The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-09 00:00:00

MUTINY OF THE GERMAN JAGERS.

PLYMOUTH, Thursday Evening, 11 p.m.—For some
weeks past rumours of disaffection in the 3d Jager Corps
have been in circulation, and the sudden removal of the
main body of the men from Maker Heights on Saturday
last confirmed these reports. It is stated that a com-
plaint, written by a serjeant, against the severe disci-
pline of Col. Bowles, has been the subject of a length-
ened inquiry at Mount Wise ; and it is certain that
No. 6 Company, commanded by Captain Axel von
Jesse°, stationed at Bovisand, took offence at the arrest
of the serjeanr, grounded their arms, and refused to do
duty. This afternoon, at 4 o'clock, that company con-
sisting of about 65 men, were marched into Plymouth
Citadel, and, having piled arms on the green, went to
their appointed barrack-rooms, where a guard of militia
was immediately placed over them. The town at this
time was alarmed V the knowledge that double guards
had been mounted in the citadel and all civilians ex-
cluded, and that'ball-cartridge tad been served outlto
Captain Waller's company
of Artillery at Devonport,
who, with a field-officer and a body of marines, similarly
provided, and taking with them the triangles, cats, and
drummers from Stonehouse, marched to the citadel here,
a.si,ted by every man
off duty t.elonging to the South
Devon and Warwickshire regiments of militia. Having
formed in hollow square, Major-General Eden, Com-
mander of the Forces in the W st, attended by Brigade-
Major Ibbetson, Aide-de-Canv Parker, Colonel Com-
mandant Burdget, and Colonel Nelson, shortly after
arrived on the ground. A. corporal and two privates
were then removed from the 7:OOMS and placed on trial
f 1
by a court-martial, presided over by Major Seale, which
sat up till 9 o'clock, when a serjeant and tour privates
were brought before the Court, and are still under ex-
amination. The troops were dismissed, after standing
three hours on parade. The disaffected Jagers complain
that their drill is too severe, and that they were only
enlisted for service while the %liar continued.

Mr. Gordon Cumming's African Entertainment re-
ce.:ved a •visit yesterday Irorn H. R.N. the Prince of
Wa'es and H.R.H. Prince Alfred, accompanied by Mr.
The Lion Hunter appeared in full Highland
enstur tie, as usual, and explained to his rayal visitors
the di ore views illustrative of the varied romantic
scene] !)-„the manners and customs of the savage tribes,
and L i sth rtling encounters with the wild animals hick
roam the m:glity solitudes of the far interior. The Prince s
seem ed to to ke great interest in the diorama and collec-
tion., and sip reseed themselves as much amused by Mr.
Cu' .nming's eL•tertainment.

This unhappy struggle, the most severe and
wide-spread which has ever been known in Soot-
land, continues without the slightest prospect of
amicable adjustment, although there are indications
that the men are getting worn out by privation
and long endurance. The strike became general'
among the colliers and miners of the upper and
middle wards of Lanarkshire ou the Bth of March
last. It gradually extended to the lower ward,
and then embraced the counties of Renfrew and
Ayr, with the mining districts of Stirlingshire,
until now, when it is computed that for some
weeks past 40,000 men have been voluntarily idle,
and an amount of wages equalling 320,0001. has
been lost to them and to the country. The strike,
as is generally known, is against a reduction of
wages. In the autumn of 1855 the wages of the
colliers were advanced from 4s. to ss. per day; but
in the early spring of the present year the masters
intimated that the state of the market, consequent
upon the termination of the war, required that
they should fall back upon the old rate of wages,
which would even then,at 4s. per day, be as high as
any, and higher than most other districts in the coun-
try—for instance, in the adjoining coal-fields of
Cumberland, where the wages are only 3s. 6d. per
day. The masters also complain that the men
arbitrarily fix a day's work at what is termed a
" darg," an amount of labour which neither old nor
young, weak nor strong, are permitted to exceed.
All are thus reduced to the same level, and the
young man who can do his day's " darg" in five
hours is not permitted to earn more than the old
man who takes nine or ten hours to perform the
same amount of labour. This is proved by the
example of the few collieries where the men have
had the courage to throw off these restrictions, and
where at the nominal " darg" of 4s. they can earn
from ss. to 7s. per day. The men on strike argue
that the state of the iron•market, for the smelting
of which the coal is principally raised, fully justifies
the former rate of ss. per day being paid ; that the
reduction is reckless and unnecessary ; that with a
due regard to their health. they cannot work more
than 41 or 5 days a-week, and their wages are
greatly reduced by keeping up their tools, the ex-
pense of powder, &c. They say that while the coal and
iron-masters are making immense riches at their
expense they treat them heartlessly, and they point
to such men as the Bairds of Gartsherrie, the Wil-
sons of Dundyvan, and the Merrios and Cunning-
hams of Carnbrae, &c., who 25 years ago wore in a
comparatively humble position, and have now be-
come millionnaires. Reasoning of this kind is, as
usual, artfully improved upon by a parcel of un-
principled spouters, and the men stand out for
what they term their " rights" with all the devo-
tion of martyrs. Now, that their own means have
become completely exhausted, they are making
appeals to other trades, but it is believed that their
assistance from this source is trifling. They have
monster meetings:in various parts of the country
daily, and express their determination to stand out
to the last; but on Monday the miners at Newmills
returned to their work at the rate of 4s. per day,
and it is known that thousands of others would
readily follow their example but for false pride and
intimidation. On the whole, the conduct of the
miners has been pretty orderly, but in the
fane of so many men, women, and children in a
state of starvation—self-imposed though it may be
—the inhabitants of the mining districts are in a
very uneasy condition, and they fear an outbreak
before all is settled. There are 2,000 armed men
located throughout Lanarkshire, consisting of the
Lanarkshire and Glasgow Regiments of Yeomanry
Cavalry, the two regiments of Lanarkshire Militia
and a body of Dragoons, who arrived from England
on Monday. All the inhabitants of these districts
are suffering severely from the disruption of trade.
The inhabitants of Glasgow also feel it severely,
for the price of coals during the last week has
risen from 12s. 6d. to 265. the waggon. The col-
liers themselves who are on strike are cutting down
trees on the fields and roadsides to serve as fuel.
is the state of matters at thejunc-
ture.
Such
ch