But these remarks refer only to the nominal wages of the scavagers; and I find the nominal wages of operatives in many cases are widely different (either from some additions by way of perquisites, &c., or deductions by way of fines, &c., but oftener the latter) from the actual wages received by them. Again, the average wages, or gross yearly income of the casually-employed men, are very different from those of the constant hands; so are the gains of a particular individual often no criterion of the general or average earnings of the trade. Indeed I find that the several varieties of wages may be classified as follows:—

1. Nominal Wages.—Those said to be paid in a trade.

2. Actual Wages.—Those really received, and which are equal to the nominal wages, plus the additions to, or minus the deductions from, them.

3. Casual Wages.—The earnings of the men who are only occasionally employed.

4. Average Casual or Constant Wages.—Those obtained throughout the year by such as are either occasionally or regularly employed.

5. Individual Wages.—Those of particular hands, whether belonging to the scurf or honourable trade, whether working long or short hours, whether partially or fully employed, and the like.

6. General Wages.—Or the average wages of the whole trade, constant or casual, fully or partially employed, honourable or scurf, long and short hour men, &c., &c., all lumped together and the mean taken of the whole.

Now in the preceding account of the working scavagers’ mode and rate of payment I have spoken only of the nominal wages; and in order to arrive at their actual wages we must, as we have seen, ascertain what additions and what deductions are generally made to and from this amount. The deductions in the honourable trade are, as usual, inconsiderable.

TABLE SHOWING THE DIVISION OF LABOUR, MODE AND RATES OF PAYMENT, NATURE OF WORK PERFORMED, TIME UNEMPLOYED, AND AVERAGE EARNINGS OF THE OPERATIVE SCAVAGERS OF LONDON.

Operative Scavagers.Mode of Payment.Rates of Payment.Nature of Work performed.Time unemployed during the Year.Average casual (or constant) gains throughout the Year.
I. Manual Labourers.
A. Better Paid.
GangerBy the day.18s. weekly, and 2s. allowance.To load the cart and superintend the men.Not two days during the year.20s. per week.
Carman (2 horse) „ „18s. weekly, and 2s. allowance.To take care of the horses, help to load the cart, and take the dirt and slop to the dust-yard.Seldom or never out of employment.20s. „
Ditto (1 horse) „ „16s. weekly, and 2s. allowance.Ditto. ditto. ditto.Ditto. ditto.18s. „
Sweepers „ „16s. weekly, and 2s. allowance.To sweep the district to which they are sent, and collect the dirt or slop ready for carting away.About three months during the year.13s. 6d. „
B. Worse Paid.
Ganger „ „16s. weekly, and 1s. allowance.To load the cart and superintend the men.Three months during the year.12s. 9d. „
Carman „ „15s. weekly, and 1s. allowance.To take charge of the horse and cart, help to load the cart, and take the dirt or slop to the dust-yard.Ditto. ditto.12s. „
Sweepers „ „15s. weekly, and 1s. allowance.To sweep the district, collect the dirt or slop ready for carting off, work in the yard, and load the barge.Ditto. ditto.12s. „
II. Machine Men.
Carman „ „16s. weekly.To take charge of the horse and machine, collect the dirt and take it to the yard.Ditto. ditto.12s. „
Sweepers „ „16s. weekly.To sweep where the machine cannot touch, work in the yard, and load the barges.Ditto. ditto.12s. „
III. Parish Men.
A. Out-door Paupers.
1. Paid in Money.
Married men „ „9s. weekly.Sweep the streets and courts belonging to the parish, and collect the dirt or slop ready for carting away.Six months during the year.4s. 6d. „
Single men „ „6s. weekly.Ditto. ditto. ditto.Ditto. ditto.3s. „
2. Paid part in kind.
Married men „ „6s. 9d. weekly, and 3 quartern loaves.Ditto. ditto. ditto.Ditto. ditto.3s. 4½d. and 3 quartern loaves weekly.
Single men „ „5s. and 3 half-quartern loaves.Ditto. ditto. ditto.Ditto. ditto.2s. 6d. and 3 half-quartern loaves weekly.
B. In-door PaupersAll in kind.Food, lodging, and clothes.Ditto. ditto. ditto.Food, lodging, and clothes.
IV. Street-Orderlies.
Foreman or GangerBy the day.15s. weekly.Superintend the men and see that their work is done well.
Sweepers „ „12s. weekly.Collect the dirt or slop ready for carting away.
Barrow men „ „Collect the short dung as it gathers in the district to which they are appointed.
Barrow boys „ „Ditto. ditto. ditto.