The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-12 00:00:00

THE SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE IRON TRADE.

BIRMINGHAM, Ocr. 11.—The second meeting of
the iron masters of this district for the current quarter
was held in the Town-hall here this afternoon. There was
• very large attendance; all the other iron-producing dis-
tricts were well represented, as were also many of the
Liverpool and other exporting firms. A very animated
discussion took place relative to the position and prospects
of the trade. Between 2 and 3 o'clock the appearance of
the hall was such as would have impressed a stranger with
the idea that a very large amount of business was being
done ; really, however, such was not the case, for buyers
of every class hung hick as much as peseible, and there
can be no doubt that the quantity of iron sold was very
considerably below that which it ordinarily is on this 1111111'-
1 ter-day, and less than might reasonably have been expected,
I looking at the long period of stagnation from whichthetrade
has suffered. It was stated that there is a prospect of •
good demand for America, but at this moment the boom
who do to that quarter are indifferently supplied with
orders. There is a very limited demand for railway iron ;
and with regard to plates, the trade is in even a worse
state, though in consideration of the slackness which now
prevails in connexion with shipbuilding operations, the
iron trade in the north will suffer more on that account
than it will in South Staffordshire. There was a moderate
amount doing to-day in pig-iron, the make of this district ;
hot-blast was quoted at 31. 15s. per ton, that being a
middle price. As a rule, the pig-masters cannot
afford to hold pigs, now that assistance from the
banks can no longer be obtained, so that if the
demand should fall much below what it is
now, more furnaces will have to be blown out.
It was rumoured in the hall that the price of
Forest of Dean pigs had been lowered half-a-crown
a ton, but subsequently that was contradicted on
good authority. The demand for Shropshire pig was
steady ; it was stead that the whole of the lalleshall
make for the quarter had been sold. Hot-blast, 41. 6s. ;
cold-blast, 5/. per ton. There are good grounds for the
belief that the iron bills at maturity on the 13th will be
well provided for ; if that is the case, it is the only matter
for congratulation in connexion with this quarter-day, for
certainly the orders given out up to this time will not be
sufficient to keep many of the works more than half going.
Mr. Baker, the mine inspector, was in the hall, having
conference with some of the committee of the association,
relative to the miners' code of rules • some alterations in
them have been suggested, but nothing definite has been
determined upon.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY.—Prince Napoleon's
yacht, the Jerome Bnonaparte, bee been here for some
days. She brought over the prince to the Isle of Wight,
where his highness has been enjoying sea bathing. The
Jerome Buonaperte is a magnificent steamer, and the
state apartments are superbly furnished. Amongst the
pictures is one by Horace Vernet. The officers and crew
on board number 150. She is likely to remain here for
several days. To-day the prince came to Southampton
from the Isle of Wight, and paid a visit to the Loan Ex-
hibition at the Hartley Institution. His highness, who
was accompanied by some members of his suite and by M.
Rabandy, the French consul at this port, was received at
the exhibition by Mr. Emanuel, the mayor ; Sir Henry
James, Dr. Bond, Mr. Critchelow, and other gentlemen
connected with the institution. The prince expressed
himself greatly pleased with the exhibition. Next Tuesday
week the Earl of Carnarvon will close the exhibition by dis-
tributing bronze and silver medals, and certificates of
merit to artiste, artisans, and mechanics, who have been
exhibitors ; and the closing will be celebrated by a grand
musical entertainment. To-morrow there will be a concert
given in the exhibition building by the Westminster choir.
A number of artists have come from distant places to see
Storey's statue of Medea, before it is sent home to its
owner, Mr. Stone, M.P. for Portsmouth.
INTERESTING TO BENEFIT SOCIETIES.—An inte-
resting case effecting benefit societies was beard at the
County Court, holden at Oxford, on the 9th inst. It ap-
peared from the evidence that Richard Stevens, a member
of a benefit society established at Headington, near Oxford,
having declined to contribute his share towards the expenses
of the annual club dinner, as he did not dine, his name was
struck off the list of members ; and although be applied to
have the matter referred to arbitration in accordance with
the rules, at a general meeting it war resolved not to grant
his request. Stevens brought an action in the County
Court, and at the bearing the judge (J. Parry, Req.,
Q.C.) ruled that a member was not compelled to dine, or
pay for a dinner he did not have ; and that the club acted
illegally in not allowing the case to be referred to arbitra-
tion, the rules expressly stating that in all disputes the
matter should be referred ; and made an order for the im-
mediate reinstating of the plaintiff under • penalty of 501.,
in accordance with the act of parliament ; the club to pay
costa.

THE OR AT EARTRRN. —The directors of the
Great Eastern do not, it is said, know where to place her
to give her the thorough overhauling she now requires.
Application was made to the Mersey Dock Board for a
berth in the Alfred dock at Birkenhead, but the engineer
reports to the board that the big ship, even shorn of her
paddle boxes, is too wide and too long to be safely berthed
there, while to give her space enough at least million
gallons of water would have to be pumped out of the dock,
and that cannot be done for want of adequate machinery.
Even if she tried the northern entrance, which will be
open in three months, the engineer is of opinion that the
attempt to dock her would be very dangerous. After
some discussion, the board resolved that they must refuse
the use of the dock.

FATAL A PrillAT. —Yesterday morning information
was conveyed to Mr. S. F. Langham. the deputy-coroner
for Westminster, that a man, named Edward Wilmot, had
been killed in • fight which took place in Waterloo-plact,
near the Duke of York's Column. The facts, u far as at
present ascertained, show that the deceased was in a
public-house at the West-end on Tuesday night, and
fought with another man for an hour and ten minutes,
the stakes being 4/. a-side, and it being closing time
the combatants were turned out. Neither party
being willing to "give in" they adjourned to and re-
sumed the fight at the back of Carlton-gardens, where
after some time the deceased was knocked down insen-
sible, and of course defeated. He was taken to Charing-
cross Hospital shortly after one a.m. by three men—
neither of whom gave their names—and died about two
hours after his admission. He was fearfully beaten, his
face and one side of his head being so disfigured that his
wife could only identify him by his clothes.
The Great Eastern Railway Company'. steamer
Avalon sailed yesterdsy from Harwich for Antwerp con-
veying 315 volunteers and 60 visitors to the grand flies at
Brussels.

_HE I.oNOISE Acr OF PARLIAWENT.—Yesterday
was issued the longest act passed its the late session. It
extends to 34 sheets, and contains 416 sections, relating to
the police of Glasgow and the statute labour of the locality.
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We, abeadeag ell ether remedies, be has confinede=
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