The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-18 00:00:00

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t , THE IRON 'FRADV.
SATUIWAY 'GUT. oc
masters' quarterly meetings WtiS held this evening. The
prices agreed upon at Woiverban-Tten wen- maibtaineti,
and may be quoted as follows : s. d.
Mffs
Common nail rods
Rails l4 0 0
Hoops
Plates
Sheets
Pigs (Shropshire)
Pigs (Staffordshire)
There is a prevalent opinion that the last advance of
21. was uncalled for, injudicious, and likely to prove in-
jurious both to masters and men. This extraordinary
price is, however, justified upon several grounds. The
great advance which has taken place in the price of coal
and limestone, combined with at least 25 pr cent. in-
crease in the wages of the miners, has unquestionably
compelled the ironmasters to put a high figure upon their
make. Coal at the present moment, owing to the preva-
lence of local strikes in certain districts, is extremely
scarce, and in many other parts, where the men are ap-
parently satisfied with the wages given, the miners do
not, work more than four days a week. It is a fact to be
regretted, seeing the great demand for coal, and the ad-
v,tnce of miners' wages, that the men in many districts
of the Suffordshire coal-field, in consequence of their
absenting themselves from their work, are in the receipt
weekly of little more than when the iron trade was at its
lowest ebb. The advance in the price of coal in con-
sequence of the flourishing state of the iron manufacture
and the demand of the colliers has not been less than 3s
per tt.
6

it is thought, that even the increased dernano,
great as it was, and the high price of materials, did not
justify the advance in bars at one sudden step front 101.
to 121. One singular reason, however, in addition to the
more plausible ones already urged, has been given for
this advance. It is stated. that it was suggested by
some of the great firms, with a view to step fur her orders
This may appear somewhat absurd, but if good autlswity
is to be relied upon, it is nevertheless true. It is a fact,
that many of the most extensive houses in South
Staffordshire have more orders on hand than they can
execute for matiy months to come; and it was hoped, by
the means alluded to, to cause a pause in the demand.
Unfortunately, however, this maseenvre (if such
it was), while it answered the purpose of those
by whom it was projected, has in some degree in-
jured other interests. Buyers imagine that there is
something unsound in the rise—that the price is al ti-
ficial, and cannot be maintained. As a matter of course
there is at present considerable hesitation in the market
—a hesitation which has proved extremely detrimental
to the manufacturers and dealers in hardware goods.
Travellers from Birmingham houses, during the last
four months, have in some instances been compelled to
decline orders, in consequence of the extreme rise or
uncertainty in the price of iron. The factors of Bir-
mingham have suffered severely on this account.
With respect to Staffbrdshire pig iron, the opinion is
it will fall. It will be observed that, in the list given
above, the prices of Staffordshire and Shropshire pigs
are given as the same. So they were clouted in Bir-
mingham on Thursday. It was, indeed, stated that
Staffbrdshire had been sold at 71. ; but the purchaser
could not be ascertained. Now, the ground upon which
a reduction in Staffordshire is expected is the known
superiority of the Shropshire pigs, till lately selling at
61. 5a., and now at 61. 10s. It is thought that the Staf-
fordshire makers cannot maintain an equality of price
with their Salopian neighbours.
It is but justice to the iron and coal masters to state,
that hitherto they have, daring their brief period of
prosperity, exhibited a spirit of fairness and justice
towards the mining population ;
but it is to be feared
that at the present lime the colliers in some districts—
in districts, too, where when wages are high men will
not work full time—do not reciprocate the good and fair
feeling manifested by their employers. Wages amongst
the thick-coal men have, as before stated, risen 25 per
cent. In the neighbourhood of Dudley a large number
of men have, notwithstanding. struck for a further ad-
vance of 6d. per day, and the consequence is, that some
of the furnaces have been brought to a stand for want of
coal. The men have now assumed the mastery, and in-
sist on the price of labour keeping pace with, and even
outstripping, the advance in iron. The advance of 6d.
a day in a man's labour is estimated at ls. per ton on
coals—a material consideration in the ironwaster's out-

