The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 12, 1853.

ther or not at all, and the extension to Elgin wag' in-
sisted, on. The great matter which the committee sought
in the meantime to accomplish was to make the invest-
ment a paying one. They were perfectly right as a
committee in saying that, while they were quite aware
of the great importance to the inhabitants of this coun-
try that the line should be extended, it was distinctly
their duty to the shareholders that the line in which
they called upon the public to invest should be an under-
taking by itself, and that the investment should not be
in any extension. (Hear, hear.) He might assure the
shareholders that the sole probable extra expense to
which they might be put was the construction of a bridge
across the Nairn to meet those gentieme : who should
thereafter bridge the Findh-rn. With regard to the
future probable extension of the line, he had no doubt
that within three mouths after they got a dividend com-
mittees would be appointed to promote the construc-
tion of lines extending to Dingwall, to Alness, probably
to Tam and to Elgin, and it might be asked why the
present committee did not bring f 'rward these schemes ?
Their first business, however, was to act honestly and
fairly by the shareholders, and to act with the line which
should carry them soonest south. He had no doubt of
the success of the scheme which he had not long ago in-
troduced in that room, but the present was a scheme by
itself, though he had no doubt that ultimately the traffic
of the district of Easter Ross and the great province of
Moray, when developed and organised, would cut out
for itself that direct line south which should be found to
be the moot conducive to the interests of the North of
Scotland. He might mention, as a proof of how lines
could be made from district to district continuously,
that the lines from Drogheda, Dundalk, Belfast, &c.,
were made each perfectly independent of the others ;
and indeed this was so much the case that they were not
even made on the same gauge, so that when they became
all united the Ulster rails had to be taken up and put
down anew so as to suit the other portions of the general
line.

moved that the resolutions be published in the Inverness..
Nairn, 'and Morayshire- tiar,.paperii whielfaifas seconded
by Mr. A. Macdonald, Huutly Place, and adopted
unanimously. _ _
Mr. BISCOE, of Newton, moved a vote of thanks to
the chairman, which was carried by acclamation.
Mr. MATHESON returned thanks, and assured the
meeting that he was so confident of the beneficial results
which would follow this undertaking, that he would
promise to do all he could to support it both here and in
Loudon. (Loud cheers.)
The meeting then separated.

THE PRESTON •sTJ?IKE.

A very large and enthusiastic meeting of spinners was
held on Thursday evening in the Temperance hall. The
building was crowded to excess.

Mr. R. RICHARDSON was called to the chair, and
opened the proceedings of the evening by remarking that
the spinners of Preston were perfectly justified in their
movement to obtain an advance, since it was a notorious
fact that the best prices in Preston were 10 per cent.
lower than in Bolton previously to the commencement of
this agitation. A great deal had been said about the
badness of trade, and the' poor operative had been told
that the masters could not afford to give an advance.
But, he believed trade was not so bad as some of these
• wise people would have them believe. (Cheers.)
_ Mr. J. WHITTLE moved the first rei-olution —" That
;we, the operative spinners arid minders of Preston, do
pledge ourselves again to stand firm for the 10 per cent..
and our union."

Mr. J. RICHARDSON seconded the resolution.
The CHAIRMAN said that Messrs. liorrocks' and Mil-
ler's hands had all determined to stand for the fight, and
notices to that effect would appear on the walls of the
town.

Mr JOHN WHITTLE proposed a vote of thanks to the
hands of Messrs. ilorr, icks and Miller for their determi-
nation, which was seconded with three cheers.
Mr. GALLAHER proposed .a vote of thanks to the
various trades of Preston and other places for the noble
manner in which they had assisted the operatives, which
was seconded by Mr. GILES HOWARTH, and approved.
A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, with
three hearty cheers for the 10 per cent., and the meet-
ing broke up..

OPEN-AIR MEETING,

- - - - -
A. numerously-attended meeting took place in the
Orchard on Thursday afternoon ; Mr. Waddington
presiding..

Mr. K. SMITH announced that the Blackburn Bur

Society contemplated presenting the Preston operatives
With 1,0001. in Christmas week. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. COWELL communicated the result of his visit to
London this week. He was allowed to speak for a few
minutes at the close of a lecture on Sunday evening, and
between 61. and 71. was collected for Preston. On
Monday evening he addressed an enthusiastic meeting
in the National Hall, Holborn, on which occasion he
sketched the history of this dispute from the commence-
ment. He anticipated that, in the course of a fortnight
or three weeks, there would be something like 1,0001.
per week coming from London. (Cheers.) The whole
of England was up in arms against the 38 manufacturers
of Preston who•had closed their mills. If those gentle-
men could fight all England they must be very good
warriors indeed ; but he thought they would find
themselves incompetent to the task. (Hear.) On his
return from London he called at Stafford, and addressed
the shoemakers of that place, who promised to send 6d.
each per week in aid of this movement. (Cheers.) Those
who supported the Anti-Corn-Law League had been in
the habit of quoting the returns of exports from this
country. in proof of the flourishing state of trade;
but, now that the factory operatives referred to
the same source for evidence oi manufacturing pro-
sperity, they were coolly told that these returns
were not to be relied upon as indicating the real posi-
tion of affairs. (dear.) If the hands had not been badhy
treated by their employers, it would be impossible for a.
few delegates to make them believe so. This general
movement, persevered in notwithstanding its attendant
privation and suffering, plainly indicated that the people
knew their wrongs, and were resolved to improve their
p mition. (Hear.) He (Mr. Cowell) had heard it said that
if the operatives had more money they would be no
better off. (Laughter.) That, he supposed, was an allu-
sion to the drinking habits in which some of them in-
dulged. But though some of them might squander their
money foolishly, that was no reason why an employer
should deduct a certain sum from the wages of all his
hands. Surely the righteous ought not to be punished
with the wicked—the provident with the improvident.
(Hear, hear.) The speaker concluded by inviting all
those who were determined to stand by the committee
and to have the 10 per cent. to hold up their hands.
(As usual, there was a general response.)
Three cheers were then given for the 10 per cent.,
three for Mr. Cowell, and three for the chairman, after
which the meeting separated.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.