Star.
London, England, 1830-07-22 00:00:00

REPORT FROM SELECT COMMITTEE ON MANUFAC-

TIMERS' EMPLOYMENT.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the won of !agendas
the Evils arising from the fluctuation of Employment In Manu.
facturing Districts, and to report their Observations thereupon
to the House, have considered the Matters to them referred, and
have agreed to the following Report :
Your Committee think that from the Report here presented, the
following points may be deduced :
lit. That considerable fluctuations in Employment frequently
take place in Manufacturing Districts, productive of great
distress.

-2d.—That the Earnings of Workmen in many of these districts
are, on an average of several years, sufficient (If duly husbanded)
to provicie for the periods when they are deprived of work.
3d. That considerable facilities and Inducements for this
may be aflbrded to workmen, by the Plan recommended, oPfuwrhe
the following is an abstract ; via.
That facilities be afforded by law (as to Benefit Clubs) for the
formation of Societies supported by the voluntary contributions of
workmen, and confined to the especial purpose of support during
want of work; that each member's contributions stand hi his name,
and he have a right to allowance whin unemployed (at a certain
sate) to the amount of his share of the thud ; that an annual divi-
dend of interest, forfeits, and deductions on deaths, be made in pro.
pardon to each member's share.
Your Committee are well aware of the difficulty and importance
of the they are abont to discuss, and hope for the indulgent
of the House towards the propositions they have ven.
turd to bring forward.
Your Committee have not thought it necessary to Inquire minute-
ly into the amount of distress consequent on fluctuations of employ-
ment in manufacturing districts; the evils arising from this cause,
among a very numerous and valuable class of workmen, appear to
be generally acknowledged, and the severe suffering thence result-
ing seems well worthy the attention of the legislature.
In order to arrive at a more satisfactory conclusion, your Com-
mittee have thouiht It right
Ist. To wieder brieny the causes of these fluctuations of em-
ployment.
2dly. The hest plan for diminishing the injurious effects of such
fluctuations.
Sdly. The objections which may be urged against these propo-
sitions.
Before entering on a short considenitien dome of the coins* of
these fluctuations in employment, your COMmittee beg to remark,
that the number, wealth, antiniportance of those engaged In menu-'
factures and trade, have greatly increased within thi East half an.
b.
It appears by the Population Returns, that, in 1801, the num-
ber of persons engaged in trade and manufactures In England, as
compared with those occupied in agricultural ptirtulu, was as 6 to
5. In 1821 it had amounted to 11-to 8; 'and now, probably, if little
less than 2 to I. In Scotland the sham his been still vel!ter,
having risen from 8 to 61n 1801 to 061 ib 17:1: and wit last
be estimated milady 2 to 1, as in Enthia.' * ilst die rated
increase in the general population of thi klagtiOnt (tuf &Orb by the
Return from 1801 to 1821) have been about 30 per cent• the in.

'cream Is the population, during the same period, dear largest ma-
nufashi szerus, has been upwards of 50 per Cent. •
. ... ... it re Net.
Loh ••• ..... ... 34 re east.
Clovistry ... .. .. 44 re cent.
.. 50 pet cent.
yearkegotrosounittee
beg.
to..
murk,—
ths
ess...inenwslooepseixembert. s
of
those spill hi trade end onealtswee, 11 hy se weans he be eon.
sides ife die only criterion of the lorteittee he the emiennity t
limut that hem the numero
and us he wiettaXesPi:
ill—alealbst ef banes labour, the sue silaiseelerilimerigreseme dire.
rila stub roma Mink ameedettatee then wet fotulstly
es: t so that *stem Mit thst ff between 1801 and
1821 the sunhats of ustanfeteurers and lobes have increased 50
per eelle. that tbseleeant of the prodastiess of their industry have
more Iheo Amble..

Aft thou smods eatoodod N ohoor die growing Importance of
theoe=swor their =el&
sionyzirdo• Parlianinal
a botot opoo=docebo mom of looloodooollurds=

ta. Without eatedig beembante ad &Anew th-1
be einelleeei pleelipatly abbe Simi *lee
sobrces of halibut: erticzild. =its ill
machinery; 3d. Foreign rivalry, and
It cannot be necessary to exempli y by particular instances, alter&
tions in emyloyment from change of fashion, because a lkde reflec-
tion will suggest them to any one. Thus cottons have taken the
place of woollens and linens in many articles of dress, and cottons
are, in their turn, in some measure, supplanted by silks. In va-
rious other branches of manufacture, similar alterations are almost
continual.

