The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-13 00:00:00

CO.IIBINAriox AND RIOr OF WORKMEN
IN FRANCE.

The commune of Houlme, situated in the va Rouen, Aue.lley7.
of
Deville, has become the theatre of a ret•olt hitherto witholit
/thexample. For some time past the workmen employed in
e numerous cotton manufactories in this valley demand-
es! an increase of wages. They did riot hesitate to employ
violence, in order to fix at their own rate the price of
every kind of work, end to overthrow entirely the rules
esteblished up to the present time in these manufactories.
Some mnater cotton-spinners were Weak enough to give
way to their menaces. M. Levavasseur, one of them, be-
lieved it was dangerous to yield to their measures ; and af-
ter having !satisfied those demands which appeared to
him just, he refused to submit to dictation. It was thus ,1
that the revolt declared itself, which had been organized '
fee some time past by conspirators, who happily have been
market!.
On Thursday last the workshops were deserted at a
given signal. Express orders were given to the workmen I
who had taken no part in this affair to discontinue their
labour, and such was the terror inspired that no otte dared
to ills:they. A purse had previously &en made up in all
the manufactories for those workmen who, in default of
work, should be left without resources.
On the following day the workmen formed themselves
into parties, and did nct proceed further than to make
menacing demonstrations; but on Saturday, being pay-
day, the proprietor of the manufactory whose men were in i
a state of revolt, having repaired to the usual places for,'
paying his workmen, the coalition assumed a more serious '
character. A vast number of workmen belonging to the
different manufactories of the valley, provided with staves
and clubs, made an attempt on the Jife of M.-Levavasseur,
who, hewevcr, escorted by the gendarmes
that ocean-
ponied him, returned to his house safe and sound.
The tame evening, a crowd of seven or eight hundred
workmen proceeded to the manufactory and broke all the
windows of the ground floor and of the first story, after
having broken and thrown down the walls of the enclosure.
.4 detachment of the Royal Guard, who were in garrison
in Rotten, and who were despatched to the place, succeeded
in stopping the further cecesset, of these madmen, who'
would have destroyed from top to bottom one of the finest
establishmentS of the valley.
Ili, Akjesty's Procureur, informed of what had taken
place, proceeded thither yesterday, accompanied by a Ma-
gistratte After depositions had been received from various
persons, It was manifest that scenes of a still more violent
description_ were meditated. The workmen of all the fac-
tories in tile valley, and even those of Darnetal, Pavilly,
and Barentin, were to assemble at Houlme, and proceed to
the place of revolt. Every thing was to be feared from the
excesses to which this furious multitude would TWoceed.
Unforturtately these anticipations were realised; there was
a concourse of some thousands of workmen : early in the
11110 Thing they dispersed themselves in the neigltbouring
smeds, from whence, as it seemed, they intended to direct
their attacks. The armed force remained on the grouted to
mist the attack, with which the factory of M. Levivasseur ,
.14411111111 Ceil ; but a detachment of gendarmes, and two''
companies of the Royal Guard, were insufficient to repel
this Inns of rioters.
By the help of the stones, sticks, and pitchfork, with
which they were armed, they managed to make head
Alipilast the soldiers. Some workmen, armed with muskets,,
Jemmied in the woods, even fired upon the militate%
ad a gendarroe, who was remarkable by his intrepid,
exertions to quell the riot, received a ball in his head. Hit'
life is despaired of. Other gendarmes, and some soldiers
belonging to the Guards. were wounded more or less se'
verely by the stones which fell in showers from all quarter,
and by the blows which were aimed at them by sticks.
At length the arrival of a new detachment of the Garde
Royale pet an end to this contest, which might have been
more bloody, but for the energy displayed by the autho-,
rities of Rouen. The gendarmery havest returned into
the town, bringing with them upwards fiferty workmen,.
Oaken in the midst of the rioters, with arms in their hands.
Justice is upon the track of the culprits, and every thing
announces that a severe example will be giren.
. Note.—lt is ascertained that, to day, other scenes of de-
%gelation have occurred in the Communes of Pavilly, Ea-
rentin and Desville, by the workmen of the cotton maim-
factories.
The Prefect of the Department has proceeded to the
valley of Deville, and has taken such measures as prudence
snggested to be necessary under circumstances of so grave
a nature..--Etinle.

