The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-30 00:00:00

WHE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 30, 1853.

GREAT LUXEMBOURG COMPANY.--.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that an EXTRAORDI-
NARY GENERAL MEETING of the SHAREHOLDERS in this
Company will be held at the Offices of the Company, No. 18, Rue
d'ldalle, Brussels, on SATURDAY, the 17th of December, 1853, at
one o'clock. precisely, to deliberate and decide upon the following
subjects, viz.:-
Ist. A proposed alliance with the Paris and Strasbourg Company,
and a junction with the Paris and Strasbourg Railway, in such a
manner as to secure a direct and continuous line from Brussels to
Marseilles, by Namur, Arlon, Thionville, Metz, Nancy, Epinal,
Vesoub, Gray Dijon, Lyons, and Avignon ; thus establishing a rail-
way communication between the North Sea and the Mediterranean.
2d. The adoption of certain conceded lines in the kingdom of Bel-
gium, by means of which the most direct communication between
Brussels and Paris, and Paris, Brussels, and Berlin, will be secured
to this company.
3d. A consolidation and re-arangement of the share capital, and
such changes in the administration of the company, as may be ne-
cessary for the accomplishment of the above objects.
WILLIAM MAGNAY, President.
No. 2, Royal Exchange Buildings,
London, 26th November, 1853.
EXTRACT FROM ARTICLE 40 OF THE STATUTES.
Every bearer of ten shares, the calls on which have been duly
paid, may attend and take part in the general meeting; to be ad-
mitted to it he will have to deposit his shares in return for a receipt
five days before the meeting, either with the secretary of the com-
pany at Brussels or at the company's offices in London.
Every shareholder may be represented by his constituted attorney
specially appointed, but no person can accept or fulfil that office un-
less he is himself a shareholder.
The form necessary to enable shareholders to vote by proxy, may
be obtained at the offices•of the company in Brussels or London.

GREAT LUXEMBOURG COMPANY.—
NOTICE.—The Shareholders are invited to attend a
MEETING which will be held at the London Tavern, on WEDNES-
DAY, the 14th of December, 1553, at One o'clock precisely, prepara-
tory to the General Meeting of the Company, advertised to be held
in Brussels on the 17th of December following.
By order of the BoTHOard.
MAS COXHEAD, Secretary.
Royal Exchange Buildings,
Noiotdon, 26th November, 1653.

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE.
Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith.
THIS EVENING, Nov. 30,
The GREAT AMERICAN EQUESTRIANS will exhibit their
astonishing Feats, unmatched in the history of such Performances,
assisted by the most renowned Gymnastic Artistes, 0. Dale and
Barnes, the European and American champions.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYmaRICP.T.
Under the management of Mr. Buckstcme.
THIS EVENING, Noy. 30,

Will be performed MUCH ADO ABOUT NO'THING. Principal
characters by Messrs. Vandenhoff and Compton, and Miss Reynolds.
Will be Performed A PRETTY riECE OF BUSINESS. Cha-
racters by Messts. Howe and Buckstone ; Miss Reynolds and Mrs.
Fitzwilliam.

After which, LOVE'S ALARMS. Characters by Messrs. W.
Farren, Corn, and Compton ; Miss Emily Ormonde, Miss E. Romer,
and Miss Featherstone.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET.
Under the Management of Mr. CHARLES KERN.
THIS EVENING, Nov. 30,
Will be performed THE CORSICAN BROTHERS. Principal
character by Mr. C. Kean.
To be followed by MARCO SPADA. Supported by Messrs. W.
Lacy, J. Chester, Ryder, Graham, and Everett; Misses Heath and
C. Leclercq.

LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame Vestria.
THIS EVENING, Nov. 30,

Will be performed A BACHELOR OF ARTS. Characters by
Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Baker; Miss F. Hughes.

After which, THE COMMENCEMENT OF A BAD FARCE
which, however (it is hoped), will. in the end, show 110 W TO
MAKE HOME HAPPY. Principal character by Mr. Wright.
To be followed by A NICE FIRM. Principal characters by
Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Mrs. F. Matthews.
To conclude with WRIGHT AT LAST.

