New-York tribune., 1886-02-11
OF THE MOBS.
WATCHING THE CROWDS IN LONDON.
THE PoPULACE TUNULTUOUs-A PANIC AMONG The
SHOPKEEPERs.
by CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE

by CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE
LONDON Feb 1O-Events today show con-
elusively that Mondays riot has left London in
panicky condition. While actual damage done by the
mob may not exceed one or two hundred thousdAu
Sollars the stoppage of business and uncertainty
in all parts of the Kingdom as to the safety o lno
Metropolis has caused stagnation in trade such as
has rarely been known here. To-day opened cola
and heavy. Yellowish fog settled down on the city
carly Abont two o'clock the darkness increased
nntil objects were barely visible across the narrow
streets The general feeling was one OF greater
confidence than that of yesterday, however anu
few shops were clos d. Suddenly the shopGeepers
around Charing Cross, Whitehall, and Cockspur
st began to put up shutters in hot haste. learned
that the police had given warning OF the approach
of mob from the other side of the Thames. Cross
ing Waterloo Bridge, | found an excited crowd
Aocking toward the southeast, and the driver of a
tramcar told me that the mob was already plunder-
ing sbops at Camberwell Green. This was three
miles away | fastened southwark along London
Road Walworth Road and Cambcrwell Road, the
great connecting lines of travel though ths
densely populated district. The alarm was gen.
eral Shops having been closed business was
ca ed on with closed doors. Even barrooms put
ND shutters and did rushing business inside. nan
the population to he in the street all eagerly
wondering how soon the mob would arrive. there
was much rough horse play, and some pocketpck-
iue but little OF no disorder manifested till after
p ssng a vell-knOwn street intersection called the
Elephant aud Castle near Spurgeon's Church.
IRON there to Eamberwell Green the difficulty was
in reased in getting pass age in hansoms and there
was evident disposition TO make rusbes III the
er pwd especially when well-dressed people gath
ere L. the object being apparently near rough pay'
Tnerewas little stone-thrOwng although many I'M
protected windows were broken. The crowd was
evidently made up of curious sight seers, and
enough of the lawless element intcrmlnged 10
make things unpleasant for correspondent.
At Camberwel Green the limit OF march
was reached and still nobody had seen
TIE mob. Clearly there was false alarm.
There was excitement everywhere but nothing
like mob. That part of the West End which had
suffered before showed gIeat fear lest another at
tack should be made, and the police were out in
force. Very few shops containing valuable goods
were open The dense fog of course added TO the
general nervousness.
Total darkness fell over the city at o'clock
and crowds gathered in Cumberland Mar
ket place, about a quarter of mile north
of Euston Road, between Tottenham Court Road
and Regents Park, in Northeast London. LABOR
ar,tators had called meeting there for o'clock
and great fear of another riot was felt | was un-
able to get into the market place but found ad-
Police were out in great force moving in ipairs and
quartets through the thrOng, and though some
stones were thrown at private houses IN narrow
streets there was not much damage done. saw
several omnibuses attacked and passengers were
provelliag ON the straw-covered floor in mortal
terror Little damage comparatively, was done,
but intense anxiety prevails throughout the great
city.
The important feature of all this is that there
should be any such alarm. No one believes it possl-
Bile that the mob can indulge in riot or bloodshed,
as the authorities masters of the sltua-
ton. Nevertheless. the public has underated
the number and determination of the criminal
classes of London, and it is expected that
though no fierce fighting shall occur there may be
extensive plunderng accompanied by violence ike
that of Monday. This fear is increased by the I'M
satisfactory manner in which the police have been
handled, as well as by the knowledge of the terri
bic and widespread suffering existing among the
working classes.