The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-09 00:00:00

THE ENGINEERS ANT) THEIR EMPLOYERS

VISCOUNT INOESTRE'S PROPOSITION FOR

ARBITRATION.
Yesterday, Mr. Allan, Secretary to the Amalga-
mated Society of Engineen. received the following letter:
"Jan.
rr 8, 1852. Regent's-
January by sumo
gentlemen, to endeavour, as fares was in my power, to arrange
the differences of opinion between the masters and the
operatives. The parties applying to me (believing that the
masters would not consent to arbitration), were anxious
that I tohould be one of the trainees of a fund, to enable the
workmen to set up far themselves. My reply was, thik that
I felt the importance of the question, and that I would do
my best to bring the matter to a settlement. I ventured to
suggest that the three parties, vie., the master., the ra-
tires, and the unbiassed party, vie., the aristocracy and
gentry, should each delegate four people to form a
jury. That one of the judges of the land should
be invited to preside; and that an eminent law-
yer, properly selected by the jury, should examine
the witnesem of bolt' parties. The verdict to be final. full
liberty for the press, and amen to the public. as in a court
of justice. This, perhaps, might show the necessity of a
permanent hoard to settle future disputes ; but time alone
would prove this. I would suggest that, mu preliminary M CY•
sure, twenty gentlemen—ten nominated by modem and tea
by the operatives—shuuld nominate tone noblemen or men-
tleman, one master, and one operative, to form a committee
to decide upon what sort of a tribunal should be fixed upon,
as to mode of examining witness',, length of time of trial,
in fact, all preliminary measures; and perhaps that they
should nominate the jury. I would say, tato I declined to
be a trustee fora fund to enable workmen to set up
for themselves, feeling that this matter mint of necessity
—owing to the good sense and honesty of lingiistonifn
be settled by fair arbitration. If either party should decline
te settle the question by this means, I think of necessity
the other two would unite to quench monopoly. 1 has
been induced to write this letter as I have been told that I
have the credit of wishing to he fair in matten brought be-
fore my notice. I can honestly Pay I have uo hiss for either
party; but, for the sake of peace, wash to see what is right
predominate. Furthermore, I feel it my duty as well as
those of the upper classes to interfere in this matter. I have
forwarded a cony of this letter to the secretary of the sus. ters' association, as well as to yonnelf, and pray make what
use you like of it. My apology for troubling ton must be
my wish to assist both parties.-1 have the honour to re-
main your obedient servant, Lew:lmm Sub-Lieutenant
Ist Life Ouards.—Mr. Allan, 21, Little Alie-strect, White-
chapel."
This letter was submitted to the consideration of the
council last night, but no definite conclusion was arrived
at on the subject to which it referred. The other btenuen
of the evening was confined to receiving the reports of
deputations.
It was stated that efforts were beinq made by a number
of men belonging to the establishment of Nemec Easton
and Amos, Borough, to save capital and enmage premises so
as to start in business for their own employment, in the
course of next week. Also, that the men belonging to
another shop, on the Surrey side' to about forty im number,
have suhserilied rd. each, and taken premi.ose for a similar
purpose, having already obtained orders, one being fur the
construction of a IG•Gorse power steam engiue.

The moulders, hitherto a distinct society from tho
Amalgamated Engineers, are likely to become an active
party in the dispute, as they have conveyed au intima-
tion to several employers that in the event of their losing
work through the realisation of the threat to close este-
blishments. although they have not hitherto interfered in
any way in the matter, they will only return to their
shops upon the same terms as are now demanded by the
Amalgamated Society.

MEMBERS' MEETING OF TILE AMALGAMATED

SOCIETY.

