The Sun.
London, England, 1834-04-19 00:00:00

THE DISTURBANCES AT OLDHAM.

(From a Morning Contemporary. )
OLDHAM, APRIL 17.—There was again another very
numerous meeting this morning of the operatives. It was
held on the Moor so early as half-past five. This early
hour did not seem to have abated their zeal, for it was full
as numerous as that held yesterday. They simply resolved
not to go to work till their grievances were redressed, and
then only on the " Regenerating principle" of eight hours
work and pay for twelve ; they quietly dispersed. The
magistrates are swearing in a great many special consta-
bles. The examinations were proceeded with.
Henry Taylor brought up.
James Donnelly examined—l am watchman at Mr.
Thomson's, and spin at times in the day. Was at work
that morning at six, and stayed till the mob came. Saw
Taylor when they broke into Mr. Thomson's house. Saw
him also come down the yard with a stone in his hand.
Saw him throw a stone, and immediately heard windows
break.

To a question by the Rev. J. Holme—Was quits sure of
his person, but never saw him before. His dress was the
same, and he had a white hat.

Elson, whom Haywood appeared against yesterday, and
which case was delivered at some length, was brought up
again this day in order that his evidence might be corro-
borated by the witness Donnelly, who deposed that he saw
Elson on Tuesday forenoon about half-past ten in the mid-
dle of the factory yard. Was quite sure it was he, having
known him for many years.
Ralph Buckley brought up.
John Hyde examined—Saw Buckley throwing stones.
Is a piecer ; known him many years ; he kicked me very
much ; was seized by him and others ; he pushed me
among the crowd. I told the name of the prisoner to the
constable soon after this, and got a warrant for him. Saw
Buckley in the yard. Got from them on my promising to
leave Thomson's mill. Have never been told to swear
against Buckley.
Robert Brierly brought up.
Hayward, the head police-officer, examined—As I was
going with Page and Heslop, with four prisoners, as we
arrived at the factory, a cry was raised," Take them ! take
them !" (Meaning rescue the prisoners.) Elson (against
whom I appeared yesterday) had hold of me when I first
saw Brierly. They were kicking me on all sides. The
prisoner kicked me. I said to them, take care—it won't
do. He said, " Give me the books." I repeated I had not
them. A cry was now raised, " Throw him over the wall !"
When half over the rails they stopped. The cry was re-
peated, " Throw him over !" which was done, and I fell
six or eight yards below. As soon as I was recovered a
little, I looked up, and I saw this man looking over, with
his fist clenched menacingly.. Never saw him again that
__ _

time.
nimdh
lefteeriy.:
.(Alr. Hassall, solicitor to the prisoners, here attempted
again to extract from Hayward some facts about the books
taken from the union lodge, but the magistrates would not
permit the questions to be repeated.)
Page, the officer, examined—Was taking some prisoners
away. I was ill beaten, and I got to the lodge of the
factory, and knocked hard at the door for admittance for
myself and prisoners, but nobody came. I was before
Hayward, the other officer. Whilst knocking, the prisoner
and others came to the door, and they asked, " Are you
going to stop here ?" We were now surrounded by per-
haps one or two hundred persons. They said " your
, you have got the books !" They took the bundle
I had with me. Saw the prisoner after this, and he, w;Ali
others, kicked me very severely. Prisoner sai,l, ~ _
your kill him !" He was the first wt.') entered
the trades' lodge.; I begged very hard of then to spare my
life; but they kept kicking me, and I vr:ks struck four or
ensttorontmtehth,
hhreeiec
hNssvlamnodaallttgeh.cehe
five times on the forehead, androdoa kicked
ffiwn
tdelle
tir
e)gp,oorvotai
and
npo lost(w. 1
was
saw TamshyaeHshks aautei :dian
Hayward
lidlinee(yot WI
le
ofwouldo abated,
teaand
me. I was glad oS this circumstance, being afraid.
(Here again the solicitor for the prisoners attempted to
extract something from Page about the contents of the
bundle, supposing it to contain the books taken from the
union lodge, The Bench, however, interposed, and the
gentleman dropped his inquiries.)
John Hannagan examined—Knows prisoner—i. e. his
face, but not his name. Saw him throw stones several
times. He was dressed on Tuesday as he is now. Had a
blue apron on.
Page again examined, in corroboration of the iwo pre-
ceding witnesses—Prisoner came up to my side,, kicked me
severely, very severely indeed.
" Laughing, perhaps," said a magistrate,
" as he is now
doing."
not them. He then me.
Yes, just so. He asked me for the books. Said I had

The examination of the parties charged with riot closed
to-day about two o'clock. _

P. S. The Prisoners, twelve in number, were sent off to
Manchester this afternoon, under an escort of a troop of
lancers, under Major Daram. Seven of the men are com-
mitted to Lancaster Castle, and five to the sessions.

