The Express.
London, England, 1847-03-18 00:00:00

fourteen hours a day, tree floe Ist of January to the net of
December. they sbAll be allestail employed in factory
labour. (Hear.) canmeefillink at the two things an
compatible ; and I ern nee lb be deterred by any argument
which I have heard, that we mike no provnon by this bill,
supposing it to ps.a, that that time shall be usefully
employed. I should be quite content, supposing the hours
of labour reduced from twelve to eleven, if they were to pus
that hoar in their own homes, with that parents, brothers,
and sisters, in kindly intercourse ; I should think that
a compensation sufficient without any obligation for the
time to be spent in reading or receiving educauon. (Hear)
Well, then, if it is a desirable object that more time should
be allowed these children for the purposes to which young
apply their
db
yPeTthrnii:esbotiafthath,—att,v,
cearyg: great
you ought
question, s
ynuoluncodiLissl e tut onr
art. con-
sider
d-
vantage to the sons and daughters of the working classes in
manufacturing towns, without at the sane time injuring
the manufacturing industry of the country, without throwing
• great number of persons out of employment, and thereby,
in effect, injuring the very clan you wish to benefit ? "
(Hear.) I admit that this is a very large and • very for-
midable question • for, though the limitatioa of time may
be indirect, yet if practical effect be thus to deprive men
of employment, and to drive the produce of our manufac-
tories out of the field of competition in foreign countries,
that is a very serious consideration for this house. But I
do not think that the case is made out, as to that great and
serious injury which might be supposed to arise. (Hear,
hear.) We must remember that this is not a question es to
the whole 37 millions worth of oar exported manufacture*;
because with regard to a portion of those manufactures, the
limitation of eleven hours is the limitation which is carried
onePracm... tioeldf ttleusingt:rauelift,esectto:miLnbuanfubruhrnoinegtaartbrlisrasciirryh'dini7thisolcnaotealnthytrebyyir,
great flax-mill with eleven hours work a day, and who, of
course f must suppose, are carrying on that concern with
profit and advantage. We have been told that many
other manufacturers of Leeds, engaged in other branches of
occupation, do not employ their workpeopte more than eleven
hours a day. Therefore, the question is not one affecting
the whole export of our manufactures. But, next let us
consider how many various elements there are in the price
of the article which is thus to be sent abroad to compete
I with the produce of foreign manufacturers. With respect to
cotton, for instance, there in the original cost of the raw ma-
terial ; there is the freight in bringing it amen the ocean ;
there is the Commission to the merchants at Liverpool ; after-
wards it has to be worked into thread, and then into some
metier of manufacture, to be again embarked in a ship, and,
we will 'appose, conveyed to China, where it is to be sold
along with French, Swiss, or American manufacture*. In
very few of these elements, if, indeed, in more than one, will
this measure inflict any Ices on the manufacturer in his
power of competing with foreign manufacturers. In the
first place, the price of the raw material is unaltered. With
regard to the cost of manufacturing, we must suppose that
whatever is the value of the labour of twelve hours, twelve
hours' price will be paid for it, and eleven hours' price for
eleven hours. (Hear, hear.) I have never contended that
the rime wages or pries would be given for eleven, or for
ten hours' labour, as for twelve. (Hear, hear.) We must
always suppose that the manufacturers, generally speaking,
will give for 'About, exactly what it is worth, and fiat what_
L produced in a certain number of hears will bear a certain
proportion to the wane to be paid. Then, what is the
put of the coat in which the manufacturer will lose
(Haar.) Taking the amount of the manufacturer's fixed
capital at 100,0301., different manufacturers give different
estimates of the per centage of cat ; but I will take one. He
reckons the interest on the fixed capital at 5 per sent ; wear
and tear of the machinery, 6 per cent. ; oil, coals, tallow, and
various materials for keeping up the works of the manufac-
tory, 12 per cent. ; and gar, I per cent. • making altogether,
24 per cent. upon the value of the establishment. Now, if
we suppose a reduction to take place in the number of hours
of labour, it is clear there will be a corresponding reduction
in the wear and tear of the machinery, in the coals and
other articles consumed, which are estimated at 12 per cent.
on the whole ; so that, in the end, there is only the 5 per
cent. of interest on the fixed capital on which any lose is in-
curred ; on all the other items, thonh there might be some
loos, it would be entirely ineousideeab This would be the
result of a reduction in the number of hours. On the other
hand, we must consider what has been the state of our manu-
factures in put years, and what is their present date. In
the first plus, as it regards the cotton trade, there was a tax
amoun • to about 700,0001. a year on the raw material.
(Hear.) There has also been, u I believe, and as all who
advocated the repeal of the corn laws must believe, a very
couiderable relief from the change in those laws. What-
ever may be the ultimate reduction of price, this, at least, is
obvious,--enpposing the corn-laws to be entirely repealed,—
that there can no longer be that difference between theprics
of corn on the continent of Europe and in thiscountry which
has heretofore existed, and this consideration is just the same
whether Jou suppose the price of canto be verybigh or very
low. (Hear.) Oupposing, that the general average price of
corn in this country has been 555. per quarter, and that in
France it has been 4.4 s.—the average for future years must
be nearly the game in France and England. SO, likewise,
if there occurs a year of eztraordinary scarcity, if there is a
deficient harvest, and if prices rise to 70s. or 75e. the quar-
ter, the French manufacturer will not have the advsntage
of getting his corn at 605., while the English manufacturer
is obliged to have his workpeople living on corn at 70s. ; but
there will be an equalisation of prices. I consider this ad-
vantage at least equal also to 700,0001. a year to those en-
gaged in manufacture--(hear, bear,)—at least, all who con-
tended in this house for the repeal of the corn-laws always
said that they had the greatest possible disadvantage in con-
tending in foreign countries—China, or South America, for
instanoe—agenst foreign manufacturers, while they were
debarred frees the us of corn and provisions at the stoma
price at which foreign manufacturers obtained theirs.
