Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-25
TELEGRAPH NEWS.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO TIE GAzETTE.l
The London Strike.

New YORK, June pa special from Lon.
dou OF the 24th says: The great strike of the
London building trade is the result of twenty
years agitation begun in 1853. In 1858 de-
mand was made by the men for a reduction
OF the hours of labor from ten hours a day. ln
1859 a memorial nunerously signed was pre-
scntrd to the masters. \ short struggle en-
sued and the masters. obtained the victory.
George Potter then appeared on the scene to
lead the men. He commenced agltating and
was successful in the country towns and formed
a trades union. Last year the engineers all
over the country rose. At New Castle, Sir Will
liam Armstrong; firm was the special object OF
attack. The master fought stubbornly but the
men conquered and the nine hour movement
Was conceded to the men everywhere. The
carpenters and ~joiners, determined to follow
their example, sent an ultimatum to the Lon.
don masters and applied the screw by with
drawing from two large firms. The masters
threatened a general lockout" ii the men did
not return to their work. The men refused.
The masters proposed arbitration and nomina-
ted Lord Derby and the Marquis OF Salisbury.
lockout last week by which twenty thousand
men were thrown out of employment. Masons
and bricklayers were thrown out also. Mr..
Plunkett, member of the firm Of Cubitt, in an
interview said he had seen three strikes. He
employs three thousand carpenters masons aud
bricklaycrs. He would not deny that the
strikes tended to raise the wages, but the re-
suit thew many men out Of employment.
Though the cost of building labor had advanc-
ed ID per cent 10 the last twenty years the de-
mand of the men was for ffty-one hours work
instead Of "ffty-six and a half and the wages a
,ll.a. .o-. Hhn po,ctarr u,oral tho S,ihiapt
simple as a question Of supply. They believed
the demand was not warranted by the condl-
ton of trade and reckoned on proving this to
the arbitrators Of any should be appointed.
The masters disliked "lockouts' as much as
they did strikes, but they we're generally com
PEELED to adopt them. They did not object to
men unions. Three masons at a small public
house declined to give their names for fear of
the consequences. They said that in 1853 the
wages we're five shillings per day, in 1850 six
pence more, in 1861 seven pence an hour and
10 1865 eight pence an hour. The reasons Civ.
en- for the strike are the dear rates OF living IN
London and the long distance to out Of door
Jobs to which they were obliged to walk in their
own time. There is no fear of men being
brought from the country as they are better
off there. Two thirds of the masons society
are saDgnine of success: Financially they are
strong being helped by other trades. Nine
hours a day and nine pence per hour has been
determined upon and there will be no surrcn-
der.
The London Times considers the inev
liable result of the trade disputes to be
an incredible increase in the prices of pro-
ducts with which England supplies the world;
that the consequent loss England will make
coal and iron dear and that in consequence
England will lose the advantage of her re-
sources and products.