The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

THE STRIKES IN THE NORTH.

ANOTHER GREAT FIRE IN UPPER
THAMES-STREET.

LORD PALVERsTOS'S REPLY TO THE
OPERATIVES OF PRESTON.

Yesterday morning the vicinity of Queenhithe, in
Upper Theron street, was the scene of another very
destructive fire. It took place in a large warehouse, seven
stories in height, of corresponding depth and frontage, at
the corner of Breaclutreet-hill, within • few feet of St
Michael's Church, and like the building which was den
troyed scarcely a fortnight sines on the opposite side of the
street, adjoining Vintner's Hall, was fifty yards distant, is
was one of the old city sugar houses. Many years back, this
thoroughfare abounded with such factories, but such has
been their fatality from the ravages of fire, that only one
now remains, the whole of them having been burnt down.
The warehouse in que-tiu had r neatly been occupied by Mr.
William Disaster, wholesale stationer and rae merchant sad
it was only within the last few days that the Soon had been
stocked with a large quantity of rags and other property. The
place had been closed since Saturday night ; all then seemed
quite safe, and nothing was noticed to excite the least au -
picion that • fire was kindling. About two o'clock yester-
day morning, one of the cor.stables on duty in the neigh-
bourhood of the building bad his attention called to as
effluvium as if something was burning. Accompanied by
• brother-officer, he went round the surrounding property,
with a view of satisfying himself from whence the amell
emanated. Bet failing, and finding the stench iseressieg,
one of the constables was destutched to the chief station of
the brigade in Watling-street, for the aid of one of the
firemen in clearing up the mystery. While this officer was
away, another of the police, • few minutes after 4 o'clock,
in passing up Bread-street-hill, where the warehouse has
also • frontage, perceived a glare of light over the doorway
of the basemeat floor of the building. He had ocareely
time to give a general alarm before the beat beet' the glass
of the fanlight, and the flames, obtaining vent, spread to
the upper floors with the rapidity, as the dicers describe, of
almost lightning. Two of the engines connected
with the Watling-street station were brought to the
spot with commendable alacrity, and under the direction

-4.--

PRESTON, MONDAY.

It will be remembered that a short time ego a
memorial wu addressed to Lord Palinentoa, is reforms. to
the contest at present polar on between the factory opus.
tives of this town sad their employers. That sisemorial
was adopted at a general meetiog of weavers' delegate•
Yesterday, Mr. Kinder Smith, president of the operatives'
executive COMOCiI, received the following reply from the
Moms-White:

" Whitehall, Dee. 24,1853.

" Sir,—l am directed by Viscount Palmerston to acknow-
ledge the receipt of your memorial dated the 16th alt.,
►igued by you on behalf of the power-loom wesven of
Prestos and its neighboarhood.
" Lord Palmenton has delayed till now answering this me-
morial in the daily hope that he might boar that en amicable
arrangement of the differences bad been come to between
the workpeople and their employers. I am, however, to',
auntie you that his lordship received the memorial with
much sympathy and deep regret.
" It wu impossible that he should not sympathise with
the feelings of a large number of a most deserving class of
the community who have been led to think that they ars
suffering under acts of injustice, and it could not but excite
his deep regret to reflect upon the severe privations which
the state of things to which the memorial refers must have
infi.cted upon those oa whom it so hardly beau.
. _ .

" Lord Palmerston desires me to state that he feels
bound moreover to do justice to the temper and moderation
with which the memorial has been drawn up. His lord-
ship is sorry, however, to say that he has no means of inter-
posing to apply a remedy for the evils referred to. It
would be impossible for hiss, without much more detailed
information than he possesses, to form a jut opinion as to
the merits of the points in dispute between the working
men and their employen, and he could not, as a member of
the government, posses say right or power to interfere in
the matter.

