OUR LONDON LETTER.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7782, 9 February 1891, Page 5

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(TBOIC OTJB COBBBSPOjnXBMT.) , LONDON, December 27. STRIKES AND STRIKERS. Though condemned by Tom Mana and the Dockers' Union, the shipping strike at the Albert Docks fizzled out to its end in a dilatory way. The Tongariro got off with her full complement aa related in my last letter, but the Arawa has been in difficulties. The coal whippers refused to coal her, so that the Shaw Savill people made arrangements to secure the services of another gang from the country and this worked under police protection. A hulk was fitted u> by the Shipping Federation for their accommodation, and this hulk is to be used on all similar occasions. The Federation also states that they have abundance of free labor to fall back upon if necessary. This would seem to be true, for Mann the other day published an account of the distress at the docks, in which he stated that over 6000 men were out of work. The men supplied for the Arawa belonged to the General Labor Union, an organisation formed some months ago for the purpose of providing "free labor in a free land." This is the first time its services have been utilised. The Marquis of Bute is President and it is acting with the Shipping Federation. It undertakes (to supply all kinds cf workmen, including shipwrights, "coalies," painters, and other workmen necessary to the shipping trade, paying the ordinary Union rate of wages. There are said to be 10,000 members. The hulk aforesaid is fitted up with 1000 beds, and the men are guaranteed a week's wages of 30s and fuel and lodging in addition. The stevedores on the Arawa who struck, returned to work at last, and were fined 5s by order of the Council for striking without official authority. Unhappily the Aorangi is now in trouble, and the crew are all "out," so that the Dock Company's men had to be employed to move her into the quay. The stevedores are however now at work on her. The Jumna, of the British India line, sailing at the same time as the Tongariro, bad a misfortune, one of the steam pipes bursting. Mr Champion's article on the Australian etrike has been reprinted in the London papers from the Age, and has, I believe, caused Mr Burns a little annoyance, Mr Champion stated that lie was sorry for Burns' mistake in condemning him, and that Burns was probably now sorry for it. As a matter of fact, Burns never did condemn Champion, as I have previously related. Though invited by Fitzgerald and others to do so, he has always declared his intention of abiding by his letter of recommendation. But a few weeks ago he said in my hearing, "Mr Champion was never the most judicious of men, but he was my friend before he went to Australia, and he is so still. When I learn that public life necessitates the repudiation and blackguarding of his friends, then I shall resign my small part in it as being beneath the dignity of man's object in life."

Mr Fitzgerald is about to visit Germany to acquire all the information concerning Socialism that he can. He is eupplied with credentials from the Seamen Labor party in Australia. When he returns he will sail in an Orient boat towards the end of January, and will address himself on his arrival to answering Mr Champion.

POSTAL AND CABLE. Sir Charles Tapper has invited the Agents-General to meet him to discuss the proposed Vancouver-Australian postal service, and a meeting was held the other day, without, of coarse, anything definite being determined. It was understood that should the Colonial Government arrive at an understanding, the Hartington eyudi-cate.Barrow-in-Furness, would be prepared to enter into an agreement for a fast steamship service between England and Canada, and also for a powerful line of steamers between Vancouver and Australasia. Sir Charles Tapper seemed to favor a service from Vancouver to Brisbane, but it was objected that this would leave the field open for the United States to run a competing sendee from San Franoiaco to Auckland. South Australia does not seem disposed to support a service of any kind, and indeed it is difficult to see from a purely selfish point of view what advantage that colony would gain. It is calculated that the Australian colonies would only have to contribute between £80,000 and £36,000 a year. Canada would bear the brunt of the expense, and Great Britain would also assist largely. At the same time as this new scheme is being pushed Beuters are arranging, for an extension of their cable service to and from Australasia; .£IOO,OOO has been added to the capital by the creation of 2500 new shares of £8 each, and though no public announcement of the future policy of the Company has been made, I have reasons for knowing that an extension of the Australian service ia contemplated. It is whispered that DalzeU's would be glad to undertake a Colonial service.

