The Sun. — 1844-07-29 (London, England)

THE FLOATING PIER.—The neighbourhood o Essex-street and Milford-lane, Strand, near the water-side, has been the scene of great noise and confusion during the last two days, owing to the erection of a rival floating-pier alongside the old one at the bottom of Essex. street, and the attempt of a gang of hired men to destroy the old floatingpier belonging to Mr. Francis, which is moored in front of the Ship public-house, his property, and where passengers have landed and embarked for the last four years. By the side of the Ship is a passage leading from the steps at the end of Essex-street to the water-side, and the common sewer beneath it, and flows along an open culvert, or brick drain, to low water-mark. Over this culvert a floating pier has been moored at the expense of the old Greenwich and Woolwich steamboat companies, without the sanction of the City authorities or the Commissioners of Sewers, in whom the property is vested. The owners of this pier, determined to effect by violence what they could not obtain by other means, in the first instance broke down a gate at the end of the passage on the edge of the river, and placed a gangway board communicating with the inner barge of the pier upon it. No sooner was the pier opened, a few days ago, than several blackguards were employed as touters and to insult and annoy passengers landing and embarking at the old pier, where the Watermen's steamers and the wooden steamboats call. Among them are some of the watermen who formerly plied at the Temple-stairs, for whose benefit it has been given out the pier has been erected. These fellows, emboldened by the supineness of the City authorities, declared they would drag away the old pier, and destroy it altogether. On Friday morning a gang of fifty ruffians from Execution-dock, Wapping, the stone pier at Greenwich, and other places, assembled as early as three o'clock, and began cutting away the sup • ports of the old pier, and swore with dreadful imprecations they would murder any one who interrapted them. Two watermen, named Maynard and Hill, in the employ of Mr. Francis, who endeavoured to protect their master's property, were knocked down and severely ill-used. The police were sent for, and eight men of the F division came to the spot, and found a portion of the rioters engaged in the work of destruction, and the others fighting with Mr. Francis's servants. Crow-bars, boat-hooks, hammers, and other weapons, were used by die ruffians, who swore they would annihilate the police if they attemptesl to interfere. The noise and the shouts of the rioters at so early an hour alarmed the inhabitants, who rose from their beds and went to the spot to ascertain the cause. In the mean time the crews of several Thames Police galleys landed, and the ruffians desisted, but not before they had caused damage to the amount of 100/., and torn away. the gangway board or brow on the old pier and thrown it into the river. Maynard was covered with bruises, and Hill was terribly knocked about. One of the assailants, a fellow named Ash, of Wapping, received a blow on the eye from a sharp instrument which was inflicted by one of his companions, and it is not expected he will recover the sight of it. The police continued on the spot and kept a sharp look out; and the rioters having declared their intention of coming down with a stronger force on Fri day night, the land and river police mustered in considerable numbers and preserved order. On Saturday the touting and brawling was going on, and some of the greatest blackguards on the river were dragging the people about, shouting in their ears, and doing all in their power to prevent them going on the old pier to embark in the Watermen's steamers. In the course of the day warrants were applied for at Bowstreet Police-court against several of the rioters, and granted. . A strong body of police were again stationed near the rival piers on Saturday evening, and will continue there till the new pier is removed.