The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser

STRIKE OF OPERATIVE ENGINEERS. From tlte" Weekly Dispatch." U Strike-but hear us!" Yes-strike, A refusal to work over-time, or piece-work, by combination, is substantially a strike, whatever periphrases may be used to explain it away. Ws therefore repeat the word, because we are plain, and like to can a spade a spade. What is the use of a strike ? What good will it do ? What good has it ever done ? Land- owners struck for a rise of rent, and prohibited the I produce of foreign soils from coming into competition with their own. Well, the result was a sudden rise in the value of landed property, and, with it, a cor- responding advance in the price. But the ultimate result has been that half of the landowners are insol- vent-that in Ireland they are sold up wholesale, un- der the Encumbered Estates Bill-and that the re- turn for capital invested in the soil does not, it is ad- mitted, reach three per cent. on the purchase-money. The reason is obvious. The moment protective duties yielded a high rent capitalists competed for the acquisition of land, until the returns were reduced to those of the ordinary interest for similar species of security. The farmer struck for a rise in the price tif corn. and the fortunate holders of long leases at the time of the enactment of the Corn Laws realised large fortunes out of the starvation pf the poor. But exoibitant profits courted a nnd 6onjpetition for farms at exorbitant rents, and the next generation of tenants lost all the first had gained, until from 1815 to 1851, we have had only petitions and committees on agricultural distress innumerable, and a declara- tion that at present the farmers are in desperate cir- cumstances. The Mark-lane rogues in grain," by working the averages," forestalling, regratting, and other shifts of striking for a rise of prices, made many fortunes but if the question be put to the oldest of them, whether the occupation, as a whole, has been gainful, he will tell you that more was lost by the sliding-scale than has ever been made by it. There is no exception to the rule in any trade. The oolliers struck on the Tyne and the Wear, but to what effect ? The Darlington coal thereby got to the London market, and by beating down the profits of the coalowner, the fund out of which wages has alone been maintained has been diminished, while the Newcastle and Sunderland coalowners are in the most distressing circumstances. The power-loom, it is notorious, is the fruit of strikes among the hand- loom weavers, because necessity is the mother of in- vention. Strikes among the cotton-spinners produced mules and other machines, whereby the attendance of a boy could accomplish the work formerly requir- ing three men. If ever there was a man confided in by and deserving the trust of the labouring people, it was Daniel 0 Connell, No man so unsparingly de- nounced strikes. In his earliest days Dublin was not a mere haunt for lawyers, place-hunters, and half- Pay captains. Mnny flourishing trades existed in it. Factories were rapidly rising. Capitalists were be- coming numerous. In short, it promised to become a great manufacturing district. We are no fosterers of national education but we cannot help observing that Irishmen are the ringleaders and projectors of nearly all the combinations of workmen in Eng- land and Scotland. Beginning with their own country, they repeated exaction after exaction, and heaped strike upon turn-out, until they ruined their maJf?rs' d''ove '■heir t:ade away from their country, undid themselves, and in place of having employ- ment in their native land, they come over here to beat down wages by their competition, and to live upon Saxon simplicity, by duping honest men into subscubing funds to make them secretaries, trea- surers, and other officers, who find it easier to talk and write than to work. On th's a coant O Com e 1 de- nounced those attempts at dictation to the capitalists in his bitterest Doric and we do not hesitate to say that. in respect to production and manufacture, Lon- don, unless this mad career of folly and dishonesty be arrested, will soon share the fate of Dublin. Need we remind artizans of sense and reflection that the Spitalfieia weavers acted exactly on the principle re- commended by the Amalgamated Societv, and pio- cured its enforcerneijj, by Act of Parliament? But capital is of no country and restricted to no soil. It was easy for the weavers to fix their own wages, but not so very to induce masters to pay them. The me- tropolitan shoemakers have struck and turned out until they have ceased to be able to turn in again, and by their ill-judged discontent the shoe trade has fled to Daventry, Wellingborough, and Northampton The tailors, thinking that, with masters and the public, to hear was to obey, struck and turned out until women have superseded them, and they are to crawl about the streets starving and destitute. Cabinet-makers have found too late the error of the same system. By the suicidal conduct of the hands, the orders of the nobility and gentry have been trans- ferred to the provinces and to Scotland and misera- j j^emP|8 what is called co-operation have ended only in total failure. From the same cause the cutters of Sheffield, the best paid men in the