CABLE NEWS.

Grey River Argus, 15 April 1911, Page 5

CABLE NEWS.

RIOTS IN FRANCE.

*»» VILLAGERS DODGE THE MILITARY. CONFLICTS WITH THE SOLDIERY 20,000 WINEGROWERS MARCHING ON EPERACY. PLACES SACKED AND BURNED. WADING IN CHAMPAGNE. DESTRUCTION OF WAREHOUSES. FIREMEN INTERFERED: WITH. CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT. (By Electric TelegTaph — Copyright. " } (Received April 14th, at 12.15 a.m.) PARIS, April 13. The fury of the rioters was directed principally against the Ay and the ' Epernay (firms. The Tocsin sound came from all the steeples of churches, and the explosion of hand grenades aroused the villagers quickly. These swaxmed down the vineclad slopes, evading the military cordons. 4,000 rioters entered Ay, where the cavalry were pinned between stone walls and subjected to a volley of stones and vineyard stakes from the barricades. The military officers ordered the soldiers to act with extreme vigor. Simultaneously and with the squadrons and theif reinforcements when advancing on Ay, hurriedly retreated to Epernay on a report that 20,000 : vinegrowers were marching 1 thither, but the force was unaible to intercept. ....-,.. Meanwhile several establishments had been sacked. _• . ... v The encounters between the mob and the military were frequent. < The rioters, clinging to the bridles and stirrups, compelled the dragoons to resort tlo their sabres, and numbers were injured in the affrays. The rioters were dispersed at night, but only after looting- the premises of Daenras and Rondeau, Epernay, whereiri 311 easier, of wine were broken. . - The mob was wiading in champagne The premises of Kupdermann and Ayala at Ay were set afire, also the warehouses of Delitz and Geldermann ! and Gallois. . A 'bomib burst in the streets of Ay, wounding three sold-crs, one of them grievously. The Mayor's residence was in flames. Companies of infantry were stationed in both towns, and were con-' stantly on the -alert. ••'_-" During the night incendiary .-.fires ; illuminated the sky. "(Received April 14th, at 12.30 a.m.) PARIS, April 13. There are huge fires at Pier-ry and elswhere in the winegrowing districts. Chateau Montebelle is blazing. A series of fires Occurred in the vicinity •of Mareuilsuray, where the fire brigades of Avendry and Ay made desperate efforts to extinguish the fires, but the firemen were compelled to retreat, the mob threatening- to destroy the engines. Troops saved the premises of Convasure from , incendiarism ; but the troops were hampered in their efforts by the heaps of 'broken bottles and the piles of paving stones in the streets. During the progress of the riots the Senators, - Deputies, and representatives of deportment at Marne' telegraphed to the Winegrowers Federation at Epernay urging the exercise of their restraining 'influence* 'in a or- • der to avoid irreparable calamities. The Premier, in the Chamber, demanded and obtained an overwhelming- majority in favour of a resolution of confidence pledging the Government to restore order and pursue imperturbably a settlement of the dif-" ferences arising from the delimitation of the champagne area, and fm?lly appealing to the reason and good sense of the population concerned in the troubles '■•-'; ■■---■-•■