University of Virginia Library

OF HALF PROFITS.

Besides the modes of trading on borrowed
capital above described, there is still another
means of obtaining stock prevalent among the
London costermongers. It is a common prac-
tice with some of the more provident coster-
mongers, who buy more largely — for the sake
of buying cheaply — than is required for the
supply of their own customers, to place goods
in the hands of young men who are unable
to buy goods on their own account, "on half
profits," as it is called. The man adopting
this means of doing a more extensive business,
says to any poor fellow willing to work on
those terms, "Here's a barrow of vegetables
to carry round, and the profit on them will be
2s.; you sell them, and half is for yourself."
The man sells them accordingly; if however
he fail to realize the 2s. anticipated profit, his
employer must still be paid 1s., even if the
"seller" prove that only 13d. was cleared; so
that the costermonger capitalist, as he may be
described, is always, to use the words of one
of my informants, "on the profitable side of
the hedge."

Boys are less frequently employed on half-
profits than young men; and I am assured that
instances of these young men wronging their
employers are hardly ever known.