OF SCOTLAND.

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servant capable of performing all the different operations up-on a farm, is paid as high wages as in any part of the west ofScotland, which, with money, maintenance and other perqui-sites, amounts to about L. 30 Sterlingper annum, and for a wo-man-servant from L. 18 to L.20 a-year, (including board), isreckoned the average expence. But in the Lewis, Long Island ,and even in Skye and Mull, about one-fourth may be deduct-ed from this estimate. The general average, however, over thewhole Hebrides , cannot be estimated at more than L. 18 for aman, and L. 12 for a woman ; because a great many are hiredon condition of getting leave of absence for a few weeks, orperhaps months in summer and autumn, for prosecuting thekelp manufacture, the fisheries, or some other business, un-connected with tlicir regular annual engagements. This,however, cannot be considered an actual diminution of thewages of labour. They are not paid for a whole year, be-cause they do not work so long with the farmer.

In Orkney , a great proportion of the men are engaged in thefisheries, which renders hands scarcer, and of course wageshigher than might be expected, from the very limited demandfor agricultural labourers. In 1791, according to the Sta-tistical Account of Scotland, a man, capable of performing-all the operations of husbandry, received from L. 3 to L. 1,1 s.per annum, with board, and a woman from L. 1 to L. 1, 10 s.with board for the same term. It appears from the OrkneyReport, recently printed, that these wages continue nearlythe same.

In the Zetland Isles, regular farm-servants are unknown,almost every individual being engaged in the fisheries fora certain part of the year. Those who are engaged fora fixed term, have about L. 1, Is., with liberty to go to thefishing during the summer, when they gain from 30 s. to40 s., which, together, may amount to about L. 3 per annum ,with victuals; women-servants engaged in husbandry havefrom 10 s. to 15 s. per annum, a shirt, and some other triflingperquisites. Those engaged as house-maids, have from 20 s.to 25 s. per annum, with victuals.