essays-1-第11章
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The advantages arising from this arrangement are too obvious to require being particularly mentioned。 It not only prevents numberless abuses on the part of those employed in the various manufactures； but affords a ready method of detecting any frauds on the part of those from whom the raw materials are purchased。
The wool received by the master…clothier is by him delivered to the wool…sorters to be sorted。 To prevent frauds on the part of the wool…sorters； not only all the wool…sorters work in the same room； under the immediate inspection of the master wool…sorter； but a certain quantity of each lot of wool being sorted in the presence of some one of the public officers belonging to the house； it is seen by the experiment how much per cent。 is lost by separation of dirt and filth in sorting； and the quantity of sorted wool of the different qualities； which the sorter is obliged to deliver for each HUNDRED POUNDS weight of wool received from the magazine； is from hence determined。
The great secret of the woollen manufactory is in the sorting of the wool； and if this is not particularly attended to； that is to say； if the different kinds of wool of various qualities which each fleece naturally contains； are not carefully separated； and if each kind of wool is not employed for that purpose； and FOR THAT ALONE； for which it is best calculated； no woollen manufactory can possibly subsist with advantages。
Each fleece is commonly separated into five or six different parcels of wool； of different qualities； by the sorters in the Military Work…house； and of these parcels； some are employed for warp； others for wool；others for combing；and that which is very coarse and indifferent； for coarse mittens for the peasants；for the lists of broad cloths； etc。
The wool； when sorted； is delivered back by the master…clothier to the steward； who now places it in the sorted…wool magazines； where it is kept in separate bins； according to its different qualities and destinations； till it is delivered out to be manufactured。 As these bins are all numbered； and as the quality and destination of the wool which is lodged in each bin is always the same； it is sufficient in describing the wool afterwards as it passes through the hands of the different manufacturers； merely to mention ITS NUMBER； that is to say； the number of the bin the sorted…wool magazine from whence it was taken。
As a more particular account of these various manipulations； and the means used to prevent frauds； may not only be interesting to all who are curious in these matters； but may also be of real use to such as may engage in similar undertakings； I shall take the liberty to enlarge a little upon this subject。
From the magazine of sorted wool； the master…clothier receives this sorted wool again； in order to its being wolfed；greased； carded；and spun； under his inspection； and then delivered into the store…room of woollen yarn。 As woollen yarn he receives it again； and delivers it to the cloth…weaver。 The cloth…weaver returns it in cloth to the steward。The steward delivers it to the fuller；the fuller to the cloth…shearer；the cloth…shearer to the cloth…presser；and the cloth…presser to the steward； and by this last it is delivered into the Military Magazine； if destined for the army； if not； it is placed in the shop for sale。 The master…clothier is answerable for all the sorted wool he receives； till he delivers it to the clerk of the wool…spinners； and all his accounts are settled with the steward once a week。 The clerk of the spinners is answerable for the carded and combed wool he receives from the master…clothier； till it is delivered in yarn in the store…room； and his accounts are likewise settled with the master…clothier； and with the clerk of the store…room； （who is called the clerk of the control；） once a week。 The spinners wages are paid by the clerk of the control； upon the spin…ticket； signed by the clerk of the spinners； in which ticket； the quantity； and quality of the yarn spun being specified； together with the name of the spinner； the weekly delivery of yarn by the clerk of the spinners into the store…room； must answer to the spin…tickets received and paid by the clerk of the control。 More effectually to prevent frauds； each delivery of yarn to the clerk of the spinners is bound up in a separate bundle； to which is attached an abstract of the spin…ticket； in which abstract is specified； the name of the spinner；the date of the delivery；the number of the spin…ticket；and the quantity and quality of the yarn。 This arrangement not only facilitates the settlement of the weekly account between the clerk of the spinners and the clerk of the control； when the former makes his weekly delivery of yarn into the store…room； but renders it easy also to detect any frauds committed by the spinners。
The wages of the spinners are regulated by the fineness of the yarn； that is； by the number of skains； or rather knots； which they spin from the pound of wool。 Each knot is composed of 100 threads； and each thread； or turn of the reel； is two Bavarian yards in length； and to prevent frauds in reeling； clock…reels； proved and sealed； are furnished by the establishment to all the spinners。 It is possible； however； notwithstanding this precaution； for the spinners to commit frauds； by binding up knots containing a smaller number of threads than 100。It is true they have little temptation to do so； for as their wages are in fact paid by the WEIGHT of the yarn delivered； and the number of knots serving merely to determine the price BY THE POUND which they have a right to receive； and advantages they can derive from frauds committed in reeling are very trifling indeed。 But trifling as they are； such frauds would no doubt sometimes be committed； were it not known that it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for them to escape detection。
