The Express.
London, England, 1852-05-27 00:00:00

IRELAND.

Duns MAY 36.
The most extensive and important sales of pro-
piety that have yet taken place in any one day in
the Encumba Estates Court were those which
were effected yesterday, the gross amount of the
purchase money for the single day being no less a
sum than 168,0401. The first estate put up wan that
of Danis Daly, of Castle Daly, in the county of
Westmeath. Tke annual rental of the lots offered
was 1,0661., subject to a jointure of 3691. per annum,
and the sum obtained was 12,4401., being
.equal to
twelve years' purchase, notwithstanding the jointure.
The next estate was that of Daniel Kelly, of Car-
gins, in the county of Roscommon, the nett annual
rental of which was 1,9931., and the price obtained
41,7901., being equal to M. per acre for the land,
and evening thirty years' purchase on the rental.
This off ed a bad proof of the depreciation of Irish
land from free trade. The estates of Lord Oran-
more, in the county of Galway, came next under the
hammer. The gross rental of the property was
3,0601., and amount of purchase 49,9351. The estate
of James William Wall, in the counties of
Waterford and Tipperary was next in order, the
annual rental amounting to 3,4501., and the
chase money to 61,8651., or fully 16 years'
on the rental, or 19 years' purchase according to the
valuation made by order of the commissioners. The
court was densely crowded during the day, and the
greatest interest seemed to be excited by the exten-
sive sales in progress.
In accordance with a requisition presented to the
Lord Mayor, a public meeting of the friends of the
Tenant Le tee was held yesterday in the theatre of
the Mechanics' Institution, " for the purpose of repu-
diating the accusations brought against the catholic
and presbyterian clergymen, for their zealous efforts
to protect the industrious tenantry of Ireland." The
attendance in the body of the hall was numerous, and
the platform was occupied by those chiefly who have
hitherto taken a leading part in the proceedings of
the league. The chair was taken shortly after one
o'clock by the Lord Mayor and the principal
speaker. were Mr. J. Burke, banister; Mr. F. Lucas,
of the Tablet; Mr. J. F. Maguire, of the Cork Era-
miner; the Rev. Mr. Bell, presbyterian minister;
Mr. J. W. Cantwell; the Rev. Mr. Hardiman, P.P.;
Mr. Teeling, of Belfast; and Dr. Gray, of the I}eet-
man.

The Northern Whig has the following relative to
the laying of tho electric cable across the Irish
Chtuinel:—

The Scotch contractors are bound to use the utmost dill.
fence, and we have authority to state that the trench along
the road from Dumfries to Portpatrick must be fully opened
by the 3lst instant, at farthest. As to the deposition of the
wire from Portpatrick acmes to the Irish coast, from the en-
tirety of the preparations made, and the aid which the
company have at hand in the way of powerful steamers and
other accessories, it is probable the cable will be laid down
by the 6th proximo ; but the high spring-tides of the 2nd
and 3rd may cause its delay a little longer. It is not sup-
posed that, under any circumstances, the completion can be
delayed beyond the 10th proximo. The opening of the line
to Belfast will be celebrated by a fete on a scale of great
magnificence, to which it is intended to invite his Excel-
lency the Lord-Lieutenant and the Countess of Kglinton.

mrsisAms.

MR.HUME,M.P.,THEHAND-LOOMWRAVERS,
AND EMIGRATION TO ATI'

We (the Reformer's Gasette:of Olaagow) readily
publish the following from our distinguished friend and old
acquaintance, Mr. Hume:—
•Lasdos, 13tit May, 1862.
My Dear have besiftequested of late to present
number of petitions Dona the Hand-loom Weavers, to the
House of Commons, for aseistasoe ; and as my sower to
the Maud-loom Weavers in Airdrie baa exotica" the limit,
I Intended, I think it may be useful to publish the letter,
herewith seat, in your Goat*, for general consideration
and I trust you will call the attention of your readers to
the subject, as that. is now an opportunity of providing
passages, for every unemployed man in Scotland, to Aus-
tralia, when the late gold diggings have given employ-
ment to all who reach them. The surplus population of
the Scotch Isles may be provided for in the same manner.
remain, your obedient servant, JOBIPIL
To Peter Mackenzie, Esq.,
London, May 12, 1862.

