The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-08 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—With this I send a concluding letter from
the Astronomer Royal on the subject of the recent
magnetic storms,

With regard to the Atlantic Telegraph Cable, I
am sorry to say there is nothing at this time to re-
port beyond what has already been published and
discussed in your columns.—l am, Sir, very truly
yours,

GEO. SAwARD, Secretary and General
Superintendent.
Atlantic Telegraph Company, 12, St. Helen's-
place, Bishopsgate -street Within, E.C., Aug. 7.

"Royal Observatory, Greenwich, Aug. 7, 11 a.m.
" Dear Sir,—Mr. Glaisher's communication of
yesterday (Sunday, Aug. 6) will have put you in
complete possession of the state .of the magnetic
currents to 10 a.m. on the morning of Sunday,
August 6. Since that time the changes have been
as follows :

" From 10 a.m. on Sunday, August 6, the indica-
tion of magnetic disturbance in all directions gra-
dually diminished, and at 3 a.m. of this morning,
Monday, August 7, they may be considered as
having regained their ordinary and normal character:
" The spontaneous earth currents on the Dartford
line had so far lost their violence and irregularity
that their trace on the self-registering apparatus is
perfect after 10 a.m. on Sunday, August 6. The
spontaneous currents on the Croydon line were
stronger ; their violence and irregularity, however,
abated about noon on Sunday, and from that time
there has been continuous register.

" I do not propose to make further communication
to you unless some new disturbance should present
itself.

"In conclusion, I would remark that from the
beginning of the magnetic storm on Wednesday,
August 2, at noon, to its termination on Sunday,
August 6, about 10 a.m., I do not think it possible
that a telegraphic signal can have passed through
the Atlantic cable ; or that any experiment can
have valid information as -to the interruption or
failure in insulation of the wire. Since Sunday
morning, August 6, at 10 a.m., I should think that
signals would pass, and that legitimate inferences
may be drawn from the ordinary test experiments.
—I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,
" G. B. AIRY."

Great Shipwright Strike at Sunderland.
The whole of the shipwrights employed in the various
large wood, " combination," and iron shipbuilding yards
which line the banks of the River Wear, turned out "on
strike" on Saturday last. Shipwrights are largely em-
ployed in the construction of iron vessels, as well as in
"combination" (i.e., wood and iron) ships, and the number
between 1,600 and 2,000 men, independent of foremen and
apprentices. All of them are members of a trade " combi-
nation, the "Shipwrights' Union," and the " strike," being
promoted by the Union, is, of course, a general ono.
The question in dispute is not one of wages, but of
time. The men receive ss. 6d. a day, equal to 385. a-
week, but are subject to "broken time," from wet
and stormy weather. Their hours are from six a.m. to
six p.m. the first five days of the week, and from six a.m.
to four p.m. on Saturdays. Oa the 25th July the secretary
of the Shipwrights' Union forwarded a circular to each
master, requesting that on and after the 7th of August the
hour of ceasing work should be five p.m. from Monday to
Friday inclusive, Saturday to remain as before. At the
'same time the ship joiners, another large body of men,
through the secretary of their association, made a similar
request. The consideration of both proposals was discussed
at meetings of the masters'association during the past week.
At the last meeting, on Wednesday evening, which was
largely attended by the shipbuilders, it was determined that
the present state of the trade was such, building being so
unremunerative, that it was impossible to comply with the
request of the men to alter whit have always been the
established hours of the port, and it was unanimously re-
solved to resist the demand. The result of the meeting
was communicated to the Shipwrights' Union, and on
Friday night a counter meeting of the society men was
held in Bethany, U.P. Chapel. The meeting was tho
largest of working men held in Sunderland for some years,
and was for taking into consideration the answer given
by the masters. Great dissatisfaction was expressed
by the men at the delay of ten days between sending
the notice and receiving an answer; and at the terms
in which the answer was couched, treating the notice
as a "demand," and not as a "request" After a
lengthy discussion a resolution was unanimously passed
to the effect, " That all the shipwrights on the river should
refuse to commence operations on Monday, unless the
masters determined to accede to the request." In the
meantime, should the strike be of long continuance, it must
prove disastrous both to the men and the small class of
shipbuilders. The trade of the port, which depends so
much upon shipbuilding, will also suffer, as it is fully
expected the joiners will follow the example of the ship-
wrights. Many of the builders are under contracts to
finish their vessels within specified periods ; and the men,
knowing this, have taken this opportunity of holding out
for the reduction of hours.
A second meeting was held in the Bethany Chapel, Red-
worth-terrace, Sunderland, on Saturday night, when it
was resolved that the shipwrights engaged on wood-work
only should turn out, and that those employed on iron ves-
sels should remain in. We understand that Messrs. Oswald
and Mr. Robson have acceded to the request of the men,
and their workmen will resume their work this (Monday)
morning. It is fully anticipated that the other masters will
give in this morning.—Newcastle Daily Journal.

MARKETS—This Day.