The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-02-15 00:00:00

THE STRIKE IN SOUTH WALES.

no Feb. 9, the Correvondeut of The Time, Writes from
Merthyr:—

There has been a charege in the position of affairs at
Maesteg, where • portion of the works of the Llynvi
Iron and Coal Company are situated. All along there
has been an understanding pretty well founded that the
ironworkers as a body would be glad to resume work at
the reduction, provided an adequate au siplrof fuel could
be insure I, On Friday.a deputation of the ironworkers
of Maesteg waited upon Mr. Colquhoun. the manager,
to inquire wiuther there WWI any possibility of return.
lug work. They were informed that the only obstacle
in the way wee their Tefusal hitherto to accept the
reduction. If they were prepared to submit to that,
they might go in as soon as they liked. The depu-
tation left the office to confer with their fellow-
workmen, who immediately consented to the terms;
and the result having been communicated to the
manager, he at once toll them that the works would
recommence on Monday. Ths company have some
blast furnaces still alight, and will blow in others
forthwith, beginning with one to-morrow morning.
In addition to the blast furnaces, the refiners will also
be lighted, and it is probable that a few days will wit-
ness tne reopening of the forge, to be followed by the
rolling mills and their departments. The company
have accumulated • large stock of coals, to that they are
in a position to reopen the works without the aid of the
colliers at once, and they have made arrangements to
obtain a continuous supply from other sources failing
an arrangement with their own colliers before the pre-
sent stock is exhausted. 4 is to be hoped this is
but the be:inning of the end, and that the end is
not far IT. I have good reason to believe that at
two if not more, of the largest works in the entire
district, where enormous stocks of coal hare been
accumulated, if the ironworkers have the courage to
adopt a similar course to that taken by the Islynvi
Company's men, work might be resumed; but if
they wait until they are sent for, an early resump-
tion of operations is most improbable. The Massteg
men appeared to rejoice sincerely at the prospect of
going back to work, and, unless the men employed at
the works in this district say one thing and mean
another, the same feeling In favour of submission pre-
vails hinting the vast majority of them. So long, how-
ever, as none of them have the courage openly to
counsel a return, the present dead lock is likely to
continue.

_
A few figures showing the cost of the present
struggle are instructive. To-day the Strike enters upon
the seventh week ef its duration. Not a stroke of
work has been done by over 60,000 persons since the
29th of December last. In giving that figure the
number is limier estimated rather than exaggerated.
The average weekly earnings of this industrial
host WAS £60,000, while at the monthly pays or
settlements it would not be going beyond the
truth to say the paymente exceeded the ordinary
weekly draws by from 50 to 60 per cent. In the six
weeks of iillenes4, therefore, the workmen have lost in
rom d figures I:400,000. The withdrawal of this vast
limn from the circulation of the district has created
such a dearth of money as on tradesmen has ever ex-
wrienced before. The Strike payment of the Miners'
Union has amonnted at the utmost to only £15,000 ; a
miserable pittance compared with the rum which would
have been distributed through the multifarious channels
of trade had the works continued in operation. But be-
sides the regular hands directly connected with the works,
there is always a large number of men engaged in
various occupations; whose employment is contingent
noon the activity of the works, and with the stoppage
of the primary sources of labour in the district these
persons have also been thrown into an Wieners not of
their own reeking. The general result is the moat
complete stagnation of business among tradesmen
of all class. e, and a destitution among the working
people greater than was ever known before in this part
of the country. Even with the return of work and
the accession of busy times, the weight of this crush-
ing disaattr will not be removed, for debts are accu.
mu'ating which will not he expunged for months by
those who are of provident habits, while it will be the
work of years with others to square their tradestnek's
&recants. Indeed, with too many it will never be dc-
conitauMed ; the loss falling ultimately on the unfortu-
nate tradesmen.

The publication of the letter of Mr. Francis Phillips,
the vice chairman of the Ebbw Railway Company, in
The Timex of yesterday, has crested quite a conaterna-
lion at Abeniyikan, which place in almost entirely de-
pendent ou the Ebbw Vale Company's works, there
and at Pontypool, which derives much of ita support
from Abersychm, the dismay is scarcely less.
The works has lain dormant for a considerable
period, and had only revived into s iniething like
their old activity within the last two years,
during which period the iron trade bout undergone
anch an unprecedented change. The stoppage of
the forge and rolling mill there will of necesaity
be a terribleslisaater to the neighbourhood, compared
with which the stoppage of the Penydaraen ironworks
in this town will be an event senrcely felt deyoud the
immediate vicinity of the establishment. Let us hope
that the Iron trade of this tibtrict will not long be
under the preeent cloud, and that at the worst miB-
- of sail a serious character as the closing of
the ironworks, which employ in ordinary tiuma between
1,000 and 2,000 persons, will be only of temporary
duration.