The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-07 00:00:00

THE STRIKE IN LANCASHIRE.

A great strike of Lancashire colliers took place on Satur
day in the districts of Bolton, Farendeth,and Kersley. The
men demand that the rise which they consider has taken
place in the prospects of the trade shall be marked in the
rate of their wages. They have for a fortnight
been working half stint, and the masters refuse
to concede any advance. The men demanded an increase
equal to the reduction last made in their wages—a reduc-
tion of a shilling a load. A great meeting upon the
subject was held on Friday night at Kersley. From fiften
hundred to two thousand men attended. The masters' reso-
lution was communioated to the men; and they unani-
mously agreed to stand out until the whole of their claims
were granted.

MR. CORRY ON lIIS ADMIRALTY POLICY.
In reply to a request made by Admiral Elliot that Mr.
Corry would furnish an explanation of the policy of the
late Board of Admiralty with a view to proving that the
many allegations prejudicial to Mr. Corry's administration
are mis-statements, the late First Lord has written a long
letter, which has been published. In it he seeks to vindi-
sate his policy respecting the chief points, about
which he says he has been attacked in letters
and speeches in different parts of the country.
These points are, first, the building of ships;
secondly, the entering into the dockyards of
additional workmen, and their subsequent discharge ; and
thirdly, the works in connection with Chatham and
Portsmouth dockyards. With regard to shipbuilding Mr.
Corry says that it is stated that the increase of artificers in
our dxkyards in 1867 was caused by a mere love of
extravagance on his part, and that as rapid a reduction
was made in 1863. The facts really are that when the
late Government assumed office, matters had been left in
such a bad state by their predecessors that it
was necessary to build a large number of unar
moured vessels, and consequently a number of extra
hands bad to be employed. In the attacks on his policy
Mr. Corry says, exception is taken to these hands being
dismissed without pension. The Admiralty has
no power to pension "hired" hands, but only
" established " ones. He engaged men for a
special service, and after they had performed their
work, they were discharged, being needed no longer. He
had also been charged with delaying the progress of the
dockyard works at Chatham and Portsmouth by reducing
the expenditure upon them. In reality, he was most
anxious to proceed rapidly with these works; but
the amount paid for labour one year at
Portsmouth happened to be less than the vote,
on account of the way in which the contractor chose to
go on with the work. It is to Mr. Corry that Portsmouth is
indebtedtfor its steam basin and docks in connection with
it. The letter closes with a protest against Mr. Childers's
attempt to implicate him (Mr. Corry) in the dis-
establishment of Woolwich Dockyard. He declares
that nothing so impolitic ever entered his head as to dis-
establish that dockyard until the Chatham extension had
become available for the repair and equipment of thefleet,
which it cannot be for years to come. If it had been de-
ferred till then, not a single discharge need have taken
place, as the whole of the Woolwich labourers might have
been transferred to Chatham.