The workmen in Holland have commenced their grand strike, and
their leaders evidently wish to push the contest to an extreme point They have prevented nearly all traffic on the railways, have arrested commerce by stopping work in the docks, have called out the journeymen bakera,nud have even ordered the long-threatened "general strike." Their demands are the withdrawal of the Anti-Strike Bill, or at least of its penal clauses, and an undefined rise in wages. At present it does not appear likely that they will win, as the Bill was passed on Thursday by the Dutch Second Chamber. The Government has called out two classes of Reservists, garri- soned the great cities so that perfect order is maintained, and occupied all important railway stations. The strike funds are said to be totally inadequate unless the workmen of all Europe subscribe, the railwaymen and bakers show a dis- position to return to work, and the military are perfectly obedient The strike will therefore probably be over in a fort- night or less ; but, as we have tried to show elsewhere, it ia one of great importance because of the largeness of the strikers' plans. They are evidently willing to paralyse society, and to take the lead in a general passive insurrection in order to compass their ends. It is stated, and is probable, that sus- pected interference from Germany has greatly embittered the men; but this is peremptorily contradicted at Berlin.
