The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-22 00:00:00

STATISTICAL SOCISTY.-ALATI OP WAGES.

On Tuesday night, at the meeting of the Statistical
Society—Colossi Bvaza, M.P., prodder of the society, to
.the elisir—e paper was read by Mr, Davin
trimmer, of Saliced " Oa the rata of Were is Mareebeste;
and Salford and the' manufacturing dialects of Lancashire,
1839-1869." The paper, which was one of considerable
length, seemed to have been compiled with great care. It
eared with minuteness into the details of the various trades
brought under coridetation. It cotopred the net average
weer of weeldng men in the years 1839, 1849 and 1859, sad
the general result arrived at was, that there was an Morro of
aboutlOpeectiet. in the wagesoflabonr whilethehoursof labour
were diminished in many eases front 69 to 60 hours a week.
In the cotton trade the advance of wages his averaged from
10 to 25 per met during the 20 years 183969. la the elk
leads sa advaece ham Wm, place in all the branches equal to
more than toper cent. In calico printing, dyeing, and
bleachingg,, emir silk sad fustian dyeing, a decline in were
bee aooe old is Ore branches which no longer require any
orir rill, and also in the higher class of
skUld wrich se. machine printers;" bat the were
of thin sow nage irons Ws. to 60e. per week, the
Stba"Mreits in the rate ofln wagesthe
id'orlding trades
ng the 20
years has averaged from 11 to 32 per cent. In the
mechanical trades there has bees • rased advance in nearly
all breeches. In some instances this advance is equal to 46
per oar. A reduction has moaned in the high wages formai,
paid to bras moulders (now 30e.), and to engravers, and to
oaks printers, though the wage, of Umtata, now range from
235. to 48s. per week. In the miscellaneous trades, includ-
lag upwards of 80 classes of workmen, the rate of wages
generally been maintained, and in oases has been
isoesidarably advanced. Where reductions have occurred,
they wiji be found to rise mainly from the foUowlog caner :
—Whin the deemed for the article has declined, and the
supply of labour ha become superabundant, as in beaver
hat making. block cutter and printers, in calico printing;
paper-hanging, otantreturing, dc.; where the improvements
in mashieery, although creating permanent employment to
a much larger number of prima at equal or even in-
creased wages, may have reduced the value of the product
of the !Moor of a ekes of workmen whore wages may
consequently have declined. This was illustrated in a re-
markeble degree in the ore of hand-loom weavers of cello)
(a trade whisk is sew almost extinct) and the subetitutics of
power-lees yearn. The sense effect is now being room-
pitched in the case of the substitution of machine printing of
alto, mid of paper hangings for handtprinting, Ito. The
wages of workmen to ovary trade have inverithly decreased
where the supply of labour has exceeded the demand. la
like meneer, the wages of the workmen have been invariably
arlatered or increased where the demand has equalled or
exceeded the supply. This malt, in the great majority of
the err of admen' et weir, hue been directly coca-
aimed by hapromurats of machinery, whereby the
teetered mareiren has lessened the cost and thereby
mord *jpeVr incessesd demand. This is shown in
• remeleihr mars in the cotton trade, the
extraordinary selension of which is Grimly owing to the
diespeelag of the mesas at production. Bet the remarkable
case of the Serge Memo of area in the building trades
presents a peenlir ezertion to that of other trader. The
operatives la these trades, by restrictive the number of
appointees sad other erbium regulations, have prorated
the supply of labour from !tang equal to the demand, and
thereby enhanced its value. I believe," said Mr. Chadwick,
ie oreaclueon, " it is admitiediby the grist mese of the intel-
ligent working men that their physical end social posi-
tion has much improved during the last twisty yeses: I'
end all careful observers must admit that the =
greaS of sanitary improvements in rendering
homes' more lesithY, has greatly =tribute:l to thlsreault.
As • body, they are now much better edooated, and are much
lam addicted to the sin of drunkenness • they have much
greater self-respect and intelligence ; sod if they have not
more pi laical privileges, they have more real independence,
and are is may other impact elevated and improved as com-
pared with thew position twenty years ago. Steoe the com-
pletion of the Fever, I have bad the opportmity of sub-
mitting to a large meeting of operatives le Manchester the
returns of the rates of wages in the various trades • and
although I comb regretted to find that some of the ;Min
members of trades anions attempted to deny the existence
sad operation of the law of political economy in regard to
ripply mid monad governing the price of labour, as well as
of ail materials sag products, it tea partionlarly gratifying
to Bad that with one slight exceptioe they acknowledged the
tairnme and otereetreas of the mums is all respects."
(Applause.)

