ABSTRACT
ThereisanerrorinmylastletterwhichIshouldliketocorrect beforeenteringuponthesubjectofmypresentcommunication. Thetotalamountofmoneypaidaswagesforthemanufactureof theentirequantityofsilkgoodsproducedinGreatBritainis £3,700,000,andnot£370,000,asstatedinmysecondletter.Tothe intelligentreaderthemis-statementwasevidentlyatypographical error,theproduceofSpitalfieldsbeingafterwardsestimatedatonetenthoftheentirequantitymanufacturedthroughoutthekingdom, andthesumpaidinwagestotheoperativesofthatparticulardistrictalonebeingstatedtobeabout£370,000.Ialsowishittobe knownthat,inreckoningthenumberofhandsemployedinSpitalfieldsat20,000,Iincludedthoseengagedinwarpingandwinding, aswellasinweavingmerely,becauseMr.M'Cullochhaddoneso inhisestimateofthetotalproduceofthecountry,andIwas desirousofcheckingtheaccountsfurnishedtomebytheworkmen withthedatasuppliedtoMr.M'Cullochbythemanufacturers. Somepersons,lookingattheearningsoftheSpitalfieldsweaver foraparticularweek,maythinktheaverageof5s.6d.farbelow thetruth;andsuch,indeed,wastheimpressionoriginallymade uponmyself.But,uponinquiringmorecloselyintothematter,I foundthatthetimethattheweaversareat"play"(astheytechnicallytermbeingoutofwork)issoconsiderableinthecourseof theyear,thattheirregularincomebearsnoproportiontotheir occasionalgains.Mr.ThomasHeath,inhisexaminationbeforethe GovernmentCommissioner,isveryexplicitonthispoint."There are,"saidtheCommissioner,"manypersonswhorepresentthe earningsofweaversatyourbranch(figuredgoods)asmuchhigher thanwhatyoustate.""Manypersonsdeceivethemselves,"wasthe reply,"byomittingtotakeintoaccountthetimewhichtheylose by'play'-thatis,thetimewhichtheyareunemployed.Itook horneapiecetodaywhichIhadwoveinsixdays,andIgot30s.for it.Somepeoplewouldsaythatmyearningswere30s.aweek,but itisnosuchthing.Ipaid4s.expenses,whichreducestheamount
to26s.,andthenitprobablywillbeaweekofplaybeforeIam settoworkagain.Themanufacturerwillwaittillhegetsanorder forwhatIamdoing.Hewilldonoworkonthechanceofsale; soitwillbeonly13s.aweek.Ihavebeenasfortunateasmostof thetrade.Ihaveneverbeendischargedaltogether.Ihavealways beenattachedtosomewarehouse,butthenIhavehadagreatdeal ofplay,asothershavehad.Ihavenotbeenabletobuyacoatfor thesefiveyears."Indeed,fromafterinquiriesmadeinconnection withthesubject,Ifeelsatisfiedthat,takingthetotalamountof moneyreceivedaswagesthroughouttheyear,5s.6d.isaboutthe averageweeklyearningsofeachoftheoperativesengagedinthe manufactureofsilkintheneighbourhoodofSpitalfields.
