New-York tribune., 1886-02-14
THE NEWS IN LONDON.
MoB-LAw, POLITICS AND SCANDAL.
lMBECILITY OF TIE AUTHORITIES IN DEALING WITH
RIoTEEs-A QUEER STORY ABOUT Mr.. GLAD
sToSF-sIk CHARLES DILKE's PLIGHT
IBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE


lBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE
LONDON. Feb. 13-The three hours riot of Mon
day was followed by three days panic The r'o''
serious enough in itself, became much more serious
owing to the lncapacity Of the ponce authorities
and to the timidity of the public. 1t is nonsense
however, to treat the disturbance as sociaiSuc or
revolutionary. the line which the conu1ental press
rleefully takes. The trouble began Win an at
tempt of the Socialist federation to break up
genuine meeting of unemployed men IN trafalgar
Souare The police had ample notice of this at
te,npt and an ample force at hand did protect the
meeting and forced the Socialists to move to the
north side of the square, followed by crowd OF
roughs and thieves, to whom Hyndman Burns and
the other anarchist leaders made speeches directly
meeting them to violence and CRIME The
mob thereupon started westward, began smashing
the windows IN Pail Mall, and continued the same
amusement in st. James and Piccadily, where
some shops were also plundered. The mob reached
HYDE Park and attacked carriages with women and
children, whom 1t robbed, insultcd and beat. IL
then sacked South and North Audley sts, and
nroke more windows in Oxfdrd-st., but dispersed
on the rumor of the approach of the police The
damage was considerable The whole of this de-
struction and outrage might easily have been pre-
vented if one hundred police had been sent round
and formed across the top of ST. James-st, but the
police had orders not to interfere with the process
sion. These orders renamed unchanged after the
destruction began and continued two hours.
do
lowing davs was due wholly TO the police, who
advised the closing of the shops IN the
chief streets. This was regarded as an
ayowal of their inability TO protect
the town against expected attack. 1t encouraged
the mob. which again assembled in Trafalgar
Squire but was easily dispersed. There was the
same warning on Wednesday a mere rumor
Business was paralyzed and only partially resumed
on Thursday. Tradesmen, merchants and citizens
generally are indignant, and justly SO, with the
authorities. They rightly hold the Ministry re-
sponsible for rot alayinG the panic by assurances
of protection. There has never been really since
Monday the least danger, The force at hand was
overwhelming. both of police and military. The
alarm has now quoted.
More d,screditable than mere inaction has been
the spectacle of the Ministers, including Mr. Glad
stone and Mr.. Chamberlain, par"ying with the
scoundrels who caused the first riot. An inquiry
is now promised into the ImbecIlity which
pervaded Police Headquarters and the
Home Office alike. The inquiry is to be
conducted by the Home Secretary. who Is per-
sonally responsible for everything that has
apJened since Monday.
MINISTERIAL vEXATGONs.
In the absence of Parliament and in the presence
of the mob politics dropped out Of sight; yet
several points require notice. The Ministry, which
has been for a fortnigh; in process of formation IS
still iucompletc. Mr. Gladstone has experienced
many vexatons and repeated rcfusaIs from his
followers. Difficulties continually raised by
the Queen Several nominations were abandoned,
some of the highest Ministerial posts III the Royal
Household gong begging.
:. Matters went more smoothly with the country.
All the Ministers were reelected without contest
EXCEPT MI. Russell ard MI Morley, both Of whom
have now been returned by largely
increased majoritieS, the increase con
sistng mainly of Irish votes Mr. Morleys
very able speeches in Newcastle, delivered
M any other time, would have attracted universal
attention. They efford the first indication Of the
road the Ministry mean to travel, and please
neither the Irish nor the English lhe latter see
with dismay a separate Parliament openly advo-
Gated by a Minister of the Crown The Irish are
dissatisfied with the conditions Mr. Morley exacts
HIS former pledge TO the property Of Irish
landlords before establishing IN Irish Parliament
is now enlarged so as to cover apparently other
points. the minoIites i'll Ulster included. In the
meantime another Minister, Mr. Hencagc, assures
bis constituents that the United Kingdom will con-
tinue to be governed by one law and one Admins
tration and Parliament
People are not less puzzled by very curious
and perfectly true story that Mr.. Glad
stone secured the adherence Of one high
officer by written agreement that ho might
resign when Home Rule should be proposed, which,
said Mr. Gladstone, is not likely 10 happen for
some months.
MIR. PARNELLS vIGOR.
No approach has yet been made to an under
standing between Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Parnen
respecting the precedence of the land question and
Home Rule Mr.. Parnc in the meantime has
faced and queled a mutiny in his own ranks. Mr.
Healy's and Mr.. Biggars determined resistance to
Mr. OSheas canddature looked as if Mr. Healy
considered that the time had come for an open
revolt Mr.. Parnell acted with the energy and de.
cision which his opponents admire. He went
straight to Galway. was met by hooting mob, and
protected by Mr.. Healy lie shut himself up IN a
Ioom with the mutineers and told them that they