The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-26 00:00:00

WARNING TO THE UNWARY

Under the title " Surveying taught in six weeks," the
Worcestershire Chronicle publishes the following :
It will be remembered that three weeks ago an adver-
tisement appeared in this paper for " three or four young
men well versed in arithmetic," who were wanted by an
engineer " to be instructed in railway surveying, levelling,
computing quantities, &c.," with the view of placing
them, (at the expiration of the instruction), upon his
staff; to assist in certain large surveys for which he
had contracted. The instruction was to be given by the
advertiser's present staff. It was to occupy about
six weeks, and a small fee was to be paid for the
knowledge thus to be imparted. The temptation was
considerable, when the high salaries are borne in mind
which have recently been paid to surveyors in conse-
quence of the great demand for their services, and the
bait appears to have been swallowed by no less than
eight individuals, all anxious to learn "railway survey-
ing, levelling, and computing quantities," and perhaps
a little wisdom into the bargain by the new " royal
road" thus unexpectedly opened. We have had handed
to us a copy of the agreement entered into by the en-
gineer of the extensive contracts with one of his pupils.
It was as follows ; we omit the names :

MEM. OF AGREEMENT.—" I,
struct or cause to be instructed in railway and
estate surveying, levelling, computing, &c., for which
instruction I charge the sum of six guineas. After the
said instruction, I agree to place you, the said
upon my staff, at a weekly salary of two guineas and a
half, 6s. per day for personal expenses, and all travelling
expenses to be paid by the said . The survey and
salary to commence on or about the 15th of April, and to
continue till or about the 24th of August. After the
said survey, I agree to give you, the said —, a certifi-
cate as to competency, and also to employ you upon any
further contract I may have contracted for. It is further
agreed that you, the said —, shall give me, the said
—, an agreement, binding himself to act upon my staff
at the line and salary as named in this agreement.
Signed, this day of March, 1847. —"
Eight of these documents having, we are told, been duly
signed, sealed, and delivered, and eight times six guineas
transferred from the pockets of pupils to their considerate
instructor, part of the staff was marshalled, and the neigh-
bourhood of Powick was selected as the scene of those la-
hours which were to be mutually advantageous to the
teacher and the taught. A Bunter chain and a few poles
constituted the surveying implements—quite sufficient to
begin with, no doubt; the tree must be climed by degrees;
—air' the w‘ wrk was followed up for several days with
much energy, but we have not heard with any great prac-
tical result. On Sunday week, however, the master
was missing, and he has not since returned to complete
the course of instruction his pupils had calculated on
receiving. One of them, however, has received a letter
from the " engineer," stating that " they"—there were
two of them—had been summoned to London by urgent
business, but that they should return in a few days and
recommence their surveys in this neighbourhood. Their
return is eagerly expected, we hear, by some creditors,
beside the gentlemen to whom they were about to im-
part a knowledge of surveying, levelling, and compute-
tion; as they have, in the hurry of their departure,
omitted to pay sundry little bills, the receipt of which
will confer a great obligation on the parties to whom
they are owing. The students, too,. are anxiously look-
ingwho will no doubt return
out for their tutors, as
soon as they have comfortably disposed of the very
urgent business which summoned them to the metro.
polis, and resume those lessons which have been so un-
ceremoniously interrupted, or return the money which
has been paid on consideration of receiving them.