The Sun.
London, England, 1818-08-17 00:00:00

MANCHESTER.

5Ve are sorry to observe, that the question
respecting wages, which has been so long pend-
ing her ween -the Masters mid the Operative Spin-
ner•, still remains unsettled, and that the same
spirit of hostility continues to be shewn to those
men who' are disposed to return to their lawful
mployment. which has so repeatedly and ehringly
been offered in the course of this alarming con-
test ; we have noticed the various papers which
l►,ive been circulated and placarded on our walls
to mislead the public, and to excite the men to
continue its their illegal combinations; and we
deem it necessary that the public should he in-
tor med correctly, and that statements void of
truth should not remain uneontradicted. We have
therefore taken some pains to procure correct in-
formation, and we pledge ourselves that the fol-
lowing facts are authentic:--During the greatest
part of the years 1816 and 1817, the weavers, and
almost every other description of manufacturers
and labourers (excepting spinners) suffered exces-
sively from low wages and want of employment.
The spinners haul full and constant work during
the whole of that time—no class of people have
had such constant and uniform employment for
the last 28 years as they have had, and this advan-
tage the spinner enjoys at the risk and expence of
his employer, for such is the nature of the
trade, that when once a cotton mill is com-
pletely and fully set to work, it cannot'be stopped,
or even interrupted, without great loss to the
proprietor. The interest of his sunk capital, his
rent insurance, salaries of servants, decay of
machinery, &c. are nearly the same, whether
''e mill be standing or going, and thus amain

o a heavy loss ; and he ft equently finds him•
self in such a situation, that he must Continue to
employ all his people at full work,. and for many
months together, although he cannot sell to profit.
The working spinners have not only enjoyed
their• constant employment, hut they have had
much higher wages than any other class of ma-
nufacturers : at the same time, turned out for an
advance, they were receiving the same wages that
had been paid them for nine months previous to
that time ; and we have ascertained, that the
average weekly wages paid to met) spinners, fron►
the Ist of January last to the middle of Jane, at
which rime they turned out, was upwards of 31s.
and for boy and gi,l spinners upwards of 175.,
clear• of all charges and deduction whatever. Con.
tests of this kin:l, which have for their object an
advance• of wages, have generally defeated the
end for which they were entered into. The pre-
sent, depressed state of the manufactures, in
which the hatters, the hosiers, silk-weavers, &c.
were employed, and which had, by ingenuity and
industry, been raised to a pitch of •great na-
tional importance, is chiefly owing to that
overbearing influence which is now, most un-
justly and illegally- employed to deprive the mas-
ter spinners of the controul of their own circum-.
stances, and must ultimately, if not resisted, add
another to the melancholy catalogues of evils most
distressing and ruinous in their consequences.
MACCLESFIELD.—Two troops of the 6th Dra-
goons have arrived in this town. Troops of the
same regiment are also stationed in Leek and Con-
gleton. We are sorry, it is observed, that the tur-
bulent spirit which has shewn itself in some
of our neighbouring towns should have required
their presence among ns, but our regret is
considerably heightened in knowing that means
have been taken to create a similar discontent
amongst the peaceably and orderly artizans of this
borough ; most earnestly do we caution them
to give any ear to those who in the (lark of night
have attempted to scatter a fire-brand amongst
them,—(Wheeler's Manchester Chronicle, Aug. 15.)

On Saturday morning, at 10 o'clock, the Duke
and Duchess of CAMBRIDGE, the Prince \VILLIAM
.and Prince FREDERICK of HESSE CASSEL, and
suite, proceeded to Woolwich, where they were
received with proper militaty honours. They in-
spected every process of the manufacture and ope-
rations of the diffprent weapons of war, from the
manufacture of balls and rockets to their dis-
charge and explosion, and were greatly amused.
Their Royal Highnesses ;returned to town soon
after six o'clock, to dinner.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL left his house at Coombe
Wood on Friday for Plymouth, to inspect the
Breakwater forming in the Sound.

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

We regret that we have not room to enter into
the merits of a very humourous and interesting
Comedy which was brought forward on Saturday
at this place, under the title of The Green Man.—
It is, as we before stated, a translation from the
French, and we now learn that it is wholly the
work of Mr. JONES. the Actor. The original title
was L'Homme Gris, but as a complete grey cos-
tume would not have had such an effect on the
eye as green, the Author has properly chosen the
latter colour. Critically speaking, however, the
change was not so judicious, for as this Green
Man does not wish to be discovered, he was
not wise in chasing such singular shire.—But
Mr. J. has adapted the play to the characters and
manners of this country with very great adroit tress,
and has produced a piece highly creditable to
himself, and which is, likely to prove very bene-
ficial to the Theatre. Kite story is certainly very
improbable altogether, but it excites a strong
interest, and is most agreeably diversified with pa-
thetic and ludicrous incidents. It was most judi.
ciously cast in the characters, and very ably sup-
ported by the whole 01 the Performers, and there-
fore in justice to all at them, though we have not
room for lttie plot, we shall at least subjoin the
Dramatis Persona, which Were as follows
Mr. Ben`bow (the Green Man) Mr. TEtotr.
Sir George Squander . . Mr. Ilartsattet.
Fungus . . Mr. RUSSELL.
Commissary thither Mr, CONNOR..
Major Dumpling
Crackly
Lady Squander Mrs. GLOVES.
Bertha . . Miss E. BLANCHARD.
Touchit Mrs. Grans.
i'Ve think it proper, however, to observe, that
!he original Author certainly derived the character
ut Benbow from that admirable novel, one of the
very best in out language, The Vicar of Wakefield.
Benbow, like Birchell, is rite leading feature in the
piece ; lie is hunrane, bluntly sarcastic, and is the
secret mover anti main director of the whole, and
in that respect resembles also The Black
Dwarf, in " The Tales of my Landlord."__
It is not clearly made out how Benbow be-
comes possessed of all his knowledge of the
schemes which he is, constantly endeavour.
ing to frustrate, yet, as during the representation
Criticism is overpowered by sympathy and amuse-
ment we shall not be nice in our animadversions ;
but hear lily recommt nding the piece to that pro-
tection, which indeed its own merits will secure,
we folly joined with the numerous audience that
approved it by acclamation, and shall often in-
dulge ourselves with a renewed enjoyment of the
entertainment which it afforded, not doubting that
our Readers will do the same,