The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-12

The United States Consul at Cardiff,
Wales, Mr. Daniel II. Phillips, gives
the following account of the Welsh
coal strike
The strike of the South Wales coal
miners which began on the 1st of last
April was caused by the failure of
the Coal Masters Association to ac-
cede to the demands Of the miners for
increased wages Attempts were
made, from time to time. during the
course of the strike, to adjust these
differences, but without success. The
employers from the first refused to
submit to arbitration the matters in
dispute. and offered the men an 81
per cent sliding scale-that is to say,
an advance of 81 per cent. upon what
is termed the standard basis of 1897,
for every shilling advance in the price
OF coal with 5 per cent. advance
upon the rate Of wages paid up to
the end of March last ~! per cent.
above the standard, and equivalent
to 17t per cent. above the standard
wage The operatives rejected this
offer and asked for a minimum wage
of 22y per cent. above the standard
referred To.
Sympathy with the workmen and
their friends was manifested to a
great extent throughout the country
on the part of the trades unions, and
thus close upon 10000 people were
kept from starvation.
The terrible suffering can hardly be
exaggerated; but, strange to say, no
scenes of violence were witnessed in
any part of the coal field. Welsh
miners in this respect are unrivaled.
Yet, one of their leaders has this
week been sentenced to two months
imprisonment with hard labor for or
ganizing procession having for its
object the intimidation of few
"blacklegsr in connection with col
liery dispute prior to the strike.
Great Indignation is evidently felt
among the workmen; but they con
tent themselves with adopting con
stitutional means of directing the at
tention of the Home Secretary to the
desirability of reducing the sentence
with what result remains to be
seen.
The effects of the strike are far
reaching. All the naval coal supplies
were obtained in this district, and,
owing to the scarcity, the British ad-
miralty abandoned the naval review
this year and the channel fleet being
in need of fresh supplies, other coal is
now being tested, and the best of this
will be chosen for naval purposes
forthwith The coaling stations
throughout the world are affected,
and in some Instances are said to be
almost depleted. Inland, not only
have the prices of other Goals ad'
Yanced, but great Inconvenience is
experienced especially in London, il
consequence of the volumes of smoke
emitted wherever steam power il
used and the newspapers repor'
convictions in the police court agains
steam packet owners and others, ol
the score of having created nuisances
In this way, an opportunity ha
been afforded for the introduction {
Pocahontas coal into London, an
the making of coal contracts wit
American shipping firms. A sailin
vessel has just cleared at this consl
late in ballast for Norfolk, Va,
load a cargo of coal for Australia.
The workmen employed hande
over their 20 per cent. advance
wages to the strike relief fund, an
thus aided considerably in ProlonI
ing the struggle. The ports most a
fected were Cardiff and Newport, al
whereas before the strike commence
"a number OF steamers called here Il
bunker supplies en- route for Il
United States, comparatively fe