The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-05 00:00:00

THE STRIKES IN THE NORTH.

s,REJT FIRE IN THE CITY

A fire of a very alarming character, and attended
ate destruction of ninny thuasend worth of pro-
twit out at No. tiff, Upper Thames-street, about
':das,e.t on Saturday Met, and, notwithstanding the great
Tt,„4, which have been made, it is yet far from being
See•-lY subdued. The Premises consisted of an erten-
„doses", about SO or 90 feet high, and stand-
...e gvoind door eat about 50 feet square. It was
end on the end west aides by two narrow coatis
'l"` other %balleast and by the estensive premises of
tr.•
11, or, snarl and C stove and general iron merchants,
wo of .bah repitties have been placed in great peril.'
Tier ace has dt•eu•ceett ty the policeman on duty, who lost
tam, owing the alarm, and in an extremely short
." A a sery large number of engines, manned by the dif-
,Peon,.nt bregsAes, were actively at work. Unhappily their
derte were at 1114 much impeded by the scanty supply of
▪ tr elitainahle from the New River Company's mains;
lot at tout it was thought the mischief could be confined to
• re it originally, broke out, namely, at the east
coil of the third Moor. W ith that view a number of the
Fm boldly entered tbe ttuir in order to direct their !
iwris more effectively on the tired The hope, however,
• Ted vain ; fur the flames suddenly extended themselves
r: thi door with such rapidity that several of the men,
„awl,. lc Lurch, the print ipel clerk, Jenard, the engineer,
sd two fireman named Whittaker and Tozer, nearly fell
ye their temerity. They did at last manage to
we•
ep the ewe, but era they could do es, they were nearly
otter. The tire now raged almost without restraint, but
it is a sipar4Lif fact that though the flames roe. in mor-
ay:ma volumes, 20 or 30 feet above the neighhourior steeple,
they were scarcely visible at the water's edge, in cons*
mace el the hued; of the fog. From the s,eine cause the
„," sae la charge ut the powerful new steana4l Landy
Via( se tint London brigade by Shaw and Mason for
'Auk Mre heal now sent, were some time before
they could And out the precise scene of the disa.ter. At
:teen, !saviour. they succeeded is mooring the float near
ts spot, awl by means of 600 feet of holm they were able to
pour a vet hoy of water in four separate streams
ass the blaring pile. Nevertheless, notwithstanding
eery eft iet, there remained until late last evening a vast
aly of flames in the centre of the ruins, and it will proba-
te:, be late today ere it will be finally extinguished. The
*warms, os the ground and best floor were occupied by
miss, Selby sod Co., of Buminghans, iron and brass
tab um lavoulacturets ; those on the second, third, and
(meth flare, by )le-ors. Price and Cloenell, brush makers
aid perfumers; and those on the fifth and sixth doors by
Messrs. J. and L. Saunders, paper-box makers. The whole
of the five upper stories and the root were completely
bused out sad the contents destroyed; and Messrs. Selby •
sewn of the premises were also greatly damaged by hre
sad eater. 'fhe building belonged to the Merchant Tailor's
Company, areal it is supposed to be insured in the Royal
Fmeaauge Lidice. It is not known whether the Arms of
trite sad Sells ate also insured, but Messrs. Saunders are
in the Atlas office. Messrs. Kennard's premises and Vint-
ner's Ilan are both injured. 'f he cause of the fire is com-
pletely unknown, the premises having appeared perfectly
she when the workpeople left at eight on Saturday Light
Abut i 0 youhg women in Millis. Saunders' employment,
sad men in that of Messrs. Goenell, have bees thrown
out of work by the oezurrenee.

