The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-30 00:00:00

REPORT ON THE MINING DISTRICTS.

Mr. Hugh Seymour Tremenheere's report on the
mining districts for 1856 has just been published in the
form of a small blue book of 56 pages. After reporting
the extension of associations for giving prizes in schools
to South Wales and elsewhere, the commissioner urges
the necessity of a measure to compel all boys between
10 and 14 years of age, who work below ground,
to attend some school for 100 hours every six
Months—a measure which, in the general opinion of all
concerned, would be of great service, bothto the labour.
ing mining population and their employers. There is a
general concurrence in the principle of the proposed
measure, and a few objections of detail are satis-
factorily disposed of by Mr. Tremenheere. The
&lofts at improvement made in the great mining dis-
tricts of Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire are next
noticed. The Chartist outbreak of 1839 having
alarmed the proprietors, impelled them to action, and in
successive years the great majority have taken some stops
to provide for their people better means-of moral, reli-
gious, and general instruction, and to facilitate the phy.
sica.lcomforts and decencies of life, among these large and
rapidly-co!lected popula,'ions. Gratifying instances of
this care and forethought are given in the report. The
unfeminine employment of women upon the " pit-
banks and cinder-tips" has long been indicated as de-
grading to the female character, and as fraught with
many and most obvious evils. A woman of this class,,,
so brought up, and from an early age marries at or.
soon after 20 ; and how, it is asked, is she qualified
for the discharge of the conjugal duties ? She doeS
not know how to keep a house clean and tidy ; she
cannot cook ; she is ignorant of the first principles of
economy, and she knows nothing of the management of
children. In connexion with this branch of the report,.
the neglect of some special instruction and training in
nearly all female schools for the labouring classes is vety'
properly pointed put as an evil that might easily be re-
medied, and various suggestions are made with this vier-,
which, if carried out, could hardly fail to be most bene-
ficial. The strike in the principal coal and iron districts
in Scotland occupies the remainder of the report.
The loss of wages between March and June (when
the strike terminated) is estimated at a minimum of
500,0001., but this very imperfeCtly represented the total
loss inflicted upon the community. The strikes are
likely to take place from time to time in Scotland, and
the employers are urged to adopt, without delay, such
measures as may tend to abridge their daration. Mr.
Treasenheere thinks that it is possible, s were the effort
fairly made, to establish so much confidence betweenworkmen and masters, as should satisfy the former, when
a demand for an increase of wages was resisted by the
latter, that they really could not afford to comply with
the request. And so with relation to a lowering of wages,
the facts upon which the master founds his plea for
reduction should be patent to the men. Mr. Tremens
hesre deplores the fact, that whenever any difference
aYises between masters and workmen, the question is
immediately seized upon by delegates, " whose direct
interest it is to aggravate every existing cause of die.
pute, and bring forward as many others as can be
made available," and who, by generalising the ques-
tion of wages for the whole district, do a great
deal of harm ; for one master, by his facility of com-
munication, easy working of his minerals, So., might be
able to afford much better wages than another in the,
same locality. But these matters are entirely unesti7
mated by paid delegates. The results of strikes are par-
ticularly noticeable in their moral and physical_ effects,
upon those engaged in them :-1. The increase of crime.
2. The increase of disease. The low living produces
low fevers, and if wet or cold weather comes on soon
after a strike and before the stock of clothes, which has
usually been much reduced by being sold or pawneri;
can be replacei or recovered, an increased rate
of mortality is tho consequence. 3. Demoralised
habits. The same observers, having experience of
strikes for upwards of 30 years, notice with regret the
injury done to the habits of a workman and his family
by a strike. The loss of their usual resource of wages
drives them to resort to means of saving themselves froth
starvation which an honest and well-behaved workman,
would not previously have thought. himself capable of.
Some get into debt to an amount which tempts them tb
become dishonest; . others perambdlato the country
bogging, or rather often extorting money or food ; others
send their wives or children, or both, on the same
errand ; in all cases their self respect is impaired or de*
stroyed, and when that is gone the descent is easy to
crime and degm'ation.

The Marchioness (Anne) of Londonderry has arrived
at Garron Tower, her ladyship's seat in the north of
Ireland, from Seaham
The Hanover Gazette states that the Government has
decided that, if it cannot come to an understanding with
the Chambers, it will settle its financial affairs by royal
ordinance.
The Earl and Countess of Sandwich are entertaining
a select circle of friends at Hinchinbrooke Park, Hun-
tingdonshire.

The Duchess of Orleans, accompanied by her eons,
says the Presse of Brussels, arrived at Augsburg on the
24th, and was to continue her journey on the following
day for the baths of Stackelberg.
SALARIES OP PROVINCIAL POSTMASTERS.—The sala-
ries of Postmasters in England and Wales for the cur-
rent year amount to 52,4071. ; in Ireland to 10,000/. ;
and in Scotland to s,l6ol.—Civil Service Gazette.
THE FIRST OP SEPTEMBER.—The prospects of part-
ridge shooting, says the lVorcesfershire Chronicle, which
will commence on Monday next, are very rejoicing to
the sportsman. The birds are very abundant, the coveys
large and strong, and the approaching Ist of September
will probably witness the death of as many as ever fell
before the murderous tube on that day so dear to spode-
men.
THE ROEBUCK TESTIMONIAL.—A meeting of the above
committee was held at the Councill,hall on Monday
afternoon. Ald. W. Fisher, jun., occupied the chair,
and there were present V. Fisher, Esq., sen., Ald.
Dunn, W. Smith, Esq., Dam House ; Mr. M, Beal,
Mr. R. J. Gainsferd, and other gentlemen. It Was
stated that the subscription to the testimonial amounted
to nearly 1,400/. ; and it was resolved that a thousand
guineas be presented to Mr. Roebuck, and the remain.
der devoted to the purchasing a portrait of the hon. gen-
tleman,
if it was agreeable to him that this courge
should be adopted. The presentation will take place OA
at the Music-hall, Sheffield, at seven
ay
The neat,
will be placed in one of the public
oNycelodcnke.sd
buildings.
HONOUR TO A CRIMEAN OPPICER.—A grand demon-
stration in honour of Lieutenant-Colonel Soulden Oak-
ley, 56th Regiment, took place at Bishops' Castle, on
Wednesday. The town was lavishly decorated with
arches, crnamented with evergreens, flowers, and ban-
ners. The bailiff and other members and officers of
the corporation waited upon the gallant colonel at
Oakley House, the residence of his brother, where
he is at present staying, and presented a con-
gratulatory address to him. Colonel Oakley, whose
health has suffered greatly from the Crimean campaign,
received the deputation with great cordiality; but his
reply to the address presented to him was read .by his
brother, the Rev. Arthur Oakley, the gallant colonel,
for the present, having entirely lost the use of his voice.
In the evening a grand banquet in honour of Colonel
Oakley took place at the Castle Hotel, Bishops' Castle,
whichewas attended by all the elite of that part of Sinop.
shire. We trust that the gallant colonel may goon lo
re-eatabliehed.