TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 157 



men connected with these several departments is remembered, being nearly 34,000, 

 such a rise cannot fail to involve most important consequences. The third point to 

 which we would call attention, is the wages of engineers and mechanics — a very large 

 class of workers in Glasgow and its neighbourhood. The following is the average 

 rate of engineers' wages per day (of ten hours) during the last six years : — 



Shillings. 



1851 3-43 



1852 3-52 



1853 3-82 



1854 3-97 



1855 3-99 



1856 4 



From the foregoing Table it is quite plain that the wages paid to engineers and 

 mechanics during these last six years have been progressively advancing, and shows 

 since 1851 to the present time a rise of about 14 per cent. 



The fourth subject to which we would allude is that of building, or house con- 

 struction. In so growing a city as Glasgow, which, with its suburbs, has a population 

 at present of not less than 400,000, and whose rate of inci-ease from births over deaths 

 and immigration amounts annually to about 3f per cent., it is easy to conceive how very 

 large the employment must be of those engaged in this business. Of the many 

 handicraftsmen engaged in constructing houses, warehouses, and other buildings, we 

 shall, however, limit ourselves to stone quarriers, masons, carpenters, and labourers. 

 The following is the rate of wages paid to quarriers from 1851 to 1856 : — 



1851 16s. per week of 60 hours. 



1852 16s. „ „ 



18.53 17s. „ „ 



1854 19s. „ „ 



1855 20s. „ „ 



1856 22s. „ „ 



Or a rise of 6s. per week, or about 37 per cent., since 1851. 



The following is the average rate paid to masons : — 



Per week. 

 During summer of 1850 and 1851 21s. 



„ winter of 1850 and 1851 18s. 



,, summer of 1852 21s, and 18s. 



„ ,, 1853 23s. 9c?., i^th less in winter. 



„ „ 1854 25s. „ 



„ „ 1855 25s. „ 



„ „ 1856 25s. „ 



For the last three years masons have restricted themselves to 57 hours' work per week; 

 previous to this, they worked 60 hoin-s ; and there is a prevalent feeling among this 

 class of craftsmen still further to reduce the hours of labour. 



The following is the rate of the wages paid to carpenters and joiners, from 1850 to 

 1 855 inclusive : — 



1850 (average during year) 21s. 6d. per week of 60 hours. 



1851 „ 21s. Od. „ 



1852 „ 22s. Od. 



1853 „ 23s. Od. „ 



1854 „ 24s. Od. 57 hours. 



1855 „ 24s. Od. „ 



or an advance of 2s. 6d. per week, with a reduction during the last two years of 

 the series of three hours on the week's work. At the present moment the rate of 

 wages paid to carpenters and joiners is 5d. per hour for whatever time they are 

 working, without reference to weeks ; but the stated time is 57 hours per week, or 

 23s. 9d. per week; or, should they work the day of 10 hours, 4s. 2d. per day. This 

 shows the advance on the wages of this handicraft to have been 4s. 6d. per week. 



The following is the rate of wages paid to common labourers, connected with all 

 matters of house construction : — 



