MASTERS OR WORKMEN.

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in drinking, which is, unfortunately, too often thecase, it is injurious. The reason assigned for thedemand is, that the new comer will require someinstruction in the habits of the shop, and in theplaces of the different tools, and will thus waste thetime of some of his companions until he is instructed.If this fine were added to a fund, managed by theworkmen of the establishment, and divided at givenperiods, or destined for their relief in sickness, itwould be less objectionable, since its tendency wouldbe to check the too frequent change of the men fromone shop to another. But it ought, at all events,not to be compulsory ; and the advantages to bederived from the fund to which tlie workman is invitedto subscribe, ought to be his sole inducement.

(273.) In many workshops, the workmen, althoughemployed on totally different parts of the objects ma-nufactured, are yet dependent, in some measure, uponeach other. Thus a single smith may be able toforge, in one day, work enough to keep four or fiveturners employed during the next. If, from idlenessor intemperance, the smith neglects his work, anddoes not furnish the usual supply, the turners (sup-posing them to be paid by the piece), will have theirtime partly unoccupied, and their gains consequentlydiminished. It is reasonable, in such circumstances,that a fine should be levied, in order to prevent theirrecurrence ; but it is desirable that the master shouldhave concurred with his workmen in establishingsuch a rule, and that it should be shown to eachindividual previous to his engagement; and it isvery desirable that such fine should not be spentin drinking.

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