TIIE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT .4T
B!:RKII.43IPSTRAD.
On Saturday the inquest on the body of the nn-
fertaaste guard, Wm. Marley, aged 30, who was killed on
the North N 'stern Railway, near Berkhampstead, was
held at that place, before Mr. F. Day, the coroner for the
dioriet.
The deceased was guard of the down express train which
left Eaten-square at nine a.m. on Thursday last. Shortly
after quitting tee Derkannutead station, 23 miles from
town, the driver panned a violent jumping motion in the
engine, and immediately afterwards the fore axle of the
engine broke, and the engine and carriages ran off the line.
Blayney was thrown violently from his seat upon the line,
and a portion of the engine falling over him, killed him
almost instantaneously. Some of the passengers were much
injured and shaken, but fortunately no other lives were
lat. The fracture of the axle took place close to the axle
box, the leading wheel left the engine, ran up an embank-
ment 20 feet high, dashed through a quickset edge into a
meadow beyond, and, after describing a semicircle of about
10 yards radius, buried itself in the green sward. The
engine and tender, after running a few yards, toppled over
and buried themselves in the embankment. The guard's break
and a wooed class carriage immediately behind it were thrown
across the up line of rails with great violence, and com-
pletely broken up by the force of the concussion. The
leading wheels of the carriage buried themselves several
feet deep in the embankment, and a portion of the iron
framework of the break rested upon the fragments of the
carriage. The leading fist-class carriage was turned
round, and, though retaining its upright position, stood
directly across and upon the up line of rails. There were
very few passengers. In this carriage there were Barons
Beyer and Lionel de Rothschild and four officers of the
Guards proceeding to Leighton, to the " meet " of Baron
Rothsehild's staghounds, at Acton Abbots ; and all suffered
contusions.
The single second-class passenger, a young widow who
was acting as nurse to a lady in the Brat-class, and who had
with her an infant, was found under the flooring of the
carriage in an insensible state ; and she had scarcely been
removed when the Birmingham up express train was seen
advancing. Happily the crash of the accident had been
heard by a man named Page, of Wood-lane Farm, 300
yards on the east side of the railway, and he, seeing what
had happened, remembered that several up trains
were due, sad if not stopped that terrible min-
chief would ensue. With most praiseworthy fem.
thought, he immediately ran down towards the Nov*.
church tunnel, on reaching which be saw the up expels
eater the other end at full speed. He waved his cap all
shouted as loudly as he could, and, fortunately, as the
gine emerged from the tunnel, the fireman observed
and applied the break, the driver shutting off his steamed
the same time. Ike distance from that to the wrecked dud
class carriage was 500 yards, and it was impossible to amid
running into it. The speed had, however, been lowered
from 40 miles an hour to 10 when the collision occurred.
The shock threw the engine and tender of the up traia
tits rails, and carried away the compartment of the 1M
Class carriage in which Baron de Rothschild and his friends
had been seated. This iacreased the confusion of *it
scene, but Captain Erman, who was a passenger by the
up trate, took all the measures in his power to render the
most active assistance. The down train,whieh starts at 9.15
ara.arom Euston-square, was now momentarily expected,
but the guard had fortunately gone back, and, by placing
fog signals on the line, arrested its approach at Berkhasap-
stead. The Eul of Lonedale was • passenger in the latter
:TOIL The telegraphic communication having been des-
troyed by the accident, a great deal of time was lest is seer
musicatieg with Loodon and Wolverton; and helm day
effeeti re means for clearing the line were at hand, the rails
were blocked fora considerable distance with the up sad
lawn trains. The body of 'Rainey was at last extricated end
removed to Berkhanapstead, where every attention wee paid
to the other sufferers, of whom two only had received serious
asjury—the servant above-mentioned and an invalid lady,
who was thrown by the shack into a state of delirium that
sated for some hours.
At the inquest Robt. Veen, the Ile mss, depend to
laving observed the fore-Wage of his emigles rabic mum
ea the previous day ; and Johnstone, the Ilmisora et do
regimen, had promised to chase the Medial vies* hi
La.
James Edward M'Connell, lacemotive superintendent ep
Le Loadon and North Western Railway, said-1 did salt
mow anything particular respecting the state of this sop
aim. I think there cue be no doubt of the cases of the
incident. It was owing to the axle becoming hot, and
Luise twisted off from the journals by the blows or strains,
*.o which it is subjected. A blow Jima meeting say ob-
struction would break it is that state. I think it very
pcbable that the oil-bole was stopped up by grit. In that
taw the axis would not be lubricated, sad would very soon
moms hot. There tea greater strain on the leading
etteels—a tortion or twisting in going round curves, and
these wheels are the tint to encounter any obstacle on the
line. lam satisfied that the iron of the axle was sound and
rood. One end of it is of course now burned. The eaglets
las been abut six years fanning, and has gone over 157,000
miles. This engine was " lifted " off the wheels about three
months ago. Some engines are not " lifted " for twelve or
arts's months. In my judgment there was not the slight.
est risk in sending out the engine after the spring had bean
replaced. We are guided in &llama by the report of the
driver, who is the best judge of how the engine works. I
have examined the box of the axle, and find that the metal
bee melted Into the oil holes. This is one of the usual re-
sults of the axle getting very hot.
The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death ;" the
foreman adding, at the same time, " We consider that the
company is not free from blame in sending out an engine
with a fast train when any doubt of its efficiency wasted."

THE CORONER FOR MANCHESTER AND THE
Grain Ulla OP TEE Pooa.--blr. Farwell, of London, has
Mew &nailed by the Paor•law Board to investigate the
InanKOns charges of the coroam's juries in Blanchester
Caltthe relm and other of of Um poor of neglect.
ialener was under saaaloatio• ea ll:marday. end
the proceedings were adjourned until Moeda, (this day).
ARRIVAL or THE DOURO.—Yesterday the Oriental
Company's 'Mew steamer Donato strived at Southampton
from Constantinople. Kalta, and Gibraltar.

