The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-11 00:00:00

THE METROPOLIS DURING THE DAY.

At an early hour yesterday morning the City and suburbs
gave preliminary signs of the approaching demonstration.
The various troops billetted around, London left their tem-
porary quarters, and were posted atd concentrated at
various points, where it was feared their presence might be
wanted, long before sunrise.
The trains which arrived at the London and North-
Western Railway brought several persons from Manchester,
Birmingham' Rochdale, Liverpool, and other Marta of Lsn
csshire, to be present during the proceedings of the thy.
Some from as tar even as Edinburgh and Glasgow were tra-
vellers by this train. Many of them were third-class pas-
sengers, who &armed themselves during a great part of the
journey by singing, with we need hardly add, mo?e strength
than harmony. The persons thus delegated to attend the
' grlat metropolitan demonstration brought with them large
rolls of signatures, to be appended to the monster petition,
which was last night presented to the House of Commons.
The Great Western Railway brought by no means si many
perions as the London and North-Western. The South-
Eastern, London and Brighton, Eastern Counties, and
South-Western also contributed their quota.
The rallying points of the chartists in various localities
began to till at an early hour. The thiet of these were Rus-
sell-square, Stepney green, Clerkenwell-green, besides other
open spaces in the various outskirts. The chartists of
entiah-town, Somers-town, Hempstead, Paddington, St.
Pancras, ann Marylebona assembled in Russell-square at S
o'clock. A tow minutes before 10 o'clock that procession
being formei two and two, the whole body left the square
and went towards Southmptou-street, into tipper king-
street, through Holborn into Farringdon-street, from thence
to Kenuington-common. A large body of special constables,
urnter the command of Lieut.-Col. Clarke, were present in
the square.
The chartists who had arranged to meet at Stepney-green

arrived there early. At 9 o'clock a procession was formed,
and in a short time it started, preceded by a band. To every
party of 30 or 40 men there wee a white flag, bearing the
number of the section to which they belonged. There were
numerous banners with the words, " The Charter, and no
surrender;" "The Bethnal Green National Land Com-
pany ;" " Live and let Live." The min walked arm-in-
arm, six a-breast, with pink and white ribbons attached to
their button holes. They mustered several thousands, and
with the lookers-on and the rabble, formed a large assem-
blage. The body was addressed to keep peace and order,
and the victory would be theirs. At harpast 9 they marched
down the Wbitechspel-road, over London-bridge, to Ken.
nington.common.
The churchwardens of Clerkenwell assembh d the special
constables of the parish at the workhouse, nod proceeded
subsequently to Clerkenwell-green, in the absence of the
G division, for the purpose of preventing any riotous
proceeding. About 8 o'clock a body of churtists appeared
on the ground, several of them carrying flags and banner,
one of which had on it the following inscription—" The
voice of the people it the voice of God." There were two
poles surmounted by the cap of liberty, with a tri-coloured
flag and an American flag. The procession was formed two-
and-two, shortly before 9 o'clock, consisting of between
300 and 400 persons. It entered St. John-stung, crossed
Sinithibld, and passed through Farrinadon-street to Ken-
nisgton.common. There were about 4,000 is. moos present.
The proceedings of the other sections differed but little
from those retailed above, until their arrival at Kennington
Common, which is reported in another column
The streets of the metropolis after the various processions
had passed presented nearly the same appearance as thst on
a holiday. The police having been mostly withdrawn from
their regular duty, and concentrated on special localities,
the town was guarded by special constables, who, either
singly or in bands, paraded the streets and squares,
being eistinguished from their fellow-citixens by whit*
bands on their arms, and by staves. Except that in the
various lines of the different processions the miejority of the
shops were shut, there was nothing to indicate the
smallest public alarm ; the more timid part of the eommu-
nity—the female portion—had not been kept at home, for
well dressed females is numbers no less than usual appeared.
The. predominant expression in the oeuutenarees of the
passers by of both sexes was merriment; partly occasioned
by the " speci?ls," w ho, despite the exc. Cent and praise-
worthy feeling which prompted thi m to enrol themselves to
preserve order, did not of course look so w.ll drilled or uni-
form as the regular police. Their varietb sof mature and
dress forced upon the spectator associations of the comic ;
neither did the union of spectacles (which some wore) and
umbrellas (which others carried), harmonise with nbe insignia
of office, or tend to lessen the merriment. Lenin lsoctes of special
constables were stationed in Bridewell, the v rious churches,
and in many of the large manufactories sanding in or near
the lines ot the processions, and at Kennington-common—be-
sides the police and soldiers. . .

