The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-21 00:00:00

THE ENGINEERS' STRIKE.

Last night a meeting of the Executive Council of the
Amalgamated Society of Engineers, &c., took place at
the offices, Little Alie•street, Whitechapel, to receive
reports from the different branches, and determine upon
any steps which it might be necessary to take conse-
quent upon the present state of affairs in the society.
Mr. ALLAN, the general secretary, stated for the infor-
mation of the council, that although the time originally
appointed for the returns of votes upon the co-operative
grant of 10,0001. from the general fund of the society bad
that day expired, returns from only 72 branches out of
120 had arrived at the office; he was, however, glad to
state that, with the exception of those from three small
branches, the returns received were in favour of the pro-
position of the council; in fact, the votes in 69 out of the
72 districts referred to were returned as almost unani-
mous upon the point.
No active steps, it was understood, could be taken with
regard to the establishment of the co-operative shop
until the receipt of the returns from the other branches,
which are expected to arrive iu a few days.
Mr. ALLAN also stated that he had received informa-
tion from Liverpool that the firm of Fawcett and Co.
had given notice of their intention to discharge the
society men in their employ at the end of the present
week; and further, that Mr. M'Gregor, of the Vulcan
Works, had issued a document, pledging his workmen
to renounce all connexion with the Amalgamated So-
ciety, and that them who refused to sign it would be dis-
charged on Saturday.

The result of these notices, we understand, will be to
throw out of employment many additional hands,
A donation of 10/. from Mr. Coningham, a gentleman
of fortune, residing at Brighton, accompanied by the
following letter, was handed in by the secretary :
" 20, Sussex-square, Brighton, Jan. 20.
" Sir,—l am convinced that you will have the moral
support of the public, whatever may be said to the con-
trary, in a movement to limit the hours of toil for the
operative, whose bodily strength is his only patrimony.
"An adjustment of the system of piecework is a
more complicated question; but if the employers as well
as the employed be sincere in their desire to arrive at
an equitable solution, then a fair adjustment may b•
made.
" When the masters' in their statement' say—' We
claim, and are resolved to assert, the right of every
British subject to do what we like with our own,' they
appear to have forgotten that property or capital has its
duties as well as its rights; and that the rights of the
poor and the rights of the rich are reciprocal privileges;
the former being the condition on which the latter are
enjoyed.
" As a proof of my sympathy for your cause, I beg to
forward 101. to the fund of the Amalgated Society of
Working Engineers, &c., and to state that, if a co-opera-
tive association bo formed, I shall be prepared to take
some shares in it.

" I am, Sir, yours obediently,
"wit.CONINGIUM.
" To Mr. Allan, Secretary of the
Amalgamated Society, &c."
Reports were received from various branches, show-
ing the members to be firm to their previous determina-
tion to uphold the movement, and the receipt of a large
amount of contributions was announced.
It was also determined that a public meeting in con-
nection with the movement should next week be con-
vened in the largest available building in the metro-
polis.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.—In addition to the men con-
nected with the Amalgamated Society in the employ-
ment of Messrs. Fawcett and Preston, the eminent en-
gineers of this town, who last week received notice to
quit their work, those of Messrs. Forrester and Co.,
Vauxhall Foundry, were waited upon, on Saturday, by
Mr. M`Gregor, the manager, requiring them to sign
a memorial pledging themselves to abstain from giving
any countenance or aid to the parties on strike is other
districts. The men in Liverpool, it must be borne in
mind, have taken no active part in this dispute, the evils
complained of elsewhere not being practised in this dis-
trict. In accordance with Messrs. Forrester's demand,
the following memorial has been resolved upon, and a
meeting of the society was hold last night at their club-
room for the deputation who had waited upon Messrs.
Forrester to communicate the result.

" TO W. L, M`GREGOR, ESQ.
" Sir,—We the members of the Amalgamated Society
of Engineers, in your employ, beg a state that we have
no intention or wish of altering the present rules and
regulations between ourselves and our employers, nor is
it the intention or wish of the Amalgamated Society, of
which we are members, to ask for any alteration in the
present rules which govern the shops of the Liverpool
district, owing to the peculiar situation of this port re-
specting West Indian and shipping orders.
" We are, Sir, &c.,
" MEMBERS OF THE AMALGA MATED SOCIETY."

It was announced to the meeting last night that
Messrs. Forrester were not satisfied with the memorial,
but required the men to leave the society altogether.
This demand was held, however, to be unreasonable, as
compelling them to give up benefits :'t.vf cases of want of
work, sickness, old age, or death, for which many of
them had been paying during the greater part of their
lives; and unless the employers re-co:asider their deter-
mination—which, from the good feeling existing, it is
hoped they will do—the men must leave work at the end
of this week.
A deputation was appointed to present a similar me-
morial to Messrs. Fawcett and Co. t. )-day or to-morrow.
Sixteen men in Messrs. Forrester', s, and eighteen in
Messrs. Fawcett's employ, are deeply interested, with
their families, in the result.
Of about sixty workmen in the employ of Messrs.
Ransomer and May, who are menabi as of the Amalga-
ted Society, thirty still remain sit work.—lpswich
Express.

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An innkeeper at Yarmouth In i 3 been committed
for trial on a charge of cheating at car as in his own house.
When detected, he WM playing at pribloge
161. the
Pine.