The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-02 00:00:00

7'll STRIKE AT PRESTO S.

The card-room operatives, who occupy a vastly.
:mportant position at Preston, inasmuch as the work of
s large number of the other bands in a great measure
depends upon their operations, and who form no inconsi-
derable section of the discontented factory operative
body—numbering as they do over 2,000—a1l of whom will
immediately strike work on the Bth inst., unless some
arrangement be come to in the meantime, have just issued
their first declaration. After some prefatory remarks,
it goes on to say : We assert, and, when necessary, can
prove, that the card-room hands of Preston are paid
greatly lower than the operatives of other districts, and
that, in addition to this, our work is a more laborious kind
of work than that executed in other districts. If it can
be shewn that we are getting more wages than other dis-
tricts, then are we willing to be reduced to their level, but
if the comparison holds out that we are paid less than
those other districts, we are willing to continue being
paid at the ordinary rate of wages until either trade
revives or the nrtsters think proper to increase it. Under
no circumstances shall we submit unconditionally to any
reduction other than that of the rate paid in other places.
Why a reduction at all should be proposed at the present
time by the Preston masters is more than we can say.
We admit that the cotton trade is bad, but we are per-
suaded that the true remedy of resuscitating the present
condition of the cotton trade does not lie either in a
better supply of cotton, or in full time and reduced wages,
but in a general adoption of short time, and a continuance
of the present state of renumeration." An important
interview has been held between representatives of
the masters and the operative spinners and Joinders.
During the interview it was stated that the masters could
see no reason for changing their proposition to reduce
the wages of those spinning counts of fifty and under,
but that they were willing to make a compromise with
those spinning finer counts, and would be satisfied if they
would accept a 5 per cent, reduction. This proposition
was rejected. The representatives of the masters then
asked if the operatives would accept a 5 per cent. reduc-
tion all round. The reply given to the second proposition
was that there must first be a consultation with the opera-
tives themselves. The deputies of the spinners and
minders then proceeded to an immense meeting of their
body, held at the Institute, Church-street, and reported
thereto what had passed. The operatives decided unani-
mously to resist the proposition for a 5 per cent. reduction,
the resolution to that effect being subject to the approval
or otherwise of a general delegate meeting shortly to be
held.

ECONOMY AT GREENWICH HOSPITAL —An Admi-
ralty order has been received for the closing of two of the
three gates at which visitors and the inmates have hitherto
-,been admitted to Greenwich Hospital. This is calcu-
lated to effect a saving of about £6OO per annum, in re-
ducing the number of metropolitan police employed from
seventeen to seven.
A.NOTHER IRISH MIIRDER.—A telegram from
Tipperary says that another murder Las Le :n committed in
Tipperary. The victim is a farmer, named Topham, who
was found on Thursday morning lying dead near his own
house, about ten miles from the town of Clonmel. He
was shot through the head. No further particulars have
yet been received.
The Northern Post, the organ of the Russian
Minister of the Interior, says that the consumption of
alcoholic drinks in the empire has increased since 1863 by
101 per cent. The number of persons who died from
drunkenness in Russia last year was 2,748, being at the
rate of seven a day. In a single government—that of
Riazan—the deaths from this cause have risen from 17 in
1854 to 117 in 1864. At-Moscow, according to statistics
furnished by the director of police, the number of persons
. _ . .

arrested for drunkenness (including women) was 7,224 in
842, and 21,794 in 1863. _ _ _

MISS BURDETT COUTTS.—In the list of persons
nominated to serve as guardians of the poor for the parish
of Bethnal Green, which has just been affixed to the doors
of the workhouse, there appears, as one of the candidates
for the West Ward, the name of " Angelina Georgiana
Burdett Coutts, of 1, Stratton•street, Westminster,
and Holly-lodge, Highgate." Miss Coutts is the
owner of a large amount of property in the
parish, the model lodging-houses . in Columbia-
square, and the handsome and spacious new Columbia-
Nlarket having been erected by that benevolent lady. The
:atter edifice has been recently inspected by the various
district wards and vestries and the Metropolitan Board of
Works, and will be opened on the tat of May next. It
would be a fortunate thing for the poor in Bethnal Green
if Miss Burdett Coutts had a seat upon a board whose
name has been somewhat frequently before the public in
reference to the peculiar tone of the proceedings at some
3f their meetings.—Express.
_ _ _

LYNCH LAW IN PORTLAND PRISON.—On Mon-
day one of the convicts at Portland prison, having been
punished, threatened "to do" for the warder (named
Burns) Nvho had reported him, if he should meet with an
opportunity. Accordingly, at the breakfast time, when the
prisoners were mustered in one of the halls, the convict made
an attack from behind on the warder with the candlestick
belonging to his cell, of which he had managed to obtain
possession. He dealt him some severe blows on the head,
and before the other officers could interfere the ruflian en-

deavoured to thrust the extinguisher into the warder's eye,
probably intending to gouge it out. Ile was, however, pre.
vented from doing his victim any further harm by those who
witnessed the outrage. He also received a very wholesome
lesson in "Lynch law " in the shape of a severe thrashing
from the justly indignant warders, who, remembering the
dastardly murder of their unfortunate comrade Treviss,
were resolved to prevent the recurrence of a similar
catastrophe. We understand that Burns is not very
greatly injured by the cowardly attack made upon
him ; it may be hoped, however, that the convict
obtained such castigation as will cause him to remem-
ber his brutal conduct for some the to come.—Dorset
_
County Chronicle.