Britain at Work
A Pictorial Description of Our National Industries

1/2 BRITAIN AT WORK. an iron-lined sink in which are dozens of little holes. On the hot tin being laid in the sink, a tap is touched, and up through the holes suddenly shoot vigorous jets of cold water. It is the sharp contact of these water needles with the heated tin that pro- duces the pattern, to retain which the sheet is plunged into a bath of acid, after having been rubbed with whitening. 1 he whole transformation of a plain sheet of tin to a closely patterned one occupies just two- and-a-half minutes. The various colours are pro- duced by varnishing with different coloured var- nishes and afterwards stoving. In the matter of filling boxes with matches the girls employed become so deft, that to do 360 boxes Photo'. Cassell & Co.y Ltd. MAKING WOODEN BOXES FOR MATCHES. in an hour, or twenty-five gross in a day, is not considered at all a record score. They seize long, evenly laid rows of matches and cram them into the ready-opened boxes with the most absolute disregard for the like- lihood of fire. A match is dropped on the stone floor, a thick boot casually passes over it, a snap, a flare, but nobody thinks of taking any notice, for some other passer-by is almost sure to put it out—or eventually it will put itself out—so why bother, when the aim of one’s busy hands and active brain is to fill more boxes in the given time (and there- fore take more money) than all the other girls ranged along all the other benches in the workshop ? Sometimes, however, a halt is unavoidable ; for by some unlucky chance a whole handful of matches in the act of being put into a tin box will ignite. That is the moment for self-possession. To drop them would spread instant disaster, but to hold them firmly is the pride of every good worker, and to plunge the whole flaming lot into the neighbouring bucket of water is her imme- diate intention. The workers in this department are obliged to deposit their street clothes (hats, jackets, ties, etc.) and the food which they bring for their mid-day meal in a cloak-room which is kept locked, and the contents can only be had at appointed rest time and at the end of the day’s work. Thus, by having the workshop entirely free of hanging garments, is the risk of the spread of fire lessened, and the workers are not allowed to get their food until they have been seen to wash both hands and face in lavatories where keen-eyed inspectors see that this beneficial regulation is thoroughly complied with. One is glad to note that the inevitable monotony of the match girls’ hours of work is alleviated by the permission to talk to their neighbours. The constant flow of quick chatter that goes on, in spite of unsurpassably rapid work, shows that the privilege is appreciated. That it shall not be abused and noisy behaviour ensue, is the responsi- bility of the men and women, heads of departments, who ceaselessly perambulate each workshop, watching a moment here and there whether the “ hands ” are giving proper care to each item as it passes quickly through their clever fingers-