essays-1-第13节
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ut the name of the purchaser； and the day of the month when the purchase was made； are mentioned。
All articles of clothing destined for the army which are made up in the house； as well as all goods in the piece； destined for military clothing； are lodged in the Military Magazine； which is situated at some distance from the Military Work…house； and is under the care and inspection of the Military store…keeper。
From this Military Magazine； which may be considered as an appendix to the Military Work…house； and is in fact under the same direction； the regiments are supplied with every article of their clothing。 But in order that the army accounts may be more simple； and more easily checked； and that the total annual expence of each regiment may be more readily ascertained； the regiments pay； at certain fixed prices； for all the articles they receive from the Military Magazine； and charge such expenditures in the annual account which they send in to the War Office。
The order observed with regard to the delivery of the raw materials by the store…keeper or steward of the Military Work…house to those employed in manufacturing them； is as follows：
In the manufactures of wool； for instance； he delivers to the master…clothier a certain quantity； commonly 100 pounds； of wool； of a certain quality and description； taken from a certain division； or bin； in the Magazine； bearing a certain number； in order to its being sorted。 And as a register is kept of the wool that is put into these bins from time to time； and as the lots of wool are always kept separate； it is perfectly easy at any time to determine when；and where；and from whom； the wool delivered to the sorted was purchased； and what was paid for it； and consequently； to trace the wool from the stock where it was grown； to the cloth into which it was formed； and even to the person who wore it。 And similar arrangements are adopted with regard to all other raw materials used in the various manufactures。
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 discov
