The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-15 00:00:00

THE RIOTS IN LIVERPOOL.

The Times of Monday says :—" The outrages per-
petrated by the strike hands at the Liverpool Docks,
on Friday in last week, impelled the local authorities
to make special arrangements to repress any future
terrorism which might manifest itself. The Head
Constable stationed considerable bodiea of police at
• and near the docks. No persons were allowed within
the dock enclosure without reasonable excuse, and
thus the rough element was excluded. Within the
dock walls arrangements were made for the prompt
massing of five or six hundred constables at any one
point, in the event of the peace being endangered, and to
make the force more imposing and more efficient for
dealing with a mob, the constables were all armed with
heavy logwood sticks. The aid of the military was also
invoked. A detachment of the sth Dragoon Guards
patrolled the roads outside the Docks, while a com-
pany of the 11th Regiment of Foot were stationed at
Collingwood Dock. The streets bordering the docks
at the north eni were lined with labourers and
roughs; at the south end no disturbances appeared
to bs threatened, The only demonstrations made by
the men. were when the cavalry and patrol passed
along headed by a cab, in which Major Greig, the
Head Constable, was riding. They did not appear to
understand the necessity for a military disylay, but
as the Dragoons reached the Collingwood Dock, and
the Chief Constable put his head out of the cab and
looked arc and, some one got up a cheer, which the
labourers took up cordially. The Chief Constable
removed his hat and bowed and smiled, then his
cab turned round and the Dragoons turned and
followed. The chief, of police having driven
down the docks, drove back again. The preparations
for securing the eace gave rise to some exaggerated
rumours. It was said that the Mayor had read the
Riot Act .from the steps of -the' Town-hall, that the
military had been called out, that there had been
riots, and that reinforcements had been sent for. In
the forenoon a party of 200 msn marched down to the
Queen's Dock, making threatening demonstrations.
The police did not wait for the .men to do any mis-
chief, but attacked them immedistely. A great scuffle
Lollowed for a few moments, but the mob soon sub-
mitted to the persuasive force of heavy sticks,
This ltsson was sufficient for the day; the roughs
along the line of docks remained Quiet. At a
meeting of the . magistrates, held under the
presidency of the Mayor, in the forenoon, it
was decided to call out more soldiers. The, military
authorities were communicated with, and at five
o'clock two trains were despatched from Manchester,
with 300 men and officers of the 96th Regiment, under
Colonel Scovell. On their arrival at Liverpool they
were drawn up in front of *St. George's-hall, and after-
wards marched, some to the drill-hall of the sth Lan-
cashire Rifle Volunteers, in Prince's-road, and some
to the North Fort. Everything became quiet at the
docks during the evening; but a large force of men
was kept on duty-throughout the night and yesterday.
Late on Saturday another detachment of the sth
Dragoon Guards arrived at Liverpool from Manchester,
and were quartered partly at the Cavalry Barracks in
Rupertelane and partly in the drill-hall of the Ist
Lancashire Artillery Volunteers. Some merchant;
state that they have not before experienced so great a
difficulty in obtaining men, as on Saturday the other
men would not work. The number idle was augmented
by a strike of labourers employed by the Dock Board
in the warehouses at the Waterloo and Stanley Docks.
It was also expected that the men in the employ of
Board at the Albert, Wapping, and Birkenhead
Docks would join the strike, No men could be seen
engaged at the Victoria and Trafalgar Docks, and
the same may be said as to the Dublin and Wexford
sheds on the east side of the Clarence Dock. At
the Nelson Dock the quays were piled with goods, but
there were no labourers to remove them. In the
Bramley Moore Dock one ship taking in coal was work-
ing with its own crew, The provision porters also
turned on strike, raising the entire number who joined
the strike movement during the day on the Liverpool
side to 2,500, and 2,000 on the Birkenhead side of the
river. Some 1,500 men are expected to come cut on
strike this morning. The employers introduced a
number of men from Glasgow to work on the Lake
Line of steamers, but it was reported that many of
these on learning that there was a strike in the town
refused to work. At one o'clock the Mayor was asked
if the mass meetings of the men fixed to be held in the
afternoon would be permitted. The Mayor said
the meetings would not be interfered with if the
men conducted themselves in a quiet way,
but in . the excited state of the town he
considered it unadvisable to hold meetings. The
meetings were held at the times appointed, and passed
off quietly, the leaders of the men urging them to re-
frain from violence and to behave themelves as
became good citizens of Liverpool. Twenty thousand
men were present at one meeting. The sailors on
strike gathered in large numbers in front of the Sailors'
Home between nine and ten o'clock in the morning,
wearing bits of blue ribbon in their caps as an indica-
tion that they are on strike. They were joined by the
firemen on board the ocean-going steamers, and by the
foreigners, :Ind the number on strike thus increased
from 700 to 1.000. They held a mass meeting in the
afternoon. There is much anxiety about the attitude
of the strike hands this motning, but precautions are
being taken to preserve the peace. The Mayor has
issued the following proclamation .
" Borough of Liverpool, Thomas Bland Royden, Esq.,
Mayor.—Certain ill-disposed persons having taken advantage
of the present strike to molest and interfere with workmen
while engaged In their employment and to commit other
offences against the law, stringent measures have been
adopted to prevent all such illegal acts. I therefore earnestly
call upon all peaceable and well-disposed inhabitants to
assist the avthorities in the preservation of the peace and the
maintenanre of public order.—THOMAs B. Rol DRS , Mayor.—
Town-hall, Liverpool, Feb. 7."

The Times of Tuesday says :—" The strike among
the Liverpool dock laboureo continues. The number
of men now idle on both tides of the river is esti-
Mated at 50,000 to 60,000, including the sailors,
firemen, coalheavers, boilermakers, and engiaeers.
The strikes of sailors and labourers cause the
greatest inconvenience, the trade of the port
being- thereby brought to a standstill, except in
some cases where the shipowners have obtained
aid from distant places. Ships ready for sea are de-
tained in port. Many ships await unloading at the
docks, and the quays are piled with goods. The strikes
have necessitated idleness on the part of carters, who
stand by their teams vainly waiting for hire. The
military and police preparations of the authorities
have subdued the riotous spirit in the crowds of
loungers, and there were yesterday no signs of
intimidation. The docks, however, were well guarded.
There were large meetings of labourers on both
sides of the Mersey yesterday, about 20,000 men
attending on the Liverpool side, when a deputation
was appointed to wait on the shipowners to-day
with a view to an arrangement. At the same time
they say they will not submit to any reduction. The
appointment of the deputation, however, is viewed an
a hopeful sign, and the men, being all of the very
necessitous class, must be tired of the strike. At the.
Sailor's Home. yesterday, men were sought for the
ship Prince Frederick, from Birkenhead for New
York, The crew were offered £3 15s. per month, but
they held out for Di. Seamen's i'ages at Liverpool
are lower than for 20 years past. The men express a
willingness to send a deputation to the masters with a
view to an adjustraent. '

•
On Monday, at the annual meeting of the Liverpool
Chamber of Commerce, Mr. David Maclver, M.P.,
said that there never was a more hopeless struggle than
that in which the men were now engaged. If the
ironworkers were to succeed, it would drive the iron
trade from Liverpool, as it had been driven from
Llndon ,• and if the dock labourers persisted in their
present determination, the shipowners would simply
get men from other towns to take their places, and
they would be left out.

The Times of Wednesday -says :—" Trade in Liver-
pool is quite paralyzed by the strike, which has now ex-
tended to the carters and the whole body of carpenters,
some of whom were already on strike. The strike among
the sailors of the port has also become more general;
and great difficulty is experienced in obtaining crews,
save at conkiderably increased rates of pay. The
sailors demand for steamships, £3 10s. a month to the
southward and £4 10s. a month for voyages to the
westward, and for sailing ships £4 a month to
America and £3 103. a month to the Baltic or else-
where. Firemen demand £4 103. to the Mediter-
ranean, £5 westwards, £4 153. to New Orleans and
Pernambuco, and in all cask; an advance of 103. a
month upon the wages paid to ableseamen. Yester-
day sevekal ships were awaiting crews, but the
men were firm. It is stated that there, are 35 grain-
laden ships at Queenstown, and the owners do not
know where to send them. Meanwhile the grain May
be heating'in the vessels' holds and rendered valueless.
The steamship companies are helping each other to
overcome the difficulties of the situation. The Cunard
Company have all their vessels in Huskisson's _Dock,
which is enclosed, and have provided within the dock
walls accommodation for the large body of men
brought from Glasgow. The local authorities main-
tain strict supervision with police and military, and
none but people on business are allowed within the
enclosure along the whole line of docks."