AWFUL TXUNDER STORM' AT LITER,
_ _

---ses.----
On Friday morning last, about two o'cleck, this town
was visited by one of the most awful thunder storms ever
experienced here. Two claps, in particular, were most
terrific, and made the stoutest heart tremble. The first
'occurred at a quarter before two o'clock,
• When mankind were wrapt in seep,
And,
worldly Fancy fed on golden dreams."
The thunder burst forth with the most sublime yet terrific
grandeur. The clap was so loud that it awoke almost
every inhabitant. IVe have heard the peal compared to
,the sudden crash of falling houses; but it resembled
kI snore the discharge of a heavy piece or rather pieces of
ordnance, immediately under your window. The light-
ning which preceded the second peal was so vivid as to de-
prive of sight, for a few moments, any one who had the
temerity togaze upon its dazzling and appaling brightness:
it was just as if a glowing sheet of flame had passed before
the eye of the beholder. The whole town was seen as in a
blaze of the meridian sun. The 'fawn of Liverpool steam-
packet was on her passage from Dublin at the moment,
and the Captain describes the lightning as having been tbe
most awful and terrific he ever beheld. The thunder ims
mediately broke forth, not with a rumbling noise, as during
ordinary thunder storms, but in one loud tremendous
clap, shaking the very buildings to their foundations, and
striking terror and dismay into all who heard it. The
rain, during this time, descended in torrents. The light-
ning which succeeded the second terrific clap was but weak,
compared with the sublime grandeur of the flash by which
it was preceded. The thunder also became feeble, and
soon muttered and died away in the distance.
As is usual after any awful visitation of nature, a variety
of rumours of the damage produced by this storm of thun-
der and lightning were in circulation ; but we have not
learnt that any very serious injury, as respects eitherper-
son or property, has been sustained in the town or neigh-
bourhood. A respectable man, who lives In a street leading
from St. James s-street to Wapping, states that he was
awake before and during the atom. His bed-room win-
dow commands a rather extensive view to the north and
Northwest. He says that; the window-blind being drawn
up, he saw, the instant the second terrific flash took place,
something resembling a ball of fire, about as large as a
foot-ball, come over Sparling-street, in the direction of his
house. He trembled with fright, conceiving that he could
not escape the swift destruction which was approaching.
The house, which stands alone, slightly, but perceptibly
vibrated as the electric fluid passed by; and the bed on
which he lay moved as if violently shaken. This awful
phenomenon was also beheld by a person who lives on the
opposite ride of the street, and whose bed-room window
commands a slew in dweller* direction as the house of his
neighbour. He had given the inmates up for lost, so am-
sicced was he that th electric fluid, from the direction in
which I*ssw it aur , would strike and destroy the
opposite house. For y, however, it passed over the
building without cau any injury, and continued its
course towards the son t. '1 he Town-hall is, we be-
lieve, Qie only building that experienced even a slight in-
jury. It must, apparently, have been enveloped in the
electric fluid ; which appears to have made the circuit of
the dome within the stone balustrade, where there are four
ked pipes at intervals to convey the water from the domej
down upon the foot-walk of .the balustrade. About six
inches from the bottom of this walk, the fluid appears to
have gone wholly round close to thu dome, and flattened
each of the lead pipes, leaving the appearance as of •
bullet, two inches diameter, having been forced between
each pipe and the donne, then passed inside the lantern,
;and came out through the upper part of the window
(breaking seven panes of glass) into Castle-street. The
sign of a public-house, in Great Crosshall-street, has been,
discoloured, by the action, it is imagined, of the electric'
fluid. The iron-work to which an artificial bunch of grapes
is suspended, was supposed to have been bent by the same
powerful agency; but this appears a mistake, the bend
having, it is evident, been made by the blacksmith who
manufactured it.—Liverpool Courier.

. . .
•
PRE AAIERIV:IN Jr,- xr Nu CO& PA XII' S.
