The Express.
London, England, 1850-01-31 00:00:00

ght Corns..

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The West Wilt NON £.d. Beredwhe. Mavisash,
Ni,ONS 11014111114 NI
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lbw kr Madan. IN. Jess6lioNiesregui, New armada,
cm, bed Peru. will be Radom} we the isoesiwg .1 lbb. 2. '
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M wade up ow the imolai el Feb. 4.
The omee lor Wm* irk', sad Gibriater win be mode
op ea Feb. 7.
re. nails WI Marseilles, to the Meditreessess,
Onion, loons. Heag-Hoog, Is., will be made up es the
amiss et Feb. 7.
mil kw B ritish North AMISH* mud MOthe Oohed
era be Nude up ea the meatus olFeb. I.
The wails Is, Gibraltar, Mahe, Greve% the balsa Wands,
Rapt, Callow. tad* sad via ilowleamotes, will
be made up ea tmorals; of Feb. M.

ILION WATIII AT LONDON DIMON.
To 1144—I1arsiwg. 41. No. Allen.., 4 4No.
T.MAeel—tent/, Ott. 40. Arm.. 414 I.

LONDON, THURSDAY; JANUARY SI.

Tan pet Frment of the protectionists, and espe-
cially of their journals, has been that paucity of work,
lowness of wages, and increased poor rates, were the
inevitable consequences of free trade. Not contest
with prophesying this lustily, they dual
to assert that all their prophecies in this respect were
verified. The Morning se, above all, was so load
and so unblushing in its assertions, that we took the
pains to collect some information on the subject both
from manufacturing and agricultural district!.
Our correspondent at Manchester very ably and
fully answered our queries, in an interesting latter
which appeared in Monday's Erma& And wa
could complete the evidence, even foe the moat be-
nighted of agricultural districts. We have no doubt,
however, that the parliamentary speeches of to-day
will contain an ample esposl, which will set the matter
quite at rest.
We cannot, however, allow the testiassay which
has reached us from the manufacturing districts to
pass without especial notice. Oar correspondest
states that be has visited 30 of the largest mantes
tories at Manchester, and that in no single ease has
be found wages in any degree reduced since the aura
law was repealed. On the contrary, the rata of
wages had been maintained at more than the average
of the best years, although the now Factory Act di-
minished from 69 to 6S the number of hours per week
during which the operative was employed.
" Ewen if we desired to reduce wages," mid one of
the manufacturers whom our correspondent visited,

" we should not dare attempt it ; we should have a
strike immediately." Such is the demand for labour,
that the Manchester operatives indeed are looking
not for any decrease in the rate of wages, but rather
for an advance. " They are ready at this moment to
seize on any pretext to advance themselves." " I
scarcely dare speak," said one manufacturer, " I
scarcely dare speak to my weavers now about a d.--
election for spoiled work : if such a thing is only
hinted, except in a very gross case, the answer comes
as fairly and independently as can be conceived,
leave the mill first—there is plenty of work now P"
llsre is the obvious operation of supply and de-
mand upon the rate of wages without any reference
whatever to the prices borne by the first necessaries
of li'e. Trade is good, large orders are given for
manufactures, consequeatly there is a demand for
labour to produce these manufacturer. And when
hands are thus in full employ and a good workman
is regarded u something of a treasure, it is not to be
supposed that the rate of wages will be very likely
to undergo a diminution.
At Manchester, says our correspondent, " not only
are the operatives fully employed, and have cheaper
food, but they are more comfortably 'Ousted than
they ever were; they assume a more independent
attitude, are more card for and respect. d by em-
ployers, more temperate, and more intent on self-
improvement than mil;-hands of past generations."
With such facts before u., what becomes of the pro-
tectionist fallacy that "low prices mean low wages"
—that repeal of the corn laws cnly was required that
the artificer might be made to labour at starvation
prices ?
The prosperity our correspondent points to is not
eonfioed to Manchester. We unhesitatingly aver that
it is general among the labouring classes. We de-
clare, and not without good meanktf information,
that at no corresponding period of any former year
within public recollection were the poor throughout
the kingdom so well off as they are in this present
January, 1850. In every branch of industry work
le abundant, and wages are proportioned to the
abundance of employment, whilst, at the same time, the
low price of the first necessaries of life affords the
lab-neer =opportunity of obtaining comforts that were
unknown to him before. There is scarcely a district
in England in which the poor rates at this present'
time are not lower than they were at the com spond-
iog period of last year. This is the case in same of
the mat purely egricuitural counties. It is the case
in the largest unions in North Essex and in Bucking-
inghamsbire, the very seats of protection. Returns
which are now or which will speedtly be in the pos-
session of the Poor Law Commissiouers, will prove
these facts most remarkity. How are the protec-
tionists to meet them? How in the face of such
striking evidence are they to establish the truth of
their old position that "low prices means low
wages ?"
It con Sheffield we have accounts of the most re-
markable prosperity:
Wages Li the cutlery trenches have a strong upward ten-
dines; and for the ordicsry common work, of which the

grealaet quantity is required, and which employs the greatest
number at Itss, prima are already higher than they were
at this period last year. In some branches of the
table knife trade the advanee is from 10 to 20 per
cant., and in some eases 'yea more. In the better kind,
of table knives the workmen ere expecting an adv.nce in
their wages, and the employers are expecting to pay it. All
are well employed In the razor trade, which has lose
been depreiseed, and prires forted vary low, there has been a
change for the better, and that which could be procured lest
year for Is. 41 must now be paid ls. 9eL fer. Men who had
left this trade and sought employment elsewhere are now
returning to it with every prospect of full employment.
The spring knife trod. (pen and pocket knives) has suffered
more than any other in this town, the workmen having been
the worst remunerated and the moat overeteckedwith numbers.
A very gratifying change is now taking plat ; good workmen
are already obtaining better wages and fuller employment:
indeed, so plentiful are orders, that cos saanniacturer is
offering an advance of 101., to be repaid by instalments, to
any workmen that will engage to serve him for a short period
of years. This has not been the case in this trade for msny
years.

Sheffield only a few years ago was a mass of
pauperism. Here is a picture of its condition at the
present time. Nottingham, early 1-st year, was in a
dreadful state from the pressure upon its rates :
we are told now that it is in a most prosperous
condition, and that at the neighbouring town
of Derby the only difficulty is to get men to
work more than three or four days a week. At the
protectionist meeting in the agricultural town of
Bedford, the feeling of the people of that county was
very clearly expressed upon this subject. The straw
plait trade is largely carritd on in Bedfordshire.
Never was it known to be so flourishing as at the
ient time. Every agricultural labourer's wife and
family may be employed in plaiting ; and the agricul-
tural labourer* do not want their earnings in this or
any town taken from them, so they nut the squirearchy
of the county to the rout, despite the high sheriff and
his avowed determination only to hear one side.
Indeed, it would be ditncult to have a better proof
of the feeling of the labouring elutes as to their own
position than the scenes which take place at these
protection meetings. We are told of squires being on
the platform and of farmers with horsewhips throng-
i the county balls. But where are the agricultural
taboatsea P On no one recision have we been told of
agricultural labourers come to represent their grie-
vances. The squires have been unable even to get
up a demonstration of " frose-out gardeners." It is
clear their own workpeople are not with them. And
as for those of the labouring classes who are inde-
pendent of their control, it is equally clear that they
are all opposed to them.

Ir there be one thing which put experience has
proved to be mare indispensable to the good manage-
ment of railways than another, it is, not blind confi-
dence by shareholders in director., htd confidence
by directors in shareholders. If directors will con-
tinue, by the superior advantages of their position, to
steal marches on their constituencies; if, set oostoot
with the exercise of the executive functions sod the
great patronage consigned to them, they will endea-
vour to control the representative and deliberative
privileges of their shareholders ; if they will
insist on having, on one pretence or other,
boards really selected by themselves, and sot