In France, as in other countries, the development of machinery, whether run by steam, water-power or other motive forces, has played a great part in the promotion of industry; the increase in the amount of steam horse-power employed in industrial establishments is, to a certain degree, an index to the activity of the country as regards manufactures.

The appended table shows the progress made since 1850 with regard to steam power. Railway and marine locomotives are not included.

Years.No. of
Establishments.		No. of
Steam-Engines.		Total
Horse-Power.
1852 6,543 6,08076,000
186114,15315,805191,000
187122,19226,146316,000
188135,71244,010576,000
189146,82858,967916,000
190158,15175,8661,907,730
190561,11279,2032,232,263

With the exception of Loire, Bouches-du-Rhône and Rhône, the chief industrial departments of France are to be found in the north and north-east of the country. In 1901 and 1896 those in which the working inhabitants of both sexes were engaged in industry as opposed to agriculture to the extent of 50% (approximately) or over, numbered eleven, viz.:—

Departments. Total Working
Population
(1901).		 Industrial
Population
(1901).		 Percentage engaged
in Industry.
1901. 1896.
Nord 848,306 544,177 64.15 63.45
Territoire de Belfort 40,703 24,470 60.10 58.77
Loire 292,808 167,693 57.27 54.73
Seine 2,071,344 1,143,809 55.22 53.54
Bouches-du-Rhône 341,823 187,801 54.94 51.00
Rhône 449,121 243,571 54.23 54.78
Meurthe-et-Moselle 215,501 115,214 53.46 50.19
Ardennes 139,270 73,250 52.60 52.42
Vosges 208,142 107,547 51.67 51.05
Pas-de-Calais 404,153 200,402 49.58 46.55
Seine-Inférieure 428,591 206,612 48.21 49.85
Groups.Basins.Departments.Average Production
(Thousands of
Metric Tons)
1901-1905.
Nord and Pas-de-CalaisValenciennes
Le Boulonnais		Nord, Pas-de-Calais
Pas-de-Calais		20,965
LoireSt Étienne and Rive-de-Gier
Communay
Ste Foy l’Argentière
Roannais		Loire
Isère
Rhône
Loire		3,601
GardAlais
Aubenas
Le Vigan		Gard, Ardèche
Ardèche
Gard		1,954
Bourgogne and NivernaisDecize
La Chapelle-sous-Dun
Bert
Sincey		Nièvre
Saône-et-Loire
Allier
Côte-d’Or		1,881
Tarn and AveyronAubin
Carmaux and Albi
Rodez
St Perdoux		Aveyron
Tarn
Aveyron
Lot		1,770
BourbonnaisCommentry and Doyet
St Eloi
L’Aumance
La Queune		Allier
Puy-de-Dôme
Allier
Allier		994

The department of Seine, comprising Paris and its suburbs, which has the largest manufacturing population, is largely occupied with the manufacture of dress, millinery and articles of luxury (perfumery, &c.), but it plays the leading part in almost every great branch of industry with the exception of spinning and weaving. The typically industrial region of France is the department of Nord, the seat of the woollen industry, but also prominently concerned in other textile industries, in metal working, and in a variety of other manufactures, fuel for which is supplied by its coal-fields. The following sketch of the manufacturing industry of France takes account chiefly of those of its branches which are capable in some degree of localization. Many of the great industries of the country, e.g. tanning, brick-making, the manufacture of garments, &c., are evenly distributed throughout it, and are to be found in or near all larger centres of population.

Coal.—The principal mines of France are coal and iron mines. The production of coal and lignite averaging 33,465,000 metric tons[10] in the years 1901-1905 represents about 73% of the total consumption of the country; the surplus is supplied from Great Britain, Belgium and Germany. The preceding table shows the average output of the chief coal-groups for the years 1901-1905 inclusive. The Flemish coal-basin, employing over 100,000 hands, produces 60% of the coal mined in France.

French lignite comes for the most part from the department of Bouches-du-Rhône (near Fuveau).

The development of French coal and lignite mining in the 19th century, together with records of prices, which rose considerably at the end of the period, is set forth in the table below: