New-York tribune., 1884-01-14
FREE-TRADE GREAT BRITAIN.
CONDITION OF HER LABoRERs AND TRADE.
REPORT or CoNsUL-GENERAL MERRIrr-DE-
CREASED EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES


London, an interesting and valuable report, which
discusses variety of important topics, including
labor. wages and cost of living IN England, pauper
ism, education, the condition of the Bessemer, and
open-hearth steel industries, the falling off in the
British export trade with the United States. the
administration of revenue laws etc. In addition
to his own report which is based upon thorough
personal investigation, General Merritt transmits,
with comments, the reports of the COnsuls in Great
Britain. These reports extremely valuable
especially account of the statistics they contain
in regard to labor and wages, the cost OF living ana
the condition of the working classes. 1t is under
stood that in his own Investigations General
Merritt passed much of the ground and
observed many of the industries described by
Robert z. Porter in his letters to THE TRIBUNE ana
that the result of his own official observations ana
Investigations closely accord with the conclusions
reached by Mr.. Porter. 1t also appears that the
statistics gathered by the COnsuls in regard to
labor, wages and prices agree in almost every
particular with those obtained by Mr.. Porter and
published in THE TRIRUNE. AS these official
reports will soon be published by the State Depart
mcnt an excellent opportunity will be afforded for
a comparison of the results of official and unofficial
Investigations. General Merritt's report is dated
November 80, 1888.
wRETCHED CONDITION OF BRITISH LABoRERs.
Extracts from the portion devoted to the cOndi
ton of labor in England furnished as follows:
In general the extreme poverty aud distress
amohE te aoorlg he ses Is are rue in most cases snch AZ
the employer chooses to pay the aborer as rule heS
helpless from the fact II his inability to change MS
residence and seek other employment The existing
depression In the rOn steel and coal industries presents
a dscOuraging outlook for the future. In many
localities ibOrcrs working at starvation wages as
matter Of necessity, while employers are calculating
losses rather than gains. The laborers in these
10 per cent which the employers decline to accede TO-
claiming that they have been losing money for the past
year at present prices Should strike occur III
these industries by order of the labor assclatoions
from 10000 to 100000 men w0nld be thrown OUT OF
employment. 1t IL proper TO observe lnat ~ anu
contiguous to. many of the manufacturing centres
distressing state Of affairs has for long PERIOD OF
time existed among the lower or aDOrng classes, Whch
condition has in fact become chronic Each succeeding
generation inherits this chronic state OF Cohutloh
together with ts unhappy enaIafIersuc uSs 70
squaIor, and bred amid indecent surroundings, they
become injured to them and VIII propagate the as inc
creatures OF the junges do their species
AMEuORATING INFLUENCES AT WORK.
The better classes in these localities have 10 some
extent become awakened TO the necessity OF adopting
philanthropc measures for improving the moral and
social conditions OF the abOrers TO whom refer Tue
School Act and the sanitary laws are well aned these
directions and the progress thus far usthes the hope OF
much amelioraOn OF the condition Of these unfortunate
people. This depOrabe state OF affairs Is Que 10 seEei
causes, such as the occasional CLOSING OK t1e ns Or
running on nall rtWo-ti !rS ' SICKNESS anu
ness These together decreased the average earnings
OF all trades about per cent During the p!eVAiGhCe
Of high wages in the COeries In 1873, the NorthuuDer
land Union Association kept careful account OF the
time lost account OF drunkenness among the mlueis
in the Tyne District. which set do IN at gig per cent
The apparent paid to bOrerS In the poeles AT
Tunsa Ss per week. while the real wages pald are
estimated at So % per week. or dlHeIehce oL ~ PEI
This takes into account all causes inducing os Oh
time The foolish inclination OF the Ensilsn wOrkhglnlh
for strikes a means OF improving his COhulliOh
always results III loss TO himself whether tue 'IAc
is successful At the preasent tmethe news ron
the manufacturing districts points to renewed FISHES
but during the last few years more compromising sp'
may be noted IN the relations OF labor and capital ana
arbitration may now os has before prevent e rrits
sure to follow in the wake Of suspended labor appy
the days Of the formers long strikes seem 10 nave
passed away.
Another interesting feature of General Merritts
report is that which shows the increase and
decrease of exports to the United States from the
principal places in Great Britain during the
year 1888
DECREASE IN BRITISH EXPORTS.
The total value of declared exports from the
various consular districts of the United States IN
the United Kingdom for the year ended September
30, 1883, was $l65, POI, ,957 o. Some OF the con-
sulates report an increase in exports, while others
show a large decrease The net decrease as com
pared with the preceding year was $l423l .S5o 80
Extracts showing the percentage of increase or
decrease and the chief articles of export from tho
principal places are also given ont. The decrease
in declared values of exports from Belfast was
- = -
cent of the exports are of Irish linen, and this
decrease falls heavily that ira le The decrease
IN the exports from Birmingham and its agencies,
Ridditch Kidderminster and NOlverhamptOn.
amounts to $i5s, s,291, or about 10 per cent. Guns,
hardware, cutlery fancy goods and jeweIry make
up the bulk of the exports. Consul King recon-
mends the expectation from the United States OF
chains of novel pattern. He also speaks OF the
steady increase in the consumption of American
provisions and in the purchase of American
novelties.
The totals for the Bradford Consular District
show an increase of exports amounting to
Sl,O77, ,SO6. or about 13 per cent. Stniis worstcd
coaings, and carpets the leading exports, stnIls
constituting more than one half OF the whole
amount. ne returns from Bristol show an increase
IN exports Of per cent, or TS.2G3. Chemicals,
chocolate cocoa and glue are the PrncPai eAPpils.
The returns from Cardiff show great falling oil IN
exports amounting to SO9J. $50, or about 81 per
crnt. Rails, tin, and tin plates are the exports OF
Chict Importance.
DECREASED TRADE WITH IRISH PORTS.
In common with other Irish cOnsulates, Cork
shows decrease in exports of 93s ,l2l or 30 per
cent Consul Piatt states that lac direct trade
between Ireland aud the United States Tor most of
the American goods used passes IN the first instance
through the hands of English factors. whereas
large trade might Le establishedwthout the inter
yention of British mlddlcmen. There has been
decrease in tho exports from Dublin of S73 5O3, or
about per cent. Ale and porter constitute abOut
one half of the eX ports, with aeratcd waters and
SKINS next in Importance
The figures for Dundee show increase III
exports OF S2l l.43l, or 81 per cent Juto and It's
various manufactures comprise nearly All the
exports. In the Dunfemiiue Consular District
there is a decrease IN exports of $2U5.OiG or per
cent. Linen and cotton goods and lOOr Ouclotn are
the entire exports. The decrease i'll exports from
Falmouth amounts to SJ4 4329, or 30 per cent.
Cnina-clay is almost the only article exported.
The returns from Glasgow show decrease of
SJJG.992 or g per cent. The leading exports are
thread cotton, linen goods and pig iron. Con
sui iarte states that the large amount of obpbuild
ing this year on the Clyde Is now at it's height and
that next year will probably show greatly dInIn-
ished volume of business IN this direction.
The returns from the Gloucester Commercial
ports would have been still larger had tonnage
been available. Tin plates and salt are tne
principal exports The decrease in exports from