kingdom, had well-nigh banished their trade from the town and in like manner has the silk trade of Can- terbury, chased by strikes to London, been in turn driven by turn outs from Spitalfields to Coventry, Norwich) Macclesfield, and many other piovincial towns, the Spitalfield weavers being now the woist. paid and the worst-employed skilled opera- ives m the kingdom. The London calendcrers, yers, and calico-printers, who formerly carried on perhaps, the largest and best. paid business of the in in the kingdom, and have from the same causes gradually disappeared and we observe that the master engmjers declare tbey observe ai y symptoms ol the same evil, and from exactly the same origin. If the metropolitan artisans would reflect lor a moment, they would rather be anxious to *eep wages down, and to help their employers as tar as possible, than embarrass them by their threatened proceedings. Last month we sailed up the Clyde, from Greenock to Glasgow, in company with an eminent steam-shipowner and wharfinger of London, and he observed on both sides ot the Clyde,jship alter ship, in the course of construc- tion, to the value, as he calculated, of millions. It only requires a few such crazy pranks as this Amalgamated Society threatens, to drive the whole trade frpm the Thames to the Clyde. In- deed, the only wonder is, that it has not been lost to the metropolis already. The London engineer nas to import all his coal, iron, and other materials from a great distance. Mr Napier of Glasgow, nnds them at the door. The site of works is ex- travagantly expensive in London. The wages of the artisan are about 25 per cent, higher than in the north. From its being the centre of foreign commerce, the London employers are the persons consulted in recommending operative engineers to 1 :1 appointments abroad, whereby many artisans have achieved a fortune. The wages of labourers aux- iliary to factory works are also much higher in the south. Yet it is employers in this precarious pre- dicament who arc assailed by these misguided unionists with exactions, which, if carried into eitect, would leave neither profits for masters nor wages for men. Ungland is not the only place in the world where there are artisans and capital. There is little need to increase the difficulties of competition with foreigners by declaring an indus- "riiil civil war at home. Belgium is not so far off. Saxony is a dangerous rival. The United States already make steam-engines for their ocean ships. If the men suceeed in their dictation, and the mas- ters can bear up ag-iinst the struggle of fresh ex- actions. the only results of raising the rate of la- bour will be to draw hands from the places where they are less liberally remunerated,, and thus ulti- mately batter down wages by the very premium they hold out for artisans. The same cause would induce London workmen to decline foreign engage- ments, and by that refusal to check the natural relief to the redundant supply of labour. A mo- ment's reflection might convince them that wages are not fixed by masters and that to tamper with the natural laws which regulate supply and de- mand by the coercion of such exactiolis as are now ventured upon can only* recoil on those whose selfishness blinds them to their interest. If em- ployers could dictate terms, how is it that the Lin- colnsliive farmer has to pay 15s,. whilst the Wilt- shire tenant only gives Ss. per week? Or, how is it that Mr Napier. of Glasgow, pays 4s. 6:1. per day for the same work for which the London ern- plovers have to pay 6s. ? Are they envious of the profits of the masters? Let them keep their minds easy. Whenever the profits of engineering ex- ceed those which are yielded in other departments, more capitalists will come into the trade, more ) masters will be seeking alter men, and the compe- tit o I among them for labour will raise wages oi itself, naturally, without the necessity of any amalgamated" societies, or of throwing away large sums in a general turn-out. Let thinking uui industrious mechanics beware of killjing tiu goose that lays the golden eggs. It is a fat, mis- take to suppose that employers are well-springs of capital, which can never run dry, or that they are Ail mak nj large fortunes at the expense 01 their men. Few departments of business have greater risks or more precarious returns. While some realise very large returns, the general average of profit in proportion to the contingencies of loss is not, and, indeed, cannot be greater than that realised in other speculations; and the effect of these repeated experiments upon the good- nature, timidity, and purse of the employers can only be, not to increase the general emoluments of labour, but, by the discouragement of trade, to destroy the inducements of capitalists to embark their means in it, and thereby to diminish the de- mand for labour. A very moderate power of generalisation and consecutive ratiotination might indeed convince mechanics, that, as capital is the only fund of wages, and is substantially the crea- ture of labour, any attack upon that is an aiming of the deadliest blow at the sole source of the de- mand for hands. It is, we learn, the boast of the Amalgated Society that they have a fu nd of £ 25,030 wherewith to support a turn-out. That amount of capital applied