___„,„„.
The circumstance of the numerous Mining Companies
already.organietel and in progress in the different sections
of the New World, and the continued increase of their
number, must naturally attract the attention of every
person who has in airy degree studied the science of Poli-
tical Economy. , The natural consequences of so much
English capital and skill being embarked in these enter-1
prices, will obtiously be the pneluetiorl of a much larger
quantity of the precious metals than heretofore. That this
greatly increased production will deteriorate!, the value of
money is as little to be doubted as, that when a harvest
liaa been particularly productive, or a large importation of
grain has taken place, the price of corn will be Consider-
ably reduced. The question, then, as regards the public
utility of these Mining Associations, is, whether a great
increase of bullion imported into Europe is likely to be
attended with beneficial effects to the community at large,
or otherwise. In considering this question which is doubt-
less one of very great importance, we mat bear steadily in
Mind the maxim, that the interests of th'e minority should
yield to those of the majority. Thercean leg no doubt that
while the great and leading interests of the State, the land-
ed, agricultural, commercial, and manufacturing interests,
will no doubt be greatly benefited by the increase of the
precious metals. Persona of fixed incotnes, arising from
mortgages or the funds, being obliged to pay out of a li-
mited sum a higher price for the necessaries and conveni-
ences of life, will he, to the extent of the depretiation of
the currency, sufferers by the change. But if we look to
the general benefit which will result from the abundance'
of money, and consequent high prices, not .liereafter liable
to the pernicious fluctuations which occurred during the
paper circulation of the Bank of England, and also at the
small number of annuitants as compared with the umer-
ous classes of persons engaged in the four great interests
above enumerated; though we cannot help regretting that
any part in the community should suffer in cense(iuenee of
the prosperity of the rest, it would be carrying our sym-
pathy a little too far were we to desire that no additional
importation of bullion should take place, lest a few indivi-
duals should thereby have their incotnes reduced, because
the inconvenience they may experience will bear no propor-
tion to the benefit accruing to the kingdom as a nation, as
well as to the great mass of its population.
That the increased production of the precious metals in
the New World will 'be immediate, there seems to be no
reason to doubt, but that its effects will not be materially
felt in Europe for many years may he inferred from the
fidlowing facts :—ln 1809 the Revolution commenced in
Mexico (where more than four-fifths of all the silver raised
in tire New World was produced). It has been calculated
that at that period from 36 to 40 millions of dollars worth
of silver was raised annually, including the quantity smug-
gled off in bars, upon which no duty was paid. 'I his vast
quantity diminished in two years to nearly one-tenth, and
taking an average of the silver coined in the royal mints of
Mexico, between 1810 and 18'23, am seen by the official
tables published in Sir Wm. Adams's (now Sir Wm. Raw-
sod's) pamphlet " On the actual state of the Mexican
mines,' it appears that not one-fifth of the produce prior
to 1810 has been produced since that date. It follows
therefore that! four-fifths of the Mexican mines must be
pia into activity before the production of silver can be re-
stored to its former state. This is by no means an easy
operation to effect, when we recollect that Baron Hum-
boldt enumerates the valuable mints of Mexico at about
three thousand in number!
Having, however, overcome this impediment to pro-
duction, we must next endeavour to ascertain . the
amount of defalcation of the precious metals, arising from
the long cessation of mining iedustry. In his admirable
work on high and low prices, p. 382, Mr. Tooke quotes the
opinion of Mr. Jacob upon this point, who estimated the'
deficiency at 72,000,0001. Now to put four-fifths of all
the Mines of the New World into their former activity,
by freeing them from water, constructing the requisite ma-
chinery, smelting-houses &c., the greater of which must
necessarily, during the I;stititeen years, have fallen into
decay, and afterwards to produce 72,000,0001. beyond the
newel animal production, which is necessary, in order to
place the quantity of the precious metals upon the footing
it would have been had there beeu no Revolution in South
Anntrica, is obviously not the work of a day, or even a few
yenta. Therefore as no inconvenience was felt from over
production prior to 1810, while the precious metals were
senteo Europe annually in the quantities then produced, it
is qvite clear that we are not likely to suffer much from a
superflux Of money, until the quantity exceeds that which
would have reached Europe, had there been no check to
mining indufiy in the New World. Other causes will,
also co-operatetr in putting off the evil day to the annuitants.'
The New World itself has suffered for the want of bullion
in a much greater degree than any part of Europe. There-
fore, until the new States have a sufficient curren
established, a less quantity will find its way to Europe. A
vast consumption of silver also takes place in Sheffield anal
Birmingham, in our manufactures. From these cause,
combined, we may look forward to a very distant period,
before the woful time arises, when we shall 6nd silver
too plentiful in Europe for the purposes of currency.
Long before that (lay arrives, the present annuitants will
have ceased to feel any regret for so mundane a concern,
whilst in all transactions in future, the depreciated value
of money will doubtless be taken into due consideration.
