The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-12 00:00:00

THE IRON AND COAL TRADES.

The iron trade is in much the same position as
it was at quarter day. The return of colliers and
miners to their work at the drop, after a strike of
sufficient duration to severely test their credit at
the different provision shops, has ensured (with
the coal and ironstone their masters get from a
distance) a steady continuance of supply. The
" first class" houses in the iron trade have orders
in hand sufficiently abundant to keep all their
mills and, forges fully employed for some time to
come. The principal complaint is that the rate of
wages and materials are too high, if considered
as proportionable with the prices obtained for
iron. That the latter might have ruled higher,
and have borne a more equable relation to the
cost of production, is acknowledged, but the trade
acted wisely a few months ago in reducing mer-
chant iron 10s. per ton, which, undoubtedly, gave
an impetus to the make, and the present position of
the trade is mainly attributable to this line of ac-
tion ; and, with moderate production, no doubt the
trade will, in the spring, resume its ordinarily
healthy tone. The recent disasters of South Staf-
fordshire and East Worcestershire have proved
useful to this extent, that some of the undersellers
have been weeded out of the trade, and at the pre-
sent time there is not a great deal of that sort of
thing going on. The demand for good pig iron has
not slackened since our last report. Hot blast pigs
are realising £3 12s. 6d. and £3 15s. per ton, and
cold blast £4 ss. and £4 Is. 6d. per ton. There
is not a very brisk demand for this latter kind of
iron, it being considered too expensive for ordinary
purposes, and is only used in particular in-
stances where parties can command good prices
for the articles produced from it. The coal
trade is daily increasing in briskness, and prices
are well maintained. Some of the colliers and
miners, we are very sorry to say, east of Dudley
and at Cannock Chase, continue very disaffected,
and, after going in at the drop, have given notice
for a rise of wages. They have been stimulated to
do this by a number of itinerant agitators who take
delight in setting masters and men at variance. It
will be of no avail, as the masters are determined
not to yield to the present demands of the men, nor
will they advance their wages at all until the trade
becomes more remunerative than it is at present.
Ironstone, the yield of the district, is in good re-
quest, and prices have an upward tendency.— Wol-
verhampton Chronicle.

GALWAY, FRIDAY.—The Prince Albert has
sailed with her Majesty's mails, 'a large cargo, and 310
passengors, for,Newfoundland and New York.

BOUDOIR OPERA CHOIR,--The success that has
attended the concerts given by the Boudoir Opera choir
has been such that the managers have thought it desirable,
after giving twenty performances at the Beaumont Institu-
tion, Mile-end, the Albion Hall, Dalston, and other places,
to secure Crosby Hall, Bishopgate-street, for a limited
period, for the purpose of giving a series of concerts of the
most attractive nature. The first concert is announced for
to-morrow evening, and the programme contains some of
the choicest specimens of British and foreign musical com-
positions. It consists of selections from Verdi's opera,
"I 1 Trovatore " Bishop's splendid trio and chorus, " The
Chough and Crow," selections from the " Rose of Castille,"
and various other favourite morceaux. We cordially wish
the promoters of the concerts every success in theft laud-
able enterprise.
GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION.—The Government
emigrant ship Grand Trianon, 1,049 tons, Captain Alfred
Hayes, which sailed from Southampton on April 12, in
charge of Surgeon Superintendent W. H. Pcarse, with 69
married couples, 17 single men, 95 single women, 40 boys
between the ages of 1 and 12, 27 girls between the same
ages, 5 male infants and 10 female, making a total of 402
souls, equal to 353} statute adults, arrived at Sydney, New
South Wales, on Aug. 20. Five death and six births oc-
curred during the voyage.
PROPOSED DOCKS AT BURNHAM.—Mr. Hawk-
shaw, C.E., is at present engaged in laying down a plan fur
the formation of clocks and shipping places at Burnham, on
the Somersetshire coast, opposite Cardiff. Vessels can run
from one place to the other in a single tide, and to save the
railway transit from Bristol to Burnham. This is so im-
prtant an item that a considerable trade is springing up
there. Land has just been let for an entire new street, the
esplanade is being widened) and gas is being laid downs