to reproductive employment would, of course, increase the competition for hands. Dissipated in keeping men idle, it would not be equal to the wages of 15,0011 men for a single week, and is a mere drop in the bucket to maintain 100,000 families, who will be thrown destitute if masters* ia, the last extremity .of self-defence, re- solve upon a general closing of their establish- ments. But by far the worst view of the result for the men is that which is presented by the as- sumption that they could hold out for even three months. To them the loss in wages would be, in round numbers, £ 5,000,000 sterling; to the em- ployers, on the assumption that the profits even equalled the wages, it would be a loss of two mil- lions more. The labour fund would thus be diminished by the enormous amount of four mil- lions in a quarter of a year by the rash rapacity of the very men most interested in preserving it: and immense numbers of orders would have to be de- clined, and would eagerly be caught up by foreign engineers. A trade would he driven away, which, once lost, we know can only with the utmost diffi- I cultv be recalled, by understanding our competitors which we could then do only by reducing wages and nothing is more likely than that the ring- leaders and authors of the strike would be the very- first to sneak over to the rival who had supplanted our British engineers, and leave masters, country, and fellow-workmen in the lurch, to repent at lei- sure acts into which they had been duped in haste. We observe with alarm and the deepest humilia- tion that, under the instructions of the Executive Counc 1 of this Amalgamated Society," English mechanics are alleged to be mean and dishonest enough, without the manliness at once to strike work^to make believe that they are working, and to dpaw full wages, while they are systematically dawdling over their jobs, and on a settled plan diminislnng their productive results 30 per cent. below their average capacity. To such fellows as could be capable of such a scandalous swindle, an area sneak is a comparatively respectable charac- ter and we are deeply pained to think that the allegation receives too much countenance from the Especial antipathy to piece-work expressed by this executive council, and which is the only pro- tection of employers against such an imposition. The heartless demand of these self-constituted re- presentatives of the artisans, that all labourers should forthwith be dismissed, wageless, and des- titue upon the world, to make way for the aris- toeracv of the "Union," is so execrable in princi- pie, that we are glad that Mr. Newton, the organ j of the council, has so far the grace to be ashamed of it as indignantly to deny that such a requisition ever emanated from the society. II this really, as is alleged, is the same Mr. Newton whose own signature is attached to a document served upon Messrs. Hibbert and Platt, requiring them to dis- charge all their labourers, and to taice 011 me- chanics in their stead, it would seem that mendacity is added to the characteristics of this unfortunate movement. We shrill watch it with interest, as invo vins. a grave conspiracy against the rights of unskilled labour and the just privileges of the su- perior workman, and, in the meantime, venture to indulge the hope that further comment may be superseded by the abandonment of this notable scheme for consuming without producing, and z, getting wages without working for them.

POISONING THE NAVY. Our raadcrs will remember the praieeworthy attempt last year of the overseers of Gosport to indict the authorities of the Clarence Dockyard for the nuisance caused by the stores of rotten pro- visions destined for the navy accumulated in the yard. Though that attempt failed on a legal difficulty, it so thoroughly exposed the villany ot I the contractors, and the culpable negligence of the dockyard authorities, that inquiries could no longer be resisted into the preserved provisions for the navy. The usual official delays of course post- poned the necessary inquiry,and it was not until this werk the investigation was commenced. The first day's examination was bad enough, but so far from the investigation exhibiting any improvement in the stock, as the board progressed with their labour, the result showed a realization of still worse delinquency. Out of 300 canisters, of the respective size of 10 Ibs., 10j lbs., 10J lbs., and I I lbs. each, only one was suffered to pass as consumable, the rest were condemned, and thrown overboard at sea. The contents exposed to-day were chiefly loosc putrid matter, now and then varied with a few stones, entrails with the excrement in them, kidneys green with decomposition, lumps of heart, and in many cases whole hearts festenug with pu- tridity, coagulated blood in great abundance, tallow,' lumps of tendons, garbage.