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

PRESERVATION OF THE PEACE

OF THE METROPOLIS.

From the commencement of the day the authorities of
the Home office were in constant communication with
the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police, the
Horse Guards, the Eh ctric Telegraph, Mansion-house,
and other public offices and authorities in the city of
London and Westminster for the preservation of the
public peace, and preventing riot and tumult on pre-
senting the Chartist petition. The extraordinary num-
ber of special constables- who came forward on this
occasion fell very little short of 250,000 persons of the
most respectable class of society. The Lord Mayor was
at the Mansion-house for the purpose of receiving com-
munications and acting as circumstances might require.
The Royal Exchange was closed to the public, but
formed a rendezvous to about 1,000 special constables and
police. The Hall of Commerce was another resort for
the police and constables under the direction of Captain
Back and Mr. Bannister, the celebrated butcher to her
Majesty. The South Sea House, Haberdashers,
Drapers, Merchant Tailors, Grocers' Goldsmiths',
and other City Companies, were supplied with a large
number of police and constables ready to act. The
plan adopted for the protection of the City wards was
admirable, and the instructions given:to the City Com-
missioner, as to the respective positions to be taken by
the officers under his control, who were distributed in
different divisions under this superintendence, proved
extremely convenient for communicating with the Lord
Mayor. The gentlemen of the Stock Exchange, with
their white ribbons round their arms and staves,:marched
through the City as far as Blackfriars-bridge, and
remained there until the information arrived of the
breaking up of the meeting. It is most gratifying to
know that the most complete preparations were made at
all points for the protection of property and life. The
police at all parts of the town were arranged in the most
judicious and effective manner. The special constables,
as a body, acted with perseverance; the appearance of
the civil power is peculiarly English, and forms a re-
markable difference with all foreign proceedings, com-
posed as they are from the peer of the House of Lords
to the hard working coal whipper on the Thames, each
defending his own liberty, property, and fireside. If it
is possible to judge from the conduct of the citizens of
London, nothing can be more certain than that rioters
would very soon find out that they had miscalculated
their chances of success in London. The health of the
Queen and the royal family was drunk at all the public
places by the special constables, and the utmost loyalty
appeared to reign throughout every ramification of the
different departments.

In additio'n to the above precaution, at an early hour
four detachments of the Pensioners arrived by steam-
boats at Blackfriars-bridge. Two detachments imme-
diately occupied the end houses of Chatham-place, over-
looking the river and commanding the bridges; and the
other two occupied the Royal Hotel and the Equitable
Assurance Office. Bridewell was also occupied by a
detachment of the Grenadier Guards. The demeanor
of the troops and pensioners was admirable. They all
evinced the most perfect steadiness and good temper.
They seemed to feel that they were performing an im-
portant duty, and kept themselves ought of sight in the
most unobtrusive way possible.
We have reason to believe that the Lord Mayor and
the Commissioner of the City Police had an interview on
Sunday at the Home-office, with Sir George Grey and
the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police, when
final regulations were made as to the course to be
adopted, and placed in the hands of the autho-
rities, and throughout the whole of Sunday night
the principal officers of the City force were occu-
pied at the several stations in preparation to carry the
instructions into effect. Apart from the innumerable
special constables, who assembled at the various
wards under the Aldermen, and the greater part of
whom was provided with staves and armlets ; upwards
of 2,000 of the younger and more active "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
positions at the Cross Keys in Gracechurch-street, the
Royal Exchange, which was placed at the complete dis-
posal of Mr. Harvey, and Bridewell Hospital ; and as
they mustered at the several places of appointment they
were immediately marshalled into bodies of 100 each,
and again subdivided into twenties, and placed under the
command of captains and sergeants of their own selec-
tion with inspectors of the City police force controlling
the whole. At eleven o'clock the police and special
constables marched in large bodies to the three bridges,
and took up their station there, in immediate communi-
cation with the metropolitan constables, who attended
at each in great numbers. As from previous com-
munications it was inferred that the Chartists would
proceed with the petition from Kennington common to
the House of Commons over Blacktriars-bridge, that
station was the point at which the most formidable
resistance was contemplated. It was generally believed
in the City that the Government had determined at the
latest council to offer no obstacle whatever to the assem-
bling of the people at Kennington-common, or to their
progress from thence with the petition to whichever
bridge their movements might indicate their intention to
pass over ; but that it was resolved that every resist-
ance should be offered to any greater number than ten
of the petitioning body going over any bridge ; such
resistance to be left, in the first instance, to the manage-
ment of the civil force, the military to be called upon in
the event of the inadequacy of that power, for which
purpose most formidable bodies of cavalry and infantry
were stationed in the neighbourhood of the bridges, but
out of the sight of the people, under the special com-
mand of General Brotherton.

