CRITICISM OF PRESENT METHODS. 23 



i-vident principles of general application: in a word, to make the 

 cards suffice for all purposes to all who had to use them. 



The departures from the letter of the Regulations are so slight 

 that in view of the concluding portion of par. 48, Property Regu- 

 lations, 1877, p. 14, it seems not unreasonable to hope that they 

 may be condoned. 



The principles on which the system is founded are so broad 

 that though it may fully comply with every precaution required 

 of trustees of public property, it seems none the less applicable 

 to the smallest shop in the land. But it would not be necessary, 

 nor even advisable, to follow their application in every case to the 

 extent required by the uses of the Ordnance Department. How- 

 ever far this may be done, it seems plain to me that the results 

 which those who have charge of workshops seem universally to 

 desire can be attained in no other way so economically as by 

 this Mechanical Book-keeping. 



It seems as proper for a reformer to show that a change is 

 needed as to explain the changes he proposes to make : so whole- 

 some is conservatism, that a new thing should not only be shown 

 to be good, but that which it proposes to replace should be proved 

 to be relatively bad. I have been forced, therefore, not only to 

 criticize much in our present methods that seemed bad ; but I 

 have also, for want of other sources of general information, been 

 obliged to explain that which I criticized. I need hardly say 

 that my only object has been to make evident the evils from 

 which not only we of the Ordnance Department have been suffer- 

 ing, but which, in some form, few of the private workshops of 

 my acquaintance have escaped. 



Having been compelled to do the greater part of this work 

 thousands of miles away from, and years after leaving the scenes 

 and circumstances most in mind, it is to be expected that many 

 inaccuracies will be found in my statements of details. Still I 

 believe that it is all true in spirit, if not of all of the places 

 considered, at least of some of them. It is hard to select examples 

 which shall be typical and not appear invidious or exaggerated; 

 but I have done my best to make sure that all the examples shall 