^grease, and offal. After three hours' labour the officers forming the board were compelled to leave off, the stench was so great; indeed, it would have overpowered them, but that a man was ever and anon ewployed in well saturating the floor about them with Sir William Burnett's disinfecting fluid, with the extra William Burnett's disinfecting fluid, with the extra precaution of A blanket saturated with it being huiig up immediately contiguous to the bench whereon the contents of the canisters were emptied. After standing for an hour, I was compelled to quit the store from the overpowering stench, and Dr. M'Kechnie (the medical officer of the Board of Examination) also felt sick from the influence of the noxious odour, soon after commencing his la- bours in the morning. The examination of the contents of the canisters is conducted upon the fairest principle—the top part and the bottom part of each canister being alternately selected to com- mence upon, and the contents of the whole are gradually exposed and brought under inspection. Due notice of the intended examination was given to the contractor's agent and his sureties, request- ing their attendance, but no one has appeared, and the contractor himself is not to be found. At the commencement of this investigation, on Tuesdav week, there were 6,660 canisters, varjing in size from 4 lbs. to 12lbs., and some of 32 lbs. each. and about three months ago, when the stench arising from the store in which they were kept made the authorities of the Clarence-yard suspect something was wrong, the agents to the contractor came down and took away 2,000 canisters (containing 17.000 lbs. of stuff) without opening them. Tins contract has long since been paid for. The goods are war- ranted to last sound and wholesome for five years after delivery into the Admiralty store. After the 1300 canisters above mentioned were examined to- day. one of the canisters of 32 lbs. was opened, labelled Goldners patent stewed beef," and bear- ing the following directions :—"The canister to be put into a saucepan with warm water and boiled | about 15 minutes, then the meat to be taken out, and add to the gravy a portion of water, rice, or any vegetables, and an admirable dish will be ob- tained.' This" admirable dis'a," without the aid of the saucepan, rice, and vegetables, presented a sicsening mass uf revolting decomposition. It was intended as the food of 40 seamen, marines, or boys of Her Majesty's fleet. The examining offi- cers intend to take lest to morrow from their dis- gusting task, and will not resume it until Friday. About 2,000 more canisters remain to be examined. That preserved meat from this stock had been issued to sea-going ships we know, as Commodore Lambert, of the Fox, on the Kast India station, returned a lot, with the report that after partak- ing of some of it those who had done so had been seized with sickness, &c. and we believe Com- modore Martin, of the Prince Regent, OJ, on the Lisbon station, also had sonje of it, and returned it and so doubtless have many other ships. During the late insurrection in the Var a crime was committed which was worthy of 1793. The coipora; of the gendannery at Csers, who had been taker, prisoner by the insurgents, was stabbed in eight 01 ten places, and was afterwards place i before a slow tire, while a man kept beating a drum, in order tl drown the cries of the victim. All the murderers art now in prison. — Galignani. I,

THE MINISTRY. A correspondent of the Daily News says, Tliat amongst those whom Lord John Russell is inclined to enlist is the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Wodehouse, Mr Cardwell, and Sir James Graham—the Board of Control being offered to the first, the foreign Under- Secretaryship to the second, and the Paymastership of the Forces to the third Sir James Graham taking the Home Secretaryship, to be vacated for him by its present holder. POLITICAL MOVEMENTS.—The Peelites have been wonderfully locomotive within the last few (hys. Sir James Graham came up from Cumberland in breathless haste on Tuesday. The Duke of Newcas- tle went down to Windsor on Thursday, and Mr Sydney Herbert, who on Monday wrote from Wilton to a friend that he did not expect to be in town for some time, started for London on the following day. The Petlite triumvirate came to town in compliance with the request of the Premie, but not one of them would listen to the overtures of the noble lord to join his Administration. The whole thing, so far as they are concerned, is off entirely and for ever.— Advertiser. 8m JAMES GKAHAM.—We are informed npon ex- cellent authority that Sir James Graham had an in- terview with Lord Wednesday, which lasted for nearly three hours. The result was that the parties could not agree upon, the terms which would have enabled the Peelites to join the Adminis- lration.-Herald. k CABINET COUNCIT, was held on Thursday after- noon, at the Foreign-office, Downing street. The Ministers present were—Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Ladsdowne, Sir George Grey, Earl Glanville, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Francis Baring, the Earl of Carl- isle, the Right Hon. Henry Labouchere, the Right Hon. Fox Maulc, the Marquis of Clanricarde, and Lord Seymour. The Council sat two hours and a-half. REFUSING TO BILLET SOLUIF.Rs.-A t Westminster

