The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-01 00:00:00

DISTURBANCES IN LANCASHIRE.

(Prom the Manchester Guardian.)
'We are sorry that the disturbances, which have during the
'present week agitated Blackburn, and other parts of the County;
lave extended to this town. On Thursday morning, groups of
sotto and boys began to collect in the neighbourhood of St.
George's-road, Great Newton-street, &C. and formed them-
salies into a body, in a field near St. George's-road, where.
about 10 o'clock, they held a, sort of ~meeting. They were nil-.
diesued by a person mounted on the shoulders of another man,
she burden of whose speech chiefly was that they were peace-
able and disposed to pease, but they wanted bread. After a
*hart time they adjourned to six. o'clock in the evening. In
mean time, groups of disorderly persons were pernmbulat-
'lag the neighbourhdid, and from their language and hearing,
was confidently expected that mischief would be done at night.
At the time of their adjourned Meeting there were collected to-
piker about 3,600 people, chiefly boys, shouting and making a
'most tumultuous noise. They were addressed by Mr. Prentice,
set the _Manchester Gazette, ,who remonstrated with them on the
impoliey of their proceedings,. recommended, patience to them,
and said .that there was a very general and anxious desire through-
out the town to alleviate their distress as far as was possible, and
that another subscription would he immediately entered into :
kis observations, however, were heard with a great deal of im-
patience. Jonathan Hodgkins, the journeyman spinner 'who
)ties on several occasions evinced no much good sense, also ad-
tattooed them, and recommended that another petition should be
.*eat up to Parliament, praying an instant revision of the Corn
Laws. If that was not attended to, they might go so far as to
remonstrate, but their present proceedings were totally un-
suited to obtain their ends He was frequently interrupted by
dies of We've petitioned long enough," &c.: and one
person called out, " Will you let me eat at. your table till
fere answer conies ?" A cry of the constables bevies,' reached
the ground, however, caused the mob to decamp in all directions ;
one party of eighty or one hundred took the direction of
Greet Aneoats-street, and proceeded, their numbers increas-
ing as they went along, towards Pollard-street. The mill
et Mr. Kennedy having ceased working, they passed it with-
out much notice, but stopped at the mill of Messrs. Joseph Clarke
and Sons, in Pollard-street, and that of Messrs. T. and M. Her-
bottle, which are near each other; the former contains power-
looms fur weaving fustian*, and against these hostility seemed to
jia directed, but the latter does not and never did. They broke a
number of windows in it, but on being told that there were no
puwer-looms there, they passed on to the mill of Messrs. Copley,
parrow,'and Co., which we believe was unoccupied ; they, how-
ever, broke some of the Windows, and then went on through
'New Islington, still increasing., in numbers, to the mill of Mr.
Hugh Beaver, in Jersey-street, which contains a considerable
umber ,of pbwer-looms, but which, the proprietor not havinghad
any apprehension that an attack would be made upon it, was quite
in an unprotected state. The mob immteliately began to demolish the
windows of the counting-house, end of the lower stories of the fac-
tury, through whirls pieces of burning cotton were thrown. The
counting-house and the first story were immediately set in flames,
which .had communicated to the room where the gray goods were
kept before the arrival of the engines. ,About the same time,
is large patty of special constables and *mime of the military arrived,
and cleared the ground in front of the mill. The engines having
a plentiful supply of water—the factory standing upon the banks
of the Rochdale canal, and most part of it being fire-proof—the
flames were soon got under, and by ten o'clock were totally extin-
guished. It is understood, that the damage done at Mr. Beaver's
will befrom three to four thousand pounds; as, in addition to
the injury done to the buildings and machinery, nearly 2,000
pieces of,cloth were destrOyed. The fire was chiefly, confined to
the warehouse part, and did not extend above the lower story of
• the factory. This story contained power-looMs, which, however,
• not having been set to work, sustained little injury. A reward of
2001. has been offered for the conviction of any of'the incendiaries.

