Riots in Glasgow. Glasgow, March 8, 7th. 30m. p. m.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 222, 15 July 1848, Page 3

Riots in Glasgow. Glasgow, March 8, 7th. 30m. p. m.

It has been reported during the day, and it i« believed that the miners of Airdrie and the workmen of the Calder iron Works there, intend coming to this city this evening, for the purpose of creating a rerioui dii. turbnuce at the Bridge water Milli, at the eastern extremity of Glasgow, The bauka h»Y« bam eloptd since Ip. m. All buiiuesi ii suspended. The military continue it their posts, in various parti of the city. One hundred and fifty of the rioters wore In custody About one hundred guns and pistols, bebides cutlasses and pikes had been taken by the authorities. A large crowd, however, had ancmbled in the centre of the city, and fears were entertained of a fiesh outbreak. Large crowds of people have assembled in Ilighstreot^and its Jneli>hboui hood, without any avowal of object* or manifest purpose ; but we are strong in jinlico and special constable!, and they are now out in all directions to disperse the mob. The turbulent populace of Glasgow renewed their riots late in the afternoon of yesterday, but thanks to the energy of the civil and efficiency of the military power, we are not yet under mob government. Two of the rioters have been »hot, and the people know that the authorities are in earneU. Still, great fears were tntertnined, when our informant left, of the proceed,ngs of the night. The turbulent mob renewed their hostilities on Tuesday afternoon, although all appeared quiet when our lust despatches were published. The rioti were commenced in Bridgeton, by an attempt to stop a mill which was at work. Eighteen armed out-pensioners were on the spot, and h.iving been ordered to lire by Superintendent Smart, of the Calton police, an old man Wai shot through the head, nt the corner of Muslin-street. A younger man was also shot, and three boys, who chanced to be near the place where the people were assembled, were shot, but were still alive. The excitcoient amongst the working people from the mills, who by this time were collected in crowds, was very great. What renders the circumstance still more painful is the fact, that one of the persoifl shot (Jumna Alexander, provision dealer) was, until one o'clock in the morning, employed as a constable for preserving the peace, and on that occasion be had jutt come out of his own shop to disiuude the people from standing in the ttreets. Thfl polioe office* of the city were, towards night, crowded with prisoner! to the number of 100. Upwards of 60 guns and other weapons were taken from the rioters, and on the person* of the prisoners were found quantities of cheese, butter, ham, barley, as well as powder flanks and powder. Large quantities of these aiticles, as they were bn.u^ht in, were ranged along the floors and wulls of the lieutenant'u room at each office. During the greater pait of Tuesday night the mob remained in the streets, but they were quiet. The Glasgow riots are to all appearance nothing more than a very bad case of the meal-mob as the diBfinne is called in the north. A meeting of the unemployed, nt which not moic than 3,000 or 4,000 aro said to have been present, assembled on the public green, and were addressed by some m.scbeviovsly impassioned orators. Forthwith the fierce trowd pour into the heart of the city, and dividing into two bands, onn proceed to the eastward, pillaging the bakers shops and provision stores— the other to the westward taking arms from the gunsmiths, and viiluablc trinkets from the jewellers. Wherever the mob spread, it is uncontrolled by any inaßter, its inuption having been unlooked for, and no preparations, as yet, made to meet it.