Not only the clerk of the spinners examines the yarn when he receives it； and counts the threads in any of the knots which appear to be too small； but the name of the spinner； with a note of the quantity of knots； accompanies the yarn into the store…room； as was before observed； and from thence to the spooler； by whom it is wound off； any frauds committed in reeling cannot fail to be brought home to the spinner。
The bundles of carded wool delivered to the spinners； though they are called pounds； are not exact pounds。 They contain each as much more than a pound； as is necessary； allowing for wastage in spinning； in order that the yarn when spun may weigh a pound。 If the yarn is found to be wanting in weight； a proportional deduction is made from the wages of the spinner； which deduction； to prevent frauds； amounts to a trifle more than the value of the yarn which is wanting。
Frauds in weaving are prevented by delivering the yarn to the weavers by weight； and receiving the cloth by weight from the loom。 In the other operations of the manufactures； such as fulling； shearing； pressing； etc。 no frauds are to be apprehended。
Similar precautions are taken to prevent frauds in the linen； cotton；and other manufactures carried on in the house； and so effectual are the means adopted； that during more than five years since the establishment was instituted； no one fraud of the least consequence has been discovered； the evident impossibility of escaping detection in those practices； having prevented the attempt。
Through the above…mentioned details may be sufficient to give some idea of the general order which reigns in every part of this extensive establishment； yet； as success in an undertaking of this kind depends essentially on carrying on the business in all its various branches in the most methodical manner； and rendering one operation a check upon the other； as well as in making the persons employed absolutely responsible for all frauds and neglects committed in their various departments； I shall either add in the Appendix； or publish separately； a full account of the internal details of the various trades and manufactures carried on in the Military Work…house； and copies of all the different tickets；returns；tables；accounts； etc。 made use of in carrying on the business of this establishment。
Though these accounts will render this work more voluminous than I could have wished； yet； as such details can hardly fail to be very useful to those； who； either upon a larger； or smaller scale； may engage in similar undertakings； I have determined to publish them。
To show that the regulations observed in carrying on the various trades and manufactures in the Military Work…house are good； it will； I flatter myself； be quite sufficient to refer to the flourishing state of the establishment；to its growing reputation；to its extensive connections； which reach even to foreign countries；to the punctuality with which all its engagements are fulfilled； to its unimpeached credit；and to its growing wealth。
Notwithstanding all the disadvantages under which it laboured in its infant state； the net profits arising from it during the six years it has existed； amount to above 100；000 florins； after the expences of every kind；salaries；wages；repairs； etc。 have been deducted； in consequence of the augmentation of the amount of the orders received and executed the last year； did not fall much short of HALF A MILLION of florins。
It may be proper to observe； that； not the whole army of the Elector； but only the fifteen Bavarian regiments； are furnished with clothing from the Military Work…house at Munich。 The troops of the Palatinate； and those of the Duchies of Juliers and Bergen； receive their clothing from a similar establishment at Manheim。
The Military Work…house at Manheim was indeed erected several months before that at Munich； but as it is not immediately connected with any institution for the poor；as the poor are not fed in it；and as it was my first attempt； or coup d'essai； it is； in many respects； inferior in its internal arrangements to that at Munich。 I have therefore chosen this last for the subject of my descriptions； and would propose it as a model for imitation； in preference to the other。
As both these establishments owe their existence to myself； and as they both remain under my immediate superintendence； it may very naturally be asked； why that at Manheim has not been put upon the same footing with that at Munich？My answer to this question would be； that a variety of circumstances； too foreign to my present subject to be explained here； prevented the establishment of the Military Work…house at Manheim being carried to that perfection which I could have wished＇12＇。
But it is time that I should return to the poor of Munich； for whose comfort and happiness I laboured with so much pleasure； and whose history will ever remain by far the most interesting part of this publication。
CHAPTER。 VII。
A further account of the poor who were brought together in the house of industry：and of the interesting change which was produced in their manners and dispositions。 Various proofs that the means used for making them industrious； comfortable； and happy； were successful。
The awkwardness of these poor creatures； when they were first taken from the streets as beggars； and put to work； may easily conceived； but the facility with which they acquired add
