The Express.
London, England, 1861-04-08 00:00:00

THE STRIKE IN THE BUILDING TRADE.

The unfortunate strike, we regret to say, still
continues. It was expected by many persona that the
matter in dispute would have been settled on Saturday,
but prudent counsels have unhappily not prevailed.
An aggregate meeting of the masons was held on
Friday, when the proposition of continuing the demand for
the nine hours' work per day was dacwried. There was
a strong feeling on the part of ninny of the men present
to close with the offer made by Mr. Luna, on the ground
that it would enable them to obtain what they wanted,
and they had unhappily some very unpleasant recollections
of the hardships and struggle+ which they endured at
the time of the strike last year. When a resolution was
submitted, to the effect that the masons ought to per-
sist in their original demand, many of the men left the
room, and the resolution was only carried by a small majo-
rity. The number of men who have left work at Messrs.
Lucas and Kelk's is comparatively small, not more then
170 having followed the advice of the leaders of the trades'
unions. Pickets are stationed at the gates, sod in coma-
queues of the disorderly scenes which have taken place, the
yelling and hooting, and threats of personal violence, it has
been deemed necessary to have several policemen stationed
on the spot to prevent any breach of the pence. No in.
convenience has been felt at prevent by Maers. Lucas in
consequence of the secession of their workmen ; hot
it will be mammary shortly to obtain additional
hands for the Exhibition building, the masons and
bricklayers' work of which has not yet been commenced.
There have been numerous applications from work-
men in various parts of the co+mtry professing their readi-
new to accept the tams offered, hitherto prevented from
doing so by the fear of having their names inserted in the
black list. Should each a step be necessary, foreign work-
men will be brought over to England, and wiU be set to
work on the Exhibition building. It would be cause of deep
regret if such a step were to be taken, and we hope for the
sake of interests which ought to be moat dear and sacred.
alike to employers and workmen, that the dispute may yet
bo amicably arranged without recourse being bad to the
wasteful and demoralising process of a atrike.—Obsereer.

DESTRUCTION OF AURRIL.PARK, WALTON-ON-

SHAMES.

On Saturday moruing, about three o'clock, a fire,
resulting in the entire destruction of one of the finest man-
sions in the county of Surrey, took place at Burhil Park,
the seat of Francis Thomas Bircham. Esq., solicitor to the
South Western Railway Company, situate oear Walton.on-
Thames. The fire broke out in the butler's pantry. The
butler, who slept there, was aroused from his dumber' by •
frightful sense of suffocation. but us soon as he was conscious
he raised an alarm. The family, who were sleeping in the
house, rapidly made their escape, with the exception of Mr.
Buchani, who, in his endeavours to save • large quantity of
valuable plate (in which to some extent he succeeded) wan
very considerably burnt. The flames spread rapidly, and
mounted messengers were despatched to Kingston, the
nearest town where. anything like au array of lire en.
gigs are kept, and telegraphs were also made to London
for assistance. The promptitude with which the King-
ston engines arrived is remarkable, seeing that the distance
between them and the scene of conflagration is seven miles.
They arrived in about an hour, at which time the mansion
was in full flames. To render any service to stop the pro-
gram of the fire thronghont the main building was felt to
be unavailing, so that the firemen directed their attention
(there being a plentiful supply of water obtainable from an
adjoining pond) to endeavour to aave a small portion which
the destructive element had not yet ignited. By throwing
copious streams of water in this direction they succeeded in
the fist place in checking and in ultimately saving this
portion of the mansion. With regard to the main building,
however, morapid and devastating was the progress of the
fire that the whole of the furniture, value le paintings, •
large proportion of the plate, &c., has ken utterly destroyed
or lies buried in the ruins. The property was insured in the
law Fire and Life Insurance Office, of which Mr. Bircham
is himself a director, for the sum of 6,0001., but that will nut
cover the amount at which the property destroyed is valued.
The origin of the lire is at present unknown.

Duivrituctlys FlRE.—Yeßtertlay evening a fire of
a very alarming and destructive character happened in that
densely populated neighbourhood known as Long-alley,
Skinner-street, Bishopegate, which at one time threatened
the annihilation of several buildings. 'The premiss in which
the disaster ors-erred belonged to air. R. Sullivan. a furni-
' ture broker, N 0.93, in the before-named thoroughfare. None
of the inmates making their ImreArtnee it was at first feared
that they had been burnt to death, but fortnuately it was
subsequently ascertained that they hail all gone out to
spend the day, consequently uo life was jeopardised. The
e imines of the London brigadeand the pariah were remarkably
early in arriving, and a good supply of water -vas obtained ;
the fire however could nut be extinguished until the premises
and all they contained were nearly destroyed. The
which la very considerable, will fall upon the Liverpool and
London Fire-otlice. The origin of the catastrophe is unknown.
THE EARLY CLOSING AND VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.
—On Saturday evening a crowded public meeting, for the
promotion of the early closing, Ssturilay half-holiday, and
volunteer movement, took place iu the theatre of the Mary-
lelsine Literary and Scientific Institute, Edward-street,
Portman-square. The meeting was got up to increase the
agitation recently created on this question, mainly in con-
sequence of the greater portion of the most extensive em-
ployers in the drapery, furniture, and other trades in the
West-end, particularly in Marylebune and Paddington, hav-
ing suspended their practice throughout the winter mouths
of closing early, and especially ou Saturday afternoons, and
returned to the late hour system. In the absenee of Mr.
Edwin James, M.P., who was advertised to take the chair
on this OCCII6OO, Lieutenant St. Clair, of the West Middle-
sex Rifles, presided, and was supported by ilintain Ross, of
the North Middlesex Rifles, Mr. Pater, of the Lady Clos-
ing Aseociatiou, and a number of volunteer officers and pro-
moters d the early closing movement, who crowded the
platform. Mr. Heathcote Harding delivered an address
on the benefits derived by the country at large from the
volunteer movement, and the partial succoa of shortening
the hours of labour amongst shopmen and shopyromen.
After other gentlemen bad addressed the meeting the pro-
ceedings, which were of au enthusiastic character. and lasted
until a very late hour, terminated with votes of thanks to
Mr. Harding and the gallant chairman.
YORK HEFORM AKSOCIATION.—A reform asso-
ciation has been formed iu this city, "to secure a full nod
honest representation of public opinion in the Honse of
Commons, by seeking to extend the elective franchise to
every male adult who is a settled netlent rated o the relief
of the poor—protecting that franchise by the ballot, and by
apportioning the representation to the
.pimitlation end
wraith of the constituencies." The asaimation holds it.
meetings weekly. From the first address issued by the
secretary, Mr. W. IL Porter, in the name of the council,
we takethe following passage:—"There :—" There is a danger
more real mod more apsialliug to the mind of every
true and thoughtful Engielinisn than the apprelieneion of
a foreign invasion. The continued denial of political pa-
tios to the great hulk of the pimple may—nay, unqueetion-
aiilliylyanwailli.—thei.a.valeavothneidmitelf,
g.ofecitn.i.tvio.fntdtiesne=dy.kpinoth:!adwltitibietechcaricalarewmi.st:ty.-
sential to she integrity of. a great empire. And it is for
the purees.,
of a nation divided against itself, arising from the disdain-
ful exclusiveness of the upper classes on the one hand, and
the bitterness arising from a sense of injustice and wrong
of the humbler classes on the other, that a number of your
fellow-citizens have associated themselves together."
The Resistanoe, iron-cased steam-frigate, will be
launched oft Thursday but, the 11th inst., from Messrs.
tie 25411 in
Westwood, Beit., as ams
originally thapbal intended. and Co.'syard, instead of ou