306 EEPOET— 1887. 



b. Twist, 

 s. d. 

 Blackburn . 42-00 per 100 lbs. of 30's on Mules from 531-640 spindles 



Burnley . 46-25 „ „ „ „ 540 



Preston . 46-25 „ „ „ „ 



Bolton . 2104 per 1,000 hanks of 50's „ 420 



Stockport . 17-00 „ „ 30's „ 360 



Hyde . . 14-81 „ „ 32-s „ 660 



Ashton . 1 5| „ „ 36's „ 360 



2. Variation for Number of Spindles. 

 As tlie number of spindles on a mule increases, the greater the amount 

 of yarn spun per -week, and therefore the more wages -will be earned by 

 the minder. It is evident that if the operative be paid at the same rate 

 per pound or per hank on a large mule as on a small one, the only advan- 

 tage gained by the employer would lie in the fact that the cost of a large 

 mule would be something less per spindle than the cost of a small mule. 

 This advantage, it is found, is not sufficient to encourage employers to 

 improve or lengthen their machinery, audit is characteristic of the cotton 

 lists that they divide the advantage arising from the greater number of 

 spindles on a mule between the employer and employed. Hence the 

 wages per pound or per hank decrease with every increase in the number 

 of spindles. Profits and wages both rise with an increase in the number of 

 spindles on a mule, other things remaining the same. It must be remem- 

 bered, in working out the details of this division of the extra advan- 

 tage, that as the mule increases in length additional assistants may be 

 required, who have to be paid out of the wages of the minder. The 

 number of persons required at a mule averages as follows : — 



Up to 450 spindles a man and a boy. 



Over 450 „ and under 750 spindles . . „ „ 



„ 750 „ „ 1,200 „ . . „ 2 boys. 



„ 1,200 „ ,, 3 „ 



The variation per spindle is not the same under the different lists. 

 The following table shows the various rules in force, W. indicating weft 

 mules, and T. twist mules : — 



Blackburn .... Standard 631-640 spindles W., or 531-540 spindles T. 

 Add }d. for every 10 spindles below 630 W., or 531 T. 

 Deduct id. „ " „ from 640-SOO W., or 540-640 T. 



„ ^-d. „ „ „ 800-900 W., or 800-900 T. 



Burnley ) . ' .^"^ . . . Standard, 640 spindles W. ; 540 spindles T. 

 Preston \ Add U. for every 20 spindles below 600 W., or 500 T. 

 Deduct fd. „ „ above 600 W., or 500 T. 



In Burnley list no deduction to be made after 800 spindles in countsbelow24's. 



Bolton Standard . 420 spindles W. and T. 



Deduct i % for every 12 spindles above 420 spindles W. and T. 



Stockport Standard . 360 spindles W. and T. 



Deduct 6 % for every 12 spindles from 360-600 spindles W. and T. 

 „ 4 % ,, .. 600-840 



„ 3 % „ „ 840-1,044 



Ashton Standard . 360 spindles W. and T. 



Add }d. for every 12 spindles below 360 spindles W. and T. 



Deduct M. „ 12 „ up to 720 



„ Id. „ 24 „ „ 720-864 



„ p. , „ 48 „ „ 864-1,200 „ 



3. Variation for Fineness. 

 As a rule, a mule will in a given time spin the same length of yam 

 whether the yarn be coarse or fine, but the iveigU of the yarn spun in a 



