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Leader (1850-1860), 25th September 1852, Edition Town of 2, Page 915

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      Untitled Article

      turers , will , no doubt , ere long , require it to be produced in very considerable quantities . There are some difficulties in the way of a rapid extension of this new branch of manufacture , particularly with regard to procuring wire of the requisite quality and in sufficient quantity , but these are matters which a little enterprise and perseverance will quickly set right . The question of the increase of cotton manufactures may not be uninteresting m connexion with the present prosperity of the trade , and a few facts serving to indicate the extent of it wiil not be misplaced . According to Mr . Leonard Horner , no less than 81 new factories had been built or set to work in the course of last year ( up to October 31 st ) in the district of

      which Manchester is the capital , employing steam power equal to 2240 horses power , besides the enlargement of mills within the same period to the extent of 1477 horses power . The total increase of steam power within that single year was , therefore , equal to 3717 horses power , and calculated to give employment to about 14 , 000 additional workpeople . " That the profits of factories continued , on the average of years , to be abundantly remunerative , " Mr . Horner thought , " these facts of the investment of fresh capital in them abundantly proved . " Since then capital has become still more abundant , while the means of otherwise profitably investing it have decreased ; and that the building of factories is on the increase will not be a matter of

      surprise . The linen trade last week was unusually brisk , both in yarns and cloths . Manufacturers felt themselves much pressed by the scarcity of hands , owing to harvest operations and emigration . Equally encouraging are the accounts even from agricultural districts , at least as regards the labourers . And this in spite of the bad harvest . In fact , emigration has so drained the labour market , that the prosperity of workpeople has re-acted upon emigration , and considerably checked it . Still the emigration is enormous .

      Untitled Article

      THE CALICO BLOCK PRINTERS OF LONDON TO THEIR EMPLOYERS . [ This address is the subject of a letter in our " Open Council . " It eminently deserves public attention . ] Gentlemen . —Events of a painful character which have occurred within the last few weeks and brought with them proposals from the majority of you for a reduction of the price paid for our work , have seriously impressed us with the necessity of addressing you collectively and individually on the subject .

      For the last six or seven years there have been incessant demands for reduction—some years twice—but every year some reduction ; whether under the plea of iidjustment or direct curtailment , the object has been the reduction of the price paid for our labour . To all of these we have , however , reluctantly submitted ; they have become at last a matter of course , and to be expected with every recurrence of the seasons , of which there arc two in a year .

      These reductions have , until now , emanated from one firm , acquiesced in no doubt by others : but in this ease si more general understanding among you seems to exist , though not an unanimity of feeling , us we are happy to say , all the Employers in the London Trade do not agree with , nor proposo , the present oiler of reduction . There has been no reason assigned by you for the proposed reduction of price , uh is usually the case . We < "in only Hiipposo that it is from the force of hubit ; that as wo have always submitted to these reductions , of eour . se we will to thin—and the same next season , and the same airain , and so on without end . If it is

      on the plea that we are paid too much for our work in comparison with the Scotch Printers , it can be answered m few words by the- facts , that our excuses pnyahlo directl y out of our wages arc more than double as much us theirs ; that extra euro in our work , which is exacted jroin us , to keep up tho character of tho London Trade , Jn ii drawback upon our earnings ; and tho greater out' . y . unavoidable on our part—in rent nnd firing , independent of the greater expense in tho maintenance of a famil y hero than in Scotland , renders our position only equal to theirs , and m \ y further reduction would make us a worse-paid clous of workmen than any others » 'i <» ir trade . ' lie nit'u can hcc no mason in tho state of Trade to warrant them in reducing the price ) of their labour , is tile market for their goods in an unhealthy state ? Is Jlie competition ho intense and ruinous as to demand ' *¦ of them ? Is them it stagnation in the Trade only to be roused by their micrilioe V Is Free-trade bringing ' <> them , only , of all classes of lniiuufacturing producers , loss of employment and reduced wages H They think » one ^> t these causes exist 1 /) product ) thiwo ofl ' ored ro-< l » etionH . r nM , y think , on tho contrary , that tho nmrk < tt in in a healthy state ; that tho competition is not

      so great as at times it has been , and that , having reduced their wages—all things considered—to the level of the lowest paid workers in their trade , they should partake of some of those benefits which they are told are flowing from Free-trade measures , in the shape of increased activity of trade , increased wages , and the increase of comforts which are proudly pointed at by our statesmen and merchants aswithin the reach of the working-classes , and resulting immediately from those

      measures of Free-trade which have been advocated by you , and from which we have been led to expect so much . The fact that our earnings are so precariousthat we lose so many months of work in the year , keeping us constantly in debt and difficulty—a loss of time which is altogether unavoidable—is an additional reason why we cannot afford to reduce our present price , and thus sink ourselves into greater and greater difficulty .

