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bb » < MUtt tf * h « improvements had not lightened their labour . Some very beautiful examples of this 4 COHQmising tendency are to toe found Huong-that clftss of inventions which make the machines aehf « aeting ; especially those which * stop the motion dfreoUr the work goea wrong . A machine eatted < the Drawing ^/ rame , a process which precedes spinning , throws itself out of gear dirdotl jf <©» e of the weak slivers of cotton breaks in passing through it , and this is managed by the simplest contrivance possible . Each sliver sup *
ports ca small iron roller , and , when the sliver break * , the roller fells upon a catch , which instantaneously throws the mechanism out of work . But the Power-loom itself affords the best example of this principle . The four most important improvements in the Power-loom of late years have been the Self-acting Temple , the Weft ^ motim , the Patent Picking-motian , and the Break . The common temple is a piece of wood , with brass pins at each end , used for stretching the doth to its full width ; it requires shifting every few momenta by the operative who tends the loom . The Self
acting Temple consists of a stationary roller , round which the eloth passes , and it requires neither attention or interference from the commencement teethe conclusion of the web . The Wcfi-motiou is an ingenious piece of mechanism for stopping the loom directly the weft breaks . There is a sort of fork which catches each pick as left behind by the shuttle , and if it ^ db to catch it throws the loom out of gear . The advantage of this to the operative i ^ immense . ^ A&thaat this motion , it not un « frequently happens that the weft breaks , the
shutttemakee ^ aev-eral passes , and the roller winds the cloth a little further before the weaver has diseoyered-^ is mishap . The damage then caused takes some time to rectify ; the loom hasto be put b » ek y and it is fortunate if the stuff is not materially injured ; hut the Weftonetion renders it absolutely in&peaaible for the shuttle to make another pass ^^ or ^^ e ^ roller another movement until the -vrafcna * been pieced , and the loom started by the weaver *' ' ^ Phe Patent Picking-motion is a * movementfb * dii < ecting the flight of the shuttle , insuring
greater precision and regularity than can be other * wfa&obttuited » ¦ ¦ Tike Break , acting upon-the same principle a » the railway break , effects the stoppage of " -the loom without any eoneussive jar ; in eon- * nexion with the weft-motion it prevents any accident aruingirom the sudden action of the latter . It is impossible that even those most ignorant osf mechanism should fail to perceive how materially all these improvements must facilitate the labour of the weaver , and how greatly the productive power of the machinery must be increased by them . The rapid strides made in the improvement of spinning machinery furnish' results still more
convincing and astonishing , and as they are susceptible of proof by direct calculation , they will , perhaps , l > e more appreciable by the non-technical mind . In the year 1824 , the average number of spindles upon a mule was 366 , and it was then thought impossible to exceed that to any yery important degree . In' 1836 , the average was about 650 spindles to a mule . In 1853 , the average was about 1000 , and in some instances they are made to contain as many as 1300 spindles . But consider now the different speeds at which these spindles revolved . In 1824 , it was
thought a great performance for a spindle to make 38 Q 0 revolutions per minute ; they now make from 60 O 0 to 7000 per minute . The tangible results of these immense improvements are , that whereas in 1824 a spumer could spin 17 , 600 ) draw ** of 30 * s weft in twelve hours , he can now spin 24 , 000 draws of the same count in ten hours ; and when this difference comes to be multiplied over all the extra spindles , it is enormous . Yet it ia an unquestionable fact that the management of the newer and larger mule is attended with less labour to the spinner than that of the smaller . A few more piecers may be required , but the task of the spinner is absolutely easier .
Additional Processes . — As I am fearful of becoming too technical for the general reader , 1 will content myself with one example of the advantages derived from certain additional processes . The one I am about to specify is used only by a few of those who manufacture the finest fabrics . So doubtful is it whether the whole of the advantage derived from this process does not tell in favour of the operative that many manufacturers refrain from using it lest it eliould not even repay thorn
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" CHURCH REVIVAL . " How strangely , how ominously , when upon all sides we hear the cliek of the mason's chisel as he fashions the stone-work , and the sound of the carpenter's hammer as he fixes the pulpits of new churches , comes upon our ears the earnest cry for a " Church Revival Society ! " Could there be a stronger contrast ? What , more churches , when tho . se already built have room to spare for worshippers 1 More churches , when the anarchy of the chureh itself is so patent as to need a mighty re-organisation ! More churches , when the actual existence of the Church itself , as a State Establishment , becomes more problematical every year !
