The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-30 00:00:00

12NIAN ALARMS IN LONDON AND TSB

PROVINCES.

Great excitement prevails at Woolwich and in
the locality in connection with the receipt of official in-
formation of an intended Fenian attack on the Tower of
London and the Royal Arsenal at Woolwicli. Late on
Friday night (writes • correspondent) telegrams began to
arrive at Woolwich announcing that the Fenian were in
possession of a plan, and detailed information of the poe-
session and contents of the different stores and buildings
in the Royal Arsenal, and that an attack would be made
on that establishment that night from the river, com-
mencing at • large store containing a number of 9-poun-
der Armstrong guns, and that a determined attempt
would be made on another building known as the Round-
house, oontaining about 1,000 stand of arms be-
longing to the Arsenal volunters. Information was
also received that two Fenian vessels would arrive
and take up a position in the Thames off the Arsenal
for the purpose of conveying off any guns or arms that
might be seized. Intelligence of the intended Fenian
attack was conveyed in independent telegrams, received
respectively in rapid succession from the Commissioners of
Police, the Admiralty, and the War Department. In ad-
dition to these, an order arrived from the Horse Guards to
General Wards, C. 8., commandant of the garrison, to
take immediate steps for the effective protection of the
government establishments. The latter telegram was re-
ceived at half-past ten o'clock at night, and by eleven
o'clock two companies of Royal Marines—each man armed
with fifty rounds of ball cartridge—had marched down to
the Arsenal and taken up Ppositions in different parts
of the establishment. The Marines (who were called
from their beds) consisted of 200 rank and file of the Royal
Marine Light Infantry, in command of the following
officers M'Arthur • Captains Connolly, Despard,
Collins, and °drama ; Lieutenants Birch, Le Breton, der-
vois, end Heathoote. Dr. Fisher was also in attendance in
ease of any being wounded. General Wards and a staff
of officers spent two or three hours in the Arsenal during
the night, inspecting the stores and best positions for the
stationing of troops, giving the requisite orders in the
event of the attack being made, and arranging for a series
of rocket signals by which reinforcements of armed bat-
teries and artillery could be summoned at a moment's
notice from the Artillery Barracks. On the western
portion of the Royal Artillery Barracks is a field of guns,
used on review occasions, and with which the gunners are
exermsed. These guns, when not in use, are usually left
in open sheds, in care of • few sentries, but being con-
sidered liable to seizure or likely to be required in defence
of the Arsenal, have been removed, by order of the
commandant, to enclosed and safer ground, a consider- I
able number of them having been sent down to the'
Royal Arsenal, where their ammunition boxes have
been filled with powder and shot. The fact
of troops marching through the town into the 'I
Arsenal at 11 o'clock at night quickly met the place in com-
motion,
and the Arsenal gates were soon besieged with
200 or 300 special constables, who manifested consider-
able anxiety to do duty on the occasion. The number of
people increased until tt was found n to entirely
close the Arsenal rake, and the " thedals" nding there
was no chance of their being placed on duty gave throe
cheers for she Queen, three groans for the Fenian, and
returned to their homes. The troops had not been many
minutes in the Arsenal before two suspicdotielo.o42
vessels were noticed hovering WILT, and on being eh
were found to have • rough and apparently American-Irish
, crews. In reply to interrogations they stated they were
proceeding up the river in ballast to the docks. On being
asked to produce their papers they said they bad none.
On being asked how they came into the Thames with-
out papers they said they were stopped at Graves-
end, but that on explaining that they were going toLon-
don for cargoes they were ultimately allowed to pass up the
I river. They stated their intention of remaining off the
Arsenal till daybreak ; but after the lapse of a few hours,
in which it was evident that any Fenian attempt on the
Arsenal that night had been abandoned they ultimately
moved off, followed by i , the water police nhale, under in-
structions not to lose sight of them, and they are still under
police surveillance. Water police, armed with loaded six-
barrelled Colt's revolvers, cruised about in six boats in
front of the Arsenal and round the river powder magazine
all night. The Marine Light Infantry were stationed
about the stores expected to be attacked, and on the wharf
on parade from 11 at night until half-pest seven o'clock
next morning, when they returned to barracks. On Sa-
turday night the Royal Marines were relieved
.by the Mili-
tary Staff Corp., in command of Captain Mem and Lieu-
tenant Blexlsind. They did duty in detachments in the
Arsenal, taking peecaetions to guard all the positions as-
sailable from the river. The government water police
were augmented by • force from the Thames police,
who did duty on the river &Uptight armed with
revolvers. Detachments of Royal Artillery from the
riding house establishment, and the Depot Brigade, in
command of Major Saunders and Major Sturling, were on
duty at the Artillery Barracks all night, the men being
accoutred and the horses burnoosed reedy for duty at •
moment's notice bi.rockealcipial. Last night the Royal
Arsenal was similar with troops, though less in
number. A series blue signal lights were in operation
for communicating with the Ardliery, Marine, and other
barracks in the town, the arrangements being such that
armed troops could be in the Arsenal ten minutes after the
time of signaL Additional precautions were also taken
each night for the effective protection of the Tower. This
morning the first squad of 3,000 Arsenal artisans will be
sworn in as special constables, On Saturday 1,600 of the
Woolwich dockyard employes were enrolled. In addition
to these about 400 tradesmen, do., of the locality have been
sworn in, reeking • total number of 5,000, being
about one half of the adult male population
of the district. At a meeting of the special constables,
held in the Woolwich Town-hall on Saturday, to elect
superintendents and officers, the utmost enthusiasm pre-
vailed, a vociferous round of cheers being given for
" The Queen, the Government, and Good Order."
Information has been received of an intended Fenian
attack on some powder mills at Dartford. It is in con-
templation to empty the smaller powder magazine between
Erith and Woolwich, to obviate the necessity of keeping
night and day relays of armed guards to protect them.
Some additional information has been elicited of the two
men who were seen by • soldier on guard crawling under
the arches of the government powder magazine in Plum-
stead marshes a few nights ago. The police search was
continued on that occasion till daylight, but without suc-
cess ; but it has since transpired that the two men suc-
ceeded in getting to the river side, where they got into •
boat in waiting for them, end crossedi the river to the
&sex coast. On the soldier being asked if it did not
occur to him to fire upon the two men, he replied that it
did, but that on second thought he asked himself, " Who
is to give the order to fire?" and he resisted the impulse
to do so.

