306.  It would be of great importance, if, in every large establishment the mode of payment could be so arranged, that every person employed should derive advantage from the success of the whole; and that the profits of each individual should advance, as the factory itself produced profit, without the necessity of making any change in the wages.  This is by no means easy to effect, particularly amongst that class whose daily labour procures for them their daily food.  The system which has long been pursued in working the Cornish mines, although not exactly fulfilling these conditions, yet possesses advantages which make it worthy of attention, as having nearly approached towards them, and as tending to render fully effective the faculties of all who are engaged in it.  I am the more strongly induced to place before the reader a short sketch of this system, because its similarity to that which I shall afterwards recommend for trial, will perhaps remove some objections to the latter, and may also furnish some valuable hints for conducting any experiment which might be undertaken.

307.  In the mines of Cornwall, almost the whole of the operations, both above and below ground, are contracted for.  The manner of making the contract is nearly as follows.  At the end of every two months, the work which it is proposed to carry on during the next period is marked out.  It is of three kinds. 1.  Tutwork, which consists in sinking shafts, driving levels, and making excavations:  this is paid for by the fathom in depth, or in length, or by the cubic fathom. 2.  Tribute, which is payment for raising and dressing the ore, by means of a certain part of its v alue when rendered merchantable.  It is this mode of payment which produces such admirable effects.  The miners, who are to be paid in proportion to the richness of the vein, and the quantity of metal extracted from it, naturally become quicksighted in the discovery of ore, and in estimating its value; and it is their interest to avail themselves of every improvement that can bring it more cheaply to market. 3.  Dressing.  The ‘Tributors’, who dig and dress the ore, can seldom afford to dress the coarser parts of what they raise, at their contract price; this portion, therefore, is again let out to other persons, who agree to dress it at an advanced price.

The lots of ore to be dressed, and the works to be carried on, having been marked out some days before, and having been examined by the men, a kind of auction is held by the captains of the mine, in which each lot is put up, and bid for by different gangs of men.  The work is then offered, at a price usually below that bid at the auction, to the lowest bidder, who rarely declines it at the rate proposed.  The tribute is a certain sum out of every twenty shillings’ worth of ore raised, and may vary from threepence to fourteen or fifteen shillings.  The rate of earnings in tribute is very uncertain:  if a vein, which was poor when taken, becomes rich, the men earn