Police-office on Tuesday the adjourned case against the proprietor of the Duke of Marlborough beer-shop, Chelsea, for neglecting to afford proper accommoda- tion to two soldiers billeted npon him, was deter- mined. The short facts are thesa :—Sergeant Suther land, of the 8th Hussars, billeted two recruits, who recently joined the Rifle Brigade, upon defendant, for a night's lodging. They, however, refused to remain Z, there, upon the ground that the bed wa* unfit for any person to sleep in, in consequence of being extremely hard, and having insufficient covering. The case was adjourned, in order to give the worthy magistrate time to satisfy himself thoroughly respecting the law of the case, and also to afford the defendant an oppor- tunity of producing evidence on his behalf. Mr Arnold observed that he had on a former occasion entertained some doubt whether the defendant, as a beer-shop keeper, was liable to have soldiers quar- tered upon him, but upon the consideration of the matter it was quite clear that he was, as the words the house" were used in the Mutiny Act. The sense must clearly imply any place where ale or beer was sold, and it was further clear that the Jaw ren- dered persons liable who were licensed to retail cvder or perry, both of which were mentioned in defen- dant's and other beer-shop keepers' licenses. The question then turned upoa the amount of accommo- dation, and he saw nothing in the case to exhibit any resistance or obstinate withholding on the part of the defendant of what he had. The serjeant had declared that the bed was not fit for anybody to sleep in, because it was hard and insufficient of clothing. As regards the hardness it could hardly be considered likely that recruits who joined the aimy were to indulge in the luxury of a feather-bed, and that they would in all probability find, they must therefore put up with a hard one. Insufficiency of clothinu or covering was another matter, and as he was of opinion that in this respect the defendant had not provided proper accommodation for the recruits, he should fine him three shillings and costs. SELF-DESTRUCTION IN TIIK STLEET. — On Tuesday morning, shcrtly before 12 o'clock, a most deter- mined attempt at self-destruction was perpetrated in the public street, in the presence of a large number of persons, by a man named Richard Haynes, aged 35, a cabmau. On Tuesday morning he demanded from a woman with whom he cohabited some dupli- cates which she had, and which he wanted to make money of. As they were proceeding together, along the eastern side of Clarendon-square. Somer's Town, wrangling, the quarrel became so high that Haynes struck And knocked her down, and was still beating her, when she implored the assistance of a sweep who was passing. He was about to interfere, when Haynes drew a large clasp knife from his pocket, and swore that if he did he would stab him. At the same moment he sat down 011 the step of one of the doors and with both hands jogged the knife into his own throat, and drew it aloni: inflicting a frightful wound, from which the blood spirted out several feet upon the pavement. SKETCHES IN NEW YOUK. — Last night I strolled down Broadway, a street 3i miles long, with aca- cia trees alongside its footpaths and Z, many mag- nificent shops and houses, but with a bizarre mix- ture of style and occupations, giving you a splendid shop at one glance, and a twopenny show, per- haps, close by it, at the next. The appearance of Broadway is bright and lively. The trees, too, relieve the eye from the glare of the lamps, which often are great big things of coloured or ground glass, and have a very beautiful effect. Some of the shops and cafes are very splendid. One shop, "Stuart's" is big as a small London square, has a front of white marble, and is magnificeeiitly fitted up inside. It is the finest shop in the world. I went to the lieu theatre, "Iblo's" in the Broad- way. The acting (play, Romeo and Juliet) was execrable but the house more elegant and agree- able than anything I have before seen. There is but one price, 50 cents., or two shillings. You sit where you like pit, boxes, upper tier, or sides, being open and visible from all parts. The thea- tre will hold about 3,0;)0 persons. There is a sa- loon where the gentlemen may drink, a great place which would hold GOO persons and a ladies' sa- loon, equally large, and handsomely fitted up. But the most agreeable arrangement is an open garden at the side of the house, to command which I balconies open out from the parterre and galleries and you can leave your place and promenade in the cool of the evening, looking down upon the trees, with lamps hanging amongst their branches. You can also descend to the garden itself, and en- joy the fresh air and fresh flowers. This would be pleasant, would it not, at the opera on hoi nights? It is delightful here just now [Aug- ust 29] for the weather is unusually hot, even for this part of America, and in this season. Wail- street has a fine Exchange, and several extensive and handsome buildings, used as banks and for public business. It is the Lombard-street of New York, and is about as curious, as thronged, and as excited as that street. There is a constant bustle, and the wild eyes, frothy mouths, and rapid steps of the stock-exchange nicn are just now extreme and laughable. The other streets which I passed through, of which there are miles ot the kind, con- tain stores ol all sorts of goods.