In consequence of the information received by
the official' in charge of the female convict prison at Brix-
ton, a large number of police constables are stationed in
the grounds and approaches of the prison to keep watch.
At present nothing of a suspicious nature has occurred,
but from the communication received this precaution was
deemed advisable. The men on guard are relieved at in-
terval., and such is the reliance placed by the officials that
some Fenian attempt was contemplated, that the police
will not it is said, be withdrawn at present.
On Saturday, notwithstanding it is estimated
that considerably over 40,000 special constables have
already been sworn in throughout the metropolis, including
the City of London, the county and police magistrates
were still employed in swearing in constables in the reaper.
tive districts. The swearing in in the parish of St. Paul,
Covent-garden, continued throughout the day, and at four
o'clock the number sworn in had reached 901. Fifty clerks
of the firm of Messrs. Gregory and Co., of Bedford-row, at-
tended in • body, and several gentlemen employed at So-
mereet-house also attended. Every person on being sworn
in received at the hands of the sitting magistrate, Mr. Henry
White, his certificate of appointment, staff, armlet, and full
printed instructions. The whole force of this division is
now properly organised, and at any time 600 men could be
assembled at an hours notice. A. roster is constantly
posted insuring the attendance of one of the officers and
some of the specials every hour day and night. An order
has been issued from bead-quarters that the specials shall
be put under a course of preliminary drill, such as is
adopted in the earlier stages of volunteering. On Friday
circulars were issued from Colonel Ewart, who is appointed
by the government as chief of the organisation, to superin-
tendents of divisions, requesting that all special constables
who were not already acquainted with those manoeuvres by
reason of being or having been volunteers, should he taught
to go through their facings, to " form fours deep," right,
left, and about, and to form and march in quarter distance
column. In Marylebone so soon as this communication
was received it was at once acted upon, and several of the
divisions assembled at their points of rendezvous and com-
menced their drills under volunteer staff-sergeants, who
had been engaged for the purpose. The D division were
summoned to meet in the school-rooms, Stafford-street, at
seven o'clock, for the purposes of drill, and the muster of
the specials WY so large that it was found impossible to
manage them in the space at disposal at one time. All
I present who were volunteers, or who had gone through
I the service, were asked to step out, and they of themselves
formed a strong company, and were requested to take
positions to aid in dnlling the others. These latter were
divided into two companies, one drilling from seven to
• quarter put eight, and the second company from a
quarter-past eight till about halt-put nine. As a pre-
liminary the volunteer company fell in, and performed
, the movements as prescribed, and in accordant* with the
word of command of the instructor, thus enabling the rest
of the specials when their turn came to pick up the drill
with unusual rapidity. In addition to performing the
evolutions from the position of standing at attention, the
companies were also taught to go through them whilst
on the move. It is to be understood that in these drills
all who assume the position of superintendents will have
to act as captains or commanders of companies, whilst the
deputy-superintendents will be required to sesame the
lame position as that of covering sergeants in the army
and
Wader volunteer
Asa. service, sad will mud% on the right et sec-
dew