of Mr. Braidwood, the superintendent of the force, were
got to work in the most advantageous positions, and the
firemen, branch in hand, forted a passage into the lower
Hoer, with a view of checking the progress of the fir*, and
fallowing it up. Oa reaching the staircase, however, they
hued it utterly impracticable to proceed farther, and so
empowering was the heat and smoke that, for the preser-
vation of their live, they were ordered to withdraw. They
then directed their operations from without. By this period
the flames were issuing with prodigious fury from the nu-
merous windows overlooking Bread.street-hill ; and
eftiestgh the engines were worked with the utmost vigour,
end a mar body of water thrown on the several floors, all
appeared powerless in subduing the devouring el. meet.
Adjoining the warehouse on the hill was a small tenement,
in the occupation of Mr. Dunater's foreman and family.
There wee a communication between the two on the attick
floor of the dwelling, and the fire had almost penetrated
into the apartment, where several females were @Bleep,
before they were aware of their extremely perilous condi-
dltlen. It wee only through the perseverance
of ihe police that they were got out. At
the other point of the baildiag, in Upper
Thames-street, the flames had made their way into the back
windows of the house of Mr. Elongate, saddler and harness
maker, at the corner of Huggins-lane, where a similar pre-
servation of life took place. Two er three of the Watling-
stmt firmen made their way into the burning rooms and
happily succeeded in saving some females, who is all pro-
bability would otherwise have perished. Scarcely had half
an hour intervened from the moment of the discovery ere
the whole pile presented one unbroken mass of Are, the
floors and ponderous beams and eaten being strongly sea.
aimed, as it were, with eager and treacle, and more lately
with oil and other combustibles, which had been stored
therein, ignited sad burnt with a fierceness seldom wit-
nessed. On the flames bursting through the roof nearly the
whole of the central portion of the metropolis was vividly
lighted up, and, notwithstanding a most piercing frost, mil
the late, or rather early, hour of the morning, a large Gam
course of persona was attracted to the spot who bad doubt-
less been keeping up the " Christmas festivities." The
City polies mustered very strong in numbers, sad rendered
valuable aid in preventing the operations being impeded by
the mob. Most of the engines in the metropolis were called our
although considerable difficulty was eaperieneed in getting
them to the mine, in emestuanie of the severe frost, and
the very dipper, state of the roads. As soon se they or-
rived, they were got into play meet effectively, bet by
tar the most valuable aid wee rendered by the powerful
steam floating engine of the brigade, which fortunately
enough was moored at Southwark-bridge, off Queenlatte.
As quickly as possible es the alarm belay raised, the het
wee communicated to the men who were en duty on the
_ _

" Under these circumstances his lordship only ventures
to suggest, in the most friendly spirit, some topics (or the
consideration of the memorialists. They must be well
aware that labour, being a commodity like any
other, its money value in the market most be
regulated by this sinus general principles which
govern the price of ether oosamodities ; sad that among
these governing principles the most influential are the cost
of production, and the 'relative proportions of demand mid
supply. The eon of production in regard to labour means
the price of the necessaries of life, and the properties of
demand sad supply most depend very much upon the pe-
' liodical fluctuations of trade. It is greatly to be wished
that both the working men and their employers would
allow these general causes to set silently and gradually, in
equitably adjusting from time to time the proper rates of
the money reward fee labour, and it is scarcely to be
doubted, that by forbearance on both sides, and by mutual
and reciprocal good feeling, these arrangements might
generally be effected without a recourse to such injurious
methods as strikes and loek.outs. It may be stated that in
times when, sanding to the general principles above ad-
verted to, an increase in the rate of wages would be just,
that increase might be too long delayed, and the working
men be thus subjected to undue privations, if the adjust-
ment was left to the gradual operation of forbearance and
good-will. Bat may not an appeal be made to the result of
' recent events to show that eventide iatioannience would be
less than the evils arising from extensive and general
strikes. These evils an many sad great. The strike of
the workmen deprives the striken of their wages, and, so
far as wages are coacerned, it deprives them of the means
of sabsistence. Oa the other hand, this strikes, of coarse,
stop production; and, unless markets happen at the mo-
ment to be mach overstocked, strikes give to the foreign
producer a position of advantage from which he may not
afterwards be so easily dislodged. And if strikes were to
become too frequent, or of too long daratioo, a part of
that capital which is now applied to giving employment to
labour at hums might possibly be transferred to other
onstries, to the disadvantage of British iadratry ; sad that
this is not a groundless 'opposition is proved by the fact
that British manatactaring establishments have been formed
is Belgium, in France, and la Kenna. This, too, loads to
• retestioa apse the opinion which memo to have actuated
the strikers, that the general prosperity of our export trade
was la itself a proof that the rates of wages night to be In-
creaoed. Lord Palmentoa doss not protest to form any
judgment as to whether that opinion was walla ill founded
in the partisan/ inns°e to which it referred, bat kis lord-
ship has "Pined me to remark that our power to simply
forage markets with manafactares depends upon the cheap-
ens at which those maaafactuns can be sold ; that their
price must depend manly on the cost of production, and
that the wages of labour form a material part of that cost.
"Therefore, as oar exported maandsotares must always
be reusing • lard race with the similar masualactores