After committing this destructive act, the rioters proceeded
-to the lector), of Mr. Duck, in Oak-street, which is let off to
different' tenants. This mill formerly contained power4ooms,
but has not done oin for some montbi past ; here the rioters con-
tented themselves with breaking most of the windows, without
doing further injury. The neighbouring mill of Messrs. John
•Greenwood and Co., also 'sustained some damage in this way.
They then proceeded along Swan-street, doing a great -deal of
wanton mischief by the road, (such a breaking the chamber-
windows of houses), to the mill of Mr. Mottereheed, in Miller's-
lane ; this they mistook for the poteer-lootri &cony of Messrs.
Clogg, Norris, and but which standS back from the street
enclosed in a yard. Under this supposition they proceeded to break
the windows and threatened further destruction. A division of
60th Rifle Corps were, however, sent for anti admitted inside
the mill ; they fired a few rounds of blank-cartridge over the heads
of the mob, which had the effect of entirely dispersing them, after
they had done an inconsiderable damage to the windows of ano-
ther mill belonging to Messrs. Clogg, Norrio, and Co. in Long
111Blgete*
Yesterday morning, groups of idle and disorderly persons,
eltielly boys, had assembled in various parts of the neighbour-
hood of St. George's Road, and Ancoat's-lane, who (judging
by their language) seemed to regret that the mischief commit-
'led the vi ht before had not .been more extensive. About 12
'o'clock it was etromelv reported' that the mob were mustering '
.
in great force near the factory belonging to Messrs. J. Clarke
a.nd Sons, in Pollard-street, Ancoat's-street, where there are a
number of power-looms, used -for the manufacture of fa.:
taint, and that the military had been firing on the people.--:-'
This statement, hoWitts!lr, we 'are happy to say, war entirely
without foundation. Some people bad 'assembled, but :their:,
number was not great, and tiny ventured on no acts of vio-
lame ; nor were they fired 011 by the military. It was then
reported, that an attack was to be made on this Mill in the
*lowlife °rim, .ACtite preparations, however, had been
made for its defence; and at a late hour yesterday the proprietors
wixe in hopes that there would be po attempt Made on their, pre-
Paige% and theft if '0:10 alteuld, theyhad ample means
sit repelling it. In Swan-street, 4nooat'o-lane, and,Great Newton
straet, about noon, and also in Ardstiek and. Chorhon-rowythere
.weet several parties of rough fellows, who were calling at the dif-
.ferent shops and public and private honeee, let.yht4
in money or provisions. riTintitsiihject,, however, seetned chiefly to
be the former, and persona were iffettf generally induced front an
appreheneiou lest violence mightili to comply w;th
their demands. In one instance thti4dillteiityfo stop e stave--
much, and demand, and obtain moileol, „Itlfe; liii4eleo.B. I t
were currently reported, that they bad stAtppeth, stiVeral p r.) •; cu
shops in the of 41. Nfftcr.9lo, BPOIPP/
and shin at lidnk,To,,t'b44
ut,,lkt4PfutAttt.at 1141)11a1A say,
were incorrect. contrihOthaN ItYlotaw, lativevereffaeis ex-
tender' to the townships of -.•Ardwick and• .Chorttoni.row;
though, we believe, with touch lewitterom than the pie ss
where it was first adopted ; and by a little firmness- on-the
part-of the people, and by the pree4otiee whiA• *eft, tit2ettY"
winerally adopted, of arming' the (leant windows of shops,
it was At length put a stop to. The hustle and excite-
Anent of the period, however; was Likeu advantage of by the
professed thieves who swarm in the neighbotalood of
George's-road ; and for some hours ire the. afternoon pot ,a dv.
timely dressed person could snake; his appearance in the
tosighbourhood without king attacked. . The number ,and
boldness of* robberies cotnittad.were such as in open, day-
kilt, and in the centre of a large -town, we never heard of before.
Meat of the actual disturbance in this town during Friday, up to
the hour at which we are writing, (seven o'clock in the evening),
shay, we believe, be fairly stated to have been the work of pm-
feesed thieves: We have, heard. the circumstances of it very large
ember of robberies, and the names of the perstuni robbed, but
it wield occupy too much space, and answer ,tio important end,
to recount the particulars. We Intiy•Obeerve; hoWever,' that
awe people in gigs, and on Inirsebtiek, V.Tre stepped, and
their property forcibly taken frein'thetn. Kits and watches
Wits snatched away, great coats 'peizetl, and pockets emptied,
in 'almost- From the, persinut Who had
lova superintending the distributiint of, prOviiiions at the difk-
rent depots yesterday, werleitiC that the %Shinn they saw
there, all seemed to evince the best spirit, and to view with
eintrevne disapprobation and regret, the riotous,, and destrnc.
the proceedings which had taken place in other parts of, the ma-
sodacturing districts, and per4tiily,iis tide town. • From, what we
eavi,- and also from what we have herd.-of the persone,who were
en impudently demanding money in different parts of, the town
sad neighbourhood, we are convinced.that,- generally speaking,
they were not inhabitants orMinefteilter'orite munediate vicitlity,
and that they were not stimulate bY the presieure of want.'
The system of audacious robbery ts/ h.:ve, before ads
w,'IA was eguldithed;'lso: &Vit. was 6ttiiely
-dressed person to be seen in that-' iart of the town,
until to-
werds evening, when the 'greets begati'*i he ivniiidf:rO.ilY. "1"
orearded by persons who 40 „trent iiiffeacti4l to 'ttripP4; by
ototioeity, after their da4l-16014 Whow nOott
sit &clock, the civil power, in eonsidarableJforee,; churgetCupon
that part of the crowd where thainseaeirvilichlaf apparel' to be
pine on, and fin the ifititheaski , • Thar hviem •
.I...midegi, however, by wellies of stonem,4-• Taint) wane 'vt--thein
ratter severely injur r and it becardeViite!maniftest, that' 'they
not 4-°' tes,elditi tinietreett. lul eO4llO-
- several of megitttriess,'esinitigat' Whore were Maws.

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