(Hear, hear.) Therefore, we hare given two great advan-
tages to the cotton manufactures of this country—fint, by
the repeal of the duty on the raw material ; and next, by the
repeal of the duty on corn. The duty has likewise been
taken off weal lately ; and these an the two great materials
of our manufactures. But, it is said that this meat be a
great loss to the working men, and that you are, in fact, infilet•
mg upon them a tax, in the shape of a very large retastioa
of their wages. As far as I con ascertain, the working tats
now engaged in our manufactures are willing to run the rill
of that reduction. (Hear.) I believe that the state of the me-
ufacture being the same, they will not be paid so much for
• shorter, as for a longer number of hours • but the as
of their wages at any particular time Mil; depend upon dm
state of the demand at that time, sad upon the price mid In
consequence of that demand. Olen, hear.) And hen,
again, it is to be observed that it is an uromption
without foundation, that the working people, with
children and their wives, are employed 12 boars • day, and
that the production of this isometry is to be measured by this
standard. (Hear.) The question is always sniped es 14
hitherto, we every year produced from sir nab Mk a
number of pieces of manufacture as was egad to the me.
duction of 12 hours a day throughout the year, and See mei
were now going to reduce that production to the propel**
of 10 or 11 to 12. The hon. gentleman behind me, the
member for Durham (Mr. Bright) says it is perfectly tine ;
yet I have heard it stated to-day, and not contradicted by
him, with regard to his own mill, that he is not now week.
jag full time. (Cheers.) And each interraptimas Mlhs ha
amount of productive power must always be assemnsd
exist; in fact, we know from the statement mil by my
right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exabagiser on a
former evening, that many mills in Lancashire en totally
stopped, that others are working short time—ten or eight
hours • day—and others only three days a week. So that
the production is not what it has been assumed to be ; it is
diminished whenever there has been a glut of manufactures
in the marks; and there is then insufficient employ-
mane (Hear, hear.) It appears to me speculaunio:
what is likely to happen,—though I am far Prom
concurring in the propriety or possibillity of our
so as to make employment more equal,—that
=last restricting labour to eleven hours, the conse-
quence will be, not an employment for twelve hours at
certain times, and for • shorter period at others, but that
the same quantity will be prodiseed by • more steady em-
ployment at different times than prevails at the present
moment. (Hear.) At certain times, there might not be a
sufficient aumber of mills to meet the demand for manufac-
tured goods; bat that is not the case at the. present ticia ; no
one can maintain that there is now a deficiency of power to
produce all the manufactured cotton which may be required
for the demand of the world. And if this be the case so far
from thinking this an untoward period or a bad timee for
entertaining this question, it seems to me a peculiarly fit
time; because the same production which we now have in
Lancashire and Yorkshire will be continued and kept
up without adding a single still or a single power-loom to
the manufacturing power of the country. I should expect
that, if a bill shorteaing the hours of labour were now to
pane, the production of eleven hours would be found fully
equal to that now made. I believe there would be fewer fits
and starts, the employment would be more regular, and the
manufacturing power of this nutty would be brought into
force where its not so at mast. (Hear, hear.) Bat it
is said that, after all, we mat look to the very keen con
petition which is kept up, end mut see that, unless we use
all the time we now have, we shall be unable to meet that '
competition. (Hear.) If that be so, I ask how it has hap-
pened that we have been able to meet that compatitics
hitherto; for we have been working mast
which, attoordieg to this tats, met bet=
overwhelmed the saaaniumume et Mb misty. (am.
hear.) I %Mem that in Muds Me pimple wore seemed le
work 110 been in the week. At the elms time, maw Is
adverwed by the government fir Se 1111.11 d al the caterer
mills la Zunis. They are the MINN et special favour with
the gomenasat. Thy
me had se im upon their raw mate-
▪ ; they hod dump whisk OUT mannhateetm taw
mad* le me. With all those advantages, the alba mom
tasemmi sti I. eight entirely to have beats. est of the
Add theme of thir ematry ; it ought to have bees quite ba-
pradble flog rla keep up the manufacturing prosperity at
the empire. DM I believe that this supremacy ages&
upon somewhat men than the mare circumstances atteadiag
the mannlastme, which are not in themselves of pre.
meAtha ,at impaboaos. My belief is that tads les
from Ms eral freed, its
▪ Mendips genet which it meld nos be agrfred by re-
easing Se banns et WIWI of young purees te limn. la
ethse eseatrim lammActrusa havvel=gt
to up, sad in ethos
they have cleaved ; but it is state that Is say
of those countries the effects all to have followed me&
suns of this nature, or that they are at all to be webineul
by those aussurea. Take the ors of Anutrios. It ie Maid
that the oompetitica of Allll6llll is wry dangerous ; bag, at
the same time, I believe there Is a law in Ilusschuseelle, by
which persons under the see if Mem cannot be em-
ployed mere than nine Mann in the year;
are obliged, under a curtain age, to hew Ihme
months for their education to be attended te.
Why, if • law was proposed in this country,
to
%aide&
every person under Mat wee authorised and
have three months' absence frost the mill, we
be told at saes that the aware would be fatal to