Seat. With meek premodtade the steam was got up,
sad the weft bear& to the edge of the river, nearest the
Ideals' huddle. Ilitearel Inglis of hose were thee led
up hem the valet AU to Themesetnet, sad on the
lanais, bola, put into work, the stemmas which it seat.
well over the flames loom berm to tell with most our
*slag effect. The week of Osetrusties, however, had
weeded too far to admit of the lust kepi of any portion
de* maiettenes being preserved. 0a the not falling in,
* Mir body of fire rem tea seasiderable height, and so
Wet was the lotus best which it emitted. as to ignite
die weather boarding of the steeple of M. Miehael's church,
Quisenbithe, and which ter a time pissed the sacred edifice
ma* peril. Several of the brigade at cam proceeded
re riot of danger, and by means of a ceastent sppli-
Mien if water, saved the steeple, at kat, from chistnie.
Una. Similar promotions were taken to prevent other
halidlngs from taking Are. It was 9 o'clock before the lire
mat* Mr said to have been so far subdsoil as to allay all
Isar of Ms farther ezteasion. A great moss, however, still
alma within the ruins, ell the loon having given way,
asiblag remaining bat the lofty blackened gable walls, pot.
lien* of which fell into Thentes-street in the coarse of the
monsing, sad until the remainder either email down or is
assured, the street will be closed to trees, the police My-
hre taken those precentioas to prevent accident.
The origin of the fire is yet to be amertained, the pre-
sumption is that it must have resulted from the spontaneous
ignition of some of the rags. Mr. Braidwood's official re-
port of the coullsgratior, furnishes no additional facts.
The building is understood to be insured in the Son ogee
and the stock in the Phrenis and other capes. The total
has is very considerable.

other seurtriss, ea apparently Sourishing trade may possibly
be shosital by oa lament of wisps. whisk would add to the
met et production ; sad the pia made by the manufacisrer
eften epeeist of • very small pre& spa each separate
article; thempepte amonat of pin depends en the qua-
lity exported, and that quantity depends en the glimpses.
of tke commodities, whisk ampules agaia is gummed by
the east of prods/Wm
la direstiag me to @abaft these general relisctioas to
the consideration of dm memorialists, Lord Palmerston
dam not smut to give say °plain en the immediate subject
of dawn, ; but his lordship would earnestly tattiest the
waking men to lay mils those &snap whisk are too apt to
be engendered by • struggle, sad te:eadseaser, if peasible,
to aims to mime arrangesmat with their employees.
"I am, sir, peer obedient memo.
" E. WADDINGTON.

" Kr. Kinder Smith, Proem."
OPIX-Aill IIBITIIIO OP

This afternoon, a matiog was earresed i• the Orchard,
at the request of some strangers, who were aaziou to
witness use of these outdoor demonstrations. Mr. Hinder
Smith presided. The ashram annossood that the fonds
available foe distribution (this being the " hale week")
asnountal to %WM. The following were the chief item
iaalaeled is that mast :—Slakbars, 6421. ; Stockport,
2401. ; Preston, 2001. ; Asistorunder-Lyse, 1221. ; Over
Darwes, 1211. ; Winne, 761. ; Hyde, 761. ; Staleybridge,
601. ; Assingtos, 634.; Clitheree, 481.; Holton, 101. ;
Padlbaa (a assail place where the heads bays boss locked
out four or Are weeks), 191. 16s. (Loud Nan.) Mr.
Gnashes stated that Blackburn would send seedy 1,0001.
seat week, and other districts in properties. Altogether
neat week's income would be about 40001. (Cheers.)
Mr. Cowell briefly addassod the assembly as the subject
of eo•operatioa. The saultitade dispersed soon after three
o'clock.