(P&OM coca LOCAL coazzspoximrr.)
DIANCRESTER, DEC. 3.

The unequal contest between the employers and
operatives continues with little or no abatement. It is
questionable if the operatives could ever have 'weeded in
obtaining a general advance of wages at the aame time
throughout the district, because it rarely, if ever, happens
that all branches of the cotton trade flourish equally at the
same time. A reference to the trade reports of the last
eight or n:ns months will show that when trade was in full
swing, and the producers of some classes of goods were
reaping highly remunerative profits, the manufacturers of

heavy domestics were unable to command prices which
would mush more than cover tho cost of the yarn they used,
and mazy thousands of looms were thrown idle, or par-
tially idle. If ever a strike could have succeeded, how-
ever, it would have done so in the spring of the year,
when prices, with a few eaciiitions, were good, and labour
scarce. By deferring the strike to the present time, how-
ever, the operatives have two great disadvantages—one in
the great depression which has come over the whole trade
(more pertieularly that branch of the trade pursued in the
districts where the strikes have occurred), the other in the
inclemency of the weather at this advanced period of the
year. Then the noisy declamation of their leaders was, to
say the least of it, most unwise. During the Stockport
strike they sometimes spoke of not resting content with 10
per cent. advance, or even 2) or 30, should they succeed,
and developed schemes for the coercion of their employers
throughout the whole distext which were calculated to
create the utmost alarm. They declared it to be a war
against capital, and documents were printed in which they
exulted in the ruin of capitalists through former strikes. The
rush has been that the employers have formed combinations
almost as extensive as those among the operatives, and
much upon the same principle. Each town has its union,
sad each district of towns has its delegates to a central
board. And if the orgai.isation is as perfect, the ability to
work it is probably somewhat greater, because the em-
ployers have the advantage of education and of funds to a
degree which must make them moo than a match for their
opponents. The tactics of the master colliers at Wixan
show that they have not wasted their experience without
gaining a wrinkle or two. The operative colliers having
adopted the plan of the factory operatives, of striking
against two or thee* masters at a time, with the view of
driving them in detail to give the advance, the masters
have discovered a move upon the board which will exactly
meet the cue, and defeat the turn-outs without themselves
again resorting to a general closing of the pits ; and their
plan is to supply the masters whose men are on strike with
coal and cannel to sell from the pits that are in work.
The manufacturers have not adopted this plan, but they
are effe:tually counteracting the movements of their opera
tires, notwithstanding. At Ashton, at Burnley, at Glossop,
at Stockport, at Manchester, and Whar towns, the opera-
tives, after strikes of more or ►ess duration, obtained ad-
eances
ofd to 10 per cent. They had also attained their
object, or near'y so, at Preston, when, through pushing
Asir demands to extremities, a resistance was provoked
which is almost without precedent So large are the funds
enquired to keep up this contest, from other towns, that the
operatives in those other towns are literally at the mercy of
their employers. Witness the result at Burnley, where the
operatives have gone to work four days a week, submitting
to the loss of their 10 per cent. advance. At Glossop,
Ashton, and other towns, the operatives are put on reduced
working hours, with the sacrifice of the advance for which
they bad suffered so much in addition. At Man-
chester the spinners are to submit to 10 per cent.
reduction and the weavers to 5 per cent. reduction,
from this day, sad it Is expected that on Moo .ay they will

