The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-29 00:00:00

THE ENGINEERS' STRIKE.
MEETING OF LABOURERS.
Last night an aggregate meeting of the labourers
thrown out of employmeet through the strike in the
iron trades was held at the National Hall, High Hol-
born, to take into consideration their present position,
and to adopt such measuree for their future support as
might be deemed necessary. The meeting was con-
vened by the labourers' own committee, but the ex-
penses attendant upon it were defrayed,' we under-
stood, by the executive council of the Amalgamated
Society of Engineers, &e, No skilled workmen,
whether society or non-society men, were allowed to
take part in the proceedings ; but the attendance of
labourers was less numerous than had been an-
ticipated.
Mr. MARSTERS, on taking the chair, briefly en-
forced the necessity of. peaceable conduct.
Mr. LLOYD, in moving the first resolution, stated
that when the shops were first closed, the executive
council of the Amalgamated Society had promised to
aid in procuring subscriptions from the public, and
had with that view issued a circular, but apparently
without producing any satisfactory results, as the
labourers had only received 33. as an allowance for
the first week, while the non-society men were paid
7s. A great deal of dissatisfaction consequently arose,
and a deputation of labourers was appointed to wait
upon the executive council, to represent the
condition in which they Were placed. The
answer of the council was very peremptory—it
was, that only the subscriptions derived from the
public could be applied to their relief, as the sub-
scriptions coming from organized bodies, such as the
compositors and other trade Societies, must go to the
support of the non-society men, Another deputation
had subsequently called at the office of the Employers
Association, where they, mel, with.
ea most courteous
reception. Without even or knovving or asking their
object, Mr. Sidney Smith, accompanied by three of
the largest
employers in London, came out to
speak to them. They would not acknowledge the
deputation as such ; but advised that two labourers
from each shop should wait upon the employers to re-
present the condition in which the labourers were
placed; and they further promised to pay due atten-
tion to any written communication which might be
sent from the labourers' central committee, Yester-
day hadhanded over ls per
the executive council
. 6d .
man, but the committee, by judicious management,
paid each man 2.. Upon the merits of the dispute he
would say nothing ; but one _ thing was quite clear,
they were thrown out of workby no fault of their
own, and were in a destitute condition. How could
it be otherwise ? When in work they earned only
from 16s. to 203. per week, and they found great dif-
ficulty,out of that sum to pay m much to a friendly
society as would secure them 103. per week when
sick. However the question in dispute might be
settled, it could make no material difference to them,
and while he gave the executive council credit for all
that they had done for the labourers, with a pure
motive, there were some things which he thought
they had not done in a Ore spirit, and for which he
could give them no credit.—(Hear, hear.) In con-
clusion he moved the following resolution :
" That this meeting views with extreme regret the
unfortunate dispute between the Amalgamated Society
of Engineers and their employers, and it will therefore
exert its utmost energies to impress upon the mind of
the benevolent public the immediate necessity of contri-
buting towards the support of that large and unorganised
body of men, the labourers, who have hitherto been,
and still intend to continue, neutral upon the subject of
the strike, but who have, nevertifeless, by it been entirely
deprived of the means of support. And. it would further
d
recommend all persons favourably ispose oth e pro-
posed philanthropic object particularly to state
att
ethat their
subscriptions are for the ' labourers' list,' so that the
labourers may derive the immediate and unconditional
benefit."
Mr. ALRIDGE, on seconding the resolution, said it
was unjust to pay the non-society men 7s. per week,
while the labourers had received only as. The la-
bourers had expected to be placed on the same footing
as the others.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Newton had jus-
tified the difference in these two sums by saying that
the non-society men paid higher rents than the
labourers, and having been used to a superior mode
of living, required more nourishment.—(Shame,
shame.) Mr. Newton, at public meetings, had stated
his own side of the case, but not the side of the
labourers. It was the aggression committed upon
the masters by the demand of double overtime which
had caused the dispute, a demand with which, he be
lieved, the masters would never comply—(Hear)—and
if it had not been made, every man might have been
in work at that moment.—(Hear, hear.) The mas-
ters, whatever the Amalgamated Society might say
to the contrary, had received the deputation courte-
ously, but the Amalgamated Society were treating
the labourers most unfairly—they were, in fact; first
taking the crumb from the loaf for themselves, and
then handing to the labourers the crust, when it was
quite dry.—(Hear, hear.)
The resolution was then put, and unanimously
adopted.
Mr. EVANS, in moving the second resolution, said
the executive council of the Amalgamated Society
had shown their sympathy for the labourer by allow-
ing him 4d. seas—(Hear,
hear)—although it was
through the acts of the society that the labourers had
been thrown out.—(Rear, hear.) The movement of
engineers was not for the good of the labourers.
It bad been said that the council did not wish to put
away the labourers from the machines, but he much
doubted the truth of this denial.—(Hear, hear.) The
object Of the movement was in fact to crush the, rising
intellect of theslabourers...—(efeer, hear.) The Amal-
gamated Society, in their future documents, might
omit all reference to their less-skilled brethren, who
would endeavour to look
and had perhaps after subscriptions for them-
selvee,good sense enough to divide
them wlacn collected.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.)
He recommended an entire withdrawal from the
Amalgamated Society.—
upon the fair spirit (Cheers.) After remarking
in which the matter had been
.treated by the press, the speaker concluded by moving
the following resolution : •
"That this meeting cannot but express its firm con-
viction that the Employers'
Association have no desire
to see any of their labourers reduced to destitution, but
that the masters, both in their collective and individual
capacity, shuuld most willingly
the assist the labourers whom
pending dispute has thrown out of employment, and
it would, therefore, suggest that a petition be presented
to the Employers.' Association, for the purpose of laying
before it the position and prospects of the labourers, and
also to receive any Enna the association may think fit to
advance, while at the same
time it would recommend
thfit one labourer from each firm should wait upon their
respective employers for a like purpose."
Mr. CURZON seconded the resolution, expressing a
decided opinion that the labourers would
mepreeti with
tion
increand prospects were sympathy
fainfromthe
public when th • i-
y state .
their pos
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Several other a
central committee labourers addressed the meeting, and
Was
pinted
tions solely for the relief aeepo e
labourers.
.auou to collect subscrip-
A vote of thanks to the
proceedhigs. Chairman terminated the