The migration or change of place of any manufacture has some-
times arisen from improvements of machinery not applicable to the
spot where such manufacture was carried on as appears to have
been the ease with the woollen manufacture, which has in a great
measure migrated from Essex. Suffolk, and other southern counties,
to the northern districts, where coal for the use of the steam engine
is much cheaper. But this change has in some instances been
caused or accelerated by the conduct of the workmen, in refusing
a reasonable reduction of wages, or opposing the introduction of
some kind of improved machinery or process ; so that during the
dispute another spot has in a great measure supplied their place in
the market. Any violence used by the workmen against the property
of their masters, and any unreasonable combination on their part, is
almost sure thus to be injurious to themselves.
Improvements in machinery have frequently had the effect of di-
minishing the demand for manual labour for a time, by doing the
same work at a cheaper rate than by hand. This diminution of
employment is however generally of a temporary nature, as expe-
rience skews that, from the cheaper amount at which the fabric can
thus be afforded, its use is more widely extended; and thus the
workmen are again brought into work, though pahspa their em-
ployment maybe somewhat different from what it was before.
lt is chiefly by numerous successive improvements in machinery,
great capital, and many facilities for the conveyance of goods, that
our manufactures are still enabled to keep up a suomel comps-
tido* with foreigner', in our principal staple manufactures.
Ons .fist of improved machinery has been highly beneficial to
the waking classes, by admitting women and children to superin-
tend sod assist in several operations more or less connected with the
use of tioadidnery, and thus to earn something towards that subsist-
ence which fennarly rested almost alone on the exertions of men.
The adoption of expensive machinery in many of our principal
manufactures, is a strong reason (contrary to an epistle& often ex.
pressed) why lest rather than mare fluctuation is to be expected in
the employment of those engaged in mach &brim; inasmaeh MS the
capitalists to whom the machinery belongs must, in case it stand
still, not only lose all profit upon their large investments, but also
sustain a loss from that injury which always accrues to machinery
I remaining idle.
Your emmittee have already adverted to cases of temporary loss
of employment arising from improvements in machinery. Of this
the most striking example, perhaps, is on the effect caused by the
invention of the power-loom weaving.
Without entering into any description of this invention, it may be
be sufficient to state shortly that, as used in the cotton manufacture,
every power-loom can do at least as much work as three hand-
looms • and it appeal" from ,information stated to your eourmittee,
that die number of band-looms in England and Scotland are now
about the same as In 1820, via. 240,000 ; whereas the power-looms,
which in 1820 amounted to about 14,000, are now Increased to
above 35,000; showing an increase in the amount of work date
by power-looms (between the two periods) equal to the work of.
forded by 123,000 hand-looms ; and during all this time the wages
and employment of the hand-loom weavers have been precarious.
Hitherto the use' of the power-loom has been combed chief!
to the cotton manufacture; should it ever be found
to make use of it extensively in the fabric of woollens or silks,
it is probable its effects would be not less important. This is
only mentioned as a single example of the effect of improved
machinery it appears therefore of great eonsequence to
enable workmen to provide against the tourney nensequaime of
such inventions.

The effect of foreign duties, regulations, and prohibitions, is
frequently very injurious to the employment of our manufac-
turers. Of this we have a recent example in the American Tarif4
which has been felt by the workmen of Hkldenninster, Wolves..
hampton, and other phims. Against all such fluctuations of
empleypnr:l:t appears essential that the workmen should have
Your Committee now proceed to the second bead of their inquiry,
els. How to facilitate the formation of such a provision ?
Without entering into minute statements, it appears that in
most of the principal trades and manufactures, the earnings of
workmen are sufficient, on an average of several year; (if by an
means these earnings could be at all equally spread over the whole
period) to maintain their families in decent comfort. Hitherto,
however, no legal facilities have been given to any system whereby
societies of workmen might compensate the wants of one month or
year from the gains of another. Your Committee have, theaters,
turned their anxious attention to this point; and, whilst they are
well aware of the difficulties of the subject, and are desirous not to
take too sanguine a view of this matter, they cannot but express a
hope that in the plan hereafter submitted, the means of gradually
diminishing the present evil may be found.
Before detailing the outline of the plan they recommended, your
Committee wish to state an abstract oldie usual amount darning
received by workmen in several of the principal mannfaehmen if the
country, as detailed to them by a member of the committee, who
has taken pains to inform himself on this point. Them are gene-
rally given as the amount of earnings during a recent period of
tolerable prosperity, and nor those of unusual se temporary de-
pression.
In the cotton manufacture, as carried on in a circle of thirty
miles diameter around Manchester, it appears that the working
classes may be separated into four al diem
Ist Class, consisting of men earning 20e. per week.
2d. -Maie and female, earning 12s. per week.
3d. Male and female, 7s. per week.
4th. Male and female (including children from eight years old
upwards,) earning 2s. 6d. per week.
These are all paid in money, and, for the most part, by the piece,
working about twelve hours in the twenty-four.
It has in like manner been reported to your Committee, that
in the neighbourhood of Leeds the woollen manufacturers (near
20,000 in number) may be divided into three classes, all winking
about twelve hours per day, six days per week, and paid in
money.

Ist—Weavers, earning weekly about 14i.
24.—§plonen and Slubbas, 21$.
3d.—Thasas 21s.
Women may gain ;thout Os. per week ; children, from eight
to.
twelve years old, 3s. to 6s ; from twelve to sixteen years,
esto Bs.