CCEIOI7B STORY OP A RING.—In the flamer of
1848 (we the Glasgow Herald) the family of Mr. G., a
higttle respectable eitisea, was rusticating at Heleubargh,
and it so kappaned that while one of his daughten,tben a girl
of ten year. of age, was gathering shells en **hanks of the
Gamiloch, she found • valuable gold signet ring, heaving
a crest, and a est of fang., initials. Our townsman, ea his
return to Glasgow, showed the ring to an engraver, who
expressed his opinion that it belonged to • family of the name
of R—. Mr. G. awarding!, spared no pains to apprise
gentlemen of that name that a ring had been found, sad
amongst other mums, he consulted the London
and Dublin Diteeteries, and wrote to all nadir
the acme indicated, but the replies froas each were
to the effect that no ring bad Wee lost by them or
any member of their families. The ring wee sc-
sordingly put pastas a stray waif, of which it was hopeless
to discover the owns?. Last summer, however. Mr. G. had •
visit from • friend who is a member of the Junior United
&styles Club, London; usher also, the staryof the ring came
above hosed, and it was accidentally »heaved upon the,
visitor's return to the metropolis ; it thus reached the can
of one who remembered that his relative, an eminent gin-'
Hessen in Derbyshire, hod lost a limb-valued family ring,
many years ago, on the banks of a Scottish loch. A
correspondence ensued; the riog, which had now lain
more than five years in our tewasman's desk, was described
to a hair by the Derbyshire gentleman' and, as undoubted
ownership was thus established, it was sent to him
• few days ago and moat palatally acknowledged.
The Englishman havingdescribed the ring, says:—
" I lost it one day in September, 1843, while bathing oat. r
cover of a grassy knoll, with a plantation upon it, not quite
half way between Relonsburgh and Row, where it mast
have lain until discovered by year daughter five pram after-
wards. That it should have escaped the various dangme of
either being buried or washed away is most remarkable. I
happened to stand at the spot where I lost it, only six
months ago, little thinking I should so soon have the pro-
spect of seeing it again." The writer also states that on
disoovering his loss he waited till low water but searched in
vain ; aotwithstanding, it was found in the very spot on
which the owner had bathed. It would appear that it had
net suffered anything by its long immersion, for Mr. R., in
acknowledging receipt on Monday lest (November 2s),
says—. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of m old friend
the ring, knifing. in truth, every whit as welly as it did on
the asorair.g on which it was lost, just tea years and three
months 6.4ll."—Olasgose Herald.

Yesterday a Luis meeting of operatives took
plass in Unica. slam, Bury, for the purpose of taking into
sossileratios tam stops that should be takes with respect to
tits present straggle between the factory operatives and
their employees. Oa Saturday evening last a =soda, of
_ _

the Bury COttea Brisson and xaa.factusen• Associaika
took place, the result of which was that a amigo should be
extensively ported throughout the district, which 'night in
the opinion. of the nesting lead to a Anal set-
tlement of the matter is dispute. The notice
which is signed by the secretary of the Maetea•s Associa-
tion, states that " some mouths ago the 'Kasten were com-
pelled, in eslfelehrace, to form an amosistion for the per.
pose of supporting each other against the encroschniests

mad uenameable deemed) of a portion of their work-
people, and on the 25th of October issued notice that if
the disputes then existing between the operatives who were
on strike and their muter' were not arranged by the 10th
of 141.iventher, they should cease working. Since that time
the hands on strike have remained in the setae position,
quite regardless of the misery inflicted by their proceed.
logs; sad as the maaefaetitrers are sensible that many of
the hands who are not implicated in the strike are suffering
great wretchedness, they have agreed, at the request of
these mutant whose heeds are on strike, to give permission
to such masters es may be desirous to do so, to resume work
for say time, set conceding four days a week until the let
day of Fehreary neat, on the condition, however, which is
tadispessablet, that an inflection be made among our work-
pimple for the ea/we of either local or distant tare outs."
Seth Will 01 41146/0 which occasioned the calling of the
meeting. T. iessee a good attendance the various WM-
amen tolosti Nosey to the operatives the usual weekly
relief until atm the -seating had terminated. The opera-
tives walked in petiessies hest the various committee meet-
ings to Veisermiesess whew there was a general gathering
of •svoni thenreed poems. Mr. W. Platt occupied the
Muir, awl She 11115 addressed by Mr. Ohs,. of
Redeliffe, awl Me. W el Bury. The speakers com-
mented at emoiiimieles MOM oa the notion which had been
issued. Babsespeest/ the iMeattag resolution was
siteesly ferried That thh meeting Is depletes that the
soda of ear snipleyen now posted es the walls of this
Sewn be rejected, sad that we accept media( less than the
des mesh, of our owe on all wets affecting oar
tea privilege as trorriol of
the . the psegie Imre ainsaisisi le pew
Alb sin did iseeddisly.

RECENT FORGERIES IN THE CITT.—Mr. Ander-
Nu, recently apprehended in the City for forgery, was, It
is understood, the clerk of a Custom-house agent, by w►om
he w..a allowed to Monet business on his own account.
The amount of the bills of exchange supposed to be
forgeries 10, we bea►, as much as 30,0001. t 9,0001. of which
are said to be held by a great Lombard-street banking-
house, and nearly double that sum by an eminent bill-
broking establishment. Owing to Forester's lameness, the
prisoner had very nearly effected his escape after apprebea-
she. In the manufacture of these bills, the acceptance of an
ins only was adhered to. Laroi advances were obtained
ea dock warrants of auks supposed to contain iodine,
whisk, eaves amistatioa, age found to be filled with iron
*lisp onl. The ssdasity of tis use k•• •••••a s drag
seasstice is ataimicial sleds&

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1853.