TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 201 



needless to mention, have prevented some of our manufacturers from supplying the 

 details necessary for showing its extent. I may mention, however, that Meiers. 

 Alexander Iladden and Sons employ about 1200 males and females, besides giving 

 partial employment to a very great number of women over a large area of the 

 neighbouring country by giving out worsted to be knitted into hose. There is one 

 department of the woollen trade which of late years has been very largely extended 

 in this city — 1 mean the winsey manufacture. * So far as I have been able to ascer- 

 tain, there are about 400 looms employed in this department alone. Each loom will 

 turn out about forty yards weekly, and the weaver will receive '3\d. per yard on an 

 average. Expert workmen, when inclined, will make double the" above — but these 

 are exceptional. It thus appears that the annual produce of these looms is upwards 

 of 800,000 yards, while the wages paid to the weavers amount to about £235 

 weekly. 



The Cotton Manufacture, embracing the spinning, weaving, bleaching, and print- 

 ing, was extensively earned on here for many years ; but the only cotton-spinning 

 establishment now in Aberdeen is that of Bannermill, belonging to Messrs. Robin- 

 son, Cruni and Co. The number of male work-people employed by them is 

 sixty-six, and the average wages 12s. 7d. per week. The number of female workers 

 is 579, and the average wages 4s. 4|r/. per week. Their finer yarns are princi- 

 pally sent to India, whilst, to a small extent, Germany consumes their coarser sorts. 



Perhaps there is no better example of the astonishing power of machinery than 

 Bannermill affords. It is only about eight years since it was purchased by Messrs. 

 Robinson, Cram and Co. When in the hands of the previous owners, the' quantity 

 of cotton spun was about 1,117,000 lbs. yearly ; whereas the first year after it was 

 in the hands of the present owners, the quantity was increased by 112,459; and 

 last year, by an increase of only four male and live female workers, the quantity was 

 increased by 320,570 ; and the year ending July last, the increase — almost solely by 

 additional machinery — was no less than 599,000, or an increase of more than one- 

 half the quantity manufactured by the former owners with about the same number 

 of hands. 



The Linen Manufacture. — During the latter half of last centiuy several exten- 

 sive linen manufactories were established. The only one now existing was esta- 

 blished by the late Mr. Maberley, and now belongs to Messrs. Richards and Co., of 

 London, with the Rubislaw Bleach-field. 



The number of male work-people employed at these works is about 622, with 

 wages varying from 4s. to 8s. for boys, and rising to 21s. and 28s. with age and 

 experience. 



The number of female workers is about 1614, with wages varying from 3s. Gd. to 

 4s. 6d. to the younger girls, and rising to 7s. (id. and 8s., and a few as high as 9s. 



The quantity of flax, tow, and jute manufactured weekly, is about 50 tons, or 

 2500 tons yearly. 



Besides manufacturing large quantities of yarns for . exportation to Spain, Italy, 

 Germany, and Denmark, they manufacture linens of all kinds, especially the 

 heaviest or common Scotch classes, such as canvas, household linens, &c. These 

 are exported to all parts of the world, the chief markets being North and South 

 America, the West Indies, and Denmark. They frequently undertake Government 

 contracts for linens for the army and navy. 



The Tape-ivork. — The manufacture of tape has been carried on here for many 

 years by Messrs. Milne, Low and Co. They employ upwards of 100 work-people, 

 chiefly females, and the wages vary from 4s. to 18s. weekly. The quantity made 

 approaches to 20,000,000 yards yearly, and the home and colonial markets are prin- 

 cipally supplied by the Aberdeen manufactory. 



The Paper Manufacture. — The extensive paper-works at Stoneywood, carried on 

 by Messrs. Alexander Pirie and Sons, were established nearly 100 years ago. Till 

 the year 1848, they confined themselves almost solely to the manufacture of printing 

 paper; and the quantity of raw material used was from 650 to 700 tons yearly. 

 while the number of male work-people was from seventy to eighty, at wages varying 

 from lis. to 18s. weekly; and the number of females was about 100, with w'ao-es 

 varying from 5s. to 7s. In 1848, however, they enlarged their works to a very great 

 extent, or rather, I should say, they rebuilt them upon a much more extended scale • 

 and they now are principally engaged in the manufacture of writing-papers. They 



