The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-17 00:00:00

CO l' Is' A' 7.1? Y 11111110 N !PRAYERS.

I From the Cov,o, 'efereneral
Doting the last week, the weevers':lave been puerile, the etreent
of this city, and holding public meetings Air the purpose of ms,
-
curing an advance of wages. The prices paid for weaving rlhhone,
doting the last winter, have been exceedingly low ; but from a
that ribbons. in the month Of April, would be in cansi-
oerahle demand, the manufacturers have been induced to go nn
steadily through the wilder, although, it is mad, they felt them.
selves ohlieed to reduce the prices In one-fourth, two-thirds, and
ever halt what they were sold for during the ).tat year. Althongh
the expectation of receiving any profit' has been disappointed, in
consequence of the continued reductions iti the price of silk yet
the month of April, as usual, has been a selling month.—
under these circumatances, the weevers naturally expected an
advance of wages, and, meeting on the SI of May, at the
Half-Moon Tavern. thee appointed a Committee, drew up a list
of prices, and releo d the master mannfectorers to adopt it.
Many of the letter approved of it, and promised to enter into
the measure, if the rest of the trade would cotisert also; others
objected, observing that the trade was not in a sufficiently pros.
permit' condition—Me spring demand wan nearly over—and that
an immediate advance would prevent persons in London from
buying, who otherwise might be induced to continue purchasing
another month—and, above all, that we were now come so near
the alarming sth of July, that it was impolitic to do an, because
our chief security lay in our ability to manufacture ribbons
cheerily.
The Werrene Committee appointed another meeting on Grey
Friars Green. on Wednesday last ; and meeting with one of the
principal Manufecttirm In Hertford-street, he, after a coneiderahle
parley, consented to pay their advanced price for one week, and no
longer, if other people did not pay the MOM A placard was then
hoisted on a pole, and carried through the town, declaring that this
t genii:man would pay the prices " to-morrow." Many other chief
manufacturers were waited on in &similar manner, and they agreed
to pay the advanced prices.
On Thursday morning the Crier went through the city calling
the weavers again to the Green, and In an hour above one thousand
were collected. It appears that the weavers had heard that one of
the manufacturers had " flown from hi. word." They accordingly
waited on him, and Mond it to be a mistake. lie inquired from
whence it arose • when it appeared that this gentleman had " set
so" two new hands, hut that after he hail agreed to give the ad-
vanced prices, the shute not haring been given to them, and only
a few of the warps, he had sent far them back again. nn which one
of the disappointed workmen ran to the committee with an erroneous
report. This explanation occupying some time, the premises and
adjoining streets were filled with people, but the manufacturer, in
the mean time, gave them a written declaration, at their request, of
his acceding to their prices.
This state of things ought, of course, not to be suffered to exist ;
and it would he prudent for the manufacturers to attend to a pro-
per and respectful request made to :hem by a Committee, repre-
senting some thousands. as was the case the week before last. They
should have met, and advanced the prices of some, at least, of the
articles, which were beyond all precedent wretchedly low. We
should not then have witnessed the parading the streets, and daily
meetings on the Green, which might eventually have produced
disorders that it would have taken some time to have quelled.
At noon, on Thursday, the weavers again assembled at the
usual place, when the Committee had ffie gratification to state
that every manufacturer had consented to give the stated
prices. This intelligence was received with repelted hums
and various exclamations of joy, and an unusual number
of workmen delivered their sentiments on the occasion. The
Committee implored their brother weavers to bury in oblivion
the animosity which had so long existed amongst themselves
and some of their employers, and look forward far better times.
The practice of taking half-pey apprentices was a topic of
much conversation and censure ; as it is the cause of pauperism,
prostitution, theft, and every other evil. Many censiderate men,
it was said, had abandoned this system; hut others were exerting
themselves to increase it, entertaining • mistaken idea of deriving
enormous gains from what had been proved a nefarious undertaking.
Some of the manufacturers, when they were called upon, told the
Committee that they could afford, and were willing to give, even
more money for the work than was requested, if every one would
pay alike ; but this the weavers could judge better of when the
foreign goals were suffered to come into England. The articles
for the formation of an Amicable Association, which we inserted
on the lit inst., were slim dwelt upon for some time ; the plan met
with unanimous approbation. and has been adopted throughout the
different wards. It was resolved (from the suggestion of both ma-
nufacturers and workmen) that if any persons were detected in
giving or receiving work at a lower standard than what every em-
ployer had agreed to, their names, &c., whether males or females,
should he publicly made known.
Thanks were voted to the Mayor and Magistrates for their very
handsome conduct during the past few weeks; and to the Cua.-
mince for their undeviating exertions.
The Meeting separated In a peaceable manner, after declaring,
that in the ensuing competition with the French they had nothing
to fear, being firmly persuaded that unanimity between masters
and workmen would enable the English merchants to drive the'
French silkmen Ilona our market. in as successful a manner as
the French army WAS driven by British heroes from the field of
Waterloo !

No public meeting has been held since Thursday ; and the
weavers are now paid for their labour by the newly-adopted ti,t
of prices.

IrIIATRLF:r n. MILLARD.