Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-12
Eight Hours in England.

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THE GAZETTE contain columns of
matter, editorial and descriptive, regard
ing the practical trial of the eight,hour
system at the Stafford iron works, Man
chester, conducted by the firm Of
Mather s. Plat, Limited, the former a
member Of Parliament. The trial was
begun on March LIST, 1893, and the result
OF the years business under the new
system, ending with the last day of
February of the present year, is given in
detail. Previously the works had been
run on the 5S-hours per week system,
which, we infer, is general in the manu-
featuring districts of Great Britain. The
result has been so satisfactory that the
firm will continue the 4S-hour week as
permanent, system, and Mr.. Mather
states that'he has felt it to be public
duty to inform the heads of the princi-
pal government departments of his ex-
perience. In consequence the Wool
wich authorities have adopted the 49,
hour week and the dockyard authorities
have announced their determination to
take the same course.
1t is evident that the English opera
tives have long been accustomed to
shorter hours than their American
brethren from the following reference
thereto, by the late James G.. Blaine,
which at least antedated his entrance
upon the office of Secretary of State;
undoubtedly" wrote Mr.. Blaine, "the
inequalities in the wages of English
and American productions are more
than equalized by the greater efficiency
of the latter and their longer hours Of
labor. If this should prove to be
fact in practice, as itseems to be proven
from official statistics, it would be
very important element in the effort to
compete with England for our share of
1.-The cotton goods trade of the world"
In the Stafford experiment, the prob
lem to be solved was whether the
weekly hours Of labor could be reduced
from 90 to As without reduction of
wages and without handicapping the
firm in the keen competition for orders.
Upon the result, the London Times Of
March Goth says, in the course of an
editorial on the experiment.
As it happened, the year of the expert
ment terminating on February 2sth, was
very well suited for the purpose in
view. Trade, as every one knows
was depressed the prices obtained
for the output of the concern were
lower than at any previous period in
its history, yet the total invoice value of
the orders executed was equal to the aver
age of the preceding six years In other
words the reduced hours of labor had TO
produce an amount of work somewhat
above, rather than below, the output under
the 53-hours SYSTEM 1t is very satisfactory
To find that, in the face of this disad-
vantage, the 4S-hours week has been en-
tirely successful. On wages alone there is
fractional increase in proportion to turn.
yer.measured i'll money. Compared with
the ratio of the preceding six years, there
is an increase in the ratio for the expert
mental year of GA per cent. But this los:
is exactly balanced by economy in gus anC
electric lighting, wear and tear of ma
chinery, fuel and lubricants and mis-
cellaneous stores. Crediting this econ
omy to wages account. the ratio of wage
10 output remains entirely unaffected b,
the alteration in the hours Of labor, whit
the fact that the money output has had t
be earned by asomewhat increased amour
of actual labor is an item to the credit o
the IS hours week. 1t is hardly possible L
put i'll statistical form the way in which
AS hours work becomes equal in practica
efficiency to So hours work. There Is, in
deed very marked dminution in til
percentage Of lost time which is eyidentl
due in part to a stricter discipline. y =
The thing we all desire TO see proved is jus
what MIR. Mathers thinks he has prove
and seems to us to have proved, as far a
one experiment, however carefully mad,
can prove anything. If, with wages
their present level and with hours reduce
TO As per week English industry can mali
tain its position as against foreign comp
tition, then every one will rejoice to 81
the example of the Stafford iron works e,
tensiyely, indeed universally, followed.