Yesterday Mr. Gooch superintendent of the loco-
motive department of the Eastern Counties Railway,
visited the company's works at Stratford, and sendin
that g
for the engineering workmen into his office, stated
information had reached the directors that the
workmen were contributing a day's
,pay pay per week to-
inwards the support of•the engineers' strike, and that,
consequence, he had heen instructed to intimate
in future, would be dis-
that any man so contributing
charged.

THE LOSS OF THE-TA:-
I. AZ ON.
day
At the adjourned inquiry yesterday into the loss of
the Amazon, by the Commissioners
of,
Trade, the following evidence was h the Board of
report left : eard after our
George Webb, able seaman, was n
recapitulated his former statement. This
called. and
one of the men who were at the wheel is witness was
the accident, and he underwent a severe the time of
mination respecting his deserting that iere cross.exa-
without orders. His defence was that inVrtant post
body crowding into the boats, and he thou
saw.. every-
would be left aline in the burning ship,
especially
this, as
had lashed the tiller so that the wheel would
notbody
work,
and his remaining there longer was useless.
James Berryman, the next witness' admitted that
he had lashed the tiller without orders, while' two
men were at the wheel; his reason in
-eing that he
Bared the tire would catch the wheel or the tiller
ropes. He was also severely handled respecting his
making no attempts to assist the captain and officers
in preserving order and endeavouring to save the
passengers. Ho admitted that if the boats had been
properly handled by the crew 11 might have been saved
Wiliiam Stone, fourth engineer, and John
Lamont.
stoker, were then called, but their evidence elicited',
nothing that was not before known.
Herry • Passtnore was next examined
_.He
e con-
firmed the evidence of Mr. Neilson on Monday, to
the effect that the barque which passed them altered
her courso and passed to leeward of the burning'
vessel, not very close, but at the distence of about half
a mile. Ho did not see her after that, and he thought*
that if she had again altered her course, and stood to
windward, he would have seen her. He doubted,
however, whether she had stopped to save guy one, for