NATURE 



445 



THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1877 



BRITISH MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES 

 British Manufacturing Industries. Edited by G. Phil- 

 lips Bevan, F.G.S. " Hosiery and Lace," by the late 

 W. Felkin, Nottingham ; " Carpets," by Christopher 

 Dresser, Ph. D, ; " Dyeing and Bleaching," by T, Sims 

 (second edition; ; " Pottery," by L. Arnoux, of Min- 

 ton's Factory ; " Glass and Silicates," by Prof. Barff, 

 M.A. ; " Furniture and Woodwork," by J. H. Pollen, 

 M.A. (second edition). (London : Stanford, 1877.) 

 Industrial Classes and Industrial Statistics. By G. 

 Phillips Bevan, F.G.S.. Vol. i., "Mining, Metals, 

 Chemicals, Ceramics, Glass, and Paper." Vol. 2., 

 " Textiles and Clothing, Food, Sundry Industries." 

 (London : Stanford, 1876-7.) 



THE first edition of the first two volumes has been 

 already noticed in these columns. The speedy issue 

 of a second edition bears out the favourable opinion pre- 

 viously expressed with regard to them, and of this series 

 of short comprehensive essays on British manufactures 

 generally. There can be no doubt that any one wishing 

 to take a general view of any of the subjects on which 

 they treat will gain a good idea of their principles from a 

 perusal of these volumes. 



The latter two volumes, deiling as' they do with the 

 condition of the British industrial classes considered 

 as Tjorkers, form an appropriate pendant to the 

 " British Manufacturing Industries," in which the nature 

 of the work which they perform has been already spoken 

 of. Though, as Mr. Bevan says, the British workman 

 " has from a political point of view . . . been frequently 

 written and talked about — too much so, indeed, for his 

 own good or for the good of the country — his social con- 

 dition as dependent upon, or connected with, his special 

 branch of labour," is comparatively seldom inquired into. 

 This topic forms the subject of the present work. 



In treating the subject one or more chapters are de- 

 voted to each of the divisions named above. A descrip- 

 tion of the character of the work in each department is 

 given, together with the conditions whether healthy or 

 otherwise, under which it is performed. This is supple- 

 mented by statistics as to the numbers employed in the 

 various industries, the quantity of material manufactured, 

 its value, the wages of the workman or workwoman, the 

 effects of various industries on the rate of mortality, and 

 some account of working-class legislation and federation. 

 The distribution of the various industries over the country 

 is graphically shown by two maps in each volume. 



The statistics are very full and complete, and being 

 compiled mostly from official sources, may be taken as 

 accurate and reliable. With regard to the introduction 

 of this profusion of figures the author remarks that he has 

 done so "in the hope of showing, how intimately allied is 

 the development of our manufactures with the state of 

 wages and the general condition of the working classes." 

 There can be no doubt that Mr. Bevan's volumes clearly 

 show that our English operatives are in better condition 

 generally now than at any previous period, and this is 

 so whatever be the standpoint from which they are 

 regarded. 



Vol. XV.— No. 386 



In reading the descriptions of the various handicrafts 

 and under what conditions they are executed, one sees 

 that there is much yet to be done in some branches to 

 render the work still easier of execution and less un- 

 healthy. Science has done much for the coal-miner ; 

 but more remains to be done in order that he may be 

 better protected from sudden outbursts of fire-damp or 

 choke-damp. It is evident from the quotation of Dr- 

 Angus Smith's analyses of the air from metal mines, that 

 some further legislative enactment is required to compel 

 the more thorough ventilation of such mines. Blast- 

 furnace workmen, it is true, do not work under verj' un- 

 healthy or dangerous conditions ; but there are one or 

 two points in which there is room for improvement. For 

 example, the " chargers " more particularly, are now and 

 again rendered insensible by breathing escaping carbonic 

 oxide, sometimes with fatal results ; while once in a 

 while, from the fall of the material in the furnace after 

 " scaffolding," explosions occur in the " hearth " resulting 

 in the forcible expulsion of the front or side of the furnace 

 and of the molten metal, which occasionally envelops 

 the workmen, who in some instances have been literally 

 roasted to death. Possibly at some future period the 

 dangers to health and life arising from these causes may 

 be diminished or entirely obviated by the application of 

 scientific principles. 



The injurious effects and diseases resulting from the 

 vapour of ordinary phosphorus and " phosphoric fumes " 

 in match-making are fully pointed out (and the remedy in 

 the use of red phosphorus), also those of oxide of zinc, 

 sparks of metal and dust, poisonous gases, powdered 

 glass and emery, and poisonous colours, in brass, needle, 

 chemical, glass and emery paper, and paper-hanging 

 manufactures. In the second volume the " sizing " of 

 cotton goods, " singeing " of fabrics generally, "heckling" 

 of flax, preparation of tobacco, use of " Scheele's green " 

 and similar preparations in flower-making, and the close- 

 ness and general want of ventilation in workrooms, in 

 dress-making, &c., are shown to result prejudicially to 

 the health of the worker. Affections of the eyes from 

 close work, as in watch and lace making, are not lost 

 sight of. Neither are deformities resulting from working 

 in constrained and unnatural positions. 



In this connection it may perhaps reasonably be 

 doubted — as the result of actual experience — whether 

 " the effects of chlorine are transient and less serious " 

 than follow from the inhalation of sulphuretted hydrogen. 

 Weldon's chlorine-process is noted as an improvement on 

 the old process, while Deacon's — which may fairly rank 

 with it — is left unnoticed. On the same page a small 

 matter needs correction ; " mangan/te " and " permanga- 

 nate" should, of course, be mangan^ite and permanga- 

 nrt:te. Mr. Bevan might be puzzled, perhaps, to show 

 how tobacco acts as food, under which head he classes it. 



A list is given of the legislative Acts hitherto passed 

 affecting industries, which shows that the amelioration of 

 the condition of the worker to its present improved state 

 has not been an easy task. The trade societies are classed 

 as trades unions, friendly societies, and co-operative soci- 

 eties ; of the first the opinion is given that they are " at 

 most a doubtful blessing," while the latter are considered 

 as both useful and excellent. 



The abundant statistics given cannot fail to be"of great 



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