The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-15 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

THE SCOTCH COLLIERS' CONFEDERATION
Our readers will be gratified to bear of new instances in
which the public spirited and independent coal proprietors
of this county have successfully resisted die operations of
the colliers' combination. Lord Belhaven's colliers, insti-
gated by the leaden of the association, about a fortnight
ago made a demand for a further rise in the rate of digging
coal. His Lordship at once dismissed the whole of them,
moil in two days supplied their places with other wurkmen.
The new hands are coming on remarkably well ; and there
is a large stock of coals on hand. One of the new coal pits
is within too yards of the distillery. There are seams
equal altogether to 20 feet of working coal of the hest
quality. The distillery alone consumer 440 tons a month.
The houses that are finishing for the new workmen are
very neat and comfortable. They are each 10 feet by 16 ;
and have two fixed beds. There is a small garden attached
to each house. On the Dalzell Estate, the colliers have
drawn down upon themselves the same result. The refrac-
tory workmen have been turned off, and new hands em-
ployed in their room.
The leaders of the colliers employed by the Muirkirk
Iron Company, though they were fully as highly paid as
any in Ayrshire, demanded an advance of nearly one-fourth,
and not only refused to work themselves, but prevented'
others from working by secreting the tools. Mr. Ewing, of
Glasgow, immediately went up to the works and discharged
every one of the colliers, and supplied their places with
new workmen. If the refractory colliers had succeeded in
enhancing their wages, the out-put would have been pro-
portionably lessened.
The new aforkinen (whose introduction into the pits on
the banks of the Avon was formerly mentioned) are suc-
ceeding so well, as to gain 30s. a week. They are able to
put out twelve tons, for which they are paid 2s. 641. a tote.
Numerous applications are making from public works in
the neighbourhood of Glasgow for a regular supply. The
coal is sohl at the hill for 7s. a ton, and the carters drive it
to Glasgow for Ts. 6(1.
The lowest rate of wages earned by the collier, during
the reduced state of things after the peace, was 3k. 9d. a
day. Since the repeal of the combination laws, there have
been eighty collieries combined in the west of Scotland.
'The delegates Mt% aloe a fortnight. Formerly each in-
dividual colliery settled any differences with their employ-
ers ; but after the repeal of the combination laws, the grand
committee took upon themselves to settle all disputes.
'Their mandates were implicitly obeyed by the colliers.
The wages were raised to as. Gil. a day ; but latterly the
working price of coal in a number of pits has been raised to
4a. per ton; which, at two tons and a half per day, gives i
los. to the colliers. There is no stock at present on any
hill around Glasgow. Formerly, at this period of the year
there were 100,000 tons of stock. The total consumption
is between 500,000 and 600;000 tons a year. It is doubt-
ful, from the increased demand, and want of stock on the
hills, that even were all the colliers to work she days in the
week, they would be able to supply the deficiency occa-
sioned by their infatuated conduct. If this be a severe'
winter, there cannot fed to he a great deal of misery among
the poor of this city and suburbs, flour the dearness off
fuel, and much loss to the commercial interests of the dis-
trict. Those manufacturers whose operadene, are carried
on by steam fear that their business will be suspended from
want of coal. No coal-master could with safety engage to
supply any public-work with beyond a week's consumption,
because a mandate from the committee might throw his
men idle, and, subject him to heavy damages, from the
stoppage of the works which he might become bound to
supply with coal. The present state of things cannot, and
ought rot, Mist much longer. A correspodent proposes, as
one efficient way of breaking up combinations, that Parlia-
ment should render all meetings of delegates illegal; to
prohibit the choosing of permanent presidents, secretaries,
and treasurers; to.prohibit one ehiss of workmen from con-1
tributing to the support of any other able-bodied class who
remain- in idleness; or of the idle and able-bodied to re.
nits inch contributions, and to forfeit all monies so to he
aaseased or eoniributed. Thaw measurer might he carried '
without infringing on the privileges of friendly societies.
Each individual would then, in good times, be able to lay
by a fund for himself, instead of squandering it on the
misleading trumpery who direct the combinations. We
cheerfully give this opinion of our respected correspondent,
but we think that the prnprietors are perfectly able, by the
employment of labourers, to extinguish the combination.
The example set by the Puke of Hamilton, already fol.
lowed by the leading coal proprietors, only requires to be
universally adopted aryl persevered in, to restore a free
trade in coal. t s:,)
Thefattefetke dbmbined colliers at Calder coal works
hots matte Wepest itnpression in that neighbourhood.
'the Wren who stia continued working in some of
the pits, havii.;solontarily renounced all connexion with
the association, Mkt work five full days in the week.
There were so many labourers flocking forward, that they
saw their case was hopeless, as their places would have
been instantly filled. The new colliers have now attained
such expertness, that those not already on piece-work are
to be put upon it immediately, as they can now earn much
more than three shillings a day, which was granted them
till they had learned. The new hands are well-behaved
and industrious, and the manager says there is now a happy
change from the derangement into which the basil-on
during the year had been kept by the operation of the
combination. There is now a stock of coil and iron stone
on hand equal to six inonths consumption, so that that
quarter is quite beyond the reach of the combination.
The colliers' combination in Fife has been even mare
formidable, and the leaders more daring than in this
neighbourhood. The colliers employed by Sir Philip
Durham and other proprietors have repeatedly struck, and
there has been a great scarcity and dearth of coal in the
boroughs of Montrose, Breslin, and Aberdeen. Hence
probably the rejection of the plate. Agit is, Mr. Hume's
reception among his constituents, says a correspondent,
would be but cool.

To show the omnipotence affected by this besotted com-
bination, we may mention an attempt which some of the
members made to stop the sailing of a vessel at Saltcoats
laden with coal for Glasgow. They insisted that the
master should not proceed with the cargo, lest it should
injure the interests of their brethren on the banks of the
Clyde. The shipmaster very calmly put his helm alee,
and steered direct for the Clyde with the coals.
There is a company forming in Glasgow for the working
of coal. The cap'tal to be 50,000/. Engineers have been
employed to survey coal fields around Glasgow.
The colliers' combination, by the determination of the
leading coal proprietors, may be considered as fairly
knocked on the head ; but from the want of stpcks on the
hill, prices may for some time longer keep up. To a mo-
ral certainty, from the number of new pits opening, and
nevi' hands daily engaged, the price of coal and the rate of
wart will next spring be reduced to their proper level.
Many of the combined colliersimend their Frog time of
kitchen in drinking and playing at cards. They setm to
have no idea of availing themselves of the oppintunity to
gain knowledge of any sort.
• It is stated by Dr. tire, that " the disorders which have
lately appeared in some manufacturing, districts, cannot
with any truth be referred to the schools of physical
science. It is consistent with my knowledge and ex-
perience that the combined operatives who have, unhap-
pity for themselves, sought to gain their ends by intimi-
dation and outrage, are precisely those who never attended
the mechanic class of Anderson s Institution."

We are also iiii.oraiiest ~that in consequent!, of some
writers attempting to comma .tbe (hustlers among the
operatives with Mechanics' Institutionv, application wag
made to the President of that body in Glasgow, who re-
turned an /1111iVer similar in substance to the above state-
ment of Dr. Ure.-01aagoto Gitronicle