The =pet manufacturers of Kidderminster may, it is said, be
placed in three general classes;
lit elan, earnings 31)e. per week.
2d class, about 2k. per week.
3d class, 90a. per week.
Many of the third elan have been late' oat of woek. It is upder.
stood that the American Taiiff has tbc ea of =Pete
considerably to that country • Si atiolaiitals
authoetty)os ego kilt. All ;he 'workmen are is a feisty; called
the Union of Trades, giving a small allowance to this out,
, drawn from the contributio of these in employment. total
teduetlen of wages in this traideMnbunts. since the peace ( 15) to
about thirty-three per cast. on one-tbisd of the whole wages this
paid. To be comeinesd.

4: 4.
•'3 ; lti_
STKALING THS BLACK CLOTH A A .p
it i.• • •
' ..- ---
A very extraordinary charge of felony sat prekireJ on . v
last, at the Town-hall, liVindsor, against two individuals, inha-
bitants of the Borough, who were charged with stealing a quantit.
of black cloth fron the platform over which the funeral prtlet‘SiJ:t
of his late Majesty moved from the state apartments to St. Geerry's
Cht
Lprlsoners, who were brought before the MAYOR and a full
beach of Magistrates, gave their names Charles Dyker, a maste-
r/Waukee, and Jobe Seward, a journeyman of the same trade.
It appeared from the statement of the Thames Police officers, who
were stationed on duty in the neighbourhood of the Carle du..o
the lying in state of the remains of his late Majesty, and also :It 0..
funeral, that no sooner had the mournful procession passed in:o
Chapel. than a great number of disorderly persons, in the nt.-It
wanton manna, commenced cutting and tearing the black dill,
from the side of the platform. Several were about to depart with as
much as they, could conveniently carry, when Mr. Evans, the chief
officer of the Thames Pollee, and the other constables of that
establishment, came up, and instantly put a stop to the work 0!
demolition.
John Chain, a Suryeyor of the Thames Police, said he via st.i.
doped outside the Castle on Thursday night, and immediately afkr
the funeral processio hid gone into the Chapel, he stopped Seward.
as be wasp Azr,li telet about thirty yards of black cloth
in his gave a very unsatisfactory accout:t
of the manner in he became possessed of the property, which
witness seized, and Wgpd Seward in the Borough gaol.
George WWI. getteashnilar account of the prisoner Dykes.
The two prism,' odd they were Ignorant of having done wrong.
They took tile bkdrolleth from the platform, under the idea that it
became the psepostpof any alter the funeral.
Severalrespectable mew gave them a good character, and
thought these OMMIni tang a dishonest act.
Some gas* between the Mayor and the Magistrates
on the Bosh, Mss 'Mb kippered that an erroneous notion had
been entertained by meg prom, that the populace were entitled to
the black cloth alter the mournful procession had passed over th.
plitform ; sad it appeared that some years since, on the occasion
of a royal funeral, tbi bad been entirely taken away by the
people under this IlagsalsMlftAiled a scene of great confusion took
place at the time, in of the unseemly scrambling amongst
the snob. The walk as that, but for the good character
key bat receive& -iiildefisoajc that that they were labouring
under an erroneous Ides ih the cloth, he should have com-
mitted them for trial. No person ad any business with any portion
of the black cloth, and it was as much a felony to take it from the
platform as for a man to enter a shop and steal any article front
the counter. The Mayor, after a suitable admonition, ordtred the
' prisoners to be dischaged, and warned them against being brought
before him again, in which case thy would not escape so easy. The
black cloth was ordered to be restored to the roper authorities.
REGISTER Ur UR IC S ES, July 21.

AUCTION MART.

Mr. Ntwrow..—A LeLel4ll-ETtatc:com prising four Houses,
Nos. Sto 6, Huggin-lane, City, and three Tenements, Nos. 2,
and 7, Bromley buildings, adjoining; also, a small Piece of Build-
ing Ground; the whole let at 2371. 41. per annum ; held for 811
years from 1823, at 1001. ground-rent a-year—Knocked down
at 4001.

DRAYTON AND VEWTOU.—A Leasehold House. No. 29,
Charles street, City road, held for 614 years at 91. ground-rent, fix.
turn to be taken at a valuation-2251.

A Freehold Residence, domestic offices, stable, chaise-holm and
garden, near the rise of Rydenlimn-hill, fixtures to be taken at a
valuation-7501.

OARILIWAY'L

MIL SQUIBB AND Sox.—A Freehold Residence, No. 17, St.
James's-place, St. James's-street, Westminster-5,5501.
A FFreethoold Estate, called Baynard's, in the parishes of Cranley
and Ewhurst, ten miles from Guildford, Surrey, comprising a
Mansion in the old English style of architecture, with servants'
Aces, cosch-houses, stabling, a walled garden and orchard, farm.
house, yard, out-buildings, and meadow, pasture, and arable
land, In all 107 acres ; fixtures, timber, &c: to be taken at a valu-
ation-13,1001.