--- Title: Engels to Johann Georg Eccarius, London, 19 April 1871 Description: Engels sends Eccarius, in English, an account of the strike at the Batlló Brothers' cotton mill in Barcelona and of the strikes supported by the Spanish branches of the International, so that the Lancashire cotton trade may be asked for help. Author: Friedrich Engels Date: 1871-04-19 URL: https://marxismo.school/archivo/marx-engels/cartas/originales/1871-04-19%20Engels%20to%20Johann%20Georg%20Eccarius --- *Letter from Friedrich Engels to Johann Georg Eccarius in London, London, 19 April 1871. Manuscript preserved at the IISG (Karl Marx / Friedrich Engels Papers, inv. K 408), transcribed from the digital facsimile by the Escuela de marxismo, 2026 (double reading and collation with the image). Written in English, with the opening sentence, the last paragraph and the closing in German. Diplomatic transcription: spelling, capitals and punctuation as in the manuscript; underlining rendered as italics; deletions as ~~text~~; interlinear additions inserted where marked, with a note; [?] after an uncertain reading. [Traducción al español](https://marxismo.school/archivo/marx-engels/cartas/1871-04-19%20Engels%20a%20Johann%20Georg%20Eccarius)* 122 Regents' Park Road N. W. 19/4/71. [L]ieber Eccarius[^1] Folgendes über den Strike der Barcelonesen[?] das ich Dir, um Mühe zu sparen, gleich englisch schreibe: Messrs Batlló Brothers, Barcelona, own a large Cotton Spinning & Weaving concern & employ about 900 workpeople. Not only do they pay, by far, worse wages than any other firm in the trade, but they have also[^2] continually attempted to reduce wages still more by superseding men by women & grown up people by children. Lately, they have without exception discharged all such hands as were suspected of belonging[^3] to the Trades' Union of the United Carters[?], Spinners & Weavers. On the 26th february a large meeting was held by the members of this Union to consider the state of things in Messrs Batlló's work. A new list of wages was unanimously adopted, which, although establishing a slight rise upon the prices hitherto paid, was still very much below the very lowest rates paid by others; and a deputation was appointed to demand the adoption of this list; ~~which~~ and in case of this[^4] being refused, the people employed at the mill were to strike work. The deputation was not even received, Mess. B. refusing to receive any but a deputation from their own workmen. This ~~being intended[?]~~ fresh[^5] deputation submitted the new list of prices but met with a flat refusal. The whole of the workpeople at once struck, with the exception of about 25, most of whom have since joined the strike. This took place on the 27th february, & consequently, the hands have now been on strike for nearly nine weeks, and the funds at the disposal of the Union are beginning to run low. The remaining branches of the International in Spain are doing their best to collect moneys for them, but they have just now a good many strikes to support. Not to mention minor affairs, the Coopers of Santander and the[^6] Tanners of Valencia are on strike because their masters insist upon their giving up their Trades' Unions as well as the International; and thus, there are altogether some 1500 men out at present in Spain whom the various branches of the Intl. there have to support. Barcelona ~~has~~ & neighbourhood are the South Lancashire of Spain, there are large & numerous Cotton Spinning & Weaving establishments there & the greater part of the population of this district lives upon the Cotton Trade. They have lately suffered much from the competition of English yarns & it would make a particularly good impression in Spain if the Lancashire Cotton Trade could do something in favor of the Cotton Spinners & Powerloom Weavers of Spain. ~~With~~ The active & intimate commercial relations between the different countries of the world have led to this, that every event ~~taking pl~~ affecting society in one country necessarily produces its effects upon all other countries; and it would ~~be~~ not at all be astonishing if a general reduction of wages in the Spanish Cotton Trade (such as appears inevitable if this strike be unsuccessful) should in the long run contribute to keep wages low in South Lancashire also. (Die Art der Beiträge – donation oder Loan wäre den Leuten freizustellen. Der Council könnte die Einsendg vermitteln, oder sie können es direct schicken, die Adresse steht zu Verfügg.) Besten Gruß Dein F. E.[?] [^1]: The first letter is covered by an ink blot. [^2]: «also» written above the line. [^3]: «of belonging» written above the line. [^4]: «and in case of this» written above the line, over the deleted «which». [^5]: «fresh» written above the line. [^6]: «the» written above the line.