The Express.
London, England, 1854-01-13 00:00:00

THE PRESTON STRIKE.

Last evening the usual weekly meeting of dele;
gates from the London trades, en behalf of the Preston
operatives, was held at the Bell Inn, Old Bailey; Mr. (1.
W. PIUDIADI in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said this was now the fourteenth week
of the leek out, and matters stood much in the same con-
dition es at lint. There had been one overture made by
Mr. Hollings, of Preston, which the men refused to listen
to, it:not being considered by them as equitable or just. A
small mill at Derby had been opened, and the men had
gone to work at the advanced prices. (Cheers.) This,
therefore, was something gained by the movement. The
amount received weekly was as promising as ever, and
during the last week the trades of London had acted, be
might say, munificently In their donations—some of them
having made grants of a large amount. Ile concluded by
appealing for continued support.
The Sucarrauy stated that during the week a letter
had been received from the Farington lock-outs appealing
for support, as they were in a most destitute condition,
having only received 2s. sd. per man from the amalgamated
committee since their lock-out. They had offered to go to
work at the prices paid in Marsh last, but were refused em-
ployment. The financial statement for the week showed
the :income to be 1161. 3s. 91d., and the expenditure
991. 6s. 6d. The amount sent to Preston during the week
was 951. A balance remained in hand of 161. 171. 3d•
(Cheers.) It had been determined by the committee to
have a benefit at one of the London theatres on behalf of
the Preston lock-oats, and applications were shout to be
made to the various theatres for the purpose. (shout. to
The CILAIRMAN read an account from Preston, stating
that the receipts from all trades were 2,0631.133.2 d., and the
total amount from all sources £40,0001.
A letter from the Amalgamated Society of Engineers,
Glasgow, was read, stating that there was a strike at Glas-
gow, and that the men there required assistance from the
London committee as much as the Preston men, and td
which they considered themselves equally entitled.
Reports were then read from various trade societies;
among which a gift of 2001. was announced to be made by
the London compositors, in ten weekly payments of *Mt.
each. The machine printers bad given 61.; the hatters,
71. 101. ; operative plasterers, 681. ; hatters, meeting st the
Black Bull, Gray's-inn-lane, 101. ; the cabinetmakers meet-
lug at the Bald-faced Stag, 51. ; and the tinplate workers,
301, in three payments. Other reports of a favourable
nature were given.
A communication from the operative corkeutters
was
read, stating that 200 of that body were now on strike, In
consequence of an attempted reduction of wages, sad
asp
pealing to the committee for support; but the proposition
' was not entertained.
Mr. CASE attended from the London cal-drivers, and
advised that subscriptioa books should be opened st coffee
and publie houses, as he had no doubt the body to which

kr beiariged woad same forward koadeoubely. He leaded
in hvt of the sot likely hewer to any out the object.
lu addition to Hie 1941. 1k easouaced lost week, 4201.
farther sobsaiptioss kid Wes received. The award raid
*dotal the *Toning ores about 1101.
The sisal vote of thank, to the chairman tensioato4 the
procooliags.
BOIVRINH AT MANCHESTER.

