The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-18 00:00:00

MAN CHESTER.

TUESDAY, 11 A.M.—The number of troops now in
this town amounts to 2,300 horse and foot, and more
are daily expected. At this moment a meeting of
masters is deliberating as to their future course of
proceedings, and they are in communication with
Major-General Sir William Warre. It is said they
intend to throw open their works as soon as hands
can be obtained, but how soon this point will be
gained it is impossible to say-. The subjoined circular
was issued yesterday by Messrs. Birley and Co., and
throws some light on the subject :

Chorlton Mills, August 15, 1842.

" We have thought it right determinedly to resist
the demands and efforts of a lawless mob, and not to
cease offering employment to the hands accustomed
to work at these mills. In this course we have per-
sisted from the day when we were attacked until the
close of last week. On Friday and Saturday a large
proportion of the hands did not come, and we reluc-
tantly close our mills until we know that we shall
again have hands to attend to the machinery in the
various departments. We lament the necessity for
suspending the payment of weekly wages to a Vlarge
number of usually contented and well-conducted indi-
viduals, on many of whom others depend for support!
" BIRLEY and CO."

At nine o'clock Martin, the well-known ringleader
of the Oxford-road mob, was apprehended by In-
spector M`Donald, and is now safely lodged in the
New Bailey.
Yesterday the tailors left work. and issued an ad-
dress to their masters.
NUMBER OF TROOPS IN MANCLIESTER.
The following is the military strength of the town :
Royal Horse Artillery . . about 70 men.
Foot Artillery about 40
3d Battalion of Grenadiers about 500
58th Regiment Infantry about 700
60th Rifle Corps -

2,210
Ordnance—Two howitzers and about four six-
pounders.
RUMOURED BURNING OF A MILL.

MANCHESTER, TUESDAY NIGIIT.—About noon to-
day accounts of the burning of a mill at Leigh, a few
miles froth Bolton, reached town, and a strong body
of military were immediately dispatched by railway.
At the time of clot,ing our parcel the exact particu-
lars had not reached us, but it appears to have been
the work of the mob.

(From the Manchester Guardian.)
It will be seen, from the particulars elsewhere
given, that, in speaking of the outrages which were
imninitted at the beginning of last week, as the com-
mencement of a general outbreak, we were perfectly
correct in our views of the matter. From Manches-
ter, and its immediate vicinity, the "holiday" has
been carried, not only to the more distant manufac-
turing towns in Lancashire, but to a large portion of
the 11 est Riding of Yorkshire, to the manufacturing
parts of Cheshire, and to the Potteries, where the ex-
cesses of the mob, have been of a very frightful cha-
racter ; and it seems highly probable, that the epi-

demic will spread to almost every part of the manu-
facturing
districts.
It is, however, reasonable t) conclude, tint the lo-
calities first infected with this strange malady will
be the first to enjoy a restoration of health. In Man-
chester we hope tie crisis of the disease has passed
over, and that we are, at all events, approaching a
state of convalescence. For several days past, the
working-classes have had everything according to
their wish. Labour is almost totally, suspended, as
they desired, and no attempt is made by the employ-
ers to cause its resumption. But many of the work-
men are now beginning to ask themselves, " What
have we got by all this ? what are we likely to get ?
and what is to be our next step?" The full accomplish-
ment of their plan of turning out workmen, the entire
absence of opposition, and the consequent decrease
of excitement in the town during the last three or
four days, have given men leisure to ponder on these
questions; and, if we are not very greatly misin-
formed, they have much difficulty in finding answers
at all satisfactory to their own minds. Into any
schemes of pillage or incendiarism, like those which
have disgraced another district, we are quite confident
nothing will impel the working classes of this neigh-
bourhood ; and they would not gain; but lose, if they
should be so impelled. But what are they to get by
sitting still or walking as they do, quietly and peace-
ably about the streets, whilst their wives and families
are starving at home ? They have begun to think of
these things ; and they will think of them more and
more, as their excitement dies away, and their neces-
sities increase.
We are exceedingly glad to learn that there is no
intention on the part either of the authorities or of
the manufacturers to adopt any measures that could
have the appearance of forcing a resumption of labour
upon the working classes. No doubt, by opening the
doers of the factories, by intimating to the work-
people that they must now resume their labour, or
lose their situations, and by making a free use of the
strong civil and military force now at the disposal of
the authorities, a pretty extensive beginning might
now be made. But we conceive that any such course
would be highly inexpedient. It would renew the
excitement which is now subsiding; it would cause
collisions, endanger the loss of life, and be produc-
tive of many serious disadvantages, all of which,
we believe,,would be avoided, by allowing the matter
to take the course into which its own authors have
impelled it. We own that we do not like the notion
of working factories under the guns of . the military,
or the batons of the police ; and we think that no
attempt should be made to open them at all, until the
people employed in them can be secure, not only from
being forcibly turned out, but from persecution, an-
noyance, or on the part of their neighbours.
In this view of the matter, the spinners and manufac-
turers, so far as we can judge from the tenor of their
published resolutions, fully concur • and we trust that
the wise course which they have chalked out for them-
selves in this extraordinary crisis will be steadily pur-
sued to its termination.