The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-07 00:00:00

SERIOUS AFFRAY.

SUNDERLAND, TUESDAY NIGHT, TWELVE O'CLOCK.—The
inhabitants of this town have been this evening thrown into
a state of great and general excitement, by an affray of a
sudden and unexpected character beTween a policeman
named Holmes, No. 21, and three soldiers of the 69th Regi-
ment, the depot of which is stationed in the barracks here.
In the present excited state of the people, and the exaggera-
tions that are current on the origin and extent of' the con-
flict, it is difficult to come at the truth, but after a patient
inquiry the following brief narrative will comprise the prin-
cipal facts. It appears that about eight o'clock this evening
three soldiers of the 69th in the barracks here were proceed-
ing along the High-street, and under the influence of liquor,
but not in a state of drunkenness to render them incapable.
On reaching the arcade at the foot of the market one of the
soldiers pushed a person from the pavement, who was stand-
ing in conversation with two or three others, and the insulted
person remonstrated with the soldier on his rudeness. He was
instantly struck on the head by the soldier, and policeman
Holmes seeing the assault, and .also that the soldiers were
rather tipsy, walked up to the party in altercation, and re-
commended the soldiers to go to the barracks. On the police-
man's interference the soldiers became very violent, and one of
them struck him on the head with a walking-cane, on which
the officer seized him, and was immediately set upon by the
other two, one of whom had a heavy walking-stick, and in-
flicted on poor Holmes several merciless blows, but he still
retained hold of the soldier lie first seized, and though the
scuffle was general he resisted his assailants with great
courage and success. In attempting to get his truncheon
from his pocket, the policeman was overpowered and fell on
the pavement, when the three soldiers punished him very
severely in different parts of his body with their feet and
military belts, which they had unloosed from their shoulders.
By this time the alarm had spread through the populous lanes
in the neighbourhood, and the people rushed into the streets
by hundreds, and by encouraging the soldiers a general
conflict took place, and blows were levelled in all directions;
it was, in short, a general riot. The greatest alarm pre-
vailed in the streets, and cries of " murder" quickly re-
sounded through the main thoroughfares. In the mean-
time Holmes, the policeman, was rendered senseless from
the blows he had received on the head, and blood was
streaming from his wounds, when he was dragged into Mr.
Nesbitt's public-house by some of the crowd who had the
courage to attempt his rescue, which was accomplished at
considerable risk, as the mob were all against the police-
man, under the impression that he *as the aggressor. The
High-street was now densely filled with the excited inhabit-
ants of the lanes, who congregated from all parts of the locality.
The news of the conflict quickly spread over the tdwn, and
several policemen hastened to the spot, when the three
soldiers and others of their comrades who had reached the
scene of the riot, made their escape to the barracks and other
places of shelter. Immediately on the alarming outrage
being known at the barracks, the commanding officer, Cap-
tain Paxton, dispatched a picket with fixed bayonets, to
proceed through the streets, and to bring all the soldiers into
quarters, and by vigorous measures on the part of Captain
Paxton, who was quickly on the spot, peace and confidence
were restored, though at one time the matter appeared likely
to be the occasion of much mischief and bloodshed. The in-
habitants of the immediate neighbourhood were in a state of
great alarm ; and for some time it was generally understood
that policeman Holmes was in, a dying state, which greatly
increased the excitement, which was prolonged till near mid-
night, and the streets were crowded by hundreds of persons
in all directions from the Bridge Hotel eastwards, as far
down as Church-street. The picket were very successful in
clearing the streets of the military, and the three soldiers got
safely to the barracks. So violent were they when assailing
Holmes that one of them was seen to seize him on
the back with his teeth, by which his coat was torn
up the middle. The wounded policeman was protiptly
attended by medical aid from Mr. Ward's surgery, and his
wounds were dressed at Mr. Nesbitt's public-house, where
he was laid in a helpless state on a sofa, and where he
will remain till he can be safely removed. Several severe
wounds on the head, exposing the bones, were inflicted, but
the medical gentleman who dressed the poor fellow's head
thinks that he is not in immediate danger, and he has
great hopes that nothing serious will result, though at pre-
sent no very confident opinion can be ventured, as the injury
to the internal parts of the head may be greater than is now
xtranquil, but has been severely
mob little assistance was rendered him when he was ated, tolerablyaad
tathe disgrace of the savage
e and pecbtreudial etre is
en-
countering the three excited soldiers, and to all appearance
likely to be murdered on the spot. The policeman Holmes
is a remarkably quiet and forbearing officer. He is nephew
of Inspector Holmes, and is greatly respected for his general
good conduct. Since the nature of this alarming affair has
been better known, the greatest sympathy has been expressed
for him by the respectable inhabitants, and even at the late
hour of midnight many persons were still congregated in
the streets making inquiries into all the particulars which
had occurred during this unusual tumult. At the time I.
write all is peaceable. The outrage will be investigated by
the mayor and magistrates, at the police-court, this (Wed-
nesday) morning. •
P.S. Holmes has rallied greatly since his wounds were
dressed, but he is much injured on various parts of his body
from kicks by his cowardly assailants.

