The Labour Question. 



311 



Prices about the 

 Middle of Century. 



Prices of late 

 years to 1794. 



From 



Flour, per bushel, of 56 lbs. seconds 

 Bread, per half-peck loaf .... 

 Bacon, per lb., in the flitch . . . 

 Bacon, per single pound .... 



Beef, per score, 20 lb 



Beef and mutton, per lb 



Pork, per lb 



Veal, per lb 



A sheep's head 



Cheese, per 112 lbs., at Reading Fair 

 Cheese, per lb., a good sort . . . 

 Cheese, per lb., an inferior sort. . 



Malt, per bushel 



Fresh butter, per lb 



Salt butter, per lb 



Common soft sugar, per lb. . . . 



Soap and candles, per lb 



A pair of men's stout shoes . . . 

 A pair of woman's strong shoes 

 Dowlass for shirting, per ell . . . 



Check for aprons 



Stuff for gowns, per yard . . . . 

 A good weather coat, ready-made 

 "Wool, per todd, 28 lbs 



d. 



4 

 7 

 4 

 5 

 6 

 3 



3J 



BJ 



6 



17 



3 



2i 







5 



4 



3 



5 



6 



2 6 



1 



9 



11 



14 



s. d. 



4 



8 



5 



6 



3 



3^ 



4 



4 



6 



21 



3i 



3 



3 6 



From 



s. d. 

 6 8 

 11 

 7 

 8 

 5 10 

 4J 

 41 

 5 

 10 

 40 

 H 

 4i 

 5 3 

 10 

 7 

 7 

 8i 



12 

 15 



21 

 25 



To 



s. d. 



8 4 



1 2 



8 



9 



6 8 



46 



6 



5 



6 6 



1 

 8 

 8 



9 



7 6 

 4 6 



1 



24 

 35 



Prices, therefore, had advanced from the middle to the end 

 of the century about one-third. The advance in day-labour 

 had been during a corresponding period in some places from 

 five to six, in others from six to seven shillings per week — 

 in other words, not much more than a seventh. 



Dr. Price had observed as follows : ^ — " The nominal price of 

 day-labour is, at present, no more than about four times, or 

 at most five times, higher than it was in 1514. But the price 

 of corn is seven times, and of flesh-meat and raiment about 

 fifteen times higher. So far, therefore, has the price of la- 

 bour been from advancing in proportion to the increase in 

 the expenses of living, that it does not appear that it bears 

 now half the proportion to those expenses that it did bear 

 formerly." 



* Reversionary Payments, vol. ii. p. 273. 