goings.
It is hoped these isolated local " strikes" will speedily
be at an end.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.
Losnox, APRIL 17.—Strong breeze and fine clear weather.
COWES, APRIL 16.—Wind N.E., blowing a gale.—Arrd.
Chariot, Ichaboe, and not the Charlotte as reported.
DEAL, APRIL 16 —Wind N.E. to N.N. E., strong gale.—
Sid. Cookson, Quebec; Mischief, Calcutta and China;
Trusty, Quebec. The British Union, for Prince Edward's
Island, and several other vessels, have lost their anchors.
RA3ISGATE, APRIL 16.—The Agues, Burgess, from Jamaica
to London, with loss of anchors.
PAN SAND HOLE, APRIL 15.—Arrd. Duke of Bedford,
China; Lads- Marshall, ditto, windlass damaged, &c.
CLYDE, APRIL 15.—Wind N.E.—Arrd. Nautilus, St.
John's New Brunswick.
DUBLIN, APRIL 15.—Sld Bridget, Grace Darling, and Mar-
quis Wellesley, Quebec.
WEYMOUTH, Apntr.l6.—Sid. Astrea, Quebec.
PLygount, Arum 16.—Wind N.N E.—Arrd. Tyne,
Bosustow, Mauritius ; August, Elmhorst, Honduras for
Hatnburgh. Std. Hotspur, Ruth, and Katherine Stewart
Forbes, Quebec.
OFF' EXMOUTH.—Mandengo, Bunting, Jamaica.
LtvEnrotn„ APLIL !6.—Arrd. Lancaster, Huller, Bom-
bay; Exeter, Barrett, Ichaboe ; Barrett, Foster, Charleston.
Off, Margaret, Africa. Sid. Doris, C !ne of Good Hope ; Xarifa,
Rio and Valparaiso; Ann and Emily, Sierra Leone; Trea-
surer, Barbadoes ; Superior, Apalachicola; Eben Preble,
Philadelphia; Charles Humbeeston ard No Kingdom. New
York ; Shannon, Boston ; Argent and Racer, Halifax ; James,
Montreal. The wreck reported yesterday proves to be the
Euterpe, which is being brought in here by t wo steam tugs;
she was bound from St. Domingo to this port.
WEYMOUTH, APRIL 16.—The Mary and Elizabeth, from
Plymouth to this port, drove ashore at Portland yesterday,
during a heavy gale at N.
WHITSTABLE, APRIL 16.—The Isabella, from Trieste to
London, was the vesssel that got on the Spaniard; she has
beat off, and is now on the main, near Warden Point, with
loss of rudder, but making no water. A lugger and a smack
have gone to lighten her.
FALMOUTH, APRIL 16.—Wind N.E., strong breezes.—Arrd.
Concord, Hewitt, Ichaboe ; Mary Laing, Ellison, Cieufuegos
Neptunus, Wissing, Valparaiso. Off, Waterloo, lehaboe.
SWANSEA, APRIL 15.—Arrd. Arrieta, Ellis, Cuba.

PWLLHELI, Arum 15.—1 t is blowing a strong gale at
N.N.R. A large ship with painted ports, no figure-head,
came to anchor at St. Studwell's outer Roads, and a brig
was seen to leeward of Studwell Roads, it blowing a strong
gale from N.N.W. All last night it blew a terrific gale. At
nine A.M. this morning was seen riding S.F. of Studwell's,
rudder gone; at eleven A )t. the foremast and bowsprit went,
and she is now riding a complete hulk. Two P.N. It has
moderated a little.
YouGHAL, APRIL 14.--Sid. Tottenham, Quebec.
CORK, APRIL 14.—Wind N.W., squally.—Arrd Aretbusa,
Forbes, .;entenary, Douglas, Providence, Cornforth, APLagan,
and Warren, Ichaboe. Sld. R. N., Parker, St. John's, New
Brunswick. Off, Black Prince, Supple, Diamond, earc
John APLellan, Coates, and Jos. Cunard, M'Leod, Ichaboe. e'
LowsTOFFE, APRIL 16.—The New Leeds remains on the
beach, and is much damaged.