STRANGE OCCURRENCE.—Yesterday af-
ternoon as a lady's coxriage was ascending the hill on
the Park-road, a man deliberately took up his own
child (a girl of eleven years of age) and threw her
among the horses ! The coachman fortunately drew
up before the wheels bad touched her ; but her arm and
institute
hand are greatly injured by a kick from one of the
hor es . W
esriyn cbeirt
ue lyt
hhe ocpier
etthime
spt
ar onpn
ne
sr
ua
fu t
thhoer i inessew,
ai lsl
inquiry i
the man said to be insane) was immediately taken
into custody.--Liverpool Albion.
AN UNFORESEEN OCCURRENCE.--A cor-
respondent informs us, that a very respectable family
in the county of Norfolk, who have Ibr nearly two
years kept, as they supposed, a female, as French go-
verness, to instruct the children In that language, have
lately discovered, to their surprise, that the young lath;
has eloped, aid left a female servant, in the :ame
family, pregnant br her !---21oston Herald,

GRENA,. WESTER RAILWAY.
On Wedsiescl% the committee 'i\et, and Mr..; Har-
iison (who with Mr. Follett, l% i. ood, and ethers
appearq for the railway company) proceeded to address
the committee. He said
,the duty had devolved on him
of raising the question, whether the establishment of a
railroad between the ports of Bristol and London would
not be productive of the most important advantages, not
only to those two places, but to all the intermediate dis-
tricts. Without going into detail at present, he would
state that the existing road, or means of conveyance was
wholly inadequate to the traffic, and was moreover in the
worst possible condition. Honourable members were aware
that the intercourse between London and Bristol far the
conveyance of heavy goods might be regarded in three di-
visions. The first was from London to Reading by the
Thames ; the very worst navigation that could be found
in the kingdom. The distance was 75 miles, and it was
needless for him to say that the intercourse was frequently
interrupted, sometimes by floods, sometimes by frost; and
sometimes by other causes. The transit under the most
favourable circumstances occupied three clays, and some-
times even three weeks, whilst the uncertainty attending it
was so great as to defy the calculation of the most experi-
enced trader. The next division was from Reading to
Bath, by the Kennet and Avon canal, which was effective
as far as canal carriage was concerned ; but could not, of
course, be put in competition with the railroad ; this was
also about 75 miles. •
Mr. Joy, for the opposition, here took an objection in
..limine, in consequence of the directors having stated their
'-intention to commence the railway at the Hoop and Toy,
:Broughton, instead of Millbank, in order to do away with
The opposition of the Marquis of Westminster, Earl
';',Cadogan, and others, that such an alteration was fatal to
i bil thisill. a long discussion arose, and the committee room lk
ultimately cleared for a division, when the objection
overruled. i
Ir. Harrison then resumed pis argument. The last
ivision was from Bath to Bristol, by the river Avon,
which was subjcet to all the inconveniences of river navi-
gation to which he had already alluded. The rate of
carriage on the river Thames from London -' R.,A;yr.
was 15s. per ton, whilst on the railway it wou.- _..
55., being one third. By the railway goods and passengers
would be conveyed to Reading in two hours—the quickest
coaches for the conveyance of passengers only accomplish-
ing the distance in four hours, whilst by the Thames it was
three days. He then called on the committee to consider
of the advantages which would accrue to Bristol, and
through it, generally, to the southern district. Bristol was
the third port in the kingdom, as appeared by the Custom-
house returns, London being the first, and Liverpool the
second. The latter port had long had the advantage of a
complete canal communication with London, which up,
even to the present time, Bristol had not. Yet the Legis-
lature thought it right to sanction, in addition, the forma-
tion of a railway communication between that port and
the metropolis. Why then should not a similar commu-
nication be made between Bristol and London, the dis-
tance between these being much less, namely 110 miles.
Bristol already possessed an immense trade, and by the
addition of the railway, there was every prospect of a great
increase. Six or seven large steam boats regularly left.
Bristol for Dublin, Cork, and Waterford every week.