The East London branch of this society held a meet-
ing last evening at the Phoenix Tavern, Itatelif-cn~s,
for the purpose of taking into conoideratioa the re.oln-
tions adopted by the executive of the Maet, rs' Associa-
tion on Tuesday last, and also to consider the propriety
of empowering the exisutise council qf the Amalgamated
Society to appmpriete 1,),000/. of the society's funds to
the opening of an establishment for self-employment, with-
out the intervention of the masters. Upwards of 300
members of the district association were present.
Mr. JOHN EGLIN having been called to the chair,
briefly explained the objecte et the meeting, and then called
upon Mr. Newton to lay before them any additional
information which he had received, in reference to the
matters at lease betweee the empl,iyers and the employed.
Mr. NEWTON, woo wan loudly cheered on rising, said
that although the present meeting was very numerously
attended, yet be believed due notice had not been giv, n to
all the members, and therefore he did not think it right to
come to any vote that night on the subjects which they
had met to consider. It wan quite right, however, that
those subjects should be discussed, and that another n, .ting
should be called to which all the members should be
duly summoned. Ile believed the executive council
had acted not only with promptness, but discretion,
because the ma-ters were going to close their
establishments on the 10th, and throw the workmen on the
world. It should never be forgotten that tle• men are
willing to remain at work, but they complain because the
masters want to compel them to work overtime, whether
they like to do so or not. The employers retool to con-
tinue the workmen under the regulations which the men
adopted since the Ist of January. The employe rs hod
taken very curious notions of the duties of workmen. The
wanted the workmen to come individually to treat with
them, while they themselves had been pledged to act in
accordance with the decision of the majority of the com-
bined molter.. The proposition to split the workmen into
fractions, and deal with them in detail, came with an ill
grace from a body of men who were acting in a collective
capacity. (Hear, hear.) It 1/1111 well known that among
the engineers there wire thousands of persona who could
not speak to their employers with the same plainness and
firmness an to men of their own order. A coneiderable num-
ber of the employers intended to keep the hest of the men
attached to their establishments by sending them to jobwnrk
in different places; but these men would surely not allow
themselves to far made a cater's* of, to the injury of their
fellow workmen. Forty workmen had already put down el.
each, making 2001., for the purpose of opening ei working
man's establishment, and they were now negotiating for
suitable premises, and were about engnging a manager to
conduct tho works. A large quantity of tools had also
been contributed. (h ear, hear.) There was no doubt of
their commencing immediately, as they hail promises of
several jobs already. (Loud cheers.) Those men had last
night asked the advice of the executive council on the sub-
ject, and they were told to proceed with the undertaking,
but that when nther workshops were established on a
similar principle, they should be all hrnught under some
central control, so that one shop should not be altogether
idle, while the others were fully occupied. (Cheers.)
The society had received promises of support from
several noblemen, who were willing to heroine trustees
of theme new establishments, and that circumstance would
carry away a great deal of unjust suspicion that might
otherwise attach itself to the movement. One Mille
had informed the council that two thousand members
had agreed to pay out of their earnings five shillings a week
each to support the engineers in this struggle. (Cheers.)
Mr. Newton then pew. cded to vindicate the society from
the charge of desiring to exclude the labourers. Ile
thought it wan their duty to amist the Ishoueers, the ham-
mermen, the gatekeepers, and every class of persons who
might be deprived of employment during this contest. in
conclusion he strongly recommended peaceable conduct
whenever the masters should close their workshops.
Mr. NORMAN and Mr. MATHIAS severally addressed the
meeting, and assured them that the workmen were fully de-
termined to stand firm.

The meeting then adjourned.
A meeting of the operative engiaeers was to take place
last evening at Manchester.

ItENT GUARANTEE SOCIETY.

Yesterday the first ordinary general meeting of this
company was held at their ofilees, 3, Charlotte-row, Man-
sion-house. CUTUBRAT W. JOIINtION, Eq., the chairman
Bard
of the of Directors, presided. The report, which
was read by the secretary, after describing the stop/ taken
by the directors to fortify themselves by the opinions of emi-
nent actuaries and other data, in the soundness of the prin-
ciple of guaranteeing incomes arising from rents, tithe, and
other simil a sources, and their satisfaction that experi-
ence, as far as it had gone, confirmed their view, stated that
the board had thought it right during the probationary
period of the society, to confine the issue of capital to the
amount necessary to meet preliminary expenses. Accord-
ingly they had only issued 3,237 of the 10,000 shares autho-
riwd, thus avoiding the payment of interest on capital that
could not be advantageously employed. The small amount
!, of capital called up had been surheient to pay all those es-
' pence., and to lay the base/ for the future superstructure of
a very large and profitable business. Already the income
of the society arising from commission' alone was consider-
able and steadily increasing: 46,01X1 proposals, representing
an anneal iucomc of about a million of money, had been
made to the society. In the collection and guaranteeing of
tithe rent-charge their business had rapidly increased, and
in this, as in the other departments of the society's business,
the policy-holders were already convinced of the benefits of
the system, and were recommending it to their friends. The
directors had reason to expect a great addition to their
business in the collection of rents and other incomes with-
out guarantee, especially from public companies, in tense-
, quenee of the low commission charged, and their rule of
paying over the money at once. In the collection
of rents the company wero in a position to give
at least as much indulg nee to the tenant as the landlord
could do. In two easti only ha I they yet had occasion to
put the law in force; in one, in consequence of gross
and obvious dishonesty on the 1,111 of the tenant, and in
the other, at the direct instigation of the landlord himself.
The report also stated that a branch office had been opened,
and an agent appointed, at Birmingham, from whose exer-
tions much business wsa expected:

The report having been adopted,
A sole tiuthoriiffit the payment of 5 per cent. interest on
the paid-up capital of the company was, after some discus-
cu.si ~,,, agreed to; and after the usual compliment of
thunks to the chairman and his brother directors, Mr.
Flower and Mr. West, the solicitors, Messrs. Davis and
Vigor*, the surveyors, and the other principal officers of the
company, the meeting broke op.

De►patcheg were went off from the Colonial-office pot. r-
day, to the Lord High Commisdoner of tho lonian Islands,
and also to the Governor of Ceylon.