The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-29 00:00:00

RIOT AT DOVER.

DOT 1114 MAT 26.
0,1 Wednesday the Lively Excise cutter cap-
tured • smuggling galley, having on board 57 half
tinkers of spirits, •ud 37 bags of tea, which, with
the crew, consisting of eleven persons, were lauded
here ; and test of them being found lit for the navy.
the whole were committed to Dover gaol until the
ten could be removed to some of his Majesty's re-
ceiving ship•. This morning was fixed for the re.
nvival of the ten fit to serve; but it being thought,
from the vast influx of ill-looking men into the
town, that • rescue would be attempted, every
precaution was taken by the Mayor and Margie-
times to guard against it, by having • body of
constables, the seamen belonging to the preven-
tive service, and a detachment of military, drawn
up both in and outside the gaol.
The titne of removal was twelve o'clock, but
two hours before that a large body of people had
collected together, wl.ich continued increasing
every minute, and at the time the men were about
to be brought out, several hundreds were collected
io fount and at every avenue leading to the gaol,
with every disposition to riot and rescue. The
worthy M•tyor, Sir Thomas Mantel!, Kiiight, and
Edward Thompson. E•q. a brother Magistrate, at.
trotted at the gaol, and gave strict injunctions to
the constables to keep the peace, and to the seamen
and military not to charge, unless absolutely driven
to do so io self-defeuce. The door of the prison
was ripcord. and the smugglers just upon the point
of befog brought out, when a general ►bout was
set up by the crowd of " Liberty for ever !" and
• 1111 l giber of toupee, brick-bats, &c. were thrown
at them.
The aspect of affairs at this time became so se-
rious that the Mayor directed the removal of the
prisoners to be suspended for the present ; and it
was fortunate he did, fur there is little doubt that
much bloodshed, and even murder, would have en-
sued in the attempt to rescue. A deputation
s :officer was wounded severely in the bead by a blow
from • large stole; and Mr. Thompson, the Mr-
igi.trate, received a contusion on two of the fingers
of his right hand, from • missile.
The mob being foiled in their attempt to rescue
tie plivonere, proceeded to further acts of violence,
and, notwithstanding the Rot Act was twice read
trout the gaol window by the Mayor, commenced
an attack oat the gaol with crow-bars, pick-axes,
hammers, Paws, dtc. &c.; unroofed the top, and
threw part of the side wall down, and not only re-
leased the Whole of 'the eleven smugglers, hut
'several other prisoners confined in the gaol under
seismic- ; and they succeeded in getting them
clear off, the imposing numbers of the mob inti-
midating the peace officers and others from acting.
'One of the peesons most active in the riot was
taken, and placed in u chaise with two constables,
to be conveyed to 'Canterbury gaol; but a mob
collected at the end of the town, stopped the chaise,
•drigged the rioter and constables out, and, not-
withstanding the former was -handcuffed to the lat-
ter, the mob threw the coihetables oat the ground,
and severing the heroical* with a cold chisel, releas-
ed the rioter. SistreAhe release of the smugglers,
who all belong to frolitstoue, the crowd has dis-
pensed, and the town temains tranquil.

The Freeholders of Middlesex, residing tit and
in the vicinity of Uxbridge, gave a dinner at the
Tulsa-hall, at Uxbridge, on Wednesday, to com-
memorate the retain of Messrs. lixtru•aud
•sasan, Jolts CuterenuaLE, EN. in the Chair.
—The dinner was admirably provided by Mr.
Gat ut. of the King's Arms.—The Members fa-
voured the dinner with their presence. S I pro-
fessional singers attended, and some appropriate
Ins.'s were given. The greatest conviviality pre.
'wailed, and the company separated highly gratified.
It is said :hst their t. at the present moment •
resdoa turfing out to the frown-utlice, for all
treasons co iiiiiii tied by ddams, Monument. Dwyer,
and Edwards. moteeedeut to the 23J of February
Aut. It is slated. that the above four persons are
tare confined in different gaols. under the direc-
tion of Lord SIDMOUTU, sod that triey will not be
I.berated till their pardons are signed by his Ma.