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

FLOATING PIER.—The neighbourhood of 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 alocgside the old one at the bottom of Essex• street, and the attempt of legang of hired men to destroy the old floatingSier belonging to Mr. Francis, which is moored in front of the hip 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 preperty 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 front Execution-dock, Wapping, the atone pier at Greenwich, and other places,assembled as early as threc o'clock, and began cutting away the sup • ports of the old pia, and swore with dreadful imprecations they would murder any one who interrupted them. Two watermete named Maynard and Hill, in the employ of Mr. Francis, who endeavoured to protect their master's property, were knocker] 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, ware userl by the ruffians, who swore they would annihilate the police if they attempted to interfere. The noise and the shouts of the rietere at so early an hour alarmed the inhabitants, who rose from their beds and went to the spot to ascertain the cause. In the 166.311 time the crews of ee Police galleys landed, and the ruffians desesisvteettra.l Tbutbrt before they had caused damage to the amount of 1001., and tore 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 which expectedw as lien fla ebt leer b ny ethe eyeof hi fs enrornmpana isehnars,panindstirtumisetnitetw will recover the sight cf it. The police continued on the spot and kept a sharp look out; az; the rioters having Fleddecla tdhaeiyrnligorttire olafncdomanindgridvoewnr considerableoc e on numbers and preserTed order. On Saturday the touting and poricteili:l7rnedgehr, 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. I in the course of the day warrants were applied for at Bow-1 street Police-court against several of the rioters, and granted strong betty of police were again stationed near the rival ""h cat §.144-rclaV Avniting, and will continue there till the - iwnove4, new pier is