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.
Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING, Nov. U.

Will be performed THE DISCARDED SON. Characters by
Leigh Murray, Paul Bedford, and Keeley; Mrs. Keeley and Miss
Woolgar, &c.
To be followed by WHITEBAIT AT GREENWICH.
After which, THE CAMP AT CHOBHAM.
To be followed by "HOTEL CHARGES!" or, How to Cook
"A Blinn."

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan.
THIS EVENING, Nov. 30,

Will be performed PLOT AND PASSION. Principal characters
by Mr. F. Robson and Mrs. Stirling.
To be followed by THE CAMP AT THE OLYMPIC. Charac-
ters by Messrs. A. Wigan, Emery, F. Robson, Cooper, and Galli ;
Mesdames A. Wigan, Stirling, P. Horton, Chatterley, E. Turner, and
Wyndham.
To conclude with THE WANDERING MINSTREL.

ASTLEY'S EUROPE'S NATIONAL AMPHITHEATRE.;

Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke,

who respectfully annoinces to the Nobility, Gentry, and Public in
general, that a GRAND EQUESTRIAN CHINESE SPECTACLE
is in active preparation, written expressly to introduce Mr. William
Cooke's most extraordinary TRAINED ELEPHANTS, surpassing
everything hitherto witnessed—their marvellous feats never having
been previously attempted, and which they accomplish with unerr-
ing certainty. The spectacle will be produced immediately.

Second week of Six Clowns in the Arena. Third week of the re-
appearance of the premier horseman, Mr. ALFRED COOKE. In-
creasing popularity of the daring Equestrienne, Madlie. MASOTTA.

THIS EVENING, Nov. 30,
(And during the week)

The grand spectacle of BONAPARTE'S INVASION OF RUSSIA
Or, The Burning of Moscow.

Followed by William Cooke's matchless scenes of the ARENA,
by unequalled artistes.
Concluding with JUPITER'S DECREE ; Or, The Fall of PhEeton
Boa-oflice open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W.
West.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY —Morning 53 min.after 12 I Evening 16 min.aft. 1
m To-Mutow—Morning 38 min.after 1 Evening 1 min.aft. 2

THE WEATHER.--Smc Orrios, Nov. 30.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
52—highest since noon yesterday.
45—lowest this morning and during the night.
53—this day at noon.
BAROMETER, 30'12.
WIND, S.W.—Light breeze, and dull weather, with rain
in the morning.

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Tbg

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1853.

Query—What do our excellent friends of the
Peace Society think now of the blessings of Arbi-
tration ? During the last eight months surely
the world has enjoyed quite enough opportunities
of judging of its merits as a system, from reite-
rated experience ! Has not all the delicate and
complicated mechanism of diplomacy been set in
motion by the European Governments ? Have we
not had propositions and counter-propositions—
elaborate despatches hurried off by express—and
laconic messages flashed by electric telegraph ?
Rave we not had Councils and Conferences in
abundance ? Rough drafts of treaties that have
comedie outt in
to nothing,
nothing, and modifications that have
tion ? the very process of official gesta-
tion February to November has
there not been reeled out between Ministers and
Ambassadors a continuous chain extending link
by link (meaning letter by letter) of
" never-ending, still-beginning," correspondence ?
And, after all, let it be asked with a sigh, now
on the eve of the first day of December How
are matters situated in regard to this intermi-
nable dispute between Russia and Turkey, be-
tween the SULTAN and the AITTOUR.AT, what
prospect is there of a satisfactory settlement,
what hope (no matter how dim soever it may be)
of a final reconciliation of existing difficulties ?
Answers to all this may be found in the news
of to-day—answers only too significant and con-
wh
elusive in their character. y, take them one
frivolity,
by one, and see whether they
donof
tli pronounce
definitively as to the utter folly, and
inutility, and absurdity of Arbitration I—of arbi-
tration we mean unaccompanied by active and
energetic measures of a precautionary kind—
of arbitration altogether unsupported by prompt
and vigorous warlike demonstrations. Examine
piecemeal in proof of this—these recent and
authentic fragments of intelligence. Foremost
among them starts before us the information that
the last Note proposed by France and England, the
Note proposed the other day in a final spasm of
desperation, has been unanimously rejected by the
Turkish Council of Ministers at Constantinople 1
This—remember—with a Turkish army at Kala-
fat,
and a Russian army not far south of Bucha-
rest with reinforcements hastening from Mol-
davia, under osTEN_sAoHEN,
to swell the num-
ber of the Cossacks already martialled under
the banners of GORTZCHAKOFF ! with the dead
hardly buried away from the clinted battle-
field of Oltenitza with •
Sixteen French and
British men-of-war and th • •
Their frigates still tarrying
at Beikos, ready at a moment's warning to sweep
the Russian fleet from the Black Sea by suddenly
hastening on through.the forbidden channel of the
)300phOrUS Autumn, meanwhile, so far merged