Sttt —I received the petition from the band loom weavers
of Airdrie, and presented it'to the house of Commons as re-
quested ; but I should mislead you if I held out any hope
to the petitioners that they can profit by any measures from
parliament, or by any change in the poor law.
It is to be regretted that so industrious a body of able-
bodied men as you have stated to be in Airdrie, should be
unable to earn more than 4s. 6d. or 4s. in the week ; but I
think you have pointed very correctly to the chief cause of
these low wages—viz., the competition of power-looms and
of machinery.
As you ask my advice, I willingly offer the following re-
marks for the consideration of the petitioner., and shall be
pleased if you can be induced to act in conformity to my
suggestions.
It is :natter of great regret that every great improve-
ment in machinery has been accompanied with consider-
able suffering of those employed in the trade affected by
the progress of these improvements, at the time when
their fellow-countrymen generally are benefited by such
improvements. .

When the stocking craws were discovered, we have been
informed that the stocking weavers were suddenly deprived
of employment, and their wages graduaUy reduced, until
the weavers, both men and women, could not obtain bread
by the wages that they received for their work. Every
effort was made by the poor industrious weavers to increase
their earnings. They extended their hours of working
until their strength failed them, and they were ultimately
obliged to give up the contest and to seek employment in
other branches of trade.
The spinning of wool gave to the women of the country
for ages good employment, and their wages, added to the
wages of their husbands and children, enabled them to ob-
tain a livelihood. But the spinning machinery came in
competition with them, and obliged both men and women
to give up their trade in spinning, and to look to other
branches of manufacture for their support.

The skill required by hand-loom weavers is not so great
as that which many other trades require ; and, therefore,
the number of men, women, and boys who follow the trade
are always kept at the greatest number that can obtain the
means of existence ; and I must add, that parliament has
no power to interfere, or to alter these results, arising from
the competition of new machinery, except by voting money
to suist the particular clam who are thrown out of work, by
these improvements, to emigrate to colonies where labour
ix wanted, and where it is well paid.
You will, on inquiry, find that other classes besides hand-
loom weavers and stocking weavers have been affected, and
their wages reduced, with much attendant distress, by the
discovery and introduction of machinery, and that at has
not been in the power of parliament to relieve those work-
men whose labour has been interfered with by machinery.
You will find that the workmen so competed with by ma-
chinery have been obliged, after much suffering, and after
great exertions to compete with the machinery, to give up
the struggle and seek employment in other trades. I can
recollect the sawyirs in all the seaports of this country earn-
ing 6s. to Els. a day, and I have witnessed the introduction
of saw-mills, at first very imperfect, but gradually improved,
until almost the whale class of sawyers have been obliged
to seek employment in other trades, and their waste in
many cues have been reduced to the ordinary rate of the
lowest artisan or labourer.
. .