Nearly 4001. hm boo sabscribed for the statue to
Dr. loam Watts, la the pnblie park at tiouthamptoo, Dr.
Watts' native tone. Mr. Loons, tin sculptor, him commenced
the galas, which will be abeve life-else, and with the pe-
destal will stand nearly 20 feet high. About 200!. mon is
required to be subscribed by the public. Mr. Lures ham com-
pleted a model of the statue and has succeeded in perfecting
an admirable likeness of the poet. The statue and pedestal
will be of Baletwer stone. The inauguration of the erection
of the statue by a grand public ceremonial will take plass
neat autumn.

VEMENT OF COVENT-GARDEN MARKET.—
Daring the last two or three years the market gardeners and
other parties who trausset business in this market have made
loud complaints about the unsheltered state of the place
during the inclement weather • also of the dtficieney of light-
ing by pa in the dark winter mornings. To remedy this,
mertinp have at &literati times been held, and petitions Bent to
his Once the Doke of Bedford, upon whose estate the market
stand., complsiniog of the grievance; bat hitherto without
the slightest notice beteg taken. It now appears that tome-
thieg for the benefit dell will be dose; for within the last
day or two his grape's steward has issued orders far several
large orsameutat iron columns to be erected Is verises parts
of the market, for the purpose of extra lighting. These co-
hunts are to be surmounted by large handsome Lampe, fitted
with pieta burners and reflectors. It is also believed to be
in cootempietio• to cover a Urge space at the west end of
the market, to be completed by the time the Flower Arcade le
finished. _ .

Tae CHRISTMAS HOLIDAT.—The following ars
IMMO &Miami* to our previous list of those who Intend to
observe Monday nest se • gearsl holiday, es fir es their
hliehteents us concerned Messrs. Sebweppe end Co.,
'-wrest; the Conservative Lux!. Sockty ; Mews,.
?woes y-

• end Cosaiiisy, Bedford-stram; ...II Mali
• Tilotertlap the Collector of Customs at Liverpool
Poo melees that the Lords of the Treasury had soattioned
the clods( of the Comm-boom on Motley seat, and that
arrangements weal Lie made for the clearance of Tomah.
Ws astitoMmll that the Admiralty authorities have aloe
scrimped for the keeping of lifincley neat aa a holiday.
TTI It CONSERVATIVE LAND SOC I EST.—This society,
is the easiest= of their lineinews operations, have just pur-
chased abs property of freehold bow** at Ciroberwall.
They are nine la number, retulidatarbed cottages
end hems= la • terrace is the Denmark.road. This is a
novel Seem is the operations of • land society. Maser&
se freehold hoer= completed sad in the occupation of sr
ape:gable tarts, will be offend for allotment to the semi
bore of the esalay.
The Pattmistitr-General gave notice yesterday
that her Mejesty's ship Urgent will be detained until the
histent sepplementery ship mails for the Cape of Good
(kith thsishee be made ap to bo mat by Omar/sat.

•
men of rich and ripened thought. In short, we
should be treated to something better than the
rinsing. of East-end taverns, and the grabby gossip
of Bohemian celebrities. We do not in the least
impair the merits of those monthly Tyndarida
with whom " magazine day" is traditionally
identified, when we offer a cordial and respectful
welcome to the new comer from Cornhill as
one well fitted to take a place beside them in the
foremost rank of the aerial literature of our country.
The Cornhill Magazine makes a capital start, and a
most sewn able one, coming out, in spite of the date on
the title-page, in time to catch the multitude of Christ-
mu holiday-makers, who, with minds well attuned
to these pleasant pages, will be glad to take them as
a travelling companion on Friday next, and to in-
troduce them far and near to thousands of English
homes on Christmas Eve. Every page in this open-
ing number tells. Every page is marked with a
distinctive superiority. The first chapters of
" Frawley Parsonage," a story of English country
life and manners, are racy, vigorous, and keen
enough to show that the hand of the author of " The
Warden" has not lost its cunning, but rather has
gained in suppleness and tenacity of apprehension.
The paper on "The Chinese and the Outer Barba-
rians, is written, as the Editor frankly tells "by
the man of all the empire most likely to know of
what he speaks ;" and Sir John Bowring's revela-
tions are especially valuable at this moment. " The
search for Sir John Franklin," in the Fos, "is written
by one of the gallant seamen who sought for poor
Franklin under the awful Arctic night." lu it that
admirable type of the English seaman and gentleman,
Captain AILn Young, who bar written this true and
unaffected, and singularly fascinating record of heroic
service? We predict for it a great and deserved enc-
ase among all classes of readers.