As we stated yesterday would be the ease, all the public
buildings were fortified and invested with salthery, and the
officials and clerks armed, not only with staves, as special
constables, but with tira.etrms. Somerset-house was packed
with the household troops ; the Admiralty was occupied with a
detachment of the 16th and the Sapp. rs and Miners;
while the Horse Guards and the llome -office were
taken possession of by other regiments of the lice.
The Treasury, the British Museum, &c., were also
strongly guarded and fortified. The minor ffices, as the
Board of Control, &c., were also defended by armed detach-
ments, while other measures, the closing up of the gates,
barricading the windows, and strengthenieg the external de-
fences, were extensively adapted. The Custom-house was
garrisoned by the east metropolitan division of the enrolled
out.pensionen of Chelsea Hospital. The resides lice of the
Duke of Northumberland at Charing-crow, Montague
house, and the residences of Sir Robert Peel dud other no-
blemen and commoners in Whitehall-gardens, were fas-
tened up.
The area surrounding the fountains in Trafalgar-eqnare
was occupied by a detachment of police, amounting to about
two hundred men. The special constables, in the mean-
time, performed the duties of the police, by keeping idlen
upon the move, and preventing the gathering of knots of
persons upon the streets and pavements. The parks were
closed, and the entrance to St. James's was guarded by a
double file of guards and the wardens of the parks, the latter
acting as gate-keepers, under the orders of the military, •
corporal or sergeant being stationed as commandant at each
gate. lorries and egress were immediately allowed to all
persons exhibiting the " pan" greeted by the autho-
rities of Scotland-yard. Patrols of th hoes, hold troops
marched up and down the mall, Ond officers
held constant communication with the several posts.
Apsley-house was barricaded, and the bullet-proof shutters
were drawn over the windows. Buckingham Palace
did not appear to be guarded by any extra strength, but a
strong force was ready to march from the drill-around of the
Wallington Barracks at any moment. The private servants
of the officers were armed as well as the regular soldiery.
In the Coy hundreds of spectators were to be observed at the
different stations appointed to be most strictly attended to,
attracted, no doubt, by the military arrang,ments. which to
some were matters of curiosity, to others of alarm. The
spectators of the Bank fortifications were very numerous
throughout the day, and the soldiers, as they entered the
building, were moat vociferously cheered. The Lord Mayor
and the commissioner 01 the city police had an interview on
Sunday, at the Rome-office, with Sir G. Grey and the com-
misainners of the metropolitan police, when final regula-
tions were made as to the course to be adopted and placed in
the hands of the authorities, and throughout the whole of
Sunday night the principal officers of the Cite force were
occupied at the several stations in preparations to carry the
instructions into effect. Apart from the innumerable special
constables who assembled at the various wards w.der the ale
denuen, and the greater part of whom were provided with
stares and armlets, upwards of 2,000 of the younger " specials"
were selected by the aldermen, and placed in direct com-
munication with the City police, under the commissioner.
This latter body had received instructions to take up petitions
at the Cross Keys, in Gracechutch.strect, the Royal Ex-
change, which were placed at the complete dioposal of Mr.
Harvey, and Bridewell Hospital, and, as they mustered at
the several places of appointment, they we re immediately
marshalled into bodies of 100 each, and again subdivided
into tw nuns, and followed under the command of captains
and sergeants of their own selection, with e sp. ctors of the
City police force controlling the whole. A' I I o't.lock the po.
lice and special constables marched in large bodies to the
three bridges, and took up their stations 'fire^ in immediate
communication with the metropolitan constables, who at-
tended at each in great numbers.
About 300 gen'lemen of the Stock Exchange were PROM
in *rebel constables, 100 of whom attended under their re-
spective leaders in the Royal Exchange, from whence they
were marched to Bleckfriars-bridge. On their return to the
Stock Exchange, " God save the Queen" was sung by the
whole house ; and shortly afterwards, Mr. Hutchinson, the
chairman of the committee, announced publicly the thanks
of the Lord Mayor for their services, which was received
with hearty cheers.
For the reasons above-stated the bridges were the thief
points of defence, of which Blackfriars-bridge appeared to be
a sort of centre, uit had the strongest force. The proceed-
ings in its neighbourhood were nearly as follows:—
By ten o'cloce a considerable crowd had c anted in Far-
ringdon-atreet and New Bridge-street, alai at the point
where Fleet-street and Ludgate bill join this lice of street.
The stable-yard of the Rose Inn, in Farringdon-street, had
previously been occupied by • body of cavalry. Though the
gates bore the announcement of " These premises to be let
on lease," the people were well aware that not • particle of
the interior was empty, and a thump hovered round the
place, In anticipation of what was to occur. Special consta-
bles were also mustered in great force by the authorities of
the ward, bat kept out of sight. Soon after ten the crowd
assumed • " processional " ahem, and by half-past ten began
to pees over the bridge. Men who had been talking
together in groups, joined arm in-arm, and the march
commenced. From half put ten till past eleven
one continuous stream of people crossed the
bridge the pavement on the east side being oc-
occupied by the more systematic procession, and the road-
way being thronged by a closely-packed body. At the latter
hour vans, decorated with flags. and containing some of the
leaders of the " demonsttation " made their nppearance, and

