The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-24 00:00:00

TIIE PRE'6EaVATIOg OF STEEL,

Experim.,nts are at present being carried on in
B•tigium to prose ye teel, and steelgun barrels in
particular, by coating them thinly with copper by a
process of whila M. F Weil is the inventor. Its
pemliarity consists in the compo.tition of the baths
used, in whieh the usual anti always dangerous
alkaline cyanures which, besides, required constant
renewal, and are consequently very expensive—are
replaced by organic acids and glycerine. Accord-
ing to M. Weil, toese baths require no renewal of
organic elements, and can be used continuously,
when they are saturated with peroxide of copper.
They possess also the advantage—owingto the pro-
perty inherent in organic alkaloids, of dissolving the
peroxide of iron, wi.hout attacking the metallic
iron itself—of cleansing the steel before the • Com-
mencement of the cpp,iring process, aud more per' •
fi.etly than eah be i ne inechanicllly. Th 1
coopering is eft tete(' by puttitig porous clay vess,is,
filled with caustic soda lye in which zinc plate
have been immersed, in the basin containing
ON *Mit sapper ban ( alkaloid ) sad

the steel. The zinc plates are connected with the
steel articles to be coated with copper by a thick
copper wire. The caustic lye may be used over
and over again, Should it become saturated with
oxide of zinc, it is sufficient for its regeneration to
treat it with sulphide of sodium, when te oxide
(of zinc) will be precipitated, and a valuatl? by-
product obtain, d, by which the cost of the proem;
will Le considerably reduced. The coppering
process, it is said, occupies but a very short time,
Iron.

FEMALE LABOUR IN THE BLACK COUNTRY.
On Tuesday Mr. F. Monckton, one of the mem-
bers for West Staffordshire, paid a visit to Cradley
Heath, for the purpose of ',inspecting a number of
the chain factories and making inquiries into the
female labour question. Mr. Monckton was ac-
companied to the factories by Mr. Billingham (the
president of the Chainmakers * Association). On
Wednesday a meeting of male and female chain-
makers was held at the Four Ways Inn, Cradley
Heath, to take into consideration the female labour
question. After considerable discussion it was re-
solved to use all legitimate means to stop female
labour in the factories after seven o'clock.
Messrs. Tinsley and Co., Old Hill, have received
the following letter from Mr. F. Monckton, M.P
"I have been asked to support Mr. Broadhurst,
M.P., on Monday next, in bringing in a Bill to
prohibit female labourin the nail and chain trade
for females under 14 years of age, and before
giving my consent, I should be glad to have the
opinion of the principal employers in the district.
Will yon kindly tell me what is the practice and
opinion of your firm."
Messrs. linsley, writing on the subject, state
that "the object of Mr. Broadhurst's Bill will be
to provide that no girl shall be allowed to work at
the nail and chain trades till she is 14 years of
age. The statement as to immorality is a gross
slander, and to say that women work for wages
not exceeding 3s 61 per week is not true; double
that sum would be much nearer the truth." In
writing to Mr. Monckton, M.P.) Messrs. Tinsley
say ;
We did not think that Mr. Williams would at-
tempt anything in connection with the nail and
chain trades without first bringing his 2roposals
before the Nail and Cha nmakers' Association, of
which he is secretary. We have seen Mr. John
Price, the president of the Nailmakers' Associa-
tion; he has made nails all his life, he is about 65
years of age, and we are pleased to say that he is
very healthy and vigorous man for that age, his
judgement is good, and his word to be reli.d upon.
tie desires us to inform you that Mr. Williams
has no authority to act in this matter on behalf cf
the wrought nailmakers ;he has not called an
executive committee of the association for the last
sixteen weeks, and at no committee has any sup-
port whatever been given in favour of further
legislative interference with the trade. He also
&sires us to say that such interference as is pro-
posed would. in his opinion, be simply ruinous to
ad the nail-making districts, which compd-e about
five thousand families. We are of the same
opinion. We have also seen Mr. Billinghanit
who is the president of the CradleY
Heath and district Chainmakers' Associa-
tion, comprising about three thousand worlipeople.
He says that no one has any authority to ask for anir
such legislative interference with the chain trade,
and he depracates any such legislation as is pro-
posed, and in that he says there is not the least
doubt but that the chainmakers in these districts
agree with him. Mr. Mlingharn desires us to add
that it is the few chainmakers in Walsall, number-
ing 200, who are acting in the matter. None but
men or youths make chains there, and they have,
been agitating for a generation to stop female;
the Cradley Heath district, because they believe it
would tend to advance their own wages. Atr•
Billingham says that he waited upon their leaders
some time since, and pointed out to them that sitlel
toe Workshops Royal Commission visited Old
there was nothing to complain of, as no female°
n-rw made chain larger than fin. (i e., made front
iron fin. diameter) and very few make that sisal
rhe Walsall leaders retorted :—" We do not cars
how large the sizes are they make; we wish t 9
prevent them from making the small sizes, Will Ii
interferes with us
We are of opinion that that Act contains all thb
Po xer that is needful to prevent badlydisposed
parents from overworking their children; but cases
of that kin] are very seldom heard of now. There
has been a wonderful improvement in the peat
twenty years. l'o help this education work -
I should recommend that at least two more work-
shop inspectors should be appointed to look after
the nail and chain shops of these districts. We
have nothing to complain of with respect to the
present infipeotore, but they can only visit WI;
loeality, say, once in threee or four months,
they seem seem to have time only to look into a few 471
the shops; and as soon as they reached the looalitY
the 'woikers pass the word from shop to shop, s°
that it is impossible for the inspectors to find 011
many cases where the law may be broken. I
working men inspectors (with moderate salaries--
say £lOO a year)—were appointed who know the
trade, and they acted in a sensible and considerate
manner—always doing their duty—we are satisfied
that in two or three years nothing would be le
for any humane and sensible person to complain 0
in connection with the trades in ques-ion."
On Wednesday night a meeting of emit.
.eakers was held at th MincheAfr Inn, Cradle)?
leath, for.the purpose of diszussing the how°
question in connection with the female labour'
vir B Biltingham, chairman of the Cradley Heath
and District Chainmakers' Assooiatien, presided."
rhe Chairman pointed out that since the last meet;
ing the Walsall Association of Chainmakers its?'
held several meetings, and it appeared that all tbett
endeavours were directed to stop theefemale labour
in the Cradley Heath chain trade; consequently a
deputation had been sent to the Home Secretari•
rhe had also petitioned the local members of Par'
liament against the female labour, and on Tuesdsi
Mr. F. Monckton, M.P.. visited the district, and be
had no doubt they would have his report in the
course of a few days But what would the females
io if they were prohibited from making chain ?""„,
Voices: "We should have to go to the Workhouse /
He also cons.dered it would be an injustice to Pre'
vent children under fourteen years of age fronle
working in the shop. There was, however,
~_°l3s
matter in connection with the females, and • tuft
was their tendency to work late at night. He re!
minded them *that some weeks ago a reselatio.o
was passed by the female members of that assoet:
ation to cease work at seven o'clock at nigh, t
Some of theta abided by that resolution, whil.,9
others worked much later. He appealed to theri
to cease work at seven o'clock, and the trade tv0121,0
be all the better for it. He contended that TA'
teflon of the Walsall men was taken out of mall;
—Mr. Isa no Cooper said he had travelled thrcrig
many counties, and had visited various fa :tort
and he thought the female labour in th 3
trade would compare favourably with that of all"
other trade.
Mr. Penroyce condemnel the action of tie , .„
gall operatives, and said they allowed the fe palest:
their own town to work at far worse tredes
thai
tat of chainmaking. He, however, aelyeeat,„B
further rest lotion of the hours of female labour.4
Ara solu ion was passed pledging those prese°
to cease work at seven o'clock at night.