THE SALFORD CMARTER.—By a defect in this
charter, the mayor and chief magistrate of Salford cannot
either hear or issue warrants or summonses.—Liverpool
Chronicle.
WEST KENT.—The divided Conservatives of West
Kent have, it is reported, cast off both Lord Holmesdale and
Mr. Frewin, and have picked out a third man in the person
of Colonel Austen, of Kippington, near Sevenoaks, as likely
to unite the suffrages of the electors in his favour.
THE LAND or LIBERTY.—It has long been an
Englishman's boast, that as soon as a refugee sets foot in
England, that moment he becomes free. Now, we think
this boast hardly goes far enough. It should particularly
state that the letters of the foreigner are treated with even
greater freedom than himself.—Punch.
IMPORTATION or DUTCH OXEN, SALMON, &C.—

On Wednesday forenoon, the Dutch steam-packet Batavier,
Captain Dunlop, arrived alongside the St. Katharine's steam-
packet wharf, east side of the Tower, from Rotterdam. She
had a considerable number of cabin passengers and an excel-
lent cargo, principally consisting of 47 live cows and oxen in
prime condition, and a large quantity of Dutch salmon and
turbot, poultry, &c.
SUPPOSED CHILD MURDEA.—Wednesday morning,
between seven and eight o'clock, as the grave-digger con-
nected with the burial-ground of the chapel-of ease to the
parish of St. Mary, Islington, in the Holloway-road, was
going into the ground to pursue his employment, his atten-
tion was attracted to a large sized garden-pot near the rail-
ing adjoining the road. On going up to it he found the top
covered over with a piece ofrag, and on its removal, crammed
into the garden-pot, he discovered the body of a remarkably
fine newly-born male infant, wrapped up in some old pieces
of calico and linen. From the appearance of the body
there is but little doubt the child had been subjected Co
violence producing its death. The body was placed in one
of the vaults of the chapel, where it awaits the Coroner's

inquest.
OH ! How SHOCKING !—ln the " Vegiges of the
Natural History of Creation," Ugliness is described as a con-
sequence of Misery. What frights we shall all be through
the operation of the income-tax !—Punch.
AUCTIONEERS —Tire following nww rezulation re-
specting auctioneers appears in the Bill before the House of Corn.
mons to repeal the auction duties :—" And be it enacted, that
every auctioneer, before beginning any auction, shall fix or sus.
pend, or cause to be affixed or suspended, a ticket or board con.
taining his true and full Christian and surname and residence,
painted or written in large letters, publicly visible and legible in
some coospicuous part of the room or place where the auction is
held, so that all persons may easily read the same; and shall also
keep such ticket or board so affixed or suspended during the whole
time of such auction being held ; and if any auctioneer begins any

auction, or acts as auctioneer at any auction, in any room or place
where his name and residence is not so painted or written on a
ticket or board so affixed or suspended, and kept affixed or sus.
pended as aforesaid, he shall forfeit for every such offence the sum
of 1001." The new duty on auctioneers' lice..ses throughout tke
United Kingdom is to be (on the passing of the Act) 10/. a year.
WESTRUTHER.-A UOOD DAY'S WORK.-Mr.

Wm. Gibson having entered on a new lease of the farm of West.
ruther Mains, and having executed a drainage of upwards of 1,800
roods during winter, his farm labour from that operation and from
the spring frosts was retarded; his friei.ds, accordingly, gave him
a day's ploughing on the 24th ult., when 17 ploughs started on a
lea field of 27 acres, and turned the whole over in not more than
eight hours. The turn-out wai splendid, and the execution of the
'ork performed in superior style. Mr. Gibson afterwards enter-
tained a number of his friends, who had so kindly come
forward to assist him, at dinner in the evening, when, over a
social glass, "Speed the plough," was eot forgotten.—Berwick
Paper.
LEITH.--The spring trade is opening up here with
considerable briskness. During the last two days upwards of
1,200 qrs. wheat, 800 qrs. barley, 400 qrs. oats, and 300 qrs.
beans, have been brought in coastwise or foreign. One valu-
able cargo has just arrived from Port Louis, consisting of,
among other articles of traffic, 4,100 bags sugar. Clover
seed is also coming in In great quantities ; and since the re.
moval of the glass duties, a good deal has been done in the
clearauce of wine from bond. Altogether the trade of the
port exhibits at present a very lively and healthy appearance.
Of Guano, several cargoes are still arriving, the prices look-
ing steadily up, averaging about Si. per ton.—Scotsman.