passed on without any appearance of confusiroil. With the
exception of a few closed shops there were, in this locality,
no signs of alarm, and certainly no symptoms of disorder.
Though numerous respectably-dressed females were, as
usuid, among the pedestrians, their faces betrayed no ap-
pearance of trepidation, theugh they were iu the midst of
the " unlawful assemblage " that has called forth police pro-
clamations, and caused governmental alarm. At about
twelve o'clock a company of pensioners made their
appearance. (heat amusement was excited amongst
a large number of persons assembled at the foot
of the bridge, on the London side, by a party of the
veterans, in marching order, investing " the office of
the " Heir-at-law " Society, which joins the river at the enu
of Chatham-plaice. The approaches to the bridge un the
Surrey side of the river were occupied by large bodies of
mounted and metropolitan foot police. The point when
the City jurisdiction ends was very ilioinetly marked on
this lode of the bridge by one line of City policemen, and
one line of the metropolitan force. A portion of these were
mounted, and contributed very much to the general amuse-
ment, by riding in two circles, to keep Inc crow, from
invading the road-way, very much like a couple of "scenes
in the mole," at Franconi'a or Astley's. Immediately after
the Kennington meeting, and for several hours subse-
quentl), all access was denied to the bridge. This gave rim
to a collision.
After the meeting on Kennington Common had dispersed,
an immense crowd on their retum straggled :re. gularly along
Blackfriars-road. Upon arriving at &amt.. ird•street, they of
course came face to face with the mounted police, who re-
fused them passage, and ranged themselves across the road.
Together with these were the police and speeial constables.
Many strenuous attempts were made by the thatists to get
across the bridge. As fresh numbers arrived from Kenning
ton Common, those in advance were pushed forward, but
were immediately driven back by the horse-petrel without
drawing their sabres. The metropolitan police made we of
their staves, and from time to time repulsed the crowd, which
grew thicker and toicker every minute. In about an hour
and a half, however, the mob which by this time reached as
far down as Rowland Hill's Chapel, made many vigorous
attempts to forte their way through, and notwith-
standing the cool steady courage of the police, the
latter were at intervals separated. The special con-
stables at these times were very roughly handled, a great
many of them having their hats broken and being deprived
of their staves. Showers of large stones were every few
minutes thrown on the bridge, and the Police received many
severe blows, but gave more than equivalent in return with
their batons. A great number of men who were seized b
the police for throwing stones were rescued, and the yells
and shouts were deafening. At half-past three o'clock the
pressure of the concourse was so great that the line of polies
was forced, and a great many of them corri.d with the
throng over the bridge, holding their stave. up as they were
borne along. On the City aide of the bridge a groat many