Y.,sterday morning, an interesting and highly
ottaratial meeting was held at Manchester, ia the Mayor'.
parlour, to which the members of the Chamber of Cam
wee and Commercial Asacieiatioe wen MUM& to be peis-
wet, along with the leading inenkaate sad manatee-tureen,
M mtit Dr. Bowriag, previous' to his departure for China.
asougie the Medial' palming pretest were :—Mr. Jas.
Heywood. M.P. ; Mr. J. Kershaw. M.P. ; Mr. 0... Heide
Mid, MN.; Mr. Ales. Henry ; Mr. Thos. Baxley, read Mr.
J. A. Tosser. Bea). Nicholls, Esq , the Mayer, introduced
Du Dowries, who hatriag eapremed the gratifliatioa h.
klt at meeting so many gentlemen eminently seaweed
with the industry of the country, delivered as ad-
grew, of which deciatal minus and our emanuo-
pal ulaticus with Chios were the more prosalseat Orgies.
He believed the empire of China was deathbed to fulfil a
ghat missies by this emigration which was now gotug ea
from thine diming\ all the *asters nations. Such was the
rpolatioa of Chico that thus was not • foot of it scarcely
bat was cultivated. Such was the over population, in feet,
that. aotwithatutHag the most violent iaterdiets ageism
entirratim, its supine streams were overflowing the coun-
tries of the east. le the island of Java be found 23,000, in
the tetanal. of the ladies Archipelago he bedeved
there were rot less than 70,000 Chines ; whilst
in can Frontons then had been settled 25,000
situ, and great umbers were emigrating to Australia,
and the i•lsods of Polya sia, or wh hero was • field
of ;dour open to them. It appeared to be a law of Premh
der.ce that the superior races of mankind should soppiest
the inferior, and we saw in the primula of time the inhabi•
mats of the West India islaade swept away—that the
Aselo-Sazon population was invading and removing (he
would lot say destroying) th, red Indian tribes of America.
So the Chimes* rue was Demur aside the Malay is the
same way that they (the Malays) \adenoid* the Dyaks.
He ought also to have referred t.th.sinalland rowing
impartioce of the opening in Westin Armelhei, la the
great changes taking plies in Auteuil& and is IMO. whisk
kad opened • trade with ludic equal M Sat Ws
wens Great Britain and China. All IWO sub-
jects afforded topics for reflection and for ennumeensent,
and be would say that he had ',coin Chisels& tetamplifica•
um of its value, to which he 'night be arespil hr refer-
ring. When be first reached China *lfs smis thin
from this country. which were an a abbe aim
of England. Such wee the character of emit Met eh
county, that when, two years ago the Amain.* Wm-,
duced their mignifieent clippers, they could obtalh to am
than two guineas, whilst the Americans obtoiud Ones
Raines freights to load tea for &island. At tin On the
viiitestied prevent knew what were the apprebeeriese of
meichanta as to the results of free trade, if it were allowed
to touch ita loot stronghold of monopoly—the shipping in-
terest. (Laughter.) It was introduced into shipping,
however, and as ail were aware, there was no interest
which had been so benefited. (Cheers.) And when he left
China the ships built in England under this system were
some of the finest that ever glided over the great waters,
sad the freights which they were able to command were
equal to the average of thou given to the flout clippers of I
America. (Cheers.) Some alum had been expressed, he
was told, that if we 'posed the tea trade more fully lout
there should be an insufficient supply ; bat be could amore
them there was no fear of that. The quantity used hers
was but as • drop in • bucket to what the Chinese them-
selves used, and to what was anessarily therefore produced.
Tea was drunk in China by three hundred to four hun-
dred millions of people as many SI three or roar
times a day ; and there was not a cottage at which you
could call where it could not be supplied. They did not
use it as we did ; they did not fire up black tea to the
tdaelibus of ours, and they did not paint their green tea to
the extent we required—(laughter)—but it was neverthe-
less an article of universal request. He bad no fear but
China would be able to aupply any amount of in we might
ever require ; and as to silks, be would only call attention
to the progress is exportation which was already taking
place to that article. l's value was more fully recognised
he believed every day, and strange to say this country had
almost a monopoly of its importation. When he was in
France lie other day this was mentioned to him, and he
believed the mason was the singular trait in the
Filet h character which so coos discouraged them. Ho
had been asked how it was there was not • single l
merchant at Castes ? They had out orders to She
for silk, but those orders had not been preceded by the
arrangements which the Eaglish merchants had made
*cure a supply. He was of opinion, however, that
would have French merchants there ere long, sail
we could hardly "suet to retain the whole trideld
important beasek el Chinese exports. He admitted thla
gnat mists and desks gad darkness overhang the Mese
of the Chinese empire, bet at the came time believed that
our own relations with that country would yet SWUM II
more important mad beaelidal character. (Applause.)
The meeting eemeladed with • vote of thanks to the
chairman.