      These considerations , of local and peculiar poverty and difficulty , of general and national prosperity and improvement , compel us to the conclusion , that we cannot accede to this proposed reduction , in justice to ourselves and families , and also those of our Trade who are immediately influenced in their prices by any reduction effected by us . Respectfully hoping that you will give these reasons your consideration , and that your sense of justice and the necessities of the Trade will induce you to withdraw the proposed reduction , We remain , Gentlemen , yours respectfully , The Woeking Block Printers of the London Tbade . ( On their behalf ) Geoboe Httdson , | ^^^ Vincent Pooi / e , y July 20 th , 1852 .

      Untitled Article

      POOR-LAW ASSOCIATION . A meeting of the executive committee of the Poor-law Association ( established to promote in poor-law unions generally the substitution of useful and productive employment for total idleness and mere taskwork ) was held on Friday—Edward Herford , Esq ., coroner for Manchester , in the chair . The general secretary ( Mr . Archibald G . Stark ) read the minutes of the former meeting , and a mass of correspondence , from which the following passages are selected : —From William Scholefield , Esq ., M . P ., approving of the proposed conference , and enclosing bis subscription . William Groves , Esq ., chairman of the Sheffield board of guardians , writes : — ' I have read with much pleasure and deep interest tho address of the Association , and shall consider it an honour to be connected , in any way , with a body whose efforts are tending to further the prosperity of my countrymen . " Letters were also read from the Rev . J . S . Lyon , chaplain , F . G . Potter , Esq ., and several other members of the Sheffield board of guardians , and W . J . Fisher , jun ., Esq ., of that town , in favour of the objects of the Association . Edward Morgan , Esq .,

      vicechairman of the board of guardians , Holy well , North Walos , concurred in the object , saying , " The want of productive employment of the poor has always struck mo as the chief point of failuro in our poor-law system /' J . H . Shaw , Esq ., Mayor of Leeds , consents to preside at a meeting of the inhabitants of that town , and writes— " I shall , with great pleasure , afford tho Poorlaw Association whatever assistance I can in bringing their view of the subject before the- inhabitants of Leeds . " Viscount Godcrich , M . P ., writes : —

      " I cannot but agree in wlmfc scorns to bo tho fundamental principle of your Association—the setting tlio unemployed poor to work , instead of , as now , maintaining thorn in a forced and injurious idleness ; and I cannot but hope that such a system , if well carried out , would greatly tond to diminish ono of tho grout evils of this day—pauperism itself . If 1 can assist , in furthoring tho objects of tho Association in Parliament , I . shall bo very glad at any timo to communicate with you on tho subject , " John Carmichael , Esq ., of Cork , and of tho Liver Establishment , Liverpool , highly approves of tho object , and encloses his subscription . From Sir John Trollope , ' Hart ., M . P ., tho chief commissioner of poorlaw a :

      "Silt , —Uy dosiro of Kir John Trollopo , I bog to acknowledge tho receipt of your nolo to him , and | o forward to you a copy of tho fourth animal report of tho Poor-law Hoard . I am also to state that tho printed document which accompanied your noto shall receive Sir J . Trollopo ' s careful consideration . 1 liuvo tho honour to bo , Sir , your most obedient servant , llirtin O ' wun . " The Secretary stilted that he regularly forwarded to the Poor-law Hoiird the publications of tho Association , and referred to tho recent " order" of tho

      commissioners , which practically recognised ono of the objects of the Association viz ., the exacting of work from tho iihlo-hoditMl poor in return for relief . The Secretary then called the attention of tho committee to the de-Hcriptfon given at a recent meeting of tho Stoekport guardians of the miserable condition of tho in-door aged poor of that workhouse , from lack of hoiuu

      occupation , and was directed to forward several of the publications of the Association to the board . The Secretary reported an accession of members to the general committee , from Bury , New Cross ward , &c ., and the following subscriptions , since the hist day of meeting : Robert Barnes , Esq ., mayor of Manchester , 51 . ; William Fairbairn , Esq ., C . E ., F . R . S ., 31 . y J . Carmichael , Esq ., 21 . 2 s . ; Viscount Goderich , M . P ., 21 . 2 s . ; smaller sums , 21 . 14 s . 6 d . The meeting then adjourned . — Manchester Examiner and Times .