The paper addressed to " Our Volunteers," and
written by "an honoured hand that has borne the
sword in a hundred famous fields, and pointed the
British guns in the greatest siege in the world,"
would be sure to challenge and command attention
even without the imprimatur of Sir John Burgoyne.
It is precisely the word in season which is most
wanted; stamped with the seal of hearty patriotism,
weighty practical knowledge, and sterling common
sense. Sir John Burgoyne has a generous faith in
" Our Volunteers," but he warns them that " unless
they will submit to the necemary training as soldiers,
and are oom pie te in organisation as infantry, no general
in the world will have any confidence in them as a
field force." H.. recommends their" occasional embodi-
ment at some of the great camps," not only as the
most available means of training them for general
service, but as a means of testing their fitness and
stability. He is warmly in favour of subscriptions
" to aid the equipment amen of insufficient means to
provide for themselves;" he advocates "the expe-
diency of rendering the volunteer system attractive
among the labouring classes ;" he commends even the
establishment of rifle clubs; and he attaches unex-
ceptionable advantage to the formation of localised
bodies of coast artillery. But we mast leave to our
readers a careful study of every line of this remark-
able paper. " Studies of Animal Life " is the first
chapter of a series of papers by. that brilliant
invader and discoverer in the immense field
of natural science, whose "Physiology of Com-
mon Life " has been lately discussed cx cathedra
by the University of Oxford and of whom
the English Clavier once said, "I never talk to L—
on my own subject without learning as much from
him as he can learn from me." " The Man of Let-
ters of the last generation" is a generous and search-
ing biographical memoir of Leigh Hunt by a writer
who evidently knew him intimately and well, and is
able to render affectionate justice to his character
and genius. It had appeared to us that Leigh Hunt's
departure from among us deserved more attention in
this distracted world than it his yet obtained; but
then he was "of the last generation," and olly &con-
temporary could speak of him as he was. Here is the
epitaph those who loved him desired to see. We have
left to the last all mention of the host himself. Happily
he can "keep." He takes his place according to the
general fashion of the day, not at the head but in
the centre of his table, and after receiving full in the
face a rattling Inagurative Ode from his old comrade,
Father Prout (into whom, se we all know, the spark-
ling soul of Horace was permitted to migrate at
the death of Tom Moore), he takes the word
as "the Chorus of the Play," the hero being his
friend " Loyal, the Widower." This story opens
with a slashing onslaught of almost savage irony,
reminding us not a -little of the terrible tome-
hawking exploits of Michael Angelo Taman& ; as
the characters recall the earlier manner of the bio-
grapher of Barry Lyndon. There is no mistake
about it—Mr. Thackeray is in the vein ; ware hawk
The first of the " Roundabout Papers," however, with
which this number concludes, is in the later and more
mellow manner of a saddened and gently bantering
philosophy. So that in one number of the Corshill
Magazine we have Mr. Tbackeray in his grave and
gay, his lively and severe mood. Altogether this
opening number fulfils the wise and pleasant counsel
of his old friend Father Prout—

. . . . But proffer your material,
A patina cereal,
Value for twelvepenos and not dear at twenty,
Such wit replenishes thy born of plenty.

One word of praise for the exquisite design with
which Mr. W. T. Linton hu adorned the cover of the
Magazine. Mr. Thackeray supplies an illustration
to his own story, and the Voyage of the Fox is fur-
nished with a careful and complete map of the maze
of Arctic search and suffering.