coming to Athens with profit to themselves, as in that case some of the blanks in the skilled labour-market here, would probably, ere long, be filled up, and as, were a better quality of skilled labour introduced into Greece, it might be hoped that a taste for better workmanship would thus be, ere long, created amongst the Greeks. The general diffusion of education in the Hellenic "Kingdom unquestionably stands in the way of the quality of skilled labour becoming improved. Education, in all its elementary branches, at least, costs in Greece little or nothing, and the consequence is that thousands of men, who, under other circumstances would take their places in the ranks of productive industry, think themselves fitted for some more intellectual calling. This state of things is, I fear, to be attributed to a certain element of vanity or want of practical common sense inherent in the national character, for the spectacle of Prussia alone would be sufficient to demonstrate that there need be no fear, amongst a practical people, lest a superior degree of education amongst the working classes should interfere with the industrial productiveness of the country. It is the case, however, that extended educa...