The Sun.
London, England, 1827-04-03 00:00:00

THE SPITALFIELDS' WEAVERS.

Yesterday morning, pursuant to requisition, between IR
and .15,000 silk weavers assembled in Hare-street-fields,
Bethnal Green, for the purpose,of taking -into considera-
tion the answers received from such of their employers as
have acceded to their demands ; and also at what time the
increase of wages shall commence. It appeared that those
masters who have agreed to the terms of the men, are
themselves divided as to when the advance shall take place.
Soule consent to pay for what is out, but by far the more
nuinrrouid in the trade say that the work on hand, being
given out upon a special agreement, has a right to be
finished and returned under that agreement, and the ad-
vance to commence with the following piece. This was

the subject for discussion.
The Meeting was called for seven o'clock, but it was nine
before any business commenced. An empty van, • which
had been previously procured. by the proprietor of the
Crown and Anchor, was placed in the middle of the field.
Mr. Isaac NoQurr was called upon to preside.
Atter the business had been opened—

Mr. GRove, the Secretary apprised them of the im-
portance of the question they were called upon to decide,
and then read a resolution to the following effect :
" That it is the opinion of this meeting, that we:do not
accept the offers of those manufacturers, who, by a written
document, have, or may hereafter agree to give the book
price'
now in th
for the groundseloom shall be• fins
of all works, on
aeonlhe priceitioa agreedthatthose
works
to when the canes were taken out, but all canes now in
the loom and not begun, must be considered as entitled to
the Bock Price, and where there are two pieces of canes,
the first half to be paid for at the stipulated price agreed to,
when the work was taken out, and the second cane to be
paid for agreeably to the late Book Price,"
The reading of this Resolution seemed to produce general
dissatisfaction, and a cry of " The price from the reed"
became quite general.

Mr. Baowx called for a firm stand, to ie paid from the
Reeds. —(Bravo.)
Mr. HUNTER said the question was one of vital im-
?ortance, and lamented to see such a division of sentiment.
He considered the offer of Mr. Buttress to be honourable
in the extreme, and he hoped honour and good faith would
be equally held to them. He trusted that, as the work had
been taken out under a particular agreement, that it should
be returned accordingly.—(Great hissing.)
Mr. EsaLltnoux said, that if feeling of justice existed,
it would point out to there the necessity of finishing the
work, and return it to their masters upon the terms which
they agreed to take it.— (Great hissing.)
Mr. Winn,. thought it would be an act of injustice
against the masters who had agreed to their demands to
manufacture the work for others, at less than what they
were paying, inasmuch as the one would have an unfair
advantage over the other in the same market.
111 r. Trtoxtrsox knew there was a combination of toas-
ters against them, but the men had the power of breaking
the spell, and he therefore recommended the price from the
Reed.—(Cheers.)
Ronxam NOQUET was aware that many masters had
agreed upon the condition of finishing the work, and after
examining the contract into which the men entered, he
thought it only reasonable to suffer those men to return to
their work, whose masters had agreed to their 'terms. The
qu.,_stion being called--
Mr. DORMER moved an amendment, " That the advance
shall take place from what work is in the loom."

Upon the amendment belt* put,
Mr. WALLIS rose, and said he would strongly advise
that they should finish the work in cane, and return it to
the masters, at the contract price—(immense confusion)_
and that they should take out the fresh work at the "Book
prices. "_(Cries of " No, no, we'll have the Book prices'
at once.")
The amendment was then put, and carried by a majority
of about twenty to one.

A SURPRIZE.—We were jogging pensively
along, the Hottentot with two horses, shout ten yards be-
fore me. I following with the other two : Frederick was
nodding on his saddle, having slept little, I believe, the
preceding night. In this posture, happening to cast my
eyes on one side,
I beheld with consternation two monstrous
lions reclining under a initnoea hush, within fifteen yards
of onr path. They were reclining lazily on the ground,
with half-opened jaws, sheaving their terrific fine's. I saw
our d.tnger, and was aware that no effort could save us if
these savage beasts should be tempted to make a spring.
collected myself, therefore, and moved on in silence; while
Frederick, without perceiving them, rode quietly past. I
followed him exactly at the same pace, keeping my eyes
fixed upon the glaring monsters, who remained perfectly
still. When we had got almost seventy or eighty yards
from them, I rode gently up to Frederick, and, desiring
him to look over his shoulder, shtwed !ions. But
such a face of terror I never beheld, as he exhibited on
perceiving the danger we had so narrowly escaped. He
was astonished, too, that he had not previously observed
them, being, like most of his countrymen, very quick-
siehttsi. He said, however, that I had acted very pro-
perly in not speaking or evincing the least alarm while
passing the lions ; for, if I had, they would probably not
have let us pass so quietly. Most likely, however, W 8
- • l they had
me anima
killed
the hurtled
; a quaggs,---as it seemed to me from
owed our safety to their hunger being satiated,--for they
appeared to have been just devouring so
glance I had in ,passing."— Thompson'a Adventures in
South Africa. •