The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-29 00:00:00

THE EMPEROR AND THE DISTRESS AT

_
LYONS.
(FROM OCR OWN CORR/LSPONDENT.)
PARIS. SUNDAY EVIINING:
The MiniAter of the Interior has addressed the
following letter to the Prefect of Lyons :
I have laid before the Emperor the reports you have ad-
dressed me regarding the situation of the silk trade in
Lyons, and also the petition presented to you by the dele-
gates of a part of the working population. His Majesty
has studied with the utmost solicitude the means by
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which the sufferings of the silk weavers way be alleviated,
without traruigressing the great principle of free trade in

. -
labour. It would be in the highest degree unjust to pre-
vent the manufacturers seeking hands where they are to
be found cheapest. Everyone must be allowed perfect
freedom in the exercise of his rights and the management
of his own interests ; but when an accidental crisis de-
clares itself in a branch of any trade, it is the part of the
government to seek out any measures which may diminish
the sufferings produced by such disturbance of the
general economy. From your communications It
seems that the workmen believe that they could
secure better remuneration for their labour by

forming themselves into co-operative societies, and
that this would render more easy the transition which
is rendered necessary by the *hien& gtven to plCui

silks instead of figured ones. It would seem that a com-
pany of this kind is in process of formation. In this state
of things it appears to the Emperor that the moat suitable
measure to adopt will be to axsist the formation of this
undertaking, and to take measures for its rapid
development. The law of 1856 on societies in part-
nership (en eowunawlite) does not permit the este-
bliatunent of a company with shares of 100 franca
when the capital exceeds 200,000 franca (8,00014.

This limit imposed by law seems, from your communica-
tions, to have prevented a considerable number of adhe-
sions. This obstacle may be avoided if the associated
workmen will have recourse to the form of company called
" anonymous"—sonai anonyme. Explain to them this
state of the law ; and if they think it desirable to form
themselves into a company on the anonymous system, its
statutes will be examined without delay. I have cemmu-
mated with my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture,
Commerce, and Public Works, so that their demand for
authorisation will be granted without loam of time.
I trust that the intelligence and ability of its members are
guarantees of the succees of this enterprise. But, to
render its first operations more easy, the Emperor has
come to an understanding with the Empress, who, like
himself, is alive to the sufferings you point out, to obtain
from the Societe du Prince Imperial a loan of 300,000 fr.
for the new company. Other co-operative associations
may be formed among the weavers. The Emperor has
deigned to announce to me that he will place at your dis-
posal the sum of 300,000 fr. from the civil list to assist in
the formation and first operations of these various under-
takings. His Majesty has, moreover, seen with pleasure
that you had turned your attention to hurrying on the
execution of the public works of the city. The Minister
of Public Works has given orders with the sawe object to 1
the government engineers. The Emperor hopes that this
series of measures sill enable the workmen of Lyons to
recover by their own labour the salaries which the want
of work has deprived them of. But to meet the
first calls, and to give during the winter a more extended
charity, his Majesty commands me to place at your die-
position the sums which may be deemed neoesaary in I
ad-
dition to those furnished by the city of Lyons, to be dis-
tributed among the different boards of charity (bureaux
de bin+ _Nuance) of the city.
This document, important in several respects, is
all I have to send you to-day. It shows the laud-
able eagerness with which the Emperor conies per-
sonally forward whenever great public calamities
require his interference, and, more than this, it
shows the readiness with which he adopts the
leading ideas of the day, and uses them to
augment or create a feeling of affection to his
dynasty. This is a kind of appeal which no one
can blame, and it is one really after the Emperor's
own heart, for his munificence and open-handedness
are almost proverbial. The encouragement thus
given to the formation of co-operative societies,
may in the present position of the working classes,
all more or less aspiring to render themselves in-
dependent of capitalists, have effects which if not
unforeseen in the councils of the crown are cer-
tainly undreamed of by the majority of readers.
The answer to 31. de Lavalette's letter published
by the Prognis, and signed by a committee of four
of the eleven delegates, is as follows :
The delegates of the weavers of Lyons entrusted with
the presentation of a petitios, whose objtzt is to obtain
from government the relief of their present suff -rings,
have the honour of infonoing their fellow-citizens that
the eager solitude of the government has been proved by
the result obtained ; a result detailed in the letter of the
Minist r of the Interior ; this letter, in fact satisfies us by
giving us hope for the future. Tba Emperor thinks that
our undertaking will find guarantees of success in the
intelligence and ability of its associates ; it is for us,
by union and prudence, not to deceive his hopes.
His Majesty has not shown himself less generous by giving
from his privy purse wherewith to solace in great measure
the evils which afflict the workmen. As for the question
of excise, we were well aware that it could not be dealt
with at once ; we trust that the voice of the press and the
studies of economists will find for it an equitable solution.
We express the unanimous feeling of our comrades in
thanking the Senator Prefect for his active and ready as-
sistance, begging him at the same time to be the interpreter
of our feelings of sincere gratitude towards the Emperor
and Empress.
The 10th or 12th of November seems to be the
date at which the Court will proceed to Compiegne.
Its stay there will be as usual about five weeks,
during which time four series of guests will be
received.

THE JAMAICA COMMITTEE.—We understand that
Sir Charles Lyell, Bart., has forwarded a subscription to
the Prosecution Fund, and that Professor Huxley, F. ft.S.,
has been elected a member of the executive committee.
Influential committees in support of the society's objects
have been organized in Manchester, Bradford, and other
towns. . .

^'^•—•
MEDICAL Sri:DENT& —Prom the following return I
it will be seen that the number of entries at the 11 metro- ' '
politan hospitals—namely, Guy's. St. Bartholomew's, Uni- ; '
versity College, King's College, tit. Mary's, St. Georges s,
St. Thomas's, Middlesex, London, Charing-cross, and West- ,
ininster—is this year above that of preceding sessions. In
1863 there were 334 new entries, or first year's men, mak- ;
ing, with old students, a total of 1,020. In 18541 there were '
30'J freshmen ; total at all schools, 91;3. La MIS the new ,
13.1.4
entries had increased to 321—total, 1,013. In the present
October session, 362 new students have • red their
names at the Royal College of Surgeons, • a total of ,
1,027 gentlemen now pursuing their medical s in this
I metropolis. Guy's, St. Bartholomew's, University, and
I King's Colleges still take the lead, and the remaining schools I
(adds a medical contemporary) form a nick, in racing ,
phrase, which we need not further particularise, as it
would be invidious to state the exact detribution of the '
new students. The return from the provincial schools has
not yet been compiled, but it is stated that the uew entries ;
;in Ireland are satisfactory. As the Scotch session does
Inot commence until November, it is impossible to awes- I
taro at present what the number attending the northern ;
schools will be. The number f qualified members of the;
profession in Great Britain was decidedly diminished
dining the past few years, but this is due more to the
openings for young medical men in India, the colonies,
the Government Emigration, Penbirular, and other ser-
vices, than from any dearth in.lbe supply of medical stu-
dents, since, with over a thousand pursuing their studies
; in London alone, the vatiansies in the profession must be
rapidly filled up.
SITTINGS AT NISI PRICS.—The first sittings at
nisi prima of the three common law courts in term are
; appointed for the sth proximo in Middlesex. There will
Ibe no London sittings in term. The sittings after term in
Middlesex will commence on the 27th November, and in
London after term on the 10th December, in the Common
Pleas and Exchequer, and on the 11th in the Queen's
Bauch.