The Sun. — 1869-07-03 (London, England)

THE ORANGE RIOTS AT PORTADOWN.  The following is one account of the riots at PortadoNVn on Friday night : —" A most serious and disastrous riot has occurred at Portadown. The cause of the affray has not as yet been accurately ascertained, but tha riot is supposed to have originated in a few unarmed policemen having extinguished a bonfire that had been lighted by some children at Quarrys Turns. This proceeding appears to have exasperated the Orangemen, who suddenly mustered in strong force, and commenced an organised attack on the police, who in the meanwhile had been reinforced by a few of their comrades, also unarmed. Stones were thrown in volleys by the rioters, and the police soon turned and fled, hotly pursued by their assailants. The police, on reaching their quarters, obtained their rifles, armed with which, eight of them paraded that part of Bridge-street situated in Edenberry. They were again attacked and pelted with stones by an immense crowd of between two and three thousand people. At first the police contented themselves with firing in the air, upon which a cry was raised to the effect that they dared not fire, and that they had only blank cartridges. Emboldened by this, the mob then renewed their attacks on the constabulary, and pursued the men as far as the bridge, stones rattling like hail on them. On reaching the bridge the police turned and fired again, this time with fatal effect, a boy, in the employment of the Ulster Railway Company, named Thomas Watson, a Protestant, being shot through the lungs and killed, and a man named Tiffney„p. Roman Catholic, dangerously wounded by a shot in the shoulder. The police are all more or less injured by stones, and one of their body is seriously hurt. The disturbance was quite unexpected ; but the Orangemen are so exasperated that it is feared that further riots will follow."  A later despatch from Portadown says :—" A bonfire has oeen lit opposite the church, and is surrounded by large crowds. No attempt is being made to put it out."  A statue of the Marquis of Westminster was un covered at Chester on Thursday in the presence of a large  number of tenants and friends. It E trtids in Grosvenor  Park, which was recently presented to the town by Lis lord At a meeting held on Thurseay at Huddersfield, an association was formed for the purpose of co-operation wilh  the Licensing Amendment League, of Manchester, in carry ing out its object, viz., to advocate an atneudn,Ent of the  existing licensing system.  Mary Langfcrd, now in Wprondbarn Bridewell, waiting her trial on a charge of poisoning her hushand and child with strychnine, at Lynn, has, it is stated, made seve ral attempts to take her own life. There is a ;carder con stantly in attendance to prevent her committing suicide. She is not considered to be insane.  The Shedden Legitimacy case was on Friday, for the twenty-second time, before the louse of Lords. Mr. Shedden, the father of Miss Shedden, stated that he was in his 7Cth year. lie, like his daughter, seemed to wish to go into irrelevant matters, but was stopped by the Lord Chancellor, and ordered to keep to evidence.  It will be remembered that sane time since we announced that Mr. Fitzjames Stephen, Q.C., had been offered the post of legislative trember of the Supreme Council of India, in the room of Mr. Maine, resigned. An evening contemporary is tow authorised to slate that Mr, Stephen Las accepted the api ointment. Admiral Sir Wm. Fanshawe Martin, Cummatderin-Chief at Devonport, Las been instrumental in obtaining a gratuity of .GO from the Admiralty to Willi:an I'mlo, the pilot of Salcombe, who hailed the Cadmus on the 4th ult. in the fog, and warned the f fEeers of the danger the ship was in, and ultimately took them to a care anchorng,e.  The Paris Patrie says flat the Emperor, in conversation with several officers of his heuschold, confirmed the intention of reform hint d at by M. Eouher iu his speech at the openirg of the Chamber. Ilis Majesty added that the engagements which deputies who sui ported his Government had been obliged to make, conclusively proved that the country was resolved on progress. The annual banquet at the 'Trinity House will be given to-day (Saturday), when the Prince of Wales, having been previously sworn in as an honorary elder brother, will preside, in lieu of his brother, the Duke of Edinburgh. About the usual number of distinguished guests will be present, and it is stated both Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Disraeli will attend.