The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-03 00:00:00

SILK WEAVERS:

WORSHIP-STREET.—Yesterday the number of
Silk Weavers, who,were anxiously in attendance at this Office
to learn the opinion of the Magistrates, by far exceeded those
of the preceding day.. As soon as Mr. BENNETT took his
seat, and was informed that Mr. Newberry, jun. of the firm of
Newberry and Sons, London Wall, was in attendance, agree-
able to his request, they immediately entered into conver-
sation with him respecting the work the men had out, unfinish-
ed at the former prices, and observed, that as this was an ac-
cidental circumstance, where they were not in fault, it would
be but fair to let them be finished at the price agreed, upon.
Mr. Newberry said, he had no objection to let the men finish
the work on hand at the former prices, and that they had also
his consent to apply to the Magistrates of the " Liberty of the
Tower" for an assimilation of wages ; but whether the Magis-
trates of Middlesex would reduce their prices to the " Liberty
of the Tower" standard, or whether the Magistrates of the
" Liberty of the Tower" would raise theirs to those of Middle-
sex, he could not tell. He further stated, that the workmen in
their employment were quite satisfied, from the quality of the
materials they receive, to take the present prices of the " Li-
berty of the Tower ;" but then they, as them employers, dare
not, as the law now stands, pay them that, without incurring a
penalty of 501. for every such offence.
Mr. BENNET—Can there be any way pointed out by which
Mr. Newberry might he protected ?
Mr. TWYF ORD—The law is imperative; he cannot be pro-
tected, as he is subject to the penalty should he violate it.
A respectable Weaver then stepped forward, and asked their
Worships' advice under very peculiar circumstances. He said
he has been for some time past and still is in the employment
of a Mr. Gilbert, of Fore-street, within the Liberty of the
Tower; that he does not himself reside within the precincts of
that jurisdiction, taking work from Mr. Gilbert, and manu-
facturing it at home in his own residence in another part of the
county of Middlesex—whether or not he was violating an Act
of Parliament subjecting him to a penalty of 40s. for such an
offence, or three months to hard labour in the House of Correc—
tion ? The intention of the law, he observed, was at least to be
even handed ; for while it punished the journeyman for receiv-
ing, it also twenty fold visited the master for paying. But was
Mr. Gilbert to be protected from its operations at the moment
he sent his men (who from necessity, perhaps, were obliged to
accede to his terms,) to pine in a workhouse at hard labour ?
He solemnly assured their AVorships there were hundreds ac
well as he so situated, whose apprehensions were within these
few days considerably excited in consequence of this business.
He would, with submission, point out that clause in the Act
which placed them in the dilemma.—" That if any journey-
man weaver or weavers within the districts aforesaid (meaning
the County of Middlesex, the Cities of London and Nirestininster,
and the respective liberties thereof, and all places within the
liberties of the Tower) shall ask, receive, or take more or less
wages, or larger or less price for their work than shall be settled
by the respective Quarter Sessions as aforesaid. shall forfeit a
sum not less than 40s. ; and if the same fcrfeittire shall not be
immediately paid, it shall and may he lawful for the said
Justices to commit the said offender to the House of Correction
to be kept at hard labour for a time not exceeding three
months," There is (said he) another clause, that in case of a
rise there must be fourteen days' notice on our part, and we
should have a right to an equal indul,rence ; but in the present
case we had none.
Mr. Twrroftp said, that transgressing the law in the wav
he looked at, was not for for working, but asking, taking, and
receiving ; and as he asked, took, and received, his wages
within the " liberties of the Tower," he considered in that re-
spect he and others so situated with him were perfectly safe;
for when he went to that district, dare he ask, take, or receive
more than the regulations gave.
Mr. BENNETT did not consider the notice of fourteen days
requisite on the part of the employer ; for if he had been paying
him extra wages for ten years in ignorance of his error, it did
not follow that he should give him fourteen days' notice of the
future intentions.
Mr. Collier, a parish officer, observed, that being thirty
years in the silk trade, he begged leave to offer a few sug-
gestions. He said, the employer was equally as punishable
under the .Act as the journeymen, and he instanced the case of
" Parrington," against whom two convictions were fully main-
tained, and although removed into the King's Bench, they were
there affirmed.
Mr. BENNET T—As those men yesterday manifested a wish
to have a public meeting on this business, I think it but
right they should first proceed in that way--He then inquired
if there were seven house-keepers among them ; and being
answered in the affirmative, he then desired them to sign
their names to that effect, giving eight days' notice, which
the law requires ; and then he would, before next Monday,
look more attentively to the Act, and also to the case of " Parr-
ington."
The Requisition was instantly signed, calling a general Meet-
ing at the Red Lion, Phoenix-street, Spitaltields, on Saturday.
the 10th instant.

Ships at Market.
48.1 Newcastle
12j Sunderland

COAL-141ARKET, JAN. 2.
ip s sold

Price.
36s 6d to 453 Cd.
39s 6(1 to 411 Oct

COURSE OF EXCHANGE, Janaary 2.
Anistetdan,
12 3 C. F.
Ditto, at Sight l2 0
Rotterdam l2 4
Antwerp l2
Hamburg])
37 S 2 17s•
Altona
37 9 2f Us.
Paris,3 Day's sight
Ditto
25 90 , L„.
flourileatix, ditto
Bodin
7 10
Frankfort on the Main
Petersburg])
Vienna
Trieste
Madrid .
Cadiz
1.3111 ma
Barcelona
Gibraltar

10 14
10 14
36f Effeelivt,
351 Efre'etii:e
Ssi Effective

36i

Leghorn
46j
Ger ua ......... 1;4-Venice, Ital. Liv 27 30
Malta 4l, --Naples 3S
Palermo
116 per OR,
Lisbon
52
Oporto

ltioJatieiro- •.• • .
Bahia...
Dublin .... 91.

. 50
Cork 9 pet Cent.

BULLION.

Portugal Gold, in •
Foreign Gold, in Bars
New Doubloons
New Dollars
Silver in Bars, Standard

0 0 0 (Iz.
3 17 ti
~,,,, 0 0 0
0 4 9
0 4 111

BIRTHS.

On Wednesday, the 24th ult. at Widford Rectory, Herts,
the Lady of the Rev. T. Boys, AM., of a son.
On Monday, the 29th ult., in Mortimer-street, Cavendish-
square, the Lady of Colonel Hugh D. Baillie, of a daughter.
On the Ist inst., Mrs. William Wright, of Clapham, of
a son.