The Press.
London, England, 1853-10-22 00:00:00

TILE WAGES CONTROVEUSY.
A nusrn since we announced the determination on
the part of a large body of Lancashire millowners to
close their establishmenta, in consequence of the
rAterated and persevering demands made by the tope-
ratives for increased wages. In Preston especially
this capitalists' league had obtained extensively, nearly
fifty manufacturing Onus having given the customary
mouth's notice to their hands that, on a certain day
their factories would close, and the men be thrown
out of work. During the interval that has since
elapsed the anticipated etreet seems not to have been
produced by this menace upon the operatives, who
still hold out for the required " ten per cent. ad-
vance " ; and, as the notice expired in the great ma-
jority of instances at the close of last week, a num-
ber of the proprietors of mills and printworks have
fulfilled their threat, and shut up their establish-
ments. During Friday and Saturday last no fewer
than thirty six mills closed, which, with ten that had
iorevionsly ceased working, makes mum aggregate of forty •
six in which manufacturing operations are at an end.
Four more were expected to close in another week,
and thus only eight establishments out of the large
number contained in Preston would still afford twit-
pinion for their workers. The number of mill hands
at Preston is estimated at about ftlyssm, and the
number who are now walking about the streets, with-
olt employment, is set down at from tVI,IIIIII to
25,1100 persons. The amount of wages paid weekly
at the various mills now closed is said to have been
from 12.0411 /1. to 13,0 t q. The immediate withdrawal
or so large an amount must operate very injuriously
on the trade and general business of the town. To
enable the large number of operatives who are now
without employment to exist, the committee of the
Operative Union propottes to pay them weekly a sum
of 4,001., and they allege their funds are sufficiently
strong to enable them to continue this payment for
sonie weeks. In the meantime delegates are to be
deputed to visit all the principal towns in the king-
dom, to solicit assistance from the operative classes
of those towns, to enable those of Preston to prolong
their struggle with the employees, and to compel
them, if possible, to yield to the ten per cent. on the
present prices. Thus far there are indications of all
obstinate struggle, rendered less likely to be brought to
an amicable or speedy conclusion by a strong belief on
the part of the hands that, the masters emu ea long la m%
to keep their mills closed, and a feeling on the part of
the masters that the necessities of the hands, when
without employment for a few weeks, will induce
them to submit not only to the terms which they
now propose, but to any which they may then think
fit to insist upon. This is the present position of the
unfortunate misunderstanding which has arisen be-
tween the employers and the employed at Preston,
and until either party succumb, or some arrangement
is come to, even supposing the union is enabled to
continue the payment of 4,000 f. per week, the busi-
ness operations of time town must sutler to the extent
of NM,. per week, or in the ratio of the very large
Hum of 4000NNI/. per annum. The prospective loss
of this sum, and the difficulties in which it must in •
volve shopkeepers and others, have necessarily caused
a great deal of excitement amongst lemmas in busi-
ness. The general feeling seems to be that, if sone,
slight concessions on immaterial points on the part
of the masters and leen were made, the strike, or
rather "lock out," as it is now called, might be
speedily terminated, and business allowed to resume
its usual course. On the
other
hand, the operative
classes, not alone of Preston, but of •everal towns in
Lancashire, Cheshire, ke., are favourable to the course
taken by the "lock-outs," and have determined to
support them to the last. So far as the trades of
Preston are concerned, this was clearly exemplified on
Friday evening, when a meeting was held at the Far-
mers' Anna, at which fifteen trades were represented,
comprising steam-engine-makers, boiler makers, me
(hanks, tinprate workers, stonemasons, bricklayers,
joiners, daggers, slaters, A.m.. A unanimous result'
Lion come to was, to support the lock-outs to the hest
of the ability of the various trades, and a fosse of
placard was drawn up announcing to the public the
determination of various trades to do so.
The " locked-out" men, themselves, have held
frequent meetings, at which their unanimous deter-
mination has hitherto been in favour of •• the ten per
cent.—no surrender—and time union." The secretary
of the Preston committee encouraged them with the
assurance that it' the agitation were prolonged for
twelve months the funds would show no signs of
failing. A Mr. Dobson, of Blackburn, also offered
some a it', s lc, to the purposes to which the
workmen should devote their leisure while locked
out from work lie recommended them to improve
their education, learn to read or write, if they did
not know it already, and study the subjects utmost
fitted to prove of utility to them in after life.
In Manchester the dyers strike, which still con-
tinues, has resulted in a meeting, at which it was
agreed toestablish a dyewmork of their own, in order
to 'aunt employment to the men On strike. A fund
of 3,0001., in shares of los. each, is set on foot for
this mot.