1 THE IMPEBIAL INSTITUTE. The twenty-seventh meeting of the Organising Committee of the Imperial Institute, held on the 17th December, was as mildly interesting as the previous meetings have been. The Prince watched over hie pet scheme, and sundry great people were present, to wit LprdHerscheU (Chairman of the Organising Committee), Sir Lowthian Bell (Vice-Chairman), Lord Sterling, Lord Bothschild, Sir Henry James, M.P., Sir Bucbant Temple, M.P,, Sir Joba Salbock, M.P., Sir Edward 0. Sumners, Sir Chas. Tupper, Sir Geo. Gabriel Stokes, M.P., Major-General Sir Owen Tudor Borne, Sir Francis Dillon Bell, Sir Saul Samuel, Sir Frederiok Abel, Mr A. Waterman, &.A., Mr J. Pattiaon Carrie, Mr A. W. Geduden, Mr J. Hollame. Sir Frederiok Abel,, Organising Secretary, was in attendance. Hie Koyal Highness, the President, announced the Appointment by him to the Organising Committee of Sir Kichard Temple, M.P., and Sir John Straohey, and the consent of these gentlemen to act thereon. A donation by the Maharajah of Jeypore of £20,000, and a vote by the House of Assembly of South Australia of .£1846 towards the funds of the Imperial Institute, were notified. In a report read by the Secretary concerning the progress made with the main building of the Imperial Institute, it was stated that the exhibition floor and the administration office would be ready for occupation in the spring of next year. Sir Frederick Abel further reported on the steps taken by the Government of India and by the Governments of the various colonies towards the preparation of samples and commercial collections for display in the Institute. The preliminary report of Sir Somers Vine, the Assistant Secretary (who returned to England on the previous day), on his mission to the African colonies and Protectorates was read. Apropos of the 1892 Exhibition with which the Imperial Institute is to be inaugurated, I may mention that the mineral exhibits, lately in the Crystal Palace, have been stored away in the cellars of that edifice against the folio wingexhibition.

MISS MAESDEN ABBOAD. Miss Kate Maraden seems to have the faculty of advertising to success. Being in Egypt lately collecting information (as we are informed)* she managed to get presented to the Khediva. According to Miss Marsden, her Highness the Princess Crumeh-Haaen, the Khediva, is the daughter of the late Prince El-Hamy Pacha, and the mother of two fine boys and two pretty girls. She is a fine-looking woman of about thirty years, with bright brown eyes, expressive enough to interpret ■ the thoughts she could nut put m words to her English visitors. She nag an imposing flggre, which was, on the occasion of the presentation, draped to advantage m a well-made black gown. The Palace of Khedive is a peculiar structure* painted entirely white, Surrounded by a court prettily decorated with green creepers, and pared with a peculiar mosaic made of stones in two colony all turned on their sides* The maid* ia "tttnAffniro in

_ _ . . /->- ---the ianes b*tt flfer© -all. eimply, d*esisa alike in plain black ana white dresses. Not * man wae seen about the palace, whose furnishing Iβ extremely tlafn end simple, the only pretty worn being tho central one, in which were lovely mirrors and candelabra and beautifully inlaid and polished floors. The royal lady graciouslywelcomed the plainly-dressed woman who came before her in a cos* tume unlike anything ever eeett'in the presence chamber before, for Miss Marsden, to quote her own words, was limited to choice between "three eeverelyplain uniforms, one of which wae oruehed, the second very creased, and the third on my back, its freshness all gone, likewise some of its buttons." Bat the meeting was pleasant. Tea was served in exquisite little cups with no handles, and the plain woman in the travel-worn gown and heavy boots was made to forget—by the courtesy of her royal hostess—that she was not in full Court dress. This U all very wsll, but where's the leprosy Mica Marsdea hat to devote her life to f This rather eound/ like having a " high old tinm." , -