The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-03
THE STRIKES IN GRE.ir BRIT.iIM


H''"''' WV i'' i'''' Wv NNl' N
trade, which has so universally prevailed IN inc
uht'd states Tor some years pasI' hrlu5h III
dustry has been mostly exempt business has
NOT boon hrisk, indeed tut 1t mas been iair' ana
not much to be complained of. when our own
country's case WIS So much worse Now now
ever change seems to have come Nearly all
branches OF industry, except tho building
trades, nre very mu'h depressed; large num-
h'fs oi mon are out OF employment ana reduc-
tons II wages are gong on cv'rywher". Tho
trouble ia. that buyers do not como to take away
their manufactures. ns in former years while
the imports OF foreign food supplies in'rcuse
i'om year to year Mt an alarming rate. Before
lSUV tho average annual import oi wheat into
the United Kingdom was 36O0O.OOO bushels in
the last lvc years the average annual import
mas reached 100 600 1000 bushels. Tho war has. no
doubt. materially affected British trade, butcher
causes are more prominent. Foreign compete
ton was mover so great ms now, ana tho United
states and continental countries are taking a
large pnrt OF the trade that once came to Eng
land. years ago Birmingham was considered
inc arsenal 81 inc world. In the present war
both RUSSIA ana turkey nave iouni II 10 thelr
advantage 10 cross tho Atlantic ana buy arms III
hhode Island. Germany. Franco, ana II 'lgium
are carrying on n brisk competition with the
Englsh manufactures. ana arc actually under
seiling England IN iron ana coal.
The present year has been yonr Of strikes.
vast amounts OF money have been spuanIercd
IN thos' unfortunate struggles between capital
and labor. What Is most remarkable Is that
those strikes should have taken place in face OF
depression OF trade that had evidently set In
ms early ms tho beginning OF the present year.
In the building trades ms have intimated
thcrc Is considerable activity. and. in some
cases. an actual scarcity OF labor; and here the
strikes which have closed ana which are now
IN progress are in nearly All casns Tor nm adj
vance in wages. The strikes in the manuiac-
turing districts and in tho coal regions are all
in resistance to proposed reductions But
whether in the building trades or in other IN
dusfries, the strikes which have closed ended
In the defeat Of the workmcn.
Early in the year strike on gigantic scale
began among III" shiphuildcrs on tho Clyde.
In 1872 shipcarp"nters in that district received
II cents per hour; in 1874 their wages were
advanced to lG cents an hour After time
trade became somewhat dull and thore was "A
reduction to the first figure named. The strike
nj the beginning Of this year was for rcstora-
ton OF the 10 cents an hour received in 1874.
The masters resisted this demand. and strike
Of moro than six months duration followed.
On the Thames. the M-rsey, and in other ship
building districts. workmen were indeed re-
cciving the rate Of wages asked by tho shipcar-
pcnters Of tho Clyde. and there was justice in
their demand; but after long strike. and an
enormous waste Of accumulated means. they
went 10 work at the old figures. The dispute
was finally referred to arbitration and the case
was decided against the men. The Chairman
OF the Grccnock providont Bank made care
ful estimate of tho cost Of this great strike 10 the
workmcn. and | give his nsurcs: Loss in wages.
81 $50. 900: money paid 10y the Unions in SUD-