THE FOREIGN' IRON TRADE,
The iron markets of the continent, although 0111,
have not varied much in their tendency during tb
past week, show that confidence is gradually 70
turning. There is very little change to note
the Belgian market, the balance of price betvre;
he raw material and the finished pi oluct being,
far as ever frAn being restored. Messrs. Clittr'.,°"-t
& Co., of Sheffield, have been ousted n
.;f their shire in the Belgian rail contract—Wl3"
as we sta ed in our last issue, has been wholle
given to Bigi in firms—by a proceeding which
cannot commend. Although Messrs. Cannialle
tender was the lowest (144 fr. 50c,), yet the vi.11,°4
comp ting Belgian firms, who all tendered hi Pie
at first, agreed to accept 140 fr, for the v 711,0
quanlity, and all for the sake of keeping a fore4ol
manufacturer from obtaining a paltry 2,000 toils
the whole contract. Such conduct is pithll..t.
The official statistics just published show the °To
gian production of iron and steel during 1882 0
have been 1,521.000 tons, against 1,364,000
in 1881. The output of coal and coke in 1882 1.
17,485,000 tons, against 16.873,000 tons in lu-e,
Business in the French iron market is entirelyle,
glected, owing principally to the political alto
merit of the moment. The improveMent in
German iron market noted in our last report coo
Unites, tie demand growing both for pig
finished iron. iron. There has been a slight inllo°,4g
ment in the American iron market. -Americas
is quiet, but steady. scotch pig-iron is firmer.
is not expected that Congress will do much iet.Lo
tariff question; the duties on metals have,
partly advanced to meet the wishes 01
Protectionists,

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