nates of this trade had not only over-produced beyond all measure during the overtrading time, but they had, besides, engaged in enormous vontracts on the speculation that credit would be forthcoming to an equivalent extent. Now, a terrible reaction set in, that even at this hour (the end of March, 1867) continues in this and other London industries.[1] To show the condition of the labourers, I quote the following from the circumstantial report of a correspondent of the “Morning Star,” who, at the end of 1866, and beginning of 1867, visited the chief centres of distress: “In the East End districts of Poplar, Millwall, Greenwich, Deptford, Limehouse and Canning Town, at least 15,000 workmen and their families were in a state of utter destitution, and 3000 skilled mechanics were breaking stones in the workhouse yard (after distress of over half a year’s duration).… I had great difficulty in reaching the workhouse door, for a hungry crowd besieged it.… They were waiting for their tickets, but the time had not yet arrived for the distribution. The yard was a great square place with an open shed running all round it, and several large heaps of snow covered the paving-stones in the middle. In the middle, also, were little wicker-fenced spaces, like sheep pens, where in finer weather the men worked; but on the day of my visit the pens were so snowed up that nobody could sit in them. Men were busy, however, in the open shed breaking paving-stones into macadam. Each man had a big paving-stone for a seat, and he chipped away at the rime-covered granite with a big hammer until he had broken up, and think! five bushels of it, and then he had done his day’s work, and got his day’s pay—threepence and an allow-
- ↑ “Wholesale starvation of the London Poor.… Within the last few days the walls of London have been placarded with large posters, bearing the following remarkable announcement:—‘Fat oxen! Starving men! The fat oxen from their palace of glass have gone to feed the rich in their luxurious abode, while the starving men are left to rot and die in their wrecked dens.’ The placards bearing these ominous words are put up at certain intervals. No sooner has one set been defaced or covered over, than a fresh set is placarded in the former, or some equally public places.… This … reminds one of the secret revolutionary associations which prepared the French people for the events of 1789.… At this moment, while English workmen with their wives and children are dying of cold and hunger, there are millions of English gold—the produce of English labour—being invested in Russian, Spanish, Italian, and other foreign enterprises.”—“Reynolds’ Newspaper,” January 20th, 1867.
