William Hepworth Dixon, White Conquest: Volume 2

[200] After watching eight or nine fellows crash their money on the iron disks, he gives his betel-nut a turn, squirts out his red saliva, and steps into the street, paying no more heed to the yelp of Negro sneers behind him than an Arab pays to the bark of his street dogs.

In Chicago, at the moment of starting for California, we make the acquaintance of Paul Cornell, chief partner in the great watch factory of that city. Cornell's watches are known in America as Breguet's watches are known in Europe. From the senior partner, who is going to San Francisco with a view to business, we learn that Ralston's busy brain has conceived the idea of opening a great watch factory in San Francisco, and doing the watch trade on a scale not yet attempted in Geneva or Neufchatel. The main feature of Ralston's scheme is the employment of Yellow labour in the place of White.

“Yellow labour,” says Cornell, “is cheap and good; the men are docile and intelligent; they never drink, and they are easily kept in order.”

“Have they any skill in making clocks and watches? ”