316 REPORT— 1887. 



with the shding scale. It would, however, be extremely diflBcalt to take 

 the price of the product into account, more especially as the manufacturer 

 is always liable to be affected by the ever- varying cost of the raw material. 

 In the coal trade the cost of the raw material, viz., the coal, is practically 

 constant, as it is governed by a lease made for a long period of time, 

 whereas the supply, and therefore the price of cotton, depends on ever- 

 varying conditions. 



ii. Variations. 



The important practical use of the list is that it adjusts the wages of 

 operatives engaged in weaving different kinds of cloths, of varying degrees 

 of fineness, widths, and lengths. 



1. Fineness of the Materials. 



The fineness of the materials used, i.e., the twist and the weft, bears 

 closely on the fineness of the cloth. The finer the reed through which the 

 warp passes, the greater the number of ends or threads to be watched, and 

 the greater the number of breakages of the threads. More skill is there- 

 fore required to attend a loom weaving fine cloth than one weaving a 

 coarser cloth. By skill is meant mental skill and manual dexterity rather 

 than bodily labour, though the actual number of bodily operations tends 

 to increase with the fineness of the yarn used. 



The weaving of the coarser yarns involves greater bodily labour 

 though not greater skill, and such increased labour is paid at a higher rate 

 though less wages may be earned. Hence the rate of wages increases as 

 the materials become (a) finer, or (6) coarser. 



The fineness of the materials is indicated by the number of lengths of 

 840 yards, i.e., hanks required to weigh 1 lb., e.g., 30's means yarn of which 

 30 lengths of 840 yards weigh 1 lb. 



The standard yarn is yarn from 30's to 60's weft and 28's to 45's 

 twist. Such yarn is regarded as medium. For yarns of other degrees of 

 fineness the allowance is as follows : — 



Weft. 



14's and under 16's add 10 per cent. 



16's „ „ 20's „ 8 



20's „ „ 26's „ 5 „ 



26's „ „ 30's „ 2 



30's to 60's standard. 



Above 60's add 1 per cent, for every 10 hanks. 



Tiuist. 



14's and under 20's add 2 per cent. 

 20's „ „ 28's „ 1 

 28's to 45's standard. 



Above 45's and under 60's add 1^ per cent. 



Above 60's „ 1 „ for every 10 hanks. 



Closely connected with fineness is the closeness of the threads in the 

 cloth. The more threads in an inch of cloth the moi'e work there is to be 

 done by the weaver, and where fine yarn is employed the greater skill is 

 required. In regulating the variations for closeness the lists distinguish 

 between the warp or twist and the weft. 



