Chapter 492 The sound of the waves remains
The British miners' strike had a much greater impact than in history. After all, Great Britain was firmly ranked first in the world at the time.
At this time, Austria and France had become strong competitors. What was even more frightening was that both countries had their own circles. This made Robert Peel, an advocate of free trade, unable to start.
Although the several civil strifes that broke out in the UK did not lead to a revolution, they severely damaged its vitality. If the Far East had not been providing blood transfusions to the country, the situation would have been unmanageable.
Although the situation in South America has opened up, it will take some time to really benefit.
However, what Robert Peel did not expect was that Paraguay's guerrillas had received support from France, and Brazil, with the support of Austria, promised to provide them with asylum.
The British are locked in another Afghan war
A mine in Lancashire, England.
The child workers still went to work as usual, and even the injured little girl was simply bandaged and put on a hat before coming to the mine.
As for the absence of the "Big Nose" overseer, no one noticed, and no one cared about this rotten gambler.
The foreman gave each child worker a small bronze medal before going into the mine, so that he could know how many had gone to the mine and how many had returned.
Here we mainly rely on cages and hanging baskets to go deep into the mines. The taller ones sit in cages, while the thin ones are placed in hanging baskets.
However, whether the former or the latter relied on power at this time, people still turned the windlass, or animals pulled the winches.
The so-called cage is the prototype of the modern elevator. There are several iron chains inside a large iron cage, but there is no seal on the outside.
People must hold on to the chains to hold the cage when riding this kind of lifting tool, otherwise the violent bumps may make you fly out, which can kill you.
Due to the unstable power, the descending speed of this cage is also extremely unstable, and sometimes it even gives people the feeling of falling straight into hell.
Of course, sometimes if the intensity is not controlled well, it will indeed send people to hell.
Historically, Americans invented the first steam-powered winch in 1850, and British mines only began to equip it around 1860.
In addition, at this time, the industrial revolution on the European continent had just started, and the Bohemian area was mostly open-pit coal mines and shallow coal mines, so the speed requirements for lifting tools were not high, but the load requirements were high, so hydraulic steam was used. .
At this time, coal mines in the UK had been dug 100 meters underground, and it was too expensive to use hydraulic equipment.
Sitting in a cage falling at high speed is not a pleasant experience, it is like riding a roller coaster, but the difference is that the height difference of the latter is usually only 10-20 meters, and even the most dangerous one in the world is only 52 meters. But the former can easily break through 150 meters.
When falling rapidly, people will have a strong sense of suffocation. The whole body will be tense, the limbs will be stiff, the body temperature will drop, and the consciousness will be suspended. In addition, due to the sudden change in air pressure, your eardrums will feel as if they have exploded, and you may even experience temporary tinnitus. deaf.
The child laborers successfully landed on the cage and began their day's work. The air in the alleyway was turbid, and the smell of feces, urine, and domestic garbage mixed together made people nauseous.
Not only did David and Jim feel nothing while they were killing, but they just went about their day's work mechanically as usual afterward.
Usually when the nine candles burn out, it's time for them to get off work. At that time, one candle could burn for almost 90 minutes, and the time for nine candles was usually 13-14 hours.
David and Jim took off their shirts as usual, dug out coals, knocked off the stones and threw them into the basket.
Although the British spring is very cold, it is very hot and humid below the mine, and the turbid air makes it difficult to breathe.
Just like that, the nine candles were burned out, and a fat and greasy middle-aged man on the ground asked the foreman.
"How much is done?"
"About one-tenth of the usual amount." the foreman replied.
"Damn it! Let those dirty brats go back to work! The big guys in London are still waiting for our good news! I will not bow to those poor brats!" the middle-aged man said angrily.
"Boss, these kids have reached their limit."
"Damn it! Do you want to go against me?! If you can't meet the target, you and your people will get out of here and mine!" the middle-aged man threatened.
"Boss, they have reached their limit. If they continue to work, people will die! Now the workers are on strike. If these children die again, who will dig for you?" the foreman argued.
This foreman speaks for the child workers, not that he is very sympathetic. If these children died normally, no one would hold them accountable. After all, everyone still has to live, and most people would choose to swallow their anger.
But at this juncture, if these children are really dead, there will be someone who will not let them go. Then he, the foreman, must be the boss's scapegoat in the end. After all, no one else will even have the chance to enjoy this "honor".
Although British law explicitly prohibits child labor, even if it is employed, the penalties are not severe, but once someone dies, it will be difficult to solve.
In fact, more than a dozen people have died now. If this matter was reported to the newspaper office, he would probably be jailed and fed as much as he could.
"Look for it after it's dead! These living things that no one has raised are everywhere! I know what you are afraid of. I have already taken care of it with the congressmen and the newspaper. This matter will never make it to the newspaper. Just feel free and bold The ground is dry!”
Upon hearing this, the foreman smiled enthusiastically and adoringly.
"Okay! Boss, do you know? How many ways can I kill someone who disobeys me? Nine ways!"
The greasy middle-aged man also showed a long-lost smile.
"Go! I'm waiting for your good news. May God be with you!"
From that day on, the working hours of the child laborers were increased to ten candles.
Buckingham Palace, Prince Albert left England and returned to Germany to handle some family property. This was the first time he was separated from Victoria after her wedding.
Even Victoria was by her side when Prince Albert was shot in the butt, even though the former didn't want his butt to be seen at all.
Victoria, who was bored, had to take her children to ride horses. In order to please Her Majesty the Queen, the palace horsemen specially found a pony suitable for children to ride.
The children had a great time riding the pony, and the Queen herself chatted with Leopold I from afar.
At this time, King Leopold I of Belgium was imprisoned by Louis Philippe in the Hainaut Province of the Walloon region. He was grateful to Victoria for allowing him to come out for air, but he also blamed the latter for refusing to send troops to rescue.
The former is not a political idiot, so he can naturally hear the complaint in his uncle's words.
"Uncle, although I am the Queen of England, I cannot have my own way. But I think those self-righteous fools must regret not rescuing you at this time, and I have dissolved the Whig cabinet. Are you satisfied?"
King Leopold I knew that he had to rely on this niece if he wanted to restore his country, so how could he really dare to offend her? Victoria also understands the importance of winning over Belgium, and its restoration will be of great benefit to the country.