^IIere was a quarter of a mile of "hardwarç:" warehouses here was as great a length of ''cashmeres and wonilen i goods stores," and there, a whole street devoted to "leather stores" Hnd ''leather findings." It seemed as if almost every kin-t of supply had its chief quarter in the c'ty. The notion given by ali this, especially in the busy season, when the buyers from a distance are in towu making their fall" purchases, ol the extent and energy of busi- ness, is quite startling to a stranger accustomed to more quiet waters. I visited Harper's book store and printing establishment—the place whence tha cheap editions of our authors mainly issue Col- ton's map depot, and other establishments all of which gave expression of extensive, r.pid, and energetic business. This is the height of the fruit season and the fruit market at the corner of Ful- ton-street, is really a si ht. Melons in tons, peaches innumerable, apples,, pears, plums in- deed, every delicious fruit now in maturity, and aU this in au abundance equal to the cabbage and turn:? supply of Govern Garden. In the evening I went to the Broadway Theatre and saw a piece oi a fare, some old Manchester actors placing; and part of a tolerable balh-t, in which the Roussct family showed off. and I looked in at Brougham's Lyceum. 10Jl houses are handsomely fined up and comfoi t ible — the latter small, audience res- pectable and vveil conducted, though a few of tin- people in the family circle" (which in these two theatres'3 50 cents., or two shillings admission, while the dress circle and parterre are 7, cents., or three shillings), had their feet up, and a-few gentlemen (but 11 was hot certainly) were Nourish- ing in their shirt sleeves,— Watkiris I rip to the United Stales and Canada.

TO THE WORKMEN IN THE EMPLOY oil RANSOMES AND MAY, IPSWICH. We have had handed to us through two of yont body, a circular from the members of the AnaaU samated Society of Eugineers, Millwrights, Me- chanics, &c„" requesting the abolition of piece- work, and of over-time—-except in cases of break- downs or accidents, and then only on condition of receiving double wages;" we have since had a conference with such of our workmen as are mem- bers of the above-mentioned society, and we think I it risht, before the works are reopened after the bolidavs, to express clear'v our views upon the questions which it is the object of the circular to put before us & which have had our consideration. First, As to piece-work.—We differ entirely from the sentiments expressed in the circular as to the advantage contemplated, either to those who are members oi the union, or to workmen generally. We believe piece-work, fairly adjusted, secures more effectuanv than any oth r arrangement the full value for the services of the skilful workman over the unskilful; and that it gives to the indust- rious—and to those who may have attained, either II by manual dexterity or by the exercise of ingenuity more rapid means of executing work— their le- I gitimate advantage over others, who, if in any measure deficient, in these respects, are clearly of less value to their employers. In the manufacture of many of the articles, which are the staple of th»f» manufactory, we have lound piece-work equally advantageous to the workmen and to ourselves. We have hitherto been mutually satisfied with its. results and we come to the conclusion not to consent to its abolition. Secondly, As to the abolition of Over-time.- We admit that systematic ovrr-time is an evil, which it is not more your desire than*it has long been our own to reduce to the smallest limit, consistent with the mutual and relative advantage both of the em- ployers and the employed- There are circumstances resulting from this lo- cality—situate many miles distant from the or- dinary market for your class of labour—which render it specially desirable that your engagements should have as great, a tendency to stability and permanence as possible. We cannot so select our orders as to secure an even distribution of employ- ment throughout the year: there are many con- tracts which can only be undertaken on the promise of early fulfilment and it is not always we can so accurately calculate the time needed for their ex- ecution as not to have occasion to make extra; exettion to complete them within the stipulated. time. Were we to adopt the views stated in the; circular, we must either refuse some orders, or in order to execute them we must temporarily intro- duce a number of fresh hands, and in our case mostly from a distance. These would have to be discharged on the completion of the work or what is more probable, such of these as from their possible superiority we might desire to retain would displace some of the older and less skilful hands. Thus the uncertainty and consequent un- settlement of your relative engagements would beo greatly increased, and to your disadvantage. -<f.We fed asured that we cannot secure the geod management of our business without occasional over-time, and a cheerful willingness on your part„ when necessity arises, to assist us in carrying out such measures as may render our engagements profitable. But we are far from undervafuinsf the privilege of leisure hours; and for any wh,, rightly estimate the privilege, either as a means for relaxation and intellectual improvement, or for the performance and en joyment of social duties and responsibilities, we have every desire to secure them its fullest possession. •jpOur predecessors and the members of this firm. have been for upwards of sixty