The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-22 00:00:00

the loss, as le pointed out, does not stop here ; the
distress and inconvenience occasioned by it spreads
further ancil wider. The masters lose heavily by
having their capital standing idle, and the whole
retail tn.de of the neighbourhood suffers in conse-
quence directly and indirectly. It does not by any
means follow that the men are always in the wrong
in these disputes, only they are too apt to rush into
strikes regardless of consequences. Combination
is, of course, the men's great weapon against their
employers, and if they only used it in cases of direct
oppression or injustice they would be justified in
resorting to it for the protection of their inte-
rests. But, unhappily, they are not sufficiently
educated to understand how far away events, of
which they have scarcely heard, may affect trade
more or less throughout the civilised world. This
year, every one knows, has been a had one finan-
cially, and the iron trade and the building trade,
like other branches of industry, must of course feel
the consequences of commercial depression. Is it
the way to restore confidence and prosperity to
stop business altogether ? The masters, no doubt,
often take advantage of their men, and, in fact,
the men have often good reason to distrust them
as a class. But they in their turn suffer so much
from these stagnations of trade that a wise con-
cession on their part would often profit them
largely. It is a lamentable thing that some sys-
tem of arbitration cannot be adopted between mas-
ters and men in the interests of both. If war is
to be deplored between foreign nations, and
philosophers and philanthropists hope for a
time when national disputes shall be settled
in the council chamber rather than in the
battle-field, bow much more reasonably may
we anticipate such a mode of dealing with a pacific
question, a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence,
which it would be ridiculous, if it were not so
lamentable, to settle by both sides voluntarily in-
flicting on themselves a heavy loss. Earl GREY, in
concluding his observations, which were received
with loud applause, expressed his conviction that it
was the duty, as well as the interest of all parties,
to arrive at an amicable settlement of trade disputes,
and he added that if a really Christian spirit pre-
vailed amongst masters and men such a thing as a
lock-out or a strike would cease to be heard of. We
trust the noble earl's just and sensible remarks will
have their due weight with his audience, and
that they may influence those who are still pursuing
this mistaken policy in the iron trade. In these
times, when cholera is amongst us, and the bare
necessaries of life are so costly, it is no light thing
to occasion the loss of £lOO,OOO in wages. We
hope both employers and employed will reflect upon
this, and endeavour, in a spirit of mutual
conciliation and good faith, to bring to a speedy
close this lamentable state of things.

At the meeting of the Court of Common Council
on Thursday the question of the Holborn Valley
Improvement was brought under consideration. It
was agreed to borrow £400,000 to complete the un-
dertaking until the viaduct was completed and the
surplus ground realised. This is all very satisfac-
tory, and we are glad to find the good citizens of
London are determined to carry out this really im-
portant metropolitan improvement in an energetic
and liberal spirit. Holborn Valley has long called
loudly for some active reform, and it is quite time
that our metropolis wasput to rights in such matters.
There is one point, however, which the circumstance
of the present time renders very imperative, and
which we hope the Common Council will not over-
look. We allude to the destruction of the houses
occupied by the poor, which must inevitably re-
sult from this as from all other architectural or to-
pographical improvements. The neighbourhood of
Holborn-hill is densely populated, and in these days
of overcrowding it is not easy to see where those
who are turned out can betake themselves.
The clestrue.tion of Agar-town has been a
terrible grievance to the labouring classes, and it
is the duty of the Legislature to put a stop to the
present system of demolition with restoration. In
every act granting enlarged powers for the destruc-
tion of working men's homes there should be a
clause compelling the company who require the
ground to erect a given number of similar houses
or cottages elsewhere. If some plan of this kind is
not to be adopted the grievance will become into-
lerable, as the injustice is oppressive. The public
health already suffers, and the comfort and morals
of the people are sacrificed. What are they to do ?
They cannot build houses for themselves, even. by
paying rents quite disproportionate to their earnings
they cannot obtain decent lodging? The streets
and squares which are demolished by the railway
or the improver are replaced by suburban terraces
and villas, but the court, and the lane, and the alley
are pulled down without their fellows being built
elsewhere. It would now make little difference in
an undertaking like the Holborn Valley Improve-
ment to borrow £lOO,OOO or £50,000 more, but
what a vast difference such a sum laid out in build-
ing commonly decent habitations for the poor
would effect ! Such an addition to a scheme for
improvement need not be eleemosynary, but
might be made remunerative, and we hope it will
be seen to.

Mis-spelling of Names in French and

English.