The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-20 00:00:00

eff a't that there had been great disgust •ited in Ner-
tingham at the statements of Mr. Gaily Knight that trade
was improving there: Cheers:)
Atltettrnoii; of the Potteries, said he recollected
When the torn-laws were not spoken of in the Potteries.
In 1837, a gentleman uho was now an advocate of re-
peal, was ot,po ied ,to it. Shortly after this they began
to get whale more information on the subject, and Mr.
Sidney Smith delivered a lecture, and threw such
a flood or tight, that the opposite party had
been unable to extinguish it.—(Hear.) At first their
meetings were op posed by the Chartists. They divided
the meetings by proposing counter resolutions. But
last July they had the pleasure of the cordial cceopera-
Von of the Chartists, and by their assistance they had
returned Mr. Ricardo to Parliament, ns the Chartists
worked heartily in his cause ; and he had no doubt that
if the distress continued twelve months longer that the
whole population of the Potteries would be repeal
men. lie recollected that some years ago it
was a pleasure to go along the streets in the
Potteries on a Sunday morning, to see the people
going to church. They looked happy and com-
fortable. Now how the picture was changed ; they looked
haggard and care-worn. Men he had known for years,
who had habitations & f their own, were obliged to mort-
gage. Many young men were growing grey with sor-
row. He was aware that distress was greater in
other districts than in the Potteries, as he be-
lieved that the Potteries were better off than
other districts, but the distress was not seen by a super-
ficial observer. The people are all neighbours, and they
relieved each other. He wished to impress upon the
meeting that the distress in the Potteries was not brought
' about by machinery. They had the potteries wheel,
but that %vas not turned by steam, but by
females. The great part of the business of the
Potteries was done with America. Every steam-packet
brought letters to the manufacturers. The clerks got
hold of the letters, and they talked about them to the
people, and they found that the Americans did not order
so many goods, as the duty had been increased on our
manufactures, because we would not take their produce
in return. Many of the potters were emigrating to Ame-
rica, as in other districts. Those who were opposed to the
Corn-laws were in the habit of throwing papers amongst
the market people giving a list of wages on the Conti-
nent, and saying that if the Corn-laws were repealed the
English labourer would be reduced to the same level,
bat they fbrgot to mention the price of provisions. He
recollected being in Geneva, where he purchased a
watch, and the man that made it only got eighteen francs
a-week. He was astonished at this ; but when he
(Mr. Abingdon) went to . market to buy his pro-
visions he found that a Paul, or fivepenny piece,
was worth an English shilling. W hen he was in Paris
he saw a quantity of plates just about to be sent to Ger-
many, and invoieed.at a large price. He was surprised
at this, but he afterwards found that these plates were
sent at a nominal duty, while as the same article of
English manufacture the duty would have been prohi-
bitory. (Mr. Abingdon) could say, that
he could manufacture the same article, and give
his workpeople double wages, pay double for his coal,
and yet sell. the article cheaper than they were sold
in Paris. The present state of the Potteries was
awful. They had two companies of the 12th taken in to
nurse the Yeomanry Cavalry. These were supplied at
an expense. of 98/. per day. When he came away,
he saw ninety of them escorting one prisoner—
a glorious'victory.—(Loud laughter.) There were 8,000
colliers out of work; these men were principally poachers
and they carried short guns. If they came in contact
with the military, there would be a dreadful scene of
blood. He. (Mr. Abingdon) deprecated anything like
physical force,, but he was afraid that if there was an out-
break, there ,would be a great effusion of blood. When
the colliers came out, as a matter of course the potters
were out, as it ,was but a small manut'actory
that did not consume 100 tons of coal. The colliers
were not so quiet as the potters, as the latter could read;
but they till expressed their surprise that any man could
be mad enough to shoot at. the Queen. She was very
much respected in the Potteries.---(Cheers.) He be•
lieved that many of the manufacturers were glad of the
turn-out, as it relieved them from paying wages. The
capital was gone, and their stocks were in America.
The Americans were taking to use turned wood, instead
of earthenware. _ _

Tfll SUN, LONDON', WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 20, 1842.

bankrupt. Perhaps in the iron trade they were as largely
connee'ed as any house in the country. A few days ago he
called at one of the largest engine houses, and he was much
surprised to find that the English superintendent had left, and
a German had supplied his place. This foreigner was an ex-
tremely intelligent man. He said that a few years ago on the
Rhine, an English workman was looked upon as gold; but
they were drunken people. The manufacturers of the Rhine
had instructed their own native men, who were much
more steady, and they were discarding the English people.
He said that the iron and steel at the Rhine
were equal to the English, and they would in a few years be
able to compete successfully with us. A friend of his, a manu-
facturer in Warrington, had gene to Rouen, and he had
engines to make, which would occupy him 18 months; another
friend of his had gone to Russia, and he said that, although
2,000 miles up the country, they were manufacturing 50 tons
of iron a week, and the iron was splendid.
The CHAIRMAN then read the circular addressed to the
different mercantile houses in the City, calling upon them to
grant the delegates an interview. The requisition had been
sent to upwards of 1,600 firms in the City, and the interview
was appointed for to-morrow (this day). The usual meeting
would take place at this house to-morrow and would adjourn
at two o'clock, to give the delegates an opportunity of at-
tending at the London Tavern at three, till the next day at
eleven. The meeting then adjourned.