into winter, that on the 15th instant snow was
covering the Asiatic environs of Constantinople !
So much for the utility, so much for the wis-
dom, so much for the blessings of Arbitration !
Why—thanks to this vaunted panacea for all
political difficulties, we have Russia and Turkey
plunged into war at a time of the year when war
was formerly deemed altogether impracticable.
Thanks to an infatuated regard for arbitration,
we have the peace of all Europe jeopardised,
and not only the peace of the Danubian
Principalities—we have England and France, if
not also Austria and Prussia, and the rest of the
civilised nations, threatened with involvement in
a struggle that might with proper caution
have been restricted to the vicinity of the
Danube and the Dardanelles. Reviewing
the principal events which have rendered
the past eight or ten months so deplorably
memorable, we are bold to say, and we say it de-
liberately, and from the depths of our conviction,
that with a moderate show of energy on the part of
the allied Governments of France and England
the whole of this entangled question would long
ago have been settled, and, what is more,
settled definitively and satisfactorily. Instead of
energy, however, Russia has only recognised
timidity on the side of the Allies of the Cabinet
of Constantinople. The apologists of Lord
ABERDEEN'S coalition call this Timidity, of
course, by the milder and more delectable
title of Moderation. Yes—a moderation that
has encouraged the CZAR to believe that the
Western Powers of Europe would complacently
tolerate his lawless incursions upon the Otto-
man Dominions ! A moderation that has lured
him on by one act of weakness after an-
other, until it has impelled him to break at
one desperate blow the bond of thirty-eight
years' tranquillity. From our heart, from our
conscience, from our deliberate and impartial
judgment, we avow that, according to our belief,
the responsibility of this heinous rupture will rest
in after times not so much on the evil fame of the
Emperor NICHOLAS, as on the memory of a soul-
less, heartless, hesitating, and self-contradicting
Government.

