The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-02 00:00:00

ECLIPSES IN 1852.

Jan. 6. Total eclipse of Moon, visible at Greenwich,
begins 4h. 21m. morning; total 6h. 6m., ends at Bh.
Jan. 21. Partial eclipse of Sun, invisible at Greenwich,
begins sh. 33m. morning, ends Bh. 52m.
June 17. Partial eclipse of Sun, invisible at Greenwich,
begins 2h. 56m. afternoon, ends 7h. 2m.
July 1. Total eclipse of Moon, invisible at Greenwich,
begins lh. 37m. afternoon, ends sb. 14m.
Dec. 11 Total eclipse of Sun, invisible at Greenwich,
begins lh. 26m. morning, ends sfi. 55m.
Dec. 26. Partial eclipse of Moon, invisible at Greenwich,
begins lth. 33m. morning, ends 2h. 32m.

THE STRIKE,

AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS,

MACHINISTS, &c.

,
Last night about 200 of the members of this body
assembled at the Phoenix Tavern, Ratcliff-cross, to
celebrate the anniversary of the society.
Mr. W. ALLAN, the general secretary, having been
called to the chair, stated that they had assembled for
the purpose of commemorating the amalgamation of
a number of sectional societies which had been in ex-
istence many years. He believed there was no indi-
vidual who had taken an interest in the welfare of the
trade but would confess that the amalgamation had
effected a vast amount of good during the short time
the society had been in existence. In past times they
had been unable, owing to the disunion that there
had been amongst them, to effect the beneficial objects
which their trade required ; but he was happy to say
that they were now in a position to accomplish
enormous good, if their power were only properly
directed.—(Cheers.) In conclusion, he congratulated
the meeting upon the great gathering at the Hall of
Commerce on Tuesday evening, which he believed
had had the effect of disabusing the minds of the
public and of the press of many erroneous ideas
which they bad entertained towards the society. He
begged to propose " Prosperity to the Amalgamated
Society of Engineers and Machinists."—(Cheers.)
Mr. W. NEWTON acknowledged the toast. Whilst
all must admit the great benefits which the association
had conferred upon them, it was difficult at the pre-
sent moment to divert their attention from the great
fact of which they were at present in the midst. He
might say, however, that the predictions which he bad
ventured to make this time last year as to the success
which would attend their operations had been more
than verified to the satisfaction of every member. The
effect of the meeting in the City bad given them great
cause of hope. He was sure there were none there
who viewed with much alarm the great combination
of the employers. In many districts he knew that it
was merely laughed at, because they had had expe-
rience of those combinations before. In 1845, a com-
bination had been formed in Lancashire for the
purpo3o of carrying out one of t• • ~ • -
conspiracies which had ever disgraced the con-
dition of a working man—he alluded to the deter-
mination, if any man left a master's employ
because he was not paid sufficient fur his labour,
because he had had a dispute with the manager or
foreman, or when his employer did not wish him to
leave, to track the individual from
shop to shop by the
accursed quittance paper system, by which he would
have been driven out of every shop. The men had
succeeded in putting down that combination, and he
had it from the best authority that the men of Man-
chester took no notice and felt no excitement on the
subject of a combination among the employers, knovv-
leg that they did not possess the elements of combi-
nation amongst them, but that there was such an
inordinate love of self that if after
having pledged
themselves to one another to close their works, they
yet would upon the slightest pecuniary advantage to
be gained, break faith with one another, and throw
their pledges and their combination to the winds.—
(Cheers.) The employers, as a body, cared not one
patch for individual honour or their
plighted word,
but had sacrificed the one and broken the other over and
over again. He regretted that the employers had not
thought it desirable to attempt to settle this question
on amicable terms. The men had made overtures
in a public manner, and having done so he must
say that the men had gone as far towards concession
as it was safe for their honour to go.—(Cheers.) Mr.
Newton went on to deny that the society had ever
attempted to equalise wages, or to resist the introduc-
tion of machinery, for upon this latter subject he could
say with Wordsworth, that he rejoined to see an in-
tellectual mastery exercised over the blind elements.
He rejoiced to be able to announce, that at the great
al
totoekr looked works of Messrs. Mandalay and Field, and of the
Messrs. Rennie, the men bad that clay without excep-
tion quitted their work at the completion of their
day's labour, and so far as reports had, up to that time
been received, there had been no variation from that
huipehonniet
wthaetetehuepiiredsuthcceeirss in the
pminds
was was certain. Their society had been prosperous
hitherto, and he was sure that it would continue to be
so if they behaved as intelligent and good men. He
course.ar
tieu
called upon them to act as they had hitherto done,
unitedly, friendly, and discreetly, and he would
answer for the result.—(Cheers.)
Several other speeches followed, which protracted
the proceedings till after midnight.

METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OF SEWERS.
Yesterday, a special Court of Sewers was held at
No. 1, Greek-street, Soho, for the purpose of making a
rate of 3d. in the pound upon seven of the metropolitan
districts. Present: Mr. E. Lawes (in the chair), Sir
W. Cubitt, M.P., Sir John Burgoyne, Major Dawson,
Captain Vetch, Mr. Allason, Mr. Rendel, and Mr.
Hawes. In the Surrey and Kent district the rate would
produce 21,467/., of which sum only about 19,000/.
would in all probability be collected. The expenses
which it was necessary to meet by this rate were 20,390/.,
of which 13,220/. had been overdrawn from other dis-
tricts, and already expended. In the Wandle district
the rate would produce 8501., and the expenses which it
was necessary to meet amounted to 1,7944 15s. In
Counties Creek district the rate would realise
2,608/., which, with Uncollected arrears to the
habwitililtdies give 4,208/. to meet present
to the extent of 8,574/.
aanmdo
prospectiveamount of 1,600/ .
In the Fulham and Hammersmith district the rate would
produce 1,4451., to meet liabilities present and pro-
spective amounting to 2,037/. In the Limehouse Level
the rate would produce 195/, and the liabilities were
6481. In the Upper Limehouse Level the rate would
produce 168/. 18s. 6d., and the liabilities were 2151. In
the Tower Hamlets Level the rate would produce 1951.,
of the above-men-
tioned rates, they were unanimously agreed to, as also
havingma ted
beenliabilities
made were
any 396/. No objection
was a half-penny rate upon the Bayswater district,
made under a special Act of Parliament, the 4th and
sth Wm. IV, c. 96, :,by
ainnd writing t e es estimated
which the former commission
were enabled to construct a sower in Bayswater, and to
borrow 3,5001. for that purpose. That debt had all been
discharged, with the exception of about 800/. The
half-penny rate would realise 600/. With the view of
facilitating the collection of the rates it was resolved,
on the motion of Sir W.
,Cubitt, seconded by Major
Dawson,
that the collectors poundage should be in-
creased from 6d. to 12., on all rates collected within
four months, and 6d. for sums collected after that period.
Some business of a formal nature having been transacted,
the court adjourned.

---
THE NEW WING TOSOMERSET-HOUSE:The
whole of the excavations fur the foundations having been
completed, the lower bed was commenced yesterday for the
additional wing, about to be erected to the above edifice, and
workmen are busily employed, even working by gaslight,
in wheeling concrete from barges alongside into the intended
foundation floors, of which material they will be formed to
the extent of several feet in thickness, before any courses of
masonry will be laid down. The " diggings" nave been
carried twelve or fourteen feet below high water, and the
basement walls will be so substantially constructed as to re-
sist effectually any encroachments from strong tides, or the
overflowing of the river.