[COTTON MANUFACTURE.] Paisley and Manchester are the chief seats of the muslin manu facture. Glasgow houses now carry on a vast trade in worked or embroidered muslin. At first, the women and girls in the district within twenty miles of that city were employed in the work ; but afterwards it was found that an abundant supply of such labour could be obtained in the north of Ireland. Even so early as the beginning of the present century, it was estimated that 20,000 females earned a living at this muslin work. When working, the muslin is stretched over a hoop, and kept in its place by means of another hoop slightly larger in diameter; • the hoops are either held between the chin and the knee, or supported on some kind of stand. The embroidering is a kind of chain stitch, produced by the needle. There arc, however, other kinds of sewed muslin work for which no hoop or tambour is required. The extension of the trade to Ireland was chiefly deter mined by the circumstance that, when machine flax-spinning was introduced in that country, the band-spinners were thrown out of employment, and were glad to accept the work which the Glasgow firms offered to them. Until about the year 1830 the patterns for the muslin-workers were printed from engraved blocks, which in some cases cost as much as five guineas each ; but the lithographic press has greatly increased the rapidity and lessened the cost of producing patterns; and, as one among many favourable consequences, the artistic merit of the designs has been much increased. Agents for the
wholesale houses visit the country districts, seek out and employ the women and girls, supply them with the muslin, fetch it away when finished, and pay them for their work. In busy times, agents for two or three firma will compete with each other at the same place; and the usual result, a rise in wages, is produced. Tho earnings begin at Gd. per week for young workers, and rise to Gs.; first-class hands occasionally earn ]0s. All the women and girls work at their own homes, the employment being essentially a domestic and not a factory ono. It was estimated, so far back as 1851, that not less than 600,0001. was thus paid annually to women and girls for muslin working, chiefly in the west of Scotland and the north of Ireland.
A somewhat analogous, but still distinct, application of female labour is noticed under EMDROIDERT AND SEW1NG-MACIDNES.