The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-12 00:00:00

Ironmasters' Quarterly Meeting.

WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday Evening.
The quarterly assemblies of the ironmasters of
this district commenced in this town to-day, under
auspices anything but favourable ; the attendance
was small, with a still less proportion of buyers, and
there was a general indisposition to do business.
The result was that as few transactions were re-
ported as ever took place on a similar occasion here,
and, although some members of the trade seemed to
anticipate that more animation will be experienced
at the Birmingham meeting, it is tolerably certain
that this will be a quiet quarter-day. Various
causes are operating to contribute to such a result.
There is scarcely any demand for finished iron on
account of America ; the Welsh makers are suc-
cessfully competing with those of South Stafford-
shire ; consumers have doubts whether the present
list prices can be maintained, and are withholding
their orders in consequence, added to which there
is the prospect of a difficulty with the puddlers and
millmen about the notices given on the 31st of
last month to reduce their wages scale. All these
influences are operating more or less prejudicially,
and the effect was the kind of stagnation ex-
perienced at this day's meeting. The orders in
hand are small for all descriptions of finished
iron, and there can be no doubt but that some
makers are glad to accept them 10s. per ton below
the list price.

The market for pig-iron is extremely slack, the
price of hot-blast, all mine, Staffordshire, is quoted
lower than it was three months ago.
In reference to the proposed reduction in the pud-
dlers and millmen's wages there have been deputa-
tions of the men employed at some of the principal
works to their employers, asking that the reductions
may be modified to 6d. per day, and 5 per cent.,
instead of is., and 10 per cent., as proposed ; but
the masters find it impossible to assent, as the rate
of wages after the proposed reduction is in operation
will be higher in proportion than the price of iron,
as the scale has been for a quarter of a century.
The probability is that the men will make a stand
for a few days and then yield. They never had less
pretence for a strike than at this moment.
It was mentioned in conversation to-day that the
will of the late Mr. Philip Williams, chairman of
the Ironmasters' Association (who died this day
three months), has been proved, and the personalty
sworn under 200,0001., the value of the real estate
is said to be about 90,0001.

n
EXTRAORDINARY' MANl—_—__ FESTATIONS.--An incom-
prehensible freak on the part of a young girl, named
Sibrey, was disclosed at the Rotherham Court House, on
Monday. The girl lately became servant in the house of a
workman at Parkgate, named Rushton, and had notex been
amina-
there long before the windows began to be broken in an
unaccountable manner. The girl pretended to be • I -
great
fear, and Rushton being unable, after repeateded
tions, to account for the damage, came to the silly conclu-
sion that his premises were haunted
police, andby a set of malicious
fairies. 110 appealed to thean officer was sent
to
hista
himself to account for the
was
as puzzledAerowd as
at length collected round the
house, and more panes being broken,
ainsi aid,e buttjo v
that they were broken byTh. stones and pieces of coal thrown
a spectator remarked
from inside the house. is, led to the tardy discovery
were those of the girlunseen" which had done all the mis-
chiefthat the "fairy hands
She could Sibrey, who was consequently
geoivnednueint,
ebhuatrgone. the intercession of her mother was dis-
charged on payinggive no reason for her strange
for the damage and the costs.—She field
Independent.

NEWs
. KApER
~,Avit*4s
.1-6:A. 63141
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t .41
The Royal H •
The half-yearly meeting of di soaty eV
yesterday at the offices in Trafalgar-square ; Mr.
Benjamin Bond Cabbell in the chair. On the
motion of the Chairman, a vote of thanks was passed
tll,ethe president, for his services
taonathseuDppoukret odfuArgy
during
h
past year, and he was re-
elected president. Mr. Bedford announced the
death of Mr. Dalton, a member of the committee,
who had bequeathed to the society the sum of 2001. ;
and, there being other vacancies on the committee,
the Dean of Westminster, Mr. Donald Nichol, and
Mr. W. Ashurst were elected to fill them. The
statement of accounts showed that the total income
of the society from all sources during the last
year was 1,5131. Os. 7d., and the expenditure,
including the rent of offices, the salaries of ice-
men, the cost of keeping up the receiving houses,
apparatus, drags, &c., had been 1,4921. 7s. Bd.,
leaving the small balance of 901. 12s. 11d. in the
bankers' hands. The report stated that during the
year 246,926 persons had bathed in the Serpentine,
and there had been 35 casualties. Since last July
123 cases had been successfully treated, while eight
were beyond recovery. Of 45 cases which had oc-
curred in Hyde-park since last July, 35 had been
successfully treated, one was beyond recovery, and
nine were found drowned. There had been eight
attempted suicides in the Park. Of the 240 general
cases which occurred during the year 232 were suc-
cessfully treated, and the remaining eight were be-
yond recovery. On the motion of Mr. Baker, the
following members of the French Humane Society
were elected honorary members of this society :
The Marquis de Bethisy, the Marquis du Plantz,
M. Chateauneuf, M. Jagbert (Sec.-General),
and the Abbe Brazier (Chaplain-General).
Silver medallions of the society for saving life were
awarded in the following cases :—To Albert Wil-
liams, for saving the lives of four persons, whose
boat was upset in St. George's Sound, Australia,
-last May ; to Philip Allier, jun., who saved the life
pf to a seaman named Samuel
a Moon,eelwdiheor saatt jereedti ;
olives—one in Zante Bay, and
the other in the Bay of Tunis ; to Mr. Corrington,
steward of her Majesty's ship Acorn, for attempting
to save the life of a private soldier in Shanghae river
last June ; to Mr. Russell Frost, for striving to save
four persons at Bude, in Cornwall ; and to Mr. F.
Hallorman, a naval cadet of her Majesty's ship
Britain, who saved his brother's life last November
under the most difficult circumstances. Thanks were
voted to the honorary officers, and the secretary,
Mr. Lambton Young, having been re-elected and
received a cordial vote of thanks, the proceedings
closed with the usual complimentary vote to the
chairman.