Indeed it is time to cry aloud for a revival ; to cry earnestly , and work earnestly ; to destroy much , and conserve much ; to root out abuses , and change a system ; to inspire the laity with true convictions respecting the religion they profess , and to raise the character of its ministers from that of a profession , to that of a calling , if the Church is to be saved . Why is it that Parliament is for ever invoked to use its temporal power for the removal of abuses ? Is it so long since the Gorham case was before the TnrTioinl rinmmitii > fi ( vP ¦ fr . Tift Mwv f !^ nn / Ml ? « inr » ft
Dr . Hampdea went before Sir " Herbert Jenner Fust ; since Dr . Newman and his host left the Church on one side , Mr . Baptist Noel on another ^ and Mr . Foxton on a third , that these things are forgotten ? Why is it that , unable to bear in silence the heav y yoke upon their consciences , hundreds demand Convocation as a remedy ? Why is it that another plan is just mow put forward by u Country Clergyman , " not at all an advocate for Convocation , for a " Church Revival Society P ' Without , the Papacy eats into its
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* A draw ia a journey of the raulo backwards and forwards . It bocomea shorter every time , until the cops aro finished .
for the outlay . ' The process is called spooling and it consists in winding the cops of weft upon bobbins . The common practice is to use the yarn precisely in the form it bears when it comes from the spinner . The advantages of spooling are : ¦*—first , that the winding by machinery insures very great regularity , and it is impossible for the yarn
to become entangled in the shuttle ; secondly , it tests the strength of the yarn before going into tbe loom , and renders a breakage of the weft very rare indeed . In weaving with wet weft , * this process is considered very advantageous to the work-people , and when they have once become accustomed to it , they are not satisfied to return to tbe ordinary method .
Better Materials . —Very little argument will be necessary to prove that better materials enable the workman to turn out more and better work than one who is not so well supplied . Two manufacturers may he weaving the same sort of cloth ( that is , cloth similarly reeded and with the same number of picks ); but one may use a very inferior description of yam ; to the weaver- in one mill , the work will be easy and expeditious , while the weaver in the other is suffering constant delays from weft breaking , ends dropping , and a variety of other causes .
It is manifest , therefore , that when a master provides hi ? operatives with the best facilities , for ¦ work—when he incurs a great outlay by the purchase of the best machinery- * -w , hen he gives them the advantage , of every process that can . lighten and expedite their labour , and when he uses the best materials that can be obtained , he ought not , indeed he cannot pay so much for his piece-work as the master who provides none of these tilings . But it must not therefore be supposed that the earnings of the operatives are diminished by this
reduction in . the price of piece-work * for the very contrary is the fact- Enter an ill-conducted factory , and ascertain the state , of things there . The rooms are ill-lighted and ill-ventilated . The looms are so crowded that , there , is scarcely room to move about . Many of the weaving-rooms are upon upper stories , where the tremulous motion of the floors renders steadiness impossible . The machinery is worn out and old fashioned : besides lacking all the improvements specified above , it is constanly getting ^ out of order , and has to be handled very gingerly , lest it break down altogether . When
anything goes wrong the means are not at hand for instantly repairing it , and the activity of the workman , is suspended for an indefinite time by circumstances which he eannot control . The overlookers have so many looms under their superintendence , that the numerous delays are considerably prolonged . After witnessing all this , to what purpose is it that the manufacturer takes you into his counting-house and assures you that his rates for piece- work are very high indeed ? You quietly ask him how much per week his weavers earn upon an average , and he mentions
a sum which proves to you that his operatives have attained the very minimum of wages ; a mini ' mum , too , which is e arned amidst discomfort and all the elements that breed discontent . Go now into a first-rate factory , and consider the state of things there . The weaving-shed is like a court of the Crystal Palace , roofed with glass , and fixed upon a solid basis . The looms are ranged in due order , with sufficient space between them toiallow of
