1804. Cofifidcratiofis on Regulat'nig the Value of Labour. aj^ 



to occafionnl employment in repairing the rotten ciftle of a Hi[^h- 

 land chieftain, or building now and then a cottage for rlie moit 

 favoured of the clan. To the labourer of the town, every tiling 

 is at hand, all is convenience; without any trouble, folicitudc 

 or exertion, the journeymen craftsmen are provided with con- 

 (tant work — an advantage which they derive, not only from the 

 more uniform demand, but alfo from a fubdivifion which takes 

 place in the trade, when eftabliQied to any extent — which, by 

 enfuring for them a fufficient number of immediate employers 

 through the whole year, enables them to look with indifference 

 on the fluduations of the future. 



This clafs of employers is that of the mafter builders, or con- 

 tracting capitalifts — who, having a certain (lock invelled in the 

 trade, muft find conflant ufe for it — do therefore enter into 

 many fpeculations, and confequently employ a number of fkilled 

 liands to execute their engagements; and indeed would be happy 

 to engage them, at moderate wages, in their fervice, longer than 

 the workmen are inclined to ftipulate. 



But, in the remote parts of the country, particularly in Rofs- 

 fliire, Invernefsfhire, and the greater part of the Highland terri- 

 tory, although, from the improvements now happily fet on foot, 

 a demand for Ikilled labour is certainly created, yet none of its 

 branches have acquired that extent and eftablifliment, which 

 cheapens labour by rendering it more perfect, which augments 

 its powers by fimplifying its procefs, and which admits of fuch 

 a fubdivifion as that which I have already noticed as taking 

 place in the towns. 



The few operative hands, who hitherto were to be found in 

 fuch fituations, were obliged to carry on (as is well known) other 

 employments, to make up for the inconftancy of their craft. 

 They had generally fmall farms ; building became a fecondary 

 object ; their labour was thus divided between two trades, and 

 confequently they muft have been imperfecl in either. Hence, 

 however, their wages in thofe places continued low. But, in the 

 prefent fituation of things, when fo many patriotic Highland 

 proprietors have commenced improvements on their improveable 

 eftates, and feem convinced that the moll elFcdlual means of ac- 

 complifhing this end, is to fettle the tenant comfortably in a fubitan- 

 tial fteading of farm houfes; if they wilh them to be well conilruc- 

 ted, they muft employ well-inftru6led and perfectly Ikilled work- 

 men. Now, in order to attain this end, a liberal advance of wages 

 is the only effectual means ; and this advance muft not only be 

 proportioned to the difference between the rates of half-taught 

 and of perfect labour, but alfo to the embiirraffments and diffi- 

 culties which the labourer muft fuftaln, in removing from the 



R 4 conftant 



