Waterbury Democrat

GRAVE RESULTS OF THE STRIKE. Work on Warships and Manufacture of Textile Machinery Stopped.

London, Oct. 11.—The factories at Blackburn engaged in the manufacture of textile machinery have been compelled to stop work, owing to the strike of the engineers. The strike is causing great delay in the construction of warships. No new ships can be laid down in the Admiralty dockyards, and material is wanting for the completion of a number of vessels. The battleship Goliath wants her stem and stern posts, and the battleship Ocean requires castings and engine fittings. Both vessels were to have been launched this month, but the strike has rendered this impossible. The battleship Canopus is lying at Portsmouth, waiting for her belt of armor, and the cruisers Furious and Gladiator are both waiting for their engines.

Mr. Siemens, of Siemens Brothers & Co. (Limited), speaking in behalf of the Employers' Federation, says that it is desired to get rid of trade unionism altogether. If this is not done the engineering trade of the country will go to the wall. He adds that it is impossible for the engineering firms to pay their men wages for fifty-four hours a week when they get only forty-eight hours' work from them.

Will They Stop the Big Liners?

The Executive Committee of the Amalgamated Engineers' Society threatens to withdraw the engineers in the ocean mail service in the event of a continuance of the present dispute.

The Prince of Wales, replying to an independent suggestion that he use his influence to bring about an amicable settlement of the strike in the engineering and allied trades, says he deeply deplores the disastrous situation, but feels that it would not be proper for him to interfere. He adds that he regrets that he is unable to do so.

The Strike May Spread.

London, Oct. 11.—There is no indication of an improvement in the engineering strike, and the embittered, determined struggle between the employers and the engineers, of whom 70,000 are now idle, continues with almost a certainty of bringing about a general strike throughout the shipbuilding establishments of the country, involving another 20,000 men. No one in authority has the smallest hope of a settlement being arrived at this side of Christmas, since the Employers' Federation has declined the mediation of the Board of Trade and has refused to confer with the men.

The strike has already entailed the loss of $3,750,000, and it is calculated to reach $10,000,000 by Christmas.

The railroad employes threaten to add to the chaos. They are to hold a great conference at Birmingham in a few days and will formulate demands which the companies say it is impossible for them to grant, and in the event of the latter's refusal a general strike of 150,000 railroad workers, which will probably mean the turning out of 1,500,000 others, will follow.