The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-26 00:00:00

GAS METERS.

TMPORI ANT to GAS COMPANIES and CON-
_a_ ,SUMERS of GAS. All the inconveniences arising from
Gas Meters getting out of action, and ceasing to registim. (to
the great loss of Gas Companies and serious inconvenience to
Consumers) are prevented by using THOMAS EDGE'S IM.
PROVED METERS, with Patent Lever Valves. These
Meters are approved of by all the London Gas Companies, and
will entirely supersede those made in the common way with
guide wires.
Meter Works, Great Peter •street, Westminster.

TUE COMPLEXION.—GOWLAND'S LO-
TION removes all impurities and discolorations of the
skin, and promptly re-establishes a clear and healthy toneof sur-
face, while its sustaining properties in obviating the effects of
variable temperature upon the tint of the Complexion is veri-
fied by the continued freshness usually limited to the earlier
periods of personal attraction.
" Robt. Shaw, London," is in white letters on the Govern-
ment stamp, without which it is not genuine. Prices, 2s. 9d.,
ss. 6d., quarts tis. 6d.
Sold by all Perfumers and Medicine Venders, of whom
may be had Shaw's Mindora Oil, for the Hair, price 33.
255. DRESSING CASES, in Rus-
sia leather, invented by'hirnself, are the cheapest, most
portable, and most complete ever introduced, with hair-brush
and soap-dish, 355.; ditto, with a great variety of instruments,
555. ; the French pouch dressing-case, 4/. 6s. ; the Blucher,
3/. lf)s. and 3/. lss. ; ladies' silver dressing-cases, Si. 1.55. and
upwards; desks, workboxes, leather writing cases, and dis-
patch boxes, pocket-books, card cases, and envelope-boxes.—
Manufactured on the premises, 4, Leadenhall-street, London.
A show-room up stairs for Alechi'S splendid stock of papier
mache tables, tea-trays, &c.

THE COLLIERS' STRIKE IN MII)

LOTHIAN.

Although the strike has already continued for
fully six weeks, and occasioned a vast amount of pri-
vation and distress among the misguided persons who
have been rash enough to quit their employment, we
regret to learn that they still express their determina-
tion to hold out. They have issued a placard, which
has been extensively circulated in :Mid and East
Lothian, in which they say, they " are convinced that
the public generally are in total ignorance of their
sufferings, which has induced them to publish the fol-
lowing statement of wages received by them at the
different works under-noted." According to their
statement, the variation in the rate of wages at dif-
ferent collieries is very great; the highest being at
Huntlaw and Edgehead, where the average gross
wages are stated to be 225. 6d. and 215., and the
working hours per day 13 and 14 hours respectively.
From these sums are to be deducted the expenses of
putters, oil, and tools, defrayed by the workmen. In
the case of Huntlaw, the putter is rated at Bs., oil 2a.,
and tools 9d., making 10s. 9d. to be deducted from'the
gross amount of 225. 6d., and leaving for nett wages
lls. 9d. At Edgehead the expenses are stated at 10s. Id.,
the free wages being 10s. 11d. The lowest are said to
be at Tranent, where, working 14 hours a day, the
average weekly wages are set down at 10s., subject
to a deduction of a putter, 65., oil and tools ls. 10d.,
and reducing the average wages to the nett sum of
2s. 2d. per week. In the other collieries, the nett
wages are stated at 4s. 2d., 58. 9d., 6s. 9d., and so on
up to 12s. 2d., which is the highest. In putting forth
such a statement we cannot help saying that the col-
liers seem to have been very ill advised, a great part
of it carrying absurdity on the very face of it, while
other parts have been met by a distinct denial from
those parties best enabled to state the truth. To those
of our readers who are not conversant with the
technicalities of the coal mine it is necessary to ex-
plain that " putters" are boys and girls employed in
conveying the coals from the hands of the collier to
the bottom of the shaft. This is generally done in
small four-wheeled trucks, or waggons, containing from
three to five cwt., and as this part of the work is
performed by young persons of either sex, it is not
understood to be severe. The wages paid by the col-
liers to the putters is generally from 10d. to Is. a day;
and, in this way, men with three or four children to
assist them make a large addition to their earnings.
Now, at the Tranent colliery, the average nett wages
of the colliers are set down at 2s. 2d. per week, while
6s. per week is paid to the "putters." If this state-
ment has any foundation in truth, the colliers should
either turn "putters," or each man should putt his own
work. But before we believe that the average nett wa-
ges of any collier in the kingdom in constant employ-
ment are only 2s. 2d. per week, we will require stronger
evidence than their printed placard. In fact, such a sum
is not sufficient to sustain life in any man engaged in
so laborious an occupation as that of a collier, far less
is it sufficient to provide food, clothing, and mainten-
ance for his family. Their assertion on this point,
therefore, must be supported by better evidence than
they have yet furnished before it can command belief.
The nett wages of men employed at the Newbattle
Colliery are set down at 9s. ld., and as this has been
met by a pointed denial and a public declaration,
" that industrious and sober colliers at Newbattle
works earn from 3s. 6d. to 4s. per diem, clear of all
expenses," and an invitation to all " respectable per-
sons not connected with colliers to inspect the colliery
wages book," that they may satisfy themselves on the
subject, we venture to caution the public against
allowing their sympathy to be enlisted on behalf of
persons who are endeavouring to obtain countenance
and support by means the very reverse of creditable.
In the meantime the coal-masters are submitting to
considerable loss by the falling in of their works and
otherwise, and will, no doubt, presently be under the
necessity of expelling the colliers from their dwelling-
houses, which they occupy only on the condition of
regular attendance at work.—Caledonian Mercury

Isabella 11., Queen of Spain, will complete, on the
12th October, the twelfth year of her age. This is
the age at which, according to the text of the ancient
Spanish law, the minority ceases. Now the new
Spanish Constitution has not modified these laws ;
Queen Isabella will, therefore, be at the end of the
minority next month, and on the day on which she
attains that age the functions of iII. Arguelles wl.l
cease, as those of Queen Christina would do.—Brussels
Paper.
It will be seen from our traffic returrs that tl e
raising of the fares on the Blackwall Railway has,
during the last week, led to a falling off in the re-
ceipts of nearly 2001., as compared with the cor-
responiing week of last year, and this too althouo
the present season is far more favourable to pleasure
trips than was the last.—Railway Times.
Our readers have frequently heard of enormous
hailstones, but it was reserved for the Spanish jour-
nals to record something in this way truly monstrous
The. Corresponsal of Madrid:says :—" They write
from Valencia that great damage has been inflicted on
that part of the country by 10 rible storms. At
Alcira and Carriagente the hail fell in large quan
titles, and some of the hail. t )nes weighed eight
pounds (!). At Alcira, which is called the garden of
Spain, the damage is said to exceed i amount
8,000,000 reals."