The wish amongst numbers of the special constables,
who were thus crowded together in enormous masses,
was, that those who caused so much annoyance to thorn,
and such serious injury to the trade of the metropolis,
might be " pitched into," and there were certainly not
a few who expressed an anxiety to be engaged in inflict-
ing summary punishment. Most assuredly the arrange-
ments made by the city authorities were such as to
justify a larger or nobler object, for it is scarcely pos-
sible to exaggerate, the exertions and sacrifices which
have been made by all classes in the city. The conduct
of the police and the special constables will, we under-
stand, be the subject of a commendatory resolution in
the next Court of Aldermen. It was a source of
much gratification to the citizens to witness the
cordial co-operation, and the absence of all jealousy,
between the Metropolitan and City forces. The Com-
missioners of the Metropolitan police and the Commis-
sioner of the City police were observed in frequent com-
munication on Blackfriars•bridge during the early part
of the day.
MARYLEDONE.—Yesterday the greater part of the day
was taken up by the swearing in of special constables,
and from ten till five no fewer than from 400 to 500
persons, the majority of them being of the highest re-
spectability, received their appointments from the sit-
ting magistrate.
_ _

THE PARISH OF ST. MARTIN'S.IN THE-FIELDS.
Yesterday morning, between seven and eight o'clock,
the special constables of this parish assembled in the
vestry room, the Earl of Arundel and Surrey being the
commanding officer. There were about 2,000 sworn in.
They were arranged in ten divisions, under the com-
mand of captains and lieutenants, and patrolled the
various streets throughout the parish, being relieved
every two hours.
THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESMINSTER.—The
special constables of this parish met iu the vestry-room
adjoining the church. The Earl de Grey was chosen as
their command officer, and the Earl of Eglinton was the
second in command. There were about 1,500 sworn in,
the greater majority of whom remained in the church-
yard. About two o'clock, Mr. Osborne, the Member for
Middlesex, arrived; and stated that the proceedings at
Kennington common were at an end.
ST. GEORGE, HANOVER- SQTJARE.—Thero were about
4,000 special constables sworn in for this parish. About
eight o'clock, the Earl of Strafford, the general, and the
Earl Delawarr, the leader, arrived at the board-room of
the workhouse, Mount-street, Hanover-square; at which
time a large body of the special constables were present. '
They were formed in eight divisions, under the command
of the Duke of Leeds, the Earl of Lucan, the Ear of
Harrowby, Viscount Cantilupe, Colonel Griffith;, Mr C.
Stokes, Mr. T. Dowbiggin, and Mr. Arber. The con-
stables were arranged in sections, and patrolled the
various streets orthe parish.
WAtinswonnr.—On Sunday Mr. Bedton attended to

this court for several hours, and with the assi-tance of
Mr. A. Taylor, the chief clerk, swore in some hundred'
of special constables. Yesterday Mr. Paynter attendec)
long before the usual time, and was completely besieged
by Persons of all classes desircus of acting as special
constables. The, whole of the students at- the College
of Civil Engineers-tendered themselves, and were ac
cepted as special constables.
• LAMBETH.—Yesterday morning,. at nine o'clock, Mr.
Elliott, who was magistrate for the day, arrived at the
court, and shortly after a vast crowd of respectable per-
persons were in attendance to be sworn in as special
constables. Amongst the gentlemen who attended wen
Messrs. Maudslay and Field, the extensive engineers in
the Westminster-road. Mr. Maudslay, addressing Mr.
Elliott, observed he was sorry to see in a morning paper
that it had been asserted by some of the speakers at th,
Convention that it was the intention of his men to joic
in the Chartist procession. This he (Mr. Maud:oar)
believed to be untrue, and the best proof of this was.
that not more than forty of the men, out of upwards of
700, were absent from their work, and this number un
Monday was not at all unusual.
The whole of the-parties in the employment of M-,sirs.
Clowes, printers, in Duke-street, Stamford-street, nearl.)
300 in number, were also sworn in as specials.