The Sun.
London, England, 1826-04-28 00:00:00

RIOTS AT BLACKBURN.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER, 12 MILES FROM MAN-
CHESTER, DATED APRIL 25. _ _

" I am just returned from Manchester; all quiet
there, but a very bad market.
" Blackburn has been tolerably quiet to-day. The
poor starving creatures have broken all the power-
looms belonging to Messrs. W. H. Carr and Co.
The rioters are busy, it is said, at Charley and
Preston, but I don't think there is any truth in
the various reports. . The poor creatures are in-
juring themselves the most. It is alarming to be here.
We have had several expresses from various quarters,
all wanting soldiers ; in fact, all this part is in a most
dreadful uproar : we cannot tell where this will end,
but at present all looks dark. They have commenced
entering houses for victuals."

( From the Blackburn Mail of 'Wednesday.?
In a second edition last week, we communicated the
particulars which had then transpired respecting the
proceedings at Accrington, &c., on Tuesday evening.
During these tumultuous proceedings, the town
was in the. most feverish state of alarm : the shops
were closed, and of course business entirely suspended.

About three o'clock the soldiers returned from Ac-
crington, and the work of devastation at Messrs. Eccles
and Co.'s being by that time completed, they were dis-
patched to Grimshaw-park, where there is another
power-loom filetory, and towards which a part of the
mob had already directed their steps. Here they con-
tinued for nearly an hour, without much molestation,
but the crowd gradually increased, and at length a ge-
neral attack commenced. The ground on which the
factory stands being near the canal banks, lies
much exposed, and being likewise very li-
mited, was unfavourable for the soldiers. The
mob pelted them with stones, whilst others, armed with
pikes, &c. pressed forward, and after three attacks,
overpowered the soldiers and entered the lower part of
the factory, where they destroyed all the power-looms,
and then retired, but not before some of the party had
been captured. In the course of the affray several shots
were exchanged between the soldiers and the mob, and
it is difficult to learn on which side it commenced.
We are sorry, however, to say. that two persons in
the crowd were shot, and received very serious inju-
ries ; indeed, their recovery is considered doubtful.
This is the more to be lamented, as both of them were,
we understand, merely spectators, and did not take an
active part in the affray.
We are likewise sorry to learn that some of the sol-
diers and their horses received serious damage from the
stones, and we are the more grieved at this, as they
conducted themselves throughout the eventful day
with the most exemplary forbearance, taking every op-
portunity of expostulating with the mob, and endea-
vouring, by all the means in their power, to prevent
mischief.
The only objects of the vengeance of the Mob ap-
peared to be the power-looms, for they did not attempt
to injure the spinning machinery, nor even to break
the windows, nor did they offer molestation to the
property of any other of the inhabitants. The damage
sustained by the attacks we have aboved noticed can-
not yet be ascertained with any degree of accuracy,
but according to the most moderate computation, we
think it will not be less than 10,0001.

In a Second Edition of the Blackburn Paper re-
ceived this morning, it is stated that several prisoners
made by the troops have been rescued by the populace
of Blackburn. Private accounts, say that the insur-
rection is extending towards Manchester. A mer-
chant of Liverpool has sent a large quantity.of rice to
relieve the starving multitude.

Half past Two.
We have just received the following extract of a
letter from Manchester, dated 26th April

" There is dreadful work at Blackburn, Clitheroe.
Haslingden, &c. ; report says at least twenty
to thirty thousand are in different detachments.
and their object is to destroy all power
looms. They have destroyed a power loom at Rot-
terclale, and are proceeding towards Rochdale the
military have nearly all left Manchester for
different places, unless we get a large force imme-
diately. I fear the result will be dreadful. The mili-
tary have no chance with the mob, being so incum-
bered. The mob are armed With pick-axes and ham-
mers, at Sunderland; an application has just been
made to Preston, for troops.