The dictionary of daily wants / [Robert Kemp Philp].

  • Robert Kemp Philp
Date:
[1861]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The dictionary of daily wants / [Robert Kemp Philp]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    goods received on board; salaries from £55 to £75 a year, with is. per day when em- ployed. Ihe second class of officials in the Customs department is distributed among a variety of branches, each having its peculiar duties, but all possessing the usual features of office routine generally, salaries rising from £75 to £500. Inland Revenue.—Under this title are in- cluded the Excise, and the Stamps and Taxes. To the Excise branch is assigned the collection of revenue arising from home or inland sources. One portion of this de- partment is worked by what are popularly termed “Excisemen,” each of whom have a certain district placed under his control, and in which he is expected to take an n.ccount of and levy the duty upon all ar- ^cles manufactured and chargeable with duty. The occupation of an Excise officer is harassing and attended with great dis- comfort, inasmuch as he is liable to be re- moved from district to district at a week’s notice. This continual change coupled with the peculiar and somewhat unpopular post that he fulfils, totally debar him from en- joying the amenities of social life, or of cultivating the friendship and acquaintance of those with whom hemay be brought in con- tact. The salaiy of an ordinary Excise officer is £100 a year; the higher grade of supervisor from £150 to £250. The clerks employed in the Excise receive s.alaries much on par with those given in the better departments of the Custom House. tilamps and Taxes.—This branch employs between three and four hundred clerks, ivhose duties are of the usual official cha- racter ; the salaries range from £80 to £i00. The latter sum is, however, rarely attained to, the maximum in the majority of cases being £200, at which salary many clerks remain in this department after a service of twenty years. Ordnance Office.—The province ot this de- partment consists of providing for the exi- gencies of the army and navy. The ap- pointments are both numerous and valuable, consisting of clerks with salaries of from £90 to £600, and store-keepers £190 to £700. Rost Office.—This department employs an immense number of servants in a variety of grades and capacities. The appointments in contrast with other Government situations are not to be coveted, for its duties are exceedingly heavy, and the remuneration unreasonably small, llie usual hours of attendance are from ten till four, but in the Inland Office attendance is required fi-om five in the morning till nine, and from five to eight in the evening. In this office the greatest punctuality is exacted, and no allowances are made for being behind time, 'file clerkships are distributed among various offices, the salaries ranging from £60 to £200. Connected with this department are also letter-carriers and sub-sorters; the scale of remuneration for the first named is from 20s. to 30s. per week; to this may be added gratuities received in the shape ot Christinas boxes; but as this is an observance now fast dying out, it cannot be considered as a certain source of additional income. The sub- sorters are selected from tlie letter-carriers, and receive from £65 to £110. War Employs a limited number of clerks from £80 to £500; its duties are generally light, and an appointment in it difficult to secure. In addition to the foregoing there are The Treasury, Board of Trade, dolonial Office, Fortian Office, and a variety of other branches which employ a limited number of clerks, appoint- ments in which require an immense amount of influence, being generally given to tlie relatives and connections of the ministerial members of both houses. APPOIIvTMENTS, Various. — Distinct from Government appointments, and yet partaking of a similar character, and pos- sessing equal privileges, are the Bank of England, and the Ead India House. The pa- tronage of the Bank of England, with the exception of every seventh vacanev, is in the hands of the directors, a clerk being appointed by each director in rotation, until the vacancies are filled. Clerks are admis- sible from the age of seventeen to twenty- five; the salary for the first year is .£50, increasingyearly until twenty-one; from the age of one-and-twenty to five-and-twenty. the increase is £5 per annum, and then at the rate of £8, until it reaches £260 a year, which is fixed as the limit. In addition to- these salaries, extra remuneration may be made by overwork, as at certain seasons the augmentation of labour is made to de- volve upon the clerks already upon the esta- blishment, instead of fresh hands being en- gaged. The Bank of England also employs about 80 porters at salaries of £76 and £34. East India House.—The appointments in connection with this institution, although not very numerous, are respectable and well paid.—The patronage is vested in the di- rectors of the company and the president of f he Board of Control. The clerks are divided into two classes, “established clerks” and “ e.xtra clerks. ” The established clerks arc eligible from the ages of eighteen to twenty- five; the commencing salary is £96, and gradually progresses to £400. The extra clerks are qualified for admission until thirtv years of age, their salaries commence at .£30, and progress to £200. They possess the privilege, however, of adding to their stated pay by extra attendance, and by this- means are enabled witli diligence aud energy to double the salaries specified. Akin to these appointments are those of Railways, Iiusurance Offices, and Private Banks; the hours of attendance :ind the remunera- tion being governed by a similar scale to that which applies to Government depart- ments. The increase of salary being also certain and progressive, and (he permaneiicy of the employment greatly depending upon the capacity and good conduct of the em- ployed. It is almost needless to state that the appointments in these last mentioned are left to the nomination of those gentle- men who are cither directlvorindirectTy con- nected with the respective undertakings. The chief qualifications for these situation.* are a sound commercial education, an apti- 43
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