The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-22 00:00:00

THE WAGES MOVEMENT.

THE STRIKES IN THE READY-MADE CLOTHING. Best
NESS.—Very few persons out on strike belonging, to the
following trades have returned to work, the employers
refusing to make the required advance, viz., shirt and
other under-clothing makers, tailors, slopworkers, cap
and waistcoat makers, parasol and umbrella coverers,
and women's boot and shoe makers. The employers
have offered to each branch additional pay, which, how-
ever, the turnouts refuse as not being sufficiently remu-
nerative, when considered with respect to the present
high prices of provisions. For instance shirt makers re-
ceive for the most inferior work from lid. to 2d. for
each garment, and working extremely hard they can only
at the utmost earn 6d, per day, whilst for the best they
at most receive ls., the work on which is extremely
minute, and occupies the poor needlewomen fully 21
hours, being a day of twelve hours and three quarters,
which is scarcely better than the slopworker. Although
placards have been extensively posted offering an ad-
vance, few of the strike hands intend to go in until the
full amount of wages applied for is granted.
THE STRIKES OF PLASTERERS, &c.—The plasterers
and others connected with the building trade, who had
struck for an advance of 10 per cent. on their wages,
have returned to work, the masters and contractors
having complied with the demand ; the consequence
that is the works at several new buildings, which had
been stopped, and workmen in other branches discharged,
have been resumed, and are now progressing rapidly.
THE DYERS' STRIKE AT MANCHESTER.—A reward of
201. has been offered for the discovery of a person who
threw a large paving-stone at Mr. Crabtree, a master
dyer, as he was passing along Ancoats-street, on Mon-
day evening. Fortunately, the offender missed his aim,
and Mr. Crabtree escaped without injury. The city
magistrates yesterday felt themselves compelled to make
an example of a respectably dressed woman, who threw
a stone at the son of an operative dyer, and called him
a " knobstick," by committing her to hard labour for
14 days. Although the strike has now lasted 11 weeks,
and the dyers have only received 2,0001. in subscrip-
tions, they declare their intention to persevere.
GLASGOW.—STRIKE OF THE CABMEN.—On Monday
morning the greater number of the Glasgow cabdrivers
and strappers struck work for an advance of wages.
Their weekly wage, at present, averages from 12s. to
135., although it is pretty well understood that they
manage to increase their income by gratuities. They
demand 3s. a week above their present allowance, and
if this were to represent the whole amount of their earn-
ings, no one, we should think, would grudge it to them.
The employers have, for the most part, conceded the
demand in the meantime, but we hear it said that they
will take an early opportunity to free themselves from
a claim, the concession of which has been forced upon
them. Some inconvenience was felt at the 'railway
stations in the morning from the absence of the cabs,
but the traffic was resumed in the course of the day.—
Scottish Guardian.
JOURNEYMEN CARPENTERS.—A. meeting of the above
body of operatives, amounting to at least 150, took
place at the Royal George Inn, Salop-street, on Monday
evening. Mr. G. Whittall was unanimously voted to
the chair. Several speeches were made by the men, ex-
pressive of dissatisfaction at the present low rate of
wages, and a resolution proposed by Mr. Adams, ex-
pressive of their determination to obtain an increase of
sixpence per day, was received with a universal shout,
and carried unanimously. The meeting was then ad-
journed for one week, when it is appointed to meet at
the same place. The operatives were much more orderly
than on any former occasion, and many of them stated
their unwillingness to come to any strike, yet stated their
determination to come to that important step rather
than work at the present rate of remuneration. It is
expected at the next meeting that a delegate, either
from Manchester or Nottingham, will be in attendance
to explain the steps that have been taken for obtaining
anincrease of wages in those towns.— Wolverhampton
.Herald.

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.

There are few objects in social and domestic economy
of more importance in this northern clime of ours than
the production of a cheap and
the o
good
Ye=terday there was a seance at fficearotfifithci light.
eale
Metro
polis Light Company, 447, West Strand, when Mr.
Clark explained and illustrated his mode of illuminating
light-houses and lighting the Houses of Parliament. He
stated that the light-houses on our coast, which are
under the control of the Trinity House, yield a revenue
of about 300,0001. per annum, of which about 100,000/.
is spent in lighting. The mode of lighting generally
adopted is by using oil lamps with three concentric
rings. This, Mr. Clark stated, was a great waste, the
inner rings not having a due supply of oxygen, and con-
sequently giving forth a lurid blaze, which darkens
the light produced by the outer ring and burns much
oil to no purpose. He proposes to have one ring
only, and, instead of revolving lights to have stationary
lights, the lanterns having hexagonal sides, one side
being of coloured glass, by means of which the mariner
will have a clear denoting point. His plan involves
the removal of the ribbed glass at present in use
in light-houses and the substitution of transparent
glass, and he calculates that under his system the cost
of maintaining light-houses will not be more than one-
third the present cost, and that the lights will be
much more efficient than those now in use. The mode
of lighting the House of Commons has been changed
several times. At present it is lighted from the roof, the
light passing through ground glass in panels, the lights
me.- I being from three concentric rings, the same as used in
Mr. FENTON seconded the motion, that this report be ' lighthouses. To obviate the heat at present engendered,
approved. and which it was explained was caused by the use of
Mr. MEIKLEHAM wished to know how much the corn- powerful and thick reflectors, Mr. Clark proposes to use
pany would be out of pocket by the Slateford accident ? reflectors of a thin-spun metal with a white surface per-
The CHAIRMAN—Not over 7001. or 8001. in all. forated so as to allow the heat to ascend. He also pro-
Mr. MEIKLEHAM inquired, how it was that the report poses to use his single ring burner, which gives a greater
did not contain a notice of motion to discontinue Sun- light, and that the light should pass through ribbed
day traffic? glass into the house. These improved reflectors, he
The CHAIRMAN said, that the directors were not corn- states, would not give off any heat into the house, and
pelled by the act to entertain that notice of motion, and i inasmuch as light in passing through ground glass loses
they had declined doing so. Two-thirds of the share- 33 per cent. of its power, it would only be necessary, in
holders were English, and they were determined, if the order to produce an equal amount of light in the house,
Sunday question was renewed every half-year, to urge to produce a light equal to 67 percent. of that now pro-
the propriety of running Sunday pleasure trains. The' danced, and consequently the amount of beat generated
directors asked them not to press such a motion, which, would be so far lessened. Some ingenious improve-
if they did, they would unquestionably carry, so that it ments in table lamps were also exhibited, and a curious
would be seen those who were against the running of fact was stated, that since the Great Exhibition French
any trains on Sunday, by pressing their views, were moderator lamps to the value of upwards of 100,0001. a
likely to injure the cause they espoused. For this year have been imported into this country ; and several
rea.on the directors had not entertained the notice of 1 kinds of lamps were shown which were stated to be, and
motion. I as far as we could judge from a cursory inspection are,
Mr. PrEurranat—Under the circumstances I must , improvements on those ordinarily in use.