s, which Dr. Schulze-Gaevernitz sums up in the following
words:--"Where the cost of labour (_i.e._ piece wages) is lowest the
conditions of labour are most favourable, the working day is shortest,
and the weekly wages of the operatives are highest" (p. 133). The
evolution of improved spinning and weaving machinery in England is
found to be attended by a continuous increase in the product for each
worker, a fall in piece wages reflected in prices of foods, a
shortening of the hours of labour, and a rise in weekly wages. The
following tables, compiled by Dr. Schulze-Gaevernitz, give an accurate
statement of the relations of the different movements, taking the
spinning and weaving industries as wholes in England:--

SPINNING.

----------+-----------+-------------+---------+---------+------------
| Product | Number of | Product | Cost of | Average
| of yarn | workers | per | labour | yearly
| in | in spinning | worker | per lb. | wages.
| 1000 lbs. | mills. | in lbs. | |
----------+-----------+-------------+---------+---------+------------
| | | | s. d. | L s. d.
1819-21 | 106,500 | 111,000 | 968 | 6 4 | 26 13 0
1829-31 | 216,500 | 140,000 | 1546 | 4 2 | 27 6 0
1844-46 | 523,300 | 190,000 | 2754 | 2 3 | 28 12 0
1859-61 | 910,000 | 248,000 | 3671 | 2 1 | 32 10 0
1880-82 | 1,324,000 | 240,000 | 5520 | 1 9 | 44 4 0[228]
----------+-----------+-------------+---------+---------+------------

WEAVING.

--------+------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------
| Products | Number of | Product | Cost of | Average
| in | workers. | per worker | labour | yearly
| 1000 lbs. | | in lbs. | per lb. | income.
--------+------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------
| | | | s. d. | L s. d.
1819-21 | 80,620 | 250,000 | 322 | 15 5 | 20 18 0
1829-31 | 143,200 | 275,000 | 521 | 9 0 | 19 18 0[229]
1844-46 | 348,110 | 210,000 | 1658 | 3 5 | 24 10 0
1859-61 | 650,870 | 203,000 | 3206 | 2 9 | 30 15 0
1880-82 | 993,540 | 246,000 | 4039 | 2 3 | 39 0 0
--------+------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------