Parliament unitElneinitA did not attempt to interfere or
assist them. I recollect blockmakers receiving equally high
wages, and that they were in the most profitable class of
artisans in the country. I hare seen the introduction of
saw-mills, by which three or four men could do the work, and
turn out the same number of blocks in 10 hours, that 40 or
60 blockmakcrs formerly could make in the same time.
Parliament could not interfere to prevent the block-
makers, who had been brought up to the trade, from fall-
ing into distress and difficulty u the hand-loom weavers
have fallen. The public dock-yards were soon furnished
with these newly-invented saw-mills, and large numbers of
blockmakers were thereby turned out of work, and obliged
to find employment in some other branch of trade.
I could give you a list of cabinetmakers, of carvers in
wood, and other trades, being injured more or less by
means of new machinery, that has done the work at lees
expense than by hand, and the only means of relief to the
workmen who have been deprived of work, has been to turn
their hands to other employments.
You must, therefore, bring all the petitioners together—
take these facts into consideration—and discuss the best
means of obtaining relief under the circumstances in which
they are placed.
You will find the power-looms becoming yearly more per-
fect, and extending to many branches of trade, and every
' improvement and application of the power will add to
the difficulty from day to day in your obtaining even
the reduced wages of four shillings in the week you now
receive.
You must either change your employment wherever you
can find it, whether in trades or in the fields, or you must
direct your attention to emigration to colonies and countries
where labour is in demand, and where it obtains fair remu-
neration.
You seem to think that the poor laws should afford you
relief ; but I assure you that all the funds raised under
these laws, if they were applied, as you desire, for that
purpose, would soon be exhausted, and general distress
would prevail. Only take your own proposal fur a moment
into consideration, and you will be convinced of the impos-
sibility of carrying it out.
You say there are 900 able-bodied weavers, and three
times the number of women and children depending upon
them, in Airdrie, to wham you would, by an alteration of
I the poor law, give a claim and right to be supported by
poor's rates. I ask you to consider how long the people
employed in other business, and residing in Airdrie, could
pay such heavy rates ? Each of the trades in that and in
every town in Scotland you will find hard enough pressed
to support themselves and their families, paying the taxes
and rates which they now do ; and, if the law was altered,
so as to give a claim to all able-bodied men out of employ to
reedy, poor rates—that is, to be supported in idleness
out of the poor rates, yen would very soon reduce the
whole town of Airdrie to beggary and distress, and the pau-
pers would be relieved only for a short time.
I, therefore, cannot concur in the proposition of the
petition to alter the poor law ; and I see no possible means
of the weavers and their families being relieved but by
their own exertions in seeking employment in other trades,
and in preventing their children from taking up the trade
of weaving, which is already overstocked.
You appear, by the manner in which you speak of your
masters and employers, as if they had the power of giving
you more employment and higher wages; but you do them
great injustice, se they are competed with by machinery in
other places, and being unable to sell the produce of your
industry at higher prices)thao:the prices at which the power-
looms can supply their work of the same denomination, ne-
cessity obliges them, in order to keep their trade, and to
give you the employment you have, to make every possible
reduction in their expenses, and in that way your wages
are reduced, and your sufferings brought on, by the state
of the trade. It may be possible for one master, by giving
low wages, and by manufacturing his goods at a reduced
expense, to secure a higher profit for a time; but that
cannot be the case with all the masters, nor can it continue,
as they compete as much with each other as with foreigners ;
and when you are speaking of the whole trade I thine your
remarks are unfair towards your employers, and they ought
not to be applied.
There is at present a fair opening for such of the hand-
loom weavers as desire to leave this country, where they
cannot earn proper wages, to proceed to Australia, where
they may be employed as shepherds, or in many other kinds
of work, for which there is great demand, in consequence
of the shepherds and workmen having gone to the gold
diggings.
The colonists have sent home money to pay, in part, for
the panne of emigrants from England : and by an agree-
ment to work for one year at fair wages, I believe the go-
vernment will be able to engage, by that means, with as
many able-bodied men and their families as may wish to
emigrate. The time is very favourable, and your applea-
tion mould be made, without delay, through the members
for the county, to get the whole arrangements settled. By
a portion of the hand-loom weavers leaving the country as
I propose, those who remain will have better chance of
employment ; and thus all those of the trade who really
are unable at present to obtain adequate wages will be
benefited.
If I can forward your views in the way I have pointed
out, 1 shall with pleasure give you assistance in any way
you will point out; whilst I remain, your obedient servant,
Jost ex Hums.
Mr. R. Craig and the Hand-loons Weavers of Airdrie.

SMIEWSDITRT AND CHESTER RAlLWAT.—Yeeter-
day a special meeting of the shareholders in this company
was held at the Royal Hotel, Chester, for the purpose of
considering certain bills now before parliament. There
was a very numerous attendance of shareholders. Wm.
Wardell, es-chairman of the board of directors, presided.
The first question that came before the minting was "a
bill to authorise the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway
Company to construct adi Wensl branches, to purchase •
line of steam-boats, to run over and use the lines of certain
other companies, and for other purposes." The second
was a bill to authorise the consolidation into one
undertaking of the Shrewsbury and Chester and Shrews-
bury and Birmingham companies, and the union into ono
undertaking of the two companies to which the said railways
respectively belong." The approval of the first bill was car-
ried unanimously, but the second proposition met with a
vigorous opposition ,and a motion for an adjournment to Sa-
turday week was carried by a large majority. A poll, how-
ever, was demanded, and was proceeding when our parcel
lett.

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