The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-09 00:00:00

STATE OF TRAUB.

The trade of this extensive district continues, we re-
gret to report, in a most depressed state. A failure, its
Yorkshire, to a large amount, is also reported. This
gloomy state of things is not confined to manufactures
akin ; alt ranks and ccmditiOns of WTI° in this district
are suffering from it ; and to add to the difficulty, there
appears no prospect of immediate relief. • The weather
indicates a bad harvest ; and provisiOs, already greatly
overpriced for the poor man's pocket, Fare becoming still
dearer. We have received reports from correspondents
in various towns in the district, which we subjoin :
HEY WOOD.—The cotton trade at Heywood and the
neighbourhood is in a most deplorable state ; the ma-
chinery at seven cotton mills is at complete stand, and
the operatives in nearly all the other factories are
employed only three and some few four days per week.
The hands at Messrs. Fenton's have full employment,
but many hundreds in the neighbourhood are entirely
without work.

11%mA:sr.—Most of the mills in this town are working
short time, and various rumours are afloat as to the pro-
bability of seine of' them stopping altogether. Numbers
of the factory hands are totally out of employ, and the
wages of the hand-loom weavers have again been re-
duced, without any material tendency to give them more
work. Their prospects for the winter are most gloomy.
OLDIIASI.—There are general ''complaints of the de-
pressed state of trade, and though the machinery of most
of the' cotton mills are working full time, numbers of
operatives are without employment, partly owing to a
prevalent system of obliging individuals to attend to two
or more machines, which have hitherto. been tended by
one person each, and artly owing to the stoppage of a
few manufactories. Whilst master-spinners' profits are
suffering from the pernicious effects of competition, the
earnings of the working class are undergoing reduction.
Low wages and deat food have created great distress.
STOCKPORT.—The cotton mills. of Messrs. Lane and
Son, situate in Newbridge4ane and Higher Hillgate.
which it was reported would close at the end of last week,
arc still partially at work. • It is now said to be the in-
tention of the assignees to have the cotton worked up as
close as possible before finally closing the mills. This
will occupy several weeks • but about two hundred of
the hands. have been.without work the whole of this
week, and the number Will increase weekly unless the
stoppage be put off. Those personS who are at work are
only making four days a week. Several other mills are
working four and five days a week. 'A number of hands
will be thrown out of employment at the mill of Messrs.
Carr and Co., Heaton-lane, this week end, in copsequenco
of the stoppage of some machinery ; and it is said that
the mill is about to be closed'for several weeks, owing
to some new arrangement of the partnership. We be
lieve that notwithstanding the bankruptcy of Messrs.
Stocks and Son, of Heaton Mersey, their establishment is
likely to be kept at work by other parties.
CHOULEY.—The state of the working-classes, viz., that
of the people about Chorley, and the intervening district
betwixt Preston and Blackburn, may be recorded in a
few words. It is as follows :—one-half of them are un-
employed, that i 6, at night they are not aware that they
shall have any employment at all in the morning ; the
other half are in receipt of not more than half-wages, a
very considerable proportion of the latter earning not
more than two or three shillings a-week. Families seem-
ingly in respectable circumstances, moreover, are living
in tbetarest manner ; and sarife-Jr.iny late neighbours
have-discontinued keeping poultry, Through fear of their
being stolen, nothing being safe that is,loose.—Manches-
-1 ter Times.