submit without • word. At Stockport, where they were e
strike many weeks, and submitted to losses which it was
calculated they could not make good with two years of fell
work, they are going on four days work per week, which is
also to be followed with :redaction of wages to the old stand-
ard. Really such contests are lamentable. Supposing they
achieve success at Preston, is it not quite as certain that so
soon as another set of masters in ;some other town are to be
attacked and coerced, the men who have wrought such dear
bought suers' at Preston, will be left to a fate like those
which have to be submitted to at Manchester, Burnley, and
Stockport ? The only thing which could defeat the em•
players would be • return of the prosperity felt during last
and the early part of the present year, with the same scar-
city of labour; and with that they would no doubt
be too happy to give the 10 per cent., and it
would cost the labourer nothing. There wore many
masters who gave the advance at the commence-
sent of this year, who would not have closed their
mills for twice ten per cent. If the master can really of
ford the advance when labour is scarce, depend upon it he
will not risk • strike; and these are the real opportunities
of the workman. It is by attempting to coerce all branches
of the trade at the same time, no matter what the circum-
stances as to profit or lam, that strikes are sue to fail.
If the working men would learn at what a fearful disad-
vantage they carry oa such a contest in the present state of
trade, they might do so by studying the following extract
from Messrs. Da Fay and Co.'s trade report for the present
math
If we divide the chief cotton consuming places around
us into five districts, of which Manchester, Preston, Ashton,
Burnley, and Stockport are the (*nuts, Ashton and its
neighbourhood consume more than one-fifth of the cotton
which is worked on weekly in these districts. If we take
the present reduced consumption of cotton at 30,000 byte
weekly, the Ashton district, by working short time, would
still further diminish that oonsumption by about 2,200
bags weekly ; which, we behave, is rather under-
stating it. Az Burnley • slight increase is taking place,
" short time" working having, in many cases, been resorted
to in the plies of the ' lock up" of the mills there. And
this step is a laudable oae on the part of the meaufacturers,
who have taken it from • desire to alleviate the distress of
the werkpeple, while interest would have dictated acether
emu. The town and neighbourhood of Stesispiet aaa
also resorting M " short time working" this day swediftleeil
Manchester we hear will follow the example. In eds.
shire the semi amuse is persued, sad we hey that UM
looms are expected to stand in Halifax and the seirdsbinne•
heed. At Preston little prospect is entertaieed tbeemdern
and men will cease to terms. Several of our Minds, bees
English gad foreign, having expressed • with W WOISWID
from us an estimate, bearing upon the present estemiskadis
Lashes in the production of cotton fabric* mil WID
sewed weekly supply accruing therefrom, we bree Baba.
owed me arrive at something like truth, by edisidzolusa
Obß Mae Brinee information on the subjoin, mod me
wink Is me triads the data we have re, urns me kg
their usual feebeerasce in the exaraisalier d Ibe resale we
have arrived at. The districts numbered Is 01, etWWWW
1 to 4 are those is which " short time ereeldexi" has been
determined upon, to begin next Monday, end by which the
production will be reduced one-third. The districts num-
bered five to seven are those in which the turn onto and
lock-ups of mills have stopped the production altogether.
The length of pleads assumed in our calculations 371
yards each.

lITATEJIENT.
LaLasted Estßasted Estimated
soakr of total weekly actual wieldy
LOAM prodactice. redartios.
I. Asktas dlotrist 41,000 ... 210,004 fl 70,01M1
2. Barsky &waist ll.luo ... 76,400 „ 23,000
S. Illaskport Mottle
4. Ilszatiott Heywood
17,500 .. 07,600 „ 29,000 ,„
6. Hamm sod lassosdak ...
&Wilt lO,OOO ... 50,000 ... 50,000
IL prestos distrkt
7. Hisao. district

337.300,

Oa acarefol calculation we find that lammed production
of seeds alone will reduce the usual weekly consumption of
mites by 7,000 begs, and the decrease in the production of
export yarns is tantamount to about 3,000 bags of cotton
weekly. (Total, 10,000 bags oat of 36,000.) Under this
extensive deermeed consumption of the raw material, the
manufactured article cannot be -expected to decline mate-
rially in pier, whatever coarse the cotton market may
assume. The total number of spindles in these district@ we
estimate at 8300,000, to supply the looms, as well as the
yarns for export. We have vainly hoped that the hide-
mosey of the season would alike put a stop_to the war in
the East, and end the strikes around us. With the mesa-
ties of strikes, end consequently an increased production of
=dated redo, our market, it is true, would at first be
Waft advantage which would be realised from a
gamest Nam to work in Lancashire, would go fur to
himellenfiedemes lower prices. The nearer markets would at
awe Ilia larger supplies, for our exports to the Continent
leashes diminishing during the last two years. By an
imemeed export the exchanges would be favourably infiu-
, eau& and capitalists would direct their attention to these
' sallwat. The masses of the workpeople who cannot be
coarraware of clothing, because they earn nothing, would
again become customers of the manufacturers, instead of
borrowers from the shopkeepers. There is besides a far
higher view namely, that the tafisence of regular employ-
ment, would dispel all tear of the immoral effect of idleness
upon congregated mimes.
The Dokinfield colliers, near Ashton, complain that they
cannot have everything their owe way ; and they have ad-
dressed the following letter to their employers:
To Messrs. Swire and Lees.—Gentlemen,—We the
miners under your employ feel very morel that we are Coat-
i pelted to give you any Treble Concerning any of your men
. but we are Competed To do so at this time and we Consider
it as duty incumhent upon
to
to inform you it of as we not
wish to take any steps that would Cause any unpleasant-
eels to take place betwixt you sad us But on the Contrary
we wish always for both you and us to work peaceably to-
gether for we are fully Convinced that strikes are bad
Wags for the employer and the employed and the Public
at Large Po we hope that you will help us to keep your