part of the piecers whom they employed were
thrown out. And since self-acting mules have been introduced into a very
large number of spinning-mills, the spinners' work is wholly performed by
the machine. There lies before me a book from the pen of James Leach,
{135} one of the recognised leaders of the Chartists in Manchester. The
author has worked for years in various branches of industry, in mills and
coal mines, and is known to me personally as an honest, trustworthy, and
capable man. In consequence of his political position, he had at command
extensive detailed information as to the different factories, collected
by the workers themselves, and he publishes tables from which it is clear
that in 1841, in 35 factories, 1,060 fewer mule spinners were employed
than in 1829, though the number of spindles in these 35 factories had
increased by 99,239. He cites five factories in which no spinners
whatever are employed, self-actors only being used. While the number of
spindles increased by 10 per cent., the number of spinners diminished
more than 60 per cent. And Leach adds that since 1841, so many
improvements have been introduced by double-decking and other means, that
in some of the factories named, half the operatives have been discharged.
In one factory alone, where eighty spinners were employed a short time
ago, there are now but twenty left; the others having been discharged or
set at children's work for children's wages. Of Stockport Leach tells a
similar story, that in 1835, 800 spinners were employed, and in 1840 but
140, though the manufacture of Stockport has greatly increased during the
last eight or nine years. Similar improvements have now been made in
carding frames, by which one-half the operatives have been thrown out of
employment. In one factory improved frames have been set up, which have
thrown four hands out of eight out of work, besides which the employer
reduced the wages of the four retained from eight shillings to seven. The
same process has gone on in the weaving industry; the power-loom has
taken possession of one branch of hand-weaving after another, and since
it produces much more than the hand-loom, while one weaver can work two
looms, it has superseded a multitude of working-people. And in all sorts
of manufacture, in flax and wool-spinning, in silk-twisting, the case is
the same. The power-loom, too, is beginning to appropriate one branch
after another of wool and linen-weaving; i