The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-20

sons employed therein decline to find in the
honor apportaining to the washing OF royalty's
soiled linen com pcnsation for long hours. low
wages. and tyrannical treatment generally.
The royal laundry is ut Richmond. In surry.
and thither is sent the washing from Windsor.
Sandringham. and. in fact. all tho British
palaces. Richmond is n picture OF rural
riverside loneliness. but tho lot OF the laundry
people is far from idyllc. They work sixty six
hours per week. The mon in the machinery
department are paid 81 to % shillings per
week. md tho women. the actual washers.
from IL to lS shillings per week. Tho disci-
pline ia quite military In its character. Sever
ity is enforced, and an elaborate system OF
fines prevails for q late arrival. without bal
ance in the shape OF extra pay for extra half
hours often worked ut the conclusion OF the
nominal eleven hours day Entire loss Of
wages is the penalty invariably inflicted upon
tho man or woman who may fall sick. and the
work people are not allowed to enjoy even the
few legal holidays which occur In tho course
OF tho year.
Efforts arc to be made to bring the grlev-
ances OF their laundrywomen under the notice
OF tho Queen and Princess Of Wales. and even
to propose petition to the Prince Of Wales.
Each course is perfectly proper. and certain to
result in nothing. Bolder spirits talk OF a
trade union combination. and there are wild
whispers Of q strike. whereat the royalist
nerves thrill with horror. although It is not
seriously maintained that the Prince Of Wales
would have any great difficulty In getting his
shirts washed. seeing that there are hundreds
ones who would gladly tuck up their sleeves
for the honor and glory OF pounding his Royal
Highness's linen.
The Queen and court started for Costebella
to-day. and by the beginning Of next week al
most the entire royal family will be scattered
about theRiviera. Now. II ever. ia the time for
a laundry strike. for Richmond will still have to
wash the royal clothes. II the work were done
in France the Queen would havo to pay for It.
A generous country pays for the Richmond
establishment. and will defray the freight to
and from the Riviera OF the clean and dirty
linen alike Then again. the average French
washwoman. as travellers have noted since
the first stranger set foot in France. is per
fectly dem oniacal in her treatment OF lingerie.
which. after passing through her hands. too
often returns to its owner tattered
remnant Of its former SELF A strike
at Richmond at this juncture. therefore. would
force upon her Majesty considerations OF econ
omy which might result in q sharp order to
the Lord High Chamberlain. or the Gold Stick
In Waiting. or whichever exalted courtier may
have responsible charge OF the royal wash
tubs. to raise wages. say ten per cent. all
round.
The British miners speedily found out they
had made a mistake. Their weeks holiday
has only put money in the hands Of the col
liery owners and dealers. and before they have
time to recoup themselves for the weeks
wages lost they will be notified OF a reduction
in pay. With 80 many coalfields now open and
Lnft iv,;r lfor ~ kl,n
men can secure no benefit by restriction un-
less two days rest week is moro beneficial
to their wellbeing than one. There is q rumor
that the employers themselves will refuse to
reopen the collieries on Monday and thus
force the men into another weeks holiday
against their will. but this Is scarcely likely.
The chief coal owners deny It. Their private
interests are against it. and their only reason
for SO doing would be- to help the owners In
Durham by depriving their men OF a weeks
wages. aud thus preventing them from con-
tributinG to the relief of the Durham strikers.
for thapshS. the. haHda11aSnaAphp isnow at
an end. the struggle III Durham contin-
ues with increased bitterness. The de-
ermination Of both sides Is strong.
and with their growing desperation the men
are getting vicious A reporter OF the Newcas-
Ito Chronicle who had written something
which did not please the miners. was set upon
by thousands OF the men at one Of their mass
meetings. He was relted with mud and
bricks. and finally chased through neighbor-
ing town until he found refuge In a police sta
tiou. Tho police at tho meeting were power
less to protect him.
The great coal strike hns revealed the ex-
istence in all colliery districts OF deep-seated
hatred OF landowners and Of q strong deter
mnation to agitate for the abolition OF tho
system Of mining royalties" For every ton
OF coal heaved and sent to bank the miner ro-
cecives from 10 pence to 11s pence. and the
owner OF the land gets IL pence. which is a
first charge on the coliery output and
has to be paid whether tho coal is sold
at a loss or profit. The miners denounce
the landlord as "a blackmniler." and they
want to conflne his rights to the surface. At
present he owns not merely the surface. but
everything below It. as far as the shaft can be
sunk and minerals worked. This mining
royalty grievance Is sorely felt and forcibly
expressed by millions OF workers in this coun-
try. 1t has become test question put to every
Parliame ntary candidate In all colliery and
most inbor constituencies. and 1t Is extremely
probable that it will come up for settlement In
the next House OF Commons.
Home Secretary Matthews has had to bear the
bruct OF much excited criticism this week. and
his determined action IN nanRlnR Two poacHotb
has produced vigorous protest against the
obnoxious British game laws. The fncts are
simple. Some keepers on tho estate OF thesquire
OF Pltstone found poachers bent upon secur-
Ing hares and pheasants. The Keepers opened
the attack. The poachers retaliated and got
the best OF 1t. two of the keeper being killed.
The contention OF the opposition Is that the
men were first attacked by the keepers. who
were armed. and that the killing was done in
the excitement OF the fight On the other
hand Mr.. Matthews points out that tho jury
found these men guilty of murder. There was
more than a fight as nfter the keepers were
shot down and disabled. tho poachers beat
their brains out with the butt ends OF their
guns while ono keeper who tried to escape
was shot down while running and then had
his skull fractured. That. Matthews declared.
was murder. and he would not interfere with
the verdict OF the jury.
The case. however. is being made much OF.
and is certain to tell against the Government
at the general election. The days OF the game
laws In England are numbered. The growing
ui m CiAnk