The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-30 00:00:00

THE CAB STRIKE.

Fortunately for their own interests, the cab proprie-
tors are returning to their senses. At 11 o'clock last
night the committee of the trade came to a resolution—
" That, having observed that certain amendments had
been proposed to the Hackney Carriage Act, they took
the opportunity of earnestly recommending their fellow-
tradesmen to return to their usual avocations." The
effect of this prudent determination is, that Londoners
are to-day again in possession of their usual facilities
for locomotion. Had the cab proprietors not given way,
the public were preparing for them a heavy retaliation.
The inconvenience caused by the strike, from its sudden-
ness, was being rapidly met. At all the railway stations
vigorous and successful measures had been adopted to
get over the difficulty that had arisen. The class of peo-
ple who hire cabs were not very likely to succumb to
the sort of pressure put upon them, and the supply of
hired vehicles of all kinds was so abundant that for the
objects of the strike it was plainly perceived that, if con-
tinued, the omnibus proprietors must have joined in it.
This, of couse, was a desperate step to take, and when
fairly driven to contemplate it, the resolution of the
committee failed them. Now that the combination is at
an end, the proceedings at the meetings of the trade yes-
terday lose much of their importance, but they still pos-
sess a good deal of interest ; and the report which is
subjoined, while it throws some fresh light upon the
character of these strikes, may at the same time help the
public and the Legislature to see how such inconvenience
as has been experienced in the metropolis for the last
three days may be prevented in future.
In the course of yesterday a numerous meeting of cab-
owners was held at the Cranbourne-hotel, Cranbourne-
street, for deliberation and information, Mr. Coulter in
the chair.

Mr. HIDER, who on the previous day reported the re-
sult of the deputation to Mr. Fitzroy, :stated to the
meeting, that after delivering the report he had re-
turned to the House of Commons, and been there intro-
ducel to several members, one of whom, a very itifluentia-
man, in a position to do much that the trade required,
he had promise to see again that day. In the mean-
time he asked the meeting to take into consideration the
altered position in which they were placed by the con-
cessions (he hoped the gentlemen of the press would not
take the word " concessions"), the meant the amend-
ments introduced in the House of Commons last night.
(Hear, hear.) He must express his idea, as to the posi-
tion which the Government would be in if it were sup-
posed that they had made a " concession."- They could
not, in fact, do such a thing. It would compromise their
dignity, and they themselves, if they returned to work,
would not respect a Government which had yielded to
demands made of them. (Hear, hear.) True, it was
for every man to stick up for his rights, but not to go to
the Government and demand those rights. He was not
a politician, but only a cabman, and he recommended the
meeting during Ins absence to take into consideration
' the new clauses, and see whether, if they were adopted,
they could live under them. (Hear, hear.) They only
wanted to live. (Cheers.) Let them apply the amend-
ments to the position in which they were before the act
was an act at all, and they would gain time by a quiet
discussion. ' (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Hider then quitted the room for the Parliament-
ary interview to which he had alluded.
Several proprietors said they would not go to work
without the ls, for the first hiring, if they kept idle for
two months.
Mr. BEADLE.—Are you willing to keep your cabs at
home ?

PROPRIETORS (unanimously).—Yes, yes.
Mr. BEADLE. —The bill cannot be read a third time till
Monday, but, if we oen get the mppeed, I, for one, shalt
hold up my hand for going to work.
MANY PROPRIETORS.—No, no. We must have the
shilling for the first hiring.
And with this decision the meeting adjourned till the
evening.

At f;o'clock the adjourned meeting took place, and
was far more numerously attended than that in the
morning.

Several persons addressed the meeting, and it was an-
nounced that several hundred pounds had been collected
towards the fund which was being raised to provide for
those injured by the strike. Among the donors was Mr.
John Collett, late M.P. for Athlone, who sent a cheque
for 101. 103.