perfect freedom of action . The mechanism is all of the very best description , and in perfect condition . Each overlooker has no more looms under his cate than he can readily attend to , and when an accident do . es occur the tackier is at hand to remedy it without delay . If a piece of mechanism should break , its duplicate is ready to take its place . The weavers handle their looms with confidence , as knowing their excellence . In fine ^ every expedient that can facilitate work is there . If we
inquire into the price of piece-work we shall here be told that it is very much under that paid by the master of the former mill ; but we shall not be surprised to learn that the average weekly earnings are sufficient to enable the hands to live in comfort , or even in comparative luxury . These are by no means over-charged pictures : in Preston alone ; 1 could produce several examples of both classes of mills . Those facts , added to the state of the labourmarket , and the relative choa ^ Hiess of living in different localities ( both -which important oonsiue-
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» m TffE LEA PER . [ Saturday ,
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• Wet weft ia weft that has boon boilod and saturated with soap and water . It in uned in weaving tjupurior fubrict ) , where tno plckH aro required to bo very close . The soap and moisture aot liko ~ H larch , holding tho t ' . ircuds closer toirethor .
rations it will be hereafter nctcejaary to consider ) prove the absolute imposwUUto * f adopting a uniform , standard list of prices . \ may be aaked how then does it happen that thraughbut the Blackburn district a standard list ia adopted P My answer is that it is not adopted . * X fcnaw and can prove the fact that there are maatejw within the Blackburn district who have lowered their scale below the standard list , upon the introduction of improved machinery , and what is mtare , their hands have consented to the reduction * Nor can
this be otherwise , without effectually stopping the progress of improvement , and offering a premium to those masters who are so near-sighted as to refuse to take advantage of inventions for facilitating labour . The agitators contend that the master is sufficiently paid by the increased amount of work ; he obtains ; but this is simply absurd . The price of the manufactured article allows a certain margin for the cost of production ; whether that cost is expended directly upon the operative in piece-work , or indirectly for Ids
advantage m purchasing improved machinery , jt should not exceed a certain proportion of the value , and it wpuld be unreasonable to expect the manufacturer to keen his rate of piece-work unaltered , ¦ while , he was laying aut vast sums in the purchase of expensive patented machines . , ^ Alt that the operative has to consider is , whether his weekly earnings are rendered better or worse fay the change , and if better , there can be no sound reason for complaint . Generally speaking , masters do not refuse to concede to the hand a share of the advantage derived from improved
machinery;—but this must rather be considered an ^ ctof gra . * and the result of a commendable desire to make their operatives sharers in their-prosperity , than the recognition of any right orelaim . The argument that improved machinery takes more work out of the . bones of the operative is utterly fallacious , and , after what has been stated , needs not to he refuted . I believe that it can be satisfactorily shown that in every case % he eflect of improved machinery has been to lighten labour ,, to depress piece-work , and to increase the average weekly earnings , James Lowe .
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• Tho working of these standard lists may bo vory wel | exempli ( led by a statement made to me tho other day . It appears that tho ooal-rnaatorfl aro In the habit of mooting for the purpose of fixing tho prices of coal . After ono of these mectingH a manufacturer was waited upon by an extensive coal owner , whereupon tho following dialogue ensued : — Coal-owner—I ' ve ootno for an order for slack-Manufacturer—Well , what's thy priceV { Coal-owner names hi $ price . ) Manufucturer—Vihy A- . B . ( naming another aseoiMtaO coal-owner ) offers to supply me at bo much J < js » . Coal-owner—Vooa ho ao P Then thou shalt have it at so much ( naming a price still more reduced ) . I'll not bo done out of an ord « r by such a wastrel as A . 1 J . t The Knot of to-day , and a Hand to undo it . Uy <* Country Clergyman . iSooloya , Floet-otreet . la . Od .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 28, 1854, page 86, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2023/page/14/
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