A PUDSEY PUDDING.—There has been at Pudsey, a
"pudding in the pot" this week, which deserves to be no-
ticed. It was prepared in honour of the repeal of the corn-
laws. It contained one pack of flour, and double the weight
of flour in plums, currants, and other additaments. It was
mingled secundem artem, by the best cooks in the town, and
boiled at Crawshaw Mill; from which place at one o'clock
yesterday, it was to be paraded on a wherry, drawn by four
grey horses, through the town of Pudsey, accompanied by
a band of music, and we dare say by the whole of the popu-
lation. The order of procession, it was expected, would be
completed at three o'clock, when the pudding would be cut
up, and distributed among those fortunate denizens who
were able to procure a ticket.—Leeds Mercury.
VESTRY MEETING OF ST. MARTIN'S-IN-THE-FIELDS.
—Yesterday morning a vestry meeting was held for this
parish, for taking into consideration two letters from her
Majesty's Commissioners for Metropolitan Improvements,
one relative to the formation of a new street from the
junction of Cranbourn-street and Long-acre to the Strand;
and the other to improvements by widening St. Martin's-
lane, at the corner of Hemming's-row. A plan had been
proposed by the parochial authorities, showing a probable
expense of 28,600/. The Government have, however, pro-
posed their line frcm Cranbourn-street, through King-
street, &c., the whole expense of which will be about
29,116/, of which his Grace the Duke of Bedford has offered
10,000/, and the parish of St. Paul, Covent-garden, 3,0001.
For the second improvement about 9,0001. will be required.
but her Majesty's Commissioners are disposed to recommend
a contribution on the part of the parish of one-half of the
expense. As to a further improvement in St. Ann's, Sohn,
that parish had offered to contribute one-third of the whole
expense. The inhabitants of St. Martin's were therefore re-
quested to say what amount they were willing to contribute;
but it was to be understood that this proposition did not in-
volve the concurrence of the Government, as the Commis-
sioners were only empowered to make inquiry; but in the
event of its being agreed to, the funds would be provided in
the first instance by the Government, and the rights of all
parties would be secured by a Bill in Parliament. Resolutions
were unanimously adopted, rejecting the proposition of paying
any amount out of the rates.
THE LORD MAYOR'S VISIT TO OXFORD.—OXFORD,
WEDNESDAY.—The Lord Mayor reached Oxford by special
train soon after eleven o'clock yesterday morning, and im-
mediately proceeded to the residence of the Mayor of that
city, Alderman John Thorp, and invited his Worship and the
Town- clerk to dine with him in the evening at the Star
Hotel. The Lord Mayor and his friends spent the day in
visiting the chief attractions of the city and neighbourhood ;
tional bustle to denote that they
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were honoured with the company of the ruling powers of the
great metropolis. His Lordship and party purpose.i leaving,
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The returns of births
HEALTH IN THE METROPOLIS.—
and deaths in the metropolis, during the week ending Satur-
day last, do not present any very remarkable results. The
number of births was 1,229, 635 being those of males, and
being 259 more than in the corresponding week of last
year. The number of deaths of parsons under 1.5 years of
fferommalelss.
to '6l'o73ln6u;mber of deaths was 1,086,
and from 60 upwards, 195.
The greatest number of deaths has occurred from diarrhoea,
being 186. The number of persons that died of cholera
was 23, but it is right to mention that this was English, not
Asiatic cholera.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

• HOUSE OF LORDS, August 6. •
The Earl of SHAFTEA3URY took his scat upon the
Woohack at Five o'clock.

Messengers from the Commons brought up several
Bills, and praying their Lordships' concurrence.

SMJAH DCTIES.

Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from the
Convention of the Royal Burghs of Scotland, in which
they express their gratification at the passing of the Bill
fur the abolition of the corn-laws, and now pray for the
equalisation of the sugar duties.
The NOBLE Loup also presented a petition from the
town of Newport in Wales in favour of the Bill fur the
better recovery of small debts. •

.AMEN)JMENT OF LAW (IRELAND).
The NonLi LORD also obtained leave to bring in two
Bills, for the improvement of the law in Ireland—one
was entitled the Interpleaders' Act and the other the
Mandamus Prohibition Act.
These Bills were read a first time.
MARRIAGES (IRELAND) AC I' AMENDMENT