years associated in agreeable relation with the workmen in their employ during which period nothing occurred to disturb the feeling of mutual satisfaction witfc which the duties of our relative positions have been discharged. jWe have sought to strengthen this feeliug by regulations of mutual interest; and as respects the questions referred to, if any man in his individual character objects to over-time or to piece-work there is no desire on our parts to render such com- pulsory upon him, but that he should dictate to others to the hindrance cf our business we do object and shall not less for the protection and eucouragement of other workmen, than for the maintenance of our own reculations as they at present stand, decidedly must. :d W e have to acknowledge the respectful candour and openness with which your communications on these subjects have been conducted and, although in this instance we cannot accede to your requests we are pleased to assure you that while we should resist all attempts at dictation from any threatened combination, we are not the less open to a fair consideration of any matter affecting your interest. RANSOMES AND M.\y

« AN INGENIOUS IMPosTER.-At Lambeth, on Thurdsay, Sergeant Guff waited on the Hon. G. C. Norton, and communicated to him the death, at Guy's Hospital, on the day before, of the notorious imposter, Jane Parr. The ingenious plan hit upon by this prisoner to dupe her victims is one of the most suceesful on record—so snccesful, indeed that within a short time she defrauded four per- sons out of X70. Her mode of proceeding was. this :-She took a lodging at the house of some decent person in the immediate residence of some respectable land surveyor, and after a few days, and in a dress suitable to the character, she used to call on her intended victim, and placing before him a sheet of foolscap, on which was written in a good round hand what purported to be an ex- tract from the will of her Uncle," requested the gentleman's kind interference in her behalf and more particularly his advice with respect to fou~ acres of freehold laud at Folly-clo&e." near Birl mingham. Her manner was so plausible that she generally succeeded in enlisting the attention of the party, and she then represented that her so, lieitor at Birmingham had advised her to dispose of the land at a price she named, but her dupe ou being informed that it paid her a certain sum as it was, aud that this was considerably more than the interest of the money would amount to, strongly advised that things should remain as they we're, A request was then mn.de that the gentleman would do her the favour of writing to her attorney at Birmingham to say that she had determined OQ not selling the property, and also to know how much was then owing on account of the rent. This request was aiso generally complied with, and an answer was always duly received by post from the "attorney,' approving of the determination, as, owing to some improvement about to take place, the property mu-t ultimately increase in value, that a balance of zC25 was then due, and that this would jb^ regularly forwarded in a few days in Post, odke orders. The letter generally concluded by stating that the writer had just received intelligence that Miss Hall's (the name the prisoner assumed) aunt was in a very dangerous state, and that, therefore, if she wished to see her alive she must not lose a moment in proceeding to Carlisle, her place of residence. This aunt, it should be stated, w as a. person at whose death, as appeared by the extract from the will, she (Miss llalt) would be en-, titled to considerable property, and the policy of seeing her before her death appeared most de4 sirable. A difficulty was started Qn tho part of the prisoner, that however urgent and desirable it might be to see her relative before her death, she could not gratify tb;t wish until :d\er the re- mittance ofthe Post-oti;ce orders from her at- tormy, as she had not the means werewith to pay her travelling expenses. £10 or S20 were at once ofiered, parties calculating on paying themselves when the orders reached them. IHF. II'.LANCE OF TRADK.—Mr Newdegate has J'-ist published his fourth letter on the above subject, addressed to the Right 1LII1. H. Laboucheie. Ha observes, that the result of calculations jutitified the opinion which I expressed in my ia.t letter, that the balance of trade for 1S50 would be found adverse, it has proved so to the amount of £ 10,536,786. I have reason to believe that, far from the great nomU nal increase oi this yeai's exports having in reality counteracted or reversed the adverse character of the balance of trade, which has marked the result of each year's commerce since the change of the commercial poncy of this country in 1846, the balance ur this year also will prove adverse, notwithstanding an abundant harvest, and the other indications of yartttU « prosperity to wh'ch such constant reference is c'y the advoca's of the present cOiHU1N;-t>ia.1 When it have hcen preved that the lot?^ nal transactions ot our this^iSic third 7 ear or .armed pio.peri-y, st' an ad- 'ver' iialar e, I liiink it will be n.possible lopersaad?' I toLe pub! that a constantly adverse balance of tran- is iivi a striking characteristic of the prcbent finaaci and cowmeicial policy." 'I"