"This Association having anxiously considered the further serious depression in the Durham coal trade and the necessity for endeavouring to avert in some prompt and thorough manner the complete collapse which has set in to the ruin of many owners, and the casting adrift of large bodies of men, feels compelled to ask the Miners' Association to concur in a further reduction in wages and readjustment of hours." The Executive Committee met the owners on Thursday, February 22nd, when they were informed that the depressed trade and lower prices demanded a reduction of ten per cent. from underground and six per cent. from the bank workmen, "coupled with an increase in the working hours which would, in a great measure, compensate the men for the reduction in their wages." The Committee could neither see the necessity for a reduction nor could they see the compensation in the lengthening of hours. They, however, arranged another meeting for Friday, 9th March, when they would further discuss the sliding scale, and, failing that, the reduction. In the statement explaining these proceedings the Committee placed before the members two scales--one proposed by them and the other by the owners. It will be interesting and instructive to give these scales. _December 22nd, 1876._ SLIDING SCALE PROPOSED BY THE DURHAM COAL OWNERS Price Wage s. d. Per cent. s. d. 5 2 0 4 8.0 5 10 5 4 10.8 6 6 10 5 1.6 7 2 15 5 4.4 7 10 20 5 7.2 8 6 25 5 10.0 9 2 30 6 0.8 9 10 35 6 3.6 10 6 40 6 6.4 11 2 45 6 9.2 11 10 50 7 0.0 12 6 55 7 2.8 13 2 60 7 5.6 _January 2nd, 1877._ SLIDING SCALE AS PROPOSED BY THE DURHAM MINERS' ASSOCIATION Price Wage s. d. Per cent. s. d. 5 6 0 5 0 6 2 5 5 3 6 10 10 5 6 7 6 15 5 9 8 2 20 6 0 8 10 25 6 3 9 6 30 6 6 10 2 35 6 9 10 10 40 7 0 11 6 45 7 3 12 2 50 7 6 12 10 55 7 9 13 6 60 8 0