_-.„..,„.....„2„...............
[From the London Price Current. Aug 1] COTTON.—There have been considerable export o 2.rders in town
for some time past, but they are so limited as to prices that they I
firm,
cannoand Cott ons at be executed
et present
higher to any
prices extent
th ; thithe currency s market continues
the
an e
outports. The letters from Liverpool this morning state the alarm
as to failures had rather subsided, and there was again a great dis-
position to purchase Cottons. On Wednesday 10.000 to 12,000
bags were sold, of which 8,000 were Egyptian, at 12d,
SUGAR.—An extensive sale of Must:ovules on Tuesda ban
eminent merchant, had the effect of damping the market; in
se-
vera! instances Sugars were sold on lower terms; since that time
the request has improved, and the market has regained the farmer'
currency. The Refined market was rather heavy in the early part;
of the present week; this morning, however, the demand appears
reviving; and scarcely any brown lumps could be purchased at ,I
88s. lid.; tine goods are also more inquired after, end are fully ail
high as last week. Molasses 325. A cargo of Havant:eh Segues,
about 1000 chests, reported sold, but the prices have not transpired;
yellow may be elated 405. a 413., white 635. a Hs.; Broil whits,
445. a Oa. By public gale this forenoor, 2,6,10 bags Mauritian
Sugars sold Is. 6d. a 2s. above the lust sale rices; brown and yr.
Low 645. a flBs. 6d.p
COFFEE.—The Coffee market continues to improve ; the pub.
I lie sales go off with briskness, at rather higher prices, and theta
appears to be an extensive sepeculative demand for Foreign Coffee;
i St. Domingo at Os. : Brazil 61s. Gd. a eds. Gd. There were two
ectositlerab!e public sales this forenoon, mostlyßritishPlantation.l cc, which sold at very full prices t some tine fine ordinary Cubs
1
b. The Coffee market is firm and improving ; there is an eaten.'
Ilkpue speculative demand for Coffees St. ,Domieg. coald seared,
rchesed at the clove of the market under 625. 6d. for parcels,
Rj. 7 I{.l, BRANDY, end 1101,LANDS.—There are rather more
pile= °toftehroadlit foroo tole
laltoe 7t,hooi s 0 week,pureheenodn st,hehasi;e"eu;ianteed°"'sliouhroeadri.vpo.re.
!skim to effect sales, but only at full market prices ; it is still da-
-1
' cult to purchue Leeward' motifs at 25.; the fine Jamaica Rums
are not so moth inquired after for home consumption i_ 90 to 31
over 3s. a 3s. 3d.; favourite marks 3s, dd. a 3s. till. Brandy is
firm, bat there is tittle business doing; the new housed 3s. Id. The
prices of Geneva have advanced In Holland, but there is little vs-
riation hero; off the quay sales at is. 10d.; the quotation of pale
Is. Ind. a 2e.
HOPS.—The accounts fVom the Bop districts ends the plant
quite black, and too late to recover ; the vermin are dead ; the only
appearance of • crop area few Dope at the ea:remit:es ; the prices
of the market are little varied.
TOBACCO.—The sales of Tobacco this week are confined to
email parcels of five and ten lihds. to the trade and to maaufac-
tureneat very full prices.
TALLOW and /10.11P.-7allow is heavy; the new Ws, 84.
975. Hemp at 31.

The celebrated optician, Sfrayel, of Bale, has just fi-
nished an improved telescope, 64 feet long. It is said that
with the aid of this enormous inatrurnent several learned
perions have been enabled to discover animated beings,
roads, monuments, and temples in the moonc--Brumis
Paper.
The following paragraph from a Brussels Journal will
be news in this country :---A journeyman baker of London
has just gained, by lottery, the herony of Forkleschen, in
the principality of Anspach, and is nowjh possession of
lto,ooo francs. The first use be made of his riches was to
buy 70,000 loaves of rye bread, which he distributed to the
poor, with a pot of beer to each.
There lives at present at Marseilles an old and skilful
watchmaker; eto, to put his conscience on a level with his
work, charges one franc for every hour's work, let it be
what it may. A short time back he refused to
take snore
than one franc fifty centimes for the repair of a watch,
which elsewhere would have cost more than six francs. Ile
aecounted for his refusal, when questioned, by saying that
the repair had only taken him an hour and a half.