64 



DICKSON ON THE 



the invention of spinning by machinery, the process of 

 attenuation was effected by the ringer and thumb of the 

 spinner, hence arose the great superiority of the Hindoos, 

 especially in the fine fabric, who, it is said, possess a delicacy 

 of touch beyond that of any other nation, which apparently 

 compensates for their want of physical strength. 



When we take into consideration the number of processes 

 that Flax has to undergo before it is twisted into yarns, it will 

 be seen that it would be utterly impossible to carry on the 

 work of spinning, hackling, sorting, &c, in any other way but 

 in a large mill or factory, as the succession would be exposed 

 to serious injury if it were necessary to transport them to any 

 considerable distance, to say nothing of the temptation to 

 which the operatives would be exposed, and to which they 

 notoriously yielded when spinning was a domestic operation. 

 It is also to be remembered that the fatiguing part of all the 

 process is performed by power ; the machinery is the servant 

 and assistant of the operative ; it performs the toilsome part 

 of the labour; it saves every expenditure of muscular power 

 and mental energy, requiring from the operative nothing but 

 careful superintendence, and as there exist very erroneous 

 impressions respecting the hardships of factory labour, I would 

 recommend the reader, or those interested, to visit the Flax- 

 mills of Messrs. Hives and Atkinson, of Leeds; of Messrs. 

 Eenshaw and Co.. of Manchester ; or of Messrs. German, 

 Petty, and Co., of Preston, and as those are the most exten- 

 sive Flax-mills in the three busy towns named, they will see 

 that there is nothing to complain of, not even the length 

 of hours that the younger portion of the operatives are 

 subject to. 



Now, in conclusion, I beg to remark, as I have often found 

 the Flax-spinners in error of judgment respecting the quality 

 of their yarns that there is but one way to know warp yarns 

 from weft, and but one way to produce what will please 



