THE LONDON STRIKE.

Western Star, Issue 1386, 4 September 1889, Page 2

THE LONDON STRIKE.

London, August 31. Tho Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union, 60,000 strong, has offered to come out in the event of the dock labourers’ demands being refused.

The dock labourers haviug permitted tbe unloading of the Kaikoura and Fifeshirc frozou mutton is in abundant supply. The market is flat and prices have receded to last week’s quotations.

Tho strikers are greatly elated and strengthened in their position by tho announcement of the receipt, by cable from Brisbane and Sydney, of money for their support in the struggle. Shipowners, leading wharfingers, and a committee of the strikers have held a conference with a view to arranging terms for starting shipping work at tho wharves on Monday and so boycott tho dock companies. The meeting adjourned to Monday. Public opinion is dead against the dock companies. Cardinal Manning and the clergy of all denominations sympathise with the labourers, and politicians of all shades of opinion are subscribing liberally to tho strike fund.

A third of the Fifeshiro’s cargo of mutton has been discharged, and the vessel still has coal sufficient for a month’s working of her refrigerators. The Kaikonra has only landed 600 carcasses, but has plenty of coal. Sydney, August 31.

The wharf labourers have cabled Homo £SOO in aid of tho dock men now on strike in London.

Subscriptions are also being raised in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Sept. 1. It is rumoured that the Albert Dock Company have agreed to tho demand of the strikers.

The police of London sympathise with tho dockmen, and cannot bo relied upon should rioting take place.

It is expected that by Monday the strikers will number 250,000. The dock owners are as firm as adamnat. They offer fivopence au hour (the present rate) and sixpence an hour for piece work, but tho dockmen insist upon nn advance to sixnenco lor ordinary work.

The number of strikers outside the dockmen has diminished, and is now estimated at 100.000. Two thousand East End tailors have struck. They demand higher wages and shorter hours of labour. It is expected that the movement among them will spread, and that they will eventually add 20,000 to the number of the strikers. It is stated that unless a settlement is arrived at a number of other workers will go out, and that the strike will assume vast proportions. Women and children are now begging in the streets. Rioting is feared in London, and insurances to au enormous extent have been effected on property. The lightermen at Woolwich have struck, and 2000 ironworkers at Keighley, Yorkshire, have gone out.