This last was, as they all knew, the .first port in Ireland.
The voyage to Dublin was 244 miles, and to Cork 250,
and occupied on the average 28 hours. To Waterford it
was 198 miles, the average time being 24 hours, though it
was frequently under 20. Thus by means of the railway
a communication would be opened from- Ireland with
London in from thirty to forty hours, and fresh provisions,
such as fresh butter, eggs, &c., now procured from Holland,
would be obtained at a much cheaper rate from our own
countrymen. Not only this, but agricultural produce of
all kinds would be transported from the sister isle. Bristol
also was in direct communication with the iron and coal
district of Wales, whose fuel was particularly cheap. The
committee would be surprised when they heard that the
miners of Cornwall actually sent their ore to South Wales
to be smelted, because it could be done there at a cheaper
rate than at home. Bristol was particularly qualified to
become the grand depot trade of the western trade, as it
was near the metropolis, and afforded to shippinc, equal
1 ratection against contrary winds with Live!poor. The
lea] n-d gentleman then adverted to the • engin of the
undertaking as springing from the mature delibera-
tions of a committee five different merchant asso-
ciations at Bristol, and proceeded to consider the facilities
of the line chosen. It was, he said, ultimately the in-
tention of the directors to complete the whole line. At
present their subscriptions were not sufficiently advanced,
nor even if they were would they do more than make the
commencement now projected, and they pledged themselves
to show that in point of public advantage there was quite
sufficient in the plan as it at present stood, without refe-
rence to future operations, to warrant the committee in
adopting it. The estimated income, calculated on certain-
ties not probabilities, was, for the line from London to
Reading, 97,0001. per annum ; and from Bath to Bristol,
49,0001. per annum, which would afford a handsome return
on the outlay. The learned gentleman then proceeded to
support the line chosen as by far the best that could be
adopted. It ran through the most populous and trading
district, it communicated with the greatest number of
towns, and afforded the greatest facilities of soil and levels.
The other line by way of Windsor was liable to constant
floods ; and that by Basingstoke (selected by the South-
ampton Railway Company), would be much more expen-
sive, and not near so remunerative. Where there were
great ascents to surmount, the speed of the engine was
either diminished or the ascent must be reduced at a great
expense. At one point on the Liverpool railway the incli-
nation was 1 in 98, and the engine would sometimes come
to a stand still. Hence fresh engines were usually kept in
readiness at this point, but in the road from London to
Reading, the greatest ascent, which was only about one fur-
long, was 1 in 392, whilst the rest of the way the inclina-
tion was lin 598 only. But the Basingstoke line (that of
the Southampton) had for the first four miles an inclination
of I in 323 ; for the next six miles 1 in 285 ; for the next
six, 1 in 243 ; and then onwards from 1 in 240 to 1 in 244
—thus making a difference in point of speed and expense
between the two lines of nearly one half. In the counties
through which the proposedline of the Great Western Rail-
way ran, there were 115,263 families engaged in agriculture ;
110,207 in trade, and 95,000 in other occupations, making
about 1,500,000 persons, whilst it was in approximation
with a district containing a population of 1,500,000 more.
But the Southampton railway ran through a much more
limited district, containing only 34,000 agricultural fami-
lies, 34,000 trading families, and 20,000 families in other
occupations. He thought, therefore, he had established,
to the satisfaction of the committee, that the company had
selected the best possible time for their work. Before he
concluded he would mention one fact. By the Manchester
and Liverpool railway 27 stage coaches were superseded,
and the coach masters said they would be ruined. What
was the result? More horses were employed now in short
stage coaches to and from the railway than were employed
before the railway was constructed. The learned counsel
concluded by intimating his intention of calling evidence to
substantiate his statements. -
The committee then adjourned.
THURSDAY.