      Untitled Article

      THE ENGLISHMAN ABROAD . Otjb countrymen abroad sometimes seem to forget not only England but themselves ; and must make odd impressions on the continental mind . Lately the name of a Mr . Weble , described as a young gentleman of fortune , has appeared several times in the Parisian Courts . His penultimate appearance was in an action against a Spaniard , named Loussada , his wife , and her mother . Part of these proceedings consisted , in the trial and condemnation of Loussada by the Court of Assizes , for having from , as he represented , jealousy , caused sulphuric acid to be thrown into Mr . Weble ' s face , whereby he was frightfully burned . His ultimate appearance was on Thursday , before the Civil Tribunal , when M . Jules Favre , advocate of Mr . Weble , made a statement to the following effect : —

      " Mr . Weble is a young Englishman of good family , and very rich . In the course of his travels in different parts of Europe he became acquainted with M . and Mme . de Loussada , and the latter ' s mother , Mme . Devaisore . De Loussada was a Spaniard , but naturalized an Englishman , and he lived by scheming and play . His wife , who is of considerable beauty and great intelligence , and is , besides , possessed of musical talent of a high order , was destined for the theatre . Mr . Weble met them at Homburg , and became their intimate friend . Being very easy and goodnatured , he gave money freely to Loussada , to his wife , and

      to the mother . Their exactions at last became so exces . sive that he was threatened with ruin , and he checked them , Thereupon De Loussada pretended to be jealous of the attentions which Weble had paid to his wife , and a challenge , was the result . Weble accepted it , and it was settled that they should meet at Venice to fight . Mr . Weble at that time deposited 7 , 000 f . in gold in the hands of Mme . Devaisore , as a reserve for her and her daughter in case any misfortune should happen to him . At the decisive moment , M . de Loussada observed that it was foolish to fight for such a trifle , and the idea of the duel was abandoned . Mr . Weble demanded and obtained his 7 , 000 f .

      from Mme . Devaisore , but « he and her daughter were very much irritated at his so doing . In 1851 , Mr . Weble returned to France , and the two females did the same . It was shortly after that De Loussada threw the sulphuric acid in Mr . Weble ' s face . In October , 1851 , that gentleman resolved to establish himself at Paris , and as ho feared that as a foreigner he might be imposed on , he got tho two females to purchase a , quantity of furniture for him . He supplied the money for that purpose . The two females had not the means of doing so . Mme . Devaisore , though living in costly style , had onl y an income of l , 50 Of . a year ; Mme . de Loussada had nothing at all ; and , when in Italy , both had lived on tho liberality of Mr . Weblo .

      The furniture selected was of great beauty , and cost 60 , 000 f . It was conveyed to the apartment occupied by the ladies , No . 36 , ltue de la Chauseo d'Antin , but that place being too small , another apartment was taken at IVo . 25 , in tho same street . There the furniture was deposited , but not arranged in order , and a number of pictures and other works of art , worth 22 , 0001 ' ., purchased by Mr . Weble in Italy , wero also deposited there . Tho two females subsequently pretended that the furniture was tlioirs , and their claim to it led to a rupture between them and Mr . Weble .

      That gentleman subsequently went to London on business , nnd on his return , hired an apartment for the furniture . Mme . do Loussada then wrote to him , to n « k him to provide for her ; and tho provision she required was 12 , 000 f . a-ycar , well secured . Mr . Weblo refused to accede to her demand , and it was then that slio and her mother took measures for re-obtaining possession of the furniture . Mr . Weblo had consequently been obliged to bring an action before tho tribunal , to get , it out of their hands . Tn support of his demand , he produced tho bill he had paid for tlio furniture , and for tho works of art from Italy . "

      M . Liichaud , for the defendants , urged that the property w : is theirs ; that Weble , had wronged Loussada , who hail tried in vain to obtain satisfaction ; and that Weblo had not been at all generous to tho ladies . M . Jules Favre , in reply , maintained that the furniture and other things were undoubtedly the projK- 'rty of his client . He then charged Mine . Devaisore with having encouraged and profited by the immorality of her daughter . . In proof of it , he read the following letter addressed by her to Mr . Weble , just after bis departure for England : —

      " My dear Mr . Weble ,--I address those lines to you , under tho painful impression of a conversation which 1 have just had with Fanny . Ah I said to you yesterday , the future prospects of this poor child terrify me , if she does not become inistrtms of luir position . Alas , mon Dieu ! what will become of herP At this sad idea my heart mid my eyes ( ill with tears . I ' union mo , for I scarcely see well enough to writo . I supplicate . you , us 1 have done before , and F now nmko the samn prayer bo to my Fanny her saving angol , sineo J , her mother , cannot aiu her . That idea causes incessant pain to the heart of a mother who cannot horsolf nave from ruin tho beloved child . M < ni Diou ! You , sir , whoso heart nnd mind are ho lofty , judge )

      Untitled Article

      September 25 , 1852 . ] THE LEADER . 915

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 25, 1852, page 915, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1953/page/7/