At a numerous meeting of operatives held at
Preston on Saturday, a Mr. K. SMITH (stated to
be the President of the Executive Committee) in-
formed the assembly, that " if all the mills in
Lancashire were to lock up, and the people of
Preston were to persevere in their movement, they
would be supported until they won• the day."
This assertion was deliberately put forward, and
although we cannot give implicit credence to every
statement proceeding from such a quarter, it is at
least worthy of notice, and of endeavouring to
ascertain on what data it is founded, or what
warranty there is for an opinion in every respect
so startling.
The first question that naturally arises is,
Whence are the funds to be obtained to maintain
so large a body of persons in unproductive idle-
ness, to allow them to spend their entire time
" at play," without doing anything for their own
support ? If " all the mills in Lancashire were to
lock up," other operatives, whose interests were
identical with those of the Preston malcontents,
would not only be unable to contribute any as-
sistance, but would require very considerable
aid themselves. It would involve no trifling
sum to support " at play " all the mill hands in
Lancashire with their families, to give them the
means of sustaining life even in the simplest form
during so dear and scarce a season as that on
which we have recently entered. It is manifest,
then, that the agitators look to other sources 5 and
from what slipped out during the discussion, it is
clear that the "poor rates," and funds to be col-
lected by a general confederacy of all the trades,
under the project of a Labour Parliament, to which
we alluded in our impression of Saturday last,
are expected to provide the necessary supplies.
A Mr. W. BEETHR, apparently one of the dele-
gates, gave very valuable information on the first
point. He said he found the "lock-outs" "very
contented and happy, for they were receiving very
good pay from the parish. He met one man, the
head of a family, who had been for parochial relief,
and he had got twenty-one shillings. Many were
receiving is. 6d. per head for every member of the
family, and, therefore, they were in better circum-
stances than the operatives of Preston, for, taking
the average, his hearers did not get so much as that."
Now, if there be the slightest foundation for this asser-
tion, if it be not a gross falsehood from beginning to
end, there never was so great a malversation of
funds levied under the authority of Parliament,
and intended only for the support of persons inca-
pable of earning their own livelihood from sickness,
old age, or the impossibility of obtaining employ-
ment. It was never for a moment contemplated
that persons should refuse to work on fair and
reasonable terms, and be assisted in carrying out
that determination by receiving out-door relief,
amounting, in some instances, to larger sums than
they could have earned by honest industry. It
would be peculiarly unfair, under present
circumstances, if the rates levied upon the
closed mills and the rusting machinery should be
applied to defeating the very parties from whose
pockets it was extracted, and rendering their pro-
perty (the property charged with the rates) totally
valueless. Such a course could not for a moment
be justified. The poor are entitled to support,
but not men who wilfully and deliberately, in
pursuance of an illegal confederacy, refuse to
work, in order to coerce their employers and to
transfer the control of "the destinies of trade"
to other, and, from what has already transpired,
we may safely assert, very incompetent hands.
It is, therefore, essential that a stringent investi-
gation should be instituted to ascertain whether
any guardians or relieving officers have been so
oblivious of their duties. The slightest intima-
tion to the Central Board would be followed by
results that would speedily recal the parties to a
knowledge of their true position. The first inti-
mation that the auditors could not sanction such
charges, but that they should be defrayed by the
persons ordering them, would prevent any future
misapplication of parochial funds to such purposes.
If there has been a general confederacy of the
Trades-4f there is to be a central body formed
for the
purpose of constantly interposing be-
tween
employersmere enanergdetie theirand
determinedworkpeople,
it wthe
require
exertions to abate the social nuisance. We still
trust that the parties are k • rec ening without their
host—that the labouring classes of
Kingdom are too intelligent, and have too much
common sense to plunge into a course so mis-
chievous and suicidal. The wish seems to have
been "the father to the thought." Those who
found that they had gone the full length of their
tether might make a convulsive effort to drag others
into the vortex in which they themselves were nearly
submerged, but why the others should suffer
themselves to be so greatly duped passes our
comprehension, or why they should devote any
portion of their hard earnings to support a body
of persons as well able to work as them-
selves in idleness. If the attempt should
be made, it must be met by a counter
movement on the other side. If workmen com-
bine, masters must follow the example. The
men of a single trade could ruin an individual,
but the associated masters of that trade could
defeat them with their own weapons, by follow-
ing the tactics taught by their adversaries. If
the association spreads to other trades, so must
that of the masters also. If funds are collected
for the operatives who claw to remain at plays •

at least as much could be obtained to compensate
those who are compelled to keep their establish-
ments closed in defence of the rights of property,
and in opposition to the arrogant and unwarrant-
able assumptions that have been put forward by
mischievous and heartless agitators.

CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron Alderson;and7Mr. Justice Talfourd.)
CONSPIRACY ON THE PART OP COPPERPLATE-PRINTERS.
Eight copperplate-printers, named Francis Friend,
James Friend, Robert Brind, Joseph Harper, John
Robinson, Martin O'Connor, Thomas Clark, and John
Cockrell, were indicted for misdemeanour in having con-
spired together to prevent a person named Frederick
Spence from working with Mr. Jackson, a copper-plate
printer. All the defendants pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Bodkin appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Clark-
son for Brind, Francis Friend, and Thomas Clark ; Mr.
Parry for James Friend, O'Connor, and Cockrell ; and
Mr. Ballantine for Harper and Robinson.
Mr. Bodkin opened the case to the jury, and reminded
them that formerly all combinations amongst workmen
were illegal ; but the Legislature thought proper to alter
that state of the law, and allow workmen to combine to-
gether for their own protection, either as regarded
their work or wages. The act of the Legisla-
ture did not make any change in the common law,
so far as it related to conspiracy, and it was still
illegal for workmen to combine together for the in-
jury of another, be he master or man. Now, this indict-
ment, which was for misdemeanour, was preferred under
that common law, and the case came out of the follow.
ing circumstances :—Some time ago there was a "strike"
amongst the workmen employed in the establishment of
Messrs. Tallis and Co., the copperplate printers, and
shortly afterwards a man named Spence, who had no
connection with the movement, obtained some work at
Messrs. Tallis's, but this work did not last any length
of time. He accordingly left Tallis's on the 10th of
September, and on the 13th he was " taken on" at Mr.
Jackson's, another copperplate printer, where he worked
until the 16th, when he was told by Mr. Jones, the
foreman, that his services would be required no longer,
as the other men in the establishment objected to asso-
ciate with him. Of course he was not satisfied with
this summary mode of proceeding, and as a chapel had
been held amongst the other men with reference to him-
self, he applied to Francis Friend, the father of the
chapel, to know how it was that the men entertained
such an antipathy towards him. Friend replied that
they objected to him because he had been working at
Tallis's, which was "a closed house," while he was besides
attached to a society which they did not recognise. This
was the conspiracy complained of, and it was for the
jury to decide whether the evidence made it out.
Francis Spence, the prosecutor, was called to esta-
blish the facts as disclosed in the statement of his coun-
sel. He said the chapel was held in his presence, but
he was excluded from its deliberations, and the resolu-
tion the men came to was communicated to him by
Francis Friend. He protested against the whole pro-
ceeding, as two other men who had worked at Tallis's
like himself had been taken into other open houses, and
it was too bad to make him the victim of the former
strike.

Cross-examined—He had been in work ever since at
a Mr. Thomas's. The expense of this prosecution would
fall upon himself, but he was receiving assistance from
various friends. Messrs. Tallis had nothing to do with
it either directly or indirectly.
Mr. Jones, the foreman, stated that Harper and
Francis Friend waited upon him as a deputation from
the men, and stated that they would not associate with
the prosecutor. He, however, discharged Spence for
two reasons ; first because he knew that he could get
work elsewhere, and, secondly, because he did not think
be would be comfortable in the shop if he retained him.
Mr. Baron Alderson remarked, that, after this evi-
dence, the case was at an end. There could be no doubt
that if the men had agredd that no man should work
with them who had worked with Tallis, they had been
guilty of a criminal act ; but there was nothing to show
what took place at the chapel. He did not say this by
way of censure upon the men, but for their guidance in
future, and he hoped they would bear this observation
in mind when again they contemplated the uncharitable
and unchristian act of preventing a fellow-workman
from obtaining employment.
Mr. Parry said they had no desire to do anything of
the sort, and never had. They had only agreed not to
associate with Spence, and surely there was no law to
prevent them doing that.
Mr. Ballantine—My lord, if such an agreement as that
is a conspiracy, I am afraid our profession has a good
deal to answer for. (A. laugh.)
Mr. Baron Alderson—But to conspire together in the
manner I have stated is a grave criminal offence, and I
hope the men will avoid breaking the law in that respect.
Mr. Clarkson said all the defendants were respectable
men in their trade, and had no wish to conspire together
to prevent any man from obtaining work, but they
claimed their right to associate or not with whom they
thought proper.
Mr. Baron Alderson—Yes ; but they should exercise
that right individually, and not collectively.
A verdict of acquittal was then taken.