The coal-miners of Aubin, near Orleans, have had a serious
conflict with the troops. The masters say the entente was entirely without provocation. The men say an overseer cheated them by refusing to allow for tubs not quite full—an old dispute in England, too. Anyhow, the men on the 6th inst. demanded the removal of this overseer, which was refused by the chief engineer. On the 7th, therefore, the men turned out, demanded the expul- sion of the engineer, broke in the doors of the office, and mal- treated him severely. Troops were sent for, and next day the miners tried to induce the smiths to join them. The smiths refused ; the troops protected them ; the miners flung bars of iron, aud the soldiers fired—without orders, it is said—killing 12 and wounding 20 miners. One Government overseer was among the slain. An entire regiment of Chasseurs was sent to the spot, and order was restored. It would appear, from the excessively biassed accounts published on both sides, that the men had a real grievance ; that they dictated too much ; that troops were sent for too soon, and that the French spirit which thinks it dis- honourable to refuse a challenge boiled over.
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