The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-18 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE.

The critical situation in which the trade and manufac-
tures of Scotland are placed, from the operations of the
various combinations, are strongly illustrated in the present
state of the iron trade. From the manner in which this im-
portant business has been obstructed and impeded in its
regular operations in all the various departments, from the
first process till it is converted into manufactured goods,
the iron-mcsters and founders are no longer able to com-
pete with the Enid nib and Welsh iron-masters. In a
recent instance, where offers were wanted for iron cast-
ings, the Scotish iron-masters could not afford to furnish
them under 181. a ton, while the English contractors
offered them at lIL a ton, and to be at the coat of carriage.
The certain consequence of this state of things must he
that, unlesa this trade if very soon made open, and labour
rendered free, the Scotish manufactmer of iron will be beat
out of the market, and the trade transferred to England,
where no such impediments exist ; and a parallel ease will
be afforded to that of the wearers combination, who
drove a branch of their manufactures to the north of Ire-
land. The business is at present completely clogged by the
regulations of the combinations. In the founderies the
workmen maintain a complete monopoly, making from
to 4i. a-week, and rigidly excluding new hands, anti allow.
inr no apprentices to be taken but what they seem proper.
In a recent case a respectable man put his two sons to learn
to b.! founders—it was intimated that this was transgreasing
the rules of the combination, and they would strike unless
they were withdrawn. The employer was forced to com-
ply. They also determined that every man must abide by
the work he has once learned. The employers are thus
tied down, and at the met cy of their workmen, who, if any
new hands were introduced, or any thing else done at
which they might choose to take offence, would desert their
work in a body. All kinds of ironmongery goods hare
risen, during the last six months, from 20 to 30 per cent.
owing to this cruse. door-lock, that could formerly
have been bought fur a shilling, is now 22d. Screws and
other articles used in furniture are risen in die same pro-
portion. From the additional expense thus incurred in
furnishings, and a small rise in timber, a common bedstead
that formerly cost 30s. is risen to 2/. he cabinet-makers
will allow no hands that come from the country to work in
a shop in town Bolen they conform to their regulations.
. .

j'heie Imola are injured, and ski,' swim annovees'hat. they
have to give it up. The house-wrights, if their employer
engage what they call "groin hands," that is those from
the country, and who are not so experienced as they think
they ought to be, refuse to work with them ; and es bud-
nes* of this kind is done by contract, and within a limited
time, there is no resource for the employer but to comply,
and lismiss the hands obnoxious to the combined. Cases
of the same audsciolia interference with the choice of work-
men are constantly occurring in the various trades formed
into the monopolising plan ; and it is very easy to foresee
that unless this system is torn up by the rats, it must very
soon prove fatal to the best interests of this country. There
must be complete freedom of labour in all the ramifications
of business, to enable it to be successfully carried on for the
advantage of the employer and employed. There is no
question that those confederacies which are at present
leaping inordinate wages by excluding the well deserving
and peaceful workman from their trades, will soon bring a
terrible re-action upon themselves.—Glaegow Chronicle.
At the Shropshire and Staffordshire ironniarters quarter
slays lase week the price if iron was generally advanced
I los.; or, more correctly, the advance of lOs. agreed to it a
numerous meeting of the trade at Wolverhampton, in No-
vember last, was confirmed. Is was proposed to advance
it IJ. per ton. hut the proposition was negatived ; and under
present circumstances, and the remunerating prices now
obtained, the permanent interest of the trade is certainly
heat casulted by limiting the advance. No. I melting pigs
are advanced ins. per ton additional. The trade has been
but slightly affected by the recent " panic" in the money
market, and but a few insignificant failures have occurred in
consequence. The demand of the consumers has not been di-
minished, and a considerable exportation has taken place in
the last quarter. Although the makeof iron will probably be
increased in the present year, by the completion of many new
works and public companies now forming, yet, looking hack
the progressive increase of the demand and consumption, it
is not probable that the increased supply will lower the
price. The failure of the Birmingham hank of Messrs.
(lihbins, Smith, and Goode, whose notes had a consider-
able circulation in Stsfl'ordshire, among the ironworks and
collieries, temporarily inconvenienced some of the masters,
and caused much severe lots to many of the labouring class
who held their smaller notes, and who were least able to
I bear it. This great staple trade, however, though but
slightly affected by the recent convulsion and scarcity of
cash, in common with the whole mercantile criminality,
consider Ministers bottud to introduce into Parliament
such legislative measures as will enable an Englishman to
calculate, with some degree of certainty, on the value of
Ida property, and the means of punctually meeting com-
mercial engagements. Coal continues at its former high
price, and the presi nt severity of the weather will doubtless
maintain it.--Sl.97;.rdshire Puler.

GLASGOW COTTON MARKET, JAN. 14.—We have had
a fair demand for Cotton this week, at a decline of id. on
last week's prices. The sales amount to 962 bales, as fol-
lows:-2'3 Sea Islands, 1811. middling, 22d. fine, 12d.
stained ditto, 111 d. to ltd. good : 264 Uplands, Ted. or-
dinary. Bd. fair, sill. goal; 292 Orleans, 70. ordinary,
Stl. middling, 9tl. fair, 11d. fine ; 99 Dconeraras, lid. to
11 id. goad ; Is; Egyptians, 10141. to 11(1. fair ; 15 Cu-
mans, 10/11. fair ; 2t, Surat., 6!.d. fair.
31:NING INTELLIGENCE.—Copper ores sold at Retl-
rutli, Jan. 12, 1926, 2597 tons; average produce, tiZ ;
quantity of fine copper, 1W tons 14 cwt.; amount of
sale, 13,931/. 834—Average standard, 123/. lus.
We see by various accounts front the country that
butcher's meat is materially reduced in price ; but the
London butchers, we believe, have not yet reduced their
much too high prices.
AA the standards for the new weights and measures have
not yet arrived in this city. business of conrse is conducted
with those formerly in use. The officers of Excise, how-
ever, in their rounds, are taking the stocks, harking the
stock casks, and making all their calculations agreeably to
the new' ( rt. s ide.
CONSIDERATE TIIILVEs.—A few days since, as Mr.
Eldezton, of liingsland-green, was passing' through the
Strand, he was hustled by a gang of thieves, and imMe-
diati2ly tuisscil his pocket-bsok, which contained 16/. in
notes, and several unaccepted and otherwise unnegotiable
Ells. The latter were the next day returned as a parcel
to Mr. E.'s residence; in their original enve'ope.