The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-27 00:00:00

THE PRESTON STRIKE.

Messrs. Williamson, who employ between 300 and 400
.:o.nds, have decided to reduce the wages of their opera-
Ayes 5 per cent. Their mill was one of those at which
originally no notice of any reduction was given. The
operative weavers, it is understood, will accept this reduc-
tion. The mill of Mr. Seed, in Derby-street, has been
closed, the hands refusing to accept a 10 per cent. reduc-
tion. At the mill of Mr. Robert Gardner, a notice of a
reduction of 5 per cent. has been posted, and, as in the
case above mentioned, it is expected that the hands will
agree to it ; at any rate, that the weavers will not
object to it. We are informed that while the guardians
will refuse relief to all those operatives who have
refused to accept reduced wages—their business being
simply to give aid to persons destitute through circum-
stances beyond their own control—they will not object to
keep those in departments dependent upon the hands who
have struck work, and who have had no alternative but
to cease work. With respect to Mr. Hermann, M.P.,
who received an ovation on Wednesday, on account of not
having posted a notice of any reduction, it is alleged that,
in the first place, his machinery works at a slower speed
than that in most of the other mills, that his hands are
not through each department paid up to the standard list,
but that they have more comfort and enjoy more
security and constant employment than the bulk of Preston
operatives.

At one of the largest mills in the town where a strike
occurred last week fully one-half of the machinery is now
in operation, hands having been obtained to work it at a
reduction of 10 per cent. There is a disposition among the
weavers on strike to accept a reduction of 5 per cent., which
will bring them down to the standard list. The spinners
remain inflexible, and entirely object to any reduction.
The secretary of the Amalgamated Trades' Council
has received a letter from Mr. T. Baxley, M.P., in which
he suggests the adoption of a memorial by the Preston
operatives to the Duke of Argyll, Indian Secretary of
State, to the following effect :—" The inhabitants of the
town of Preston depend chiefly upon the prosperity of the
cotton trade, but for several years their industry has
been unremunerative, and vast multitudes of respectable
working people have been deprived of the means
of labour and of subsistence. Your memorialists
attribute the prevailing distress to the insufficient supply
of raw cotton, and learning that the British East Indies
can best produce this much-wanted raw material, venture to
suggest to your Grace to give your powerful aid to cause
relief to be afforded by inducing ample supplies of cotton
from India. Your memorialists are well informed that by
deep ploughing the soil of India, and by the aid of saline
manures with irrigation, the quality and quantity of cot-
ton may be immensely improved and increased, whereby
their industry may be revived. Praying the kindest atten-
tion of your G race to their wants, your memorialists will
be ever grateful for the relief to their labour which they
now crave."

Some instructive illustrations have lately been
given as to " how companies are promoted." The
prospectus of a new Assurance Company was issued a
short time ago, and the whole of the directors had
fashionable Nest-end addresses. Upon inquiry it was
found that the addresses were given correctly enough.
The " promoters" undoubtedly were denizens of the
West-end, and lived in grand mansions—one as a butler,
three as servants in livery, and one as an office cleaner.
The "managing director" is a retired valet, and the
secretary" is an ex•policeman.

THE RATING OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.—A
deputation from Windsor, consisting of Mr. T. Chamberlain,
mayor, Mr. Darvill, town clerk, and Mr. Councillor
Cleave, has had an interview with Mr. Ayrton, M.P., at
the Treasury. Its object was respecting the excessive
rating of the borough, arising from the demolition of
house property formerly rateable, the site of which has
been required for barracks and other public buildings, and
from the large amount of Royal and Government property
exempted from rates. The deputation was introduced by
Mr. Eykyn, M.P. It was pointed out by the deputation
that at Chatham and other places where there are extensive
Government buildings allowances are made in lieu of rates.
Mr. Ayrton promised that the important subject should
receive early attention.

GOOD FRIDAY BEQUESTS.—A citizen of old,

;tined Peter Symonds, by will dated 1586, left a sum of
money that a sermon might be preached every Good
Friday in the church of Allhallows, Lombard-street; and
at the clow of the scry ice provides that a Funny and a
lYteket of raisins or plums shall be given to each of sixty
of the younger scholars of Christ's Hospital who shall
attend such service. This custom was observed on Friday,
The sermon was preached by the rector, the Rev. 0.
Mackenzie. At the close of the service several other
children participated in the gift, and a number of poor
persons received gifts of money and bread. In the parish
of St. Bartholomew-the-Great a donor unknown left a
small sum of money to be distributed over his tomb on
Good Friday. That tomb is now gone, and on Friday the
Rev. J. Abbiss, after performing divine service in the
ancient church, came out into the footpath leading to the
church, and upon a flat stone there threw down twenty-
:our sixpences, which were eagerly picked up by a similar
number of old ladies who had been previously selected va
rsg,tiy_c_thst ,Pren. --'