The coal crisis is still not over, though owners and
men are "conferring" on a plan of conciliation. The general idea seems to be that the men shall go back at a nominal reduction, and that in future, before a strike, reference shall be made to a joint Board of Conciliation. That is a sensible basis for truce ; but when the owners begin to lose money again, will the men accept the verdict of the Board of Conciliation ? If our highly-informed correspondent, whose letter will be found on another page, gives the facts correctly, we should feel much doubt. It should be observed that the price of house-coal in London is most oppressively high-35s. for good coal—and there is a rumour, which we entirely believe, that even when the strike is over, coal will be found less cheap than before. Many of our readers will hardly believe the misery this causes, which may be summed up in the phrase of one worthy old woman,—" I can't now have fuel and food, so I sticks to the food." No miner under the " law of love" ever dreams of pitying such people.
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