5. BUSINESS HABITS AND SYSTEMS.

Lastly, as to the fifth point of the circular, I am informed that the general method of doing business here is to give a discount of 3 per cent. for cash in seven days, or 2 per cent. discount and one month's credit. This is almost the invariable rule of doing business in the home trade. In the export trade three, four, and six months' good bills on London are accepted, subject to 1 and 1 per cent. discount for three and four months' bills respectively. For a six months' bill the goods are sold net. MATTHEW MCDOUGALL. UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Dundee, April 11, 1878.

GLASGOW.

Report, by Consul Cooper, on labor, wages, and cost of living in Glasgow, and the coin and paper money, of Scotland.

I have the honor to transmit herewith a statement of the rates of wages paid to laborers of different classes at the present time; also a statement showing the aggregate capital, circulation, deposits, &c., of the banks of Scotland on the 15th day of May, 1878.

PAST AND PRESENT RATES OF WAGES.

The rate of wages now paid is about 7 per cent. higher than it was five years ago (except that of miners, which has declined 100 per cent.), but is at present declining, and, if the present stagnation in trade continues, will soon fall even below former rates. In fact, thousands in this city and neighboring towns are gladly working, if given the opportunity, at far lower rates than those herein stated.

COST OF LIVING.

There is yet no corresponding decline in the cost of living, which, to the lower classes, is about the same as in the United States. Meats and fruits are quite beyond the reach of the working classes, being far dearer than they are in the United States. Rent, clothing, bread, sugar, tea, and coffee are about the same in Glasgow as in New York. Whisky (which is considered a positive necessity by the great mass of laborers here, and costs about 300 per cent. more than in the United States), with beer, which latter is comparatively cheap (and as unwholesome as it is cheap), absorbs the larger portion of the laborer's earnings here.

COIN AND PAPER MONEY.

There are eleven banks of issue in Scotland, with their branches, each working under its own special charter. The circulation of each bank is unrestricted. It is only required to redeem its issue in coin, and to hold an amount of coin equivalent to the excess of actual circulation over the authorized circulation.

Only about 5 per cent. of the money in circulation is coin and fourfifths of this is silver. Paper is universally preferred, and gold coin never desired or called for except for special purposes.

Laborers of all classes are paid off in silver, which is in constant demand for change, and sometimes commands a small premium over gold or paper, owing to the fact that a pound note is the smallest denomination issued.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

SAMUEL F. COOPER.

Glasgow, June 28, 1878.

Statement showing the rate of wages paid to laborers of different classes at Glasgow.

The consul did not give the wages per day, nor per week, nor the hours which constitute a day's labor for house-building and other trades, simply giving the rates paid per hour. The Department, to facilitate immediate comparison with the rates of wages paid elsewhere, fixed upon the weekly hours of labor for those trades as 54, that being the general weekly labor-time throughout Great Britain.

7.00

De.

8 00

Do.

7 00

Do.

10 00

Do.

7.00

Do.

Statement showing the rate of wages paid to laborers at Glasgow-Continued.

Statement showing the aggregate capital, circulation, deposits, &c., of the banks of Scotland

Capital stock paid up

Surplus, or reserve

on the 15th day of May, 1878.

LEITH.

Report, by Consul Robeson, on the coal-mines and rates of wages paid the miners, in the district of Leith.*

Within my consular district there are a large number of coal-mines worked by individuals and by mining companies. These mines are nearly all situated on the estates of large landowners, and are leased to individuals or companies, and in some cases they are worked by the owners themselves. The usual duration of a coal-lease is thirty-five

*For the rates of wages paid the different tradesmen in Leith, see Mr. Robeson's very interesting report at page 256.

years, and the "lordship" or duty paid by the lessee to the lessor averages 18 cents per ton of 22 cwt. produced from the mine. There are of course different rates of lordship for different qualities of coal and special conditions as to working certain seams. It is very difficult to estimate the cost of working a coal-mine, as so much depends upon the nature of the particular seam and the extent to which water may be present. Within the last four or five years, however, the cost has been increased by about 15 cents per ton in consequence of certain conditions imposed by recent legislation, such as that there should be two shafts to each pit, and other important regulations regarding ventilation and inspection, and also the employment of boys, &c. During the last few years also the rate of lordships has had a tendency towards increase. At the pit-head coal is sold at an average of $1.56 per ton of 20 cwt. The cost to the lessee is as follows:

In addition to the ordinary contingencies of working a particular coal, the drawing of water forms a most important element in the cost of working any mine. The least increase in the flow incurs an additional cost, while in some districts, at certain seasons, this cost is so great, that the coal has to be disposed of at almost cost price. Many seams, however, are usually comparatively free from water, and when in these cases the coal is of a soft working quality and stands well in the market, the average profit to the producer is considerably increased.

Coal agents and retailers purchasing at the pit make, as a rule, enormous profits upon their subsequent sales to the public.. Taking the average distance as 25 miles over which coal is transported from pits to the centers of disposal, the costs to the coal agents or middlemen and the price paid by the public stand thus:

These figures show the estimated average, but at certain seasons the prices over all are very largely increased.

As regards the wages paid to miners, these vary in different districts. They are paid at so much per ton turned out; and this rate is usually fixed as near as possible upon the principle of allowing the miner about $1.20 per day if he were paid by the day. It is considered that a miner is capable of turning out on an average five tons of coal per day, and the wages allowed are from 20 to 36 cents per ton, according to the nature of the seam. Where the seam is difficult to work, he receives the higher wage, and, of course, produces less coal in a working-day. From this wage the miner has, in certain districts in Scotland, to pay the boys for drawing the coal to the pit-mouth, provide his own oil, make a small contribution toward the expense of repairing tools, &c., and also con

tribute to the medical fund. The usual way is for two miners to work together, and 'in this way they succeed in averaging a turn-out of ten tons per day, which, at the average remuneration of 28 cents per ton, gives an allowance to each miner of $8.40 cents per week. These wages are at present what they were about seven years ago. Exactly five years ago the price of coal was raised very high, and continued so for about eighteen months. During that time the wages paid to miners averaged $2.50 per day, and in consequence the price of coal became very high, as much as $10 per ton. The profits realized from this increase were, so far as the owners or lessees were concerned, applied toward extending coal operations; and, in the case of the miners themselves, these profits were swallowed up by extravagance, and finally reduced by overcrowding of the trade of miners. JOHN T. ROBESON.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Leith, July 22, 1878.

WALES.

Report, by Consul Sykes, on the (1) rates of wages; (2) cost of living; (3) past and present rates; and (4) the present condition of trade, in Wales.

In response to Department circular of April 11, 1878, I have the honor to report as follows:

1. RATES OF WAGES.

The wages paid to farm-hands in Wales vary considerably in different counties. In those sections which, like Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire, are still remote from railways, and where the habits and usages of the people are somewhat primitive, the wages paid and the cost of living are lower than in the more progressive parts of the country.

Farm-hands.-It may be roundly stated, however, that farm-hands are paid an average of $1.50 to $3.50 per week, with certain privileges in the way of beer and house-room. Frequently such laborers, when married, are provided with a cottage, and allowed to cultivate their own vegetable garden.

Mechanics and town laborers are paid as follows: