The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-11 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

LANCASTER ELECTION.— CLO O
SE F TUE POLL.-
After a neck-and-neck race, from the commencement to
11, which closed on Thursday
within the last hour of the po
afternoon, B. Armstrong, the liberal candidate, was
elected by a majority of eighteen over the Ro E
n. . Stan-
ky (eldest son of Lord Stanley),who good on the protectionist
interest. Throughout the contest the enthusiasm of the
liberals was excited to the utmost pitch by the unhandsome
treatment they justly consider their late liberal member, S.
Oregson, Esq., to have received at the hands of the tories.
Tug RIOTOUS PROCEEDINGS IN MANCHESTER con-
tinued during Thursday evening, after our report was
closed, and despatched by train. A great number of porters'
carts, standing as usual fur hire in the middle of Oldham-
road, at the Crews, formed a cover, for a time, for the most
active and dariug of the assemblage, who getting behind
them hurled stones at the police with impunity. The centre
of the square formed by the meeting of the four streets at
the Cross was now gradually taken possession of by several
thousand people, many of whom it was evident were there
from curiosity rather than a motive of hostility to the police,
or a design to favour the disturbance of public order. Never-
theless there were many working people exhibiting a dogged,
irresolute sort of neutrality, whose sympathies appeared to be
with the disturbers ; and the mischievous youths who have ao
persercriegly led to the outbreaks of the day rushed behind
them and amongst them out of the way of the police, using
them as a cover for the continuous volleys of stones and
other missiles which they hurled at the peace officers. About
half-put five o'clock a third body of police arrived in Old-
bara-road, and took up a position re the opposite side to
that occupied by the first re-inforcement. The force now
present consisted of 150 men. One or two magistrates
showed themselves. Things had at this time assumed such
a throvitening ;pliant that it was thought desirable to clear
the centre, of the square. As a preliminary measure the
porters were desired to move away their carts. Immedi-
ately the first division of police advanced towards the Cross, '
in the centre sf the square, and left the cover of the bonus,
a volley of stones followed them. Au order was then given
to the police generally to charge and disperse the
mob, and this they attempted repeatedly, laying
on their batons freely, hut not attempting to
make prisoaers. Notwitbstam.ing these efforts the
mob rallied several times, and must perseveringly resumed
the ground they had lost. In about twenty minutes, how-
ever, during which the whole neighbourhood was a scene of '
extraordinary excitement, with the rushing of large bodies
of people in all directions, and the anxiety of the shopkeepers ,I
to get up their shutters, the centre of the squa was cleared,
but a great body of people lined the footpaths one ry side.
The mayor and borough magistrates assembled at the hall
to consider the further steps necessary, having previously
determined to embody about a thousand special constables.
Soon after seven o'clock the mob collected in considerable
force, and procecdiog through Shudehill-market, armed
themselves with formidable weapons, by breaking up into'
staves of convenient length some few of the stalls and
benches left there by the hucksters and other market-
keepers; and information was obtained at the Town-ball
that they had an intention of attacking the Oldham-road
police station-house, in the absence of Superintendent Leary
at Tib-street, and of liberating the prisoners. Under these
circumstance', Superintendents Remick and Sawley, and
Inspector proceeded in that direction with a
reinforcement of about ninety men of the A division.
When they arrived at New Cross they found the posture
of affairs rather alarming. The mob had succeeded in extin-
guishing the great lamp at the Cross. and many of the lamps
in Oldham-road, Swann-street, and Rochd ilc-road ; and the
sky being overcast and gloomy the neighbourhood was by
this means thrown into a state of dense darkness, under cover
of which it was to be apprehended that the rioters meditated
some more 'serious mischief than had yet taken place. It
turned out, however, that the parties who bad armed them-
selves by breaking up the stalls in Shudehilmarket. after'
urreadinii in breaking some windows of the Tib-street work-'
hours, had been encountered by Superintendent Leary with
150 men, and the large reinforcement of police coming upon
their rear as they were about to retreat, and being unper
seived, owing to the darkness which prevailed, they were
taken at great disadvantage. The result was, that the rioters
received the most severe check they had yet met with,
and were dispersed is all direction', after a very severe ma.