~,.

The following witnesses were examined this day in sup-
port of the bill.
Mr. Christopher Claxton, harbour-master, deposed to
the facilities of Bristol as the great -port for the western
trade, and pointed out the advantages to ships coming from
the West Indies in going to Bristol instead of London.
Under the most contrary winds, vessels could get to sea
from Bristol, and vice versa, in thirty-six hours ; whilst in
the English Channel they were frequently blown about for
two and three months. The least average difference in
point of time was a fortnight. In cross-examination,
witness denied that any of the trade of Bristol had gone
to Gloucester ; that city had none of the qualities of Bris-
tol, and the voyage to it would occupy 12 hours more.
Lieutenant Chapman, of the Royal Navy, stated that the
principi ports of Ireland were within from 23 to 28 hours'
sail of Bristol. Flour, eggs, pigs, cattle, butter, leather,
and iron, were the principal articles imported from Ire-
land, to which there might be added with great advan-
tage, if there were a rapid communication between Ire-
land, Bristol, and London, fish, poultry, fresh butter, &c.
Fresh butter was now 9d, per lb. in Cork, and 15d. in
London. Irish pigs were now driven from Bristol to
London. There were on an average 8 deaths in 100, and
each pig lost 10 lbs. in weight, which would be avoided
in a railway. In cross-examination, witness stated that
;the navigation to Gloucester by a steam-boat would be
very dangerous.
3lr, William Hire, an extensive sugar refiner, deposed
to the great losses and delays experienced by the Bristol
mer Ihants on account of the bad navigation from Bristol
to London. Sugar was usually sent from London by canal,
and the average time for transit was thirteen days, but it
was no uncommonly two months. The cost was 28s. and
;As. per ton, and had sometimes been 355. The railway
proposed to care)' at ss. per ton. In one case, instead of
raining 300/. or 415 hogsheads, he lost by delay 3001.
:She delay took place at the Thames, between Reading and
Lonzion, in consequence of the want of water. The Avon,
I)etweert Bath and Bristol, had its navigation frequently in-
terrupted by floods.
A vast quantity of similar evidence was given by dif-
ferent witnesses.
Mr. Mark Inkwell, Mr. Thomas Stone, Mr. Visger,
Mr. Miller, and others, deposed to the nature of the ex-
port and import trade carried on at Bristol. By their evi-
dence it appeared that a ship could work up the Bristol
channel to Bristol cheaper than up the Thames to London,
including port dues--that the port dues at Bristol were
lowered in 1827—that the great difficulty Bristol had to
contend with was the want of a sufficient market for im-
ported goods, which a speedy and cheap communication
with London would remove ; and the want of light goods
to mix with heavy goods for a return freight, so as to in-
duce ships to come to their port. This a railway commu-
nication with London, where they had a superabundance of
light goods, would remove, by enabling them to make up
an asserted cargo. To show the advantage of this, it was
mentioned that Bristol, shipping only heavy goods, charged
11. per ton on iron exported to America, whereas at Liver-
pco', where they could assort their cargoes, they only
charged 15s.—The committee then adjourned.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HO U , ARril 18.
7ORD s
On the motion ELLENBORDUGH, the bll,l
for facilitating the enclos of commons was read a second
time.
The Duke of GLOUCE ER gave notice, that on
Monday he would present a petition signed by 268
menibers of the Senate of Cambridge now there as-
sembled, praying their lordships not to agree to
the changes in the constitution of the university,
which were prayed for in a petition, signed by sixty-
three members, presented on the 21st of March.
Petitions for the better observance of the Lord's Day
were presented by the Bishops of London and Lincoln, and
by the Marquises of Cholmondely and Lansdowne.
The Duke of WELLINGTON presented a petition
from the presbytery of Skye against any alteration in the
system of church patronage in Scotland.
Viscount MELBOURNE presented a petition from a
parish in Glasgow, praying for a revision of the church
patronage system.
Lord DACRE and Lord SUFFIELD presented peti-
tions from a number of dissenting congregations, com-
plain; ng of the grievances under which they laboured, and
praying for relief.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a peti-
tion, very numerously signed, from the city of
Bristol, to the same effect. They did not, however,
pray for anything the granting of which would at all en-
danger the established church. He therefore supported
their prayer.
The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition from the
hand-loom weavers of Wigton, praying for relief.
MUSICAL FESTIVAL, WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE, not seeing the right
rev. Bishop of London in his place, begged to put a question
to the noble earl, at the head of his Majesty's govern-
ment, with respect to a subject in which he felt deep in-
terest,—that subject was the approaching Musical Festival
in Westminster Abbey. He (the noble duke) had strong
objections to a place of so sacred a character being ap-
propriated to such a purpose. He considered the
selection injudicious and improper, and he wished to
know whether any alteration had been made with re-
sp to the place where it was to be held. As he had
b stated, he considered a church a most improper place
for such an exhibition. There could be no objection
to the coronation being solemnised in Westminster Abbey,
but he never could consent to a musical festival being held
there.

Earl GREY, although he considered the question
one of a peculiar nature, and one that he doubted whether
he was called upon to answer, begged to say that the
intended festival was of a similar nature to those that had
been formerly held in Westminster Abbey. A further
answer he could not give to the noble duke.
The Earl of MALMESBURY said that no one
felt more strongly than he did for the sacred cha-
racter of the church, but, on the present occasion,
he thought the noble duke had taken an erroneous
view of the case. The proceedings he depre-
cated taking place in churches were :parish meetings
(Hear, hear, hear), and if such courses were put an
end to he had no hesitation in saying much good
might be effected. (Hear, hear.) But when he had such
authorities as George the Third and Bishop Porteus for a
Musical Festival at Westminster Abbey, he could not be
brought to believe there could be any possible objec-
tion to it. If the noble duke had no objection to the
solemnization of a coronation in so grand an edifice, he
could not see how any objection could be raised against the
performance of sacred music.