CHRONICLE. 



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24-. A writ of inquiry was exe- 

 cuted at theTown-hali, Plymouth, 

 by the special appointment of the 

 Under Sheriff of Devon for ascer- 

 taining the damages in an action 

 brought by Mrs. Bentley, wife of 

 corporal Bentlej'^ of the Royal 

 Marines, against lieutenant Gib- 

 bons, late the commander of the 

 Alphea schooner. The plaintiff 

 was ordered to be fastened to a 

 buoj', where she was left for some 

 time in a most dangerous situation. 

 The jury gave her a verdict for 

 500/. 



We learn by letters which were 

 received in town yesterday from 

 Manchester, that the vicinity of 

 that town was become a continued 

 scene of riot and outrage. It was 

 hoped that the death of the men 

 ■who were killed in the attack on 

 Mr. Burton's factery, on Monday 

 last, would have operated as a 

 salutary warning to the rest of the 

 rioters, and have been the means 

 of deterring them from attempting 

 further mischief; but this was not 

 the case : the loss they had suffer- 

 ed only stimulated them to seek 

 revenge. On the day following 

 (Tuesday), the mob assembled 

 more numerously at Middleton 

 than ever ; and notwithstanding 

 the house of Mr. Emanuel Burton, 

 who had conducted the defence of 

 his father's premises the day before, 

 was defended by the military, it 

 was attacked, and ultimately burnt 

 to the ground. The rioters were 

 armed with guns, pick-axes, and 

 scythes. About three o'clock in 

 the afternoon a reinforcement of 

 cavalry was sent from Manchester, 

 wiio, immediately on their arrival, 

 charged the rioters, and cut down 

 several of them. The old inde- 

 pendent corps were to be called 



out, and other armed bodies were 

 forming. 



Manchester, April 25. — " Since 

 Tuesday we have been more peace- 

 able here than was expected. The 

 formation of a horse patrole well 

 armed, and the activity displayed 

 in making extensive nightly cir- 

 cuits round the town, have been of 

 essential service. In consequence 

 of the proceedings of last Saturday, 

 it was presumed that the farmers 

 would be very sparing of supplies 

 for to-day's market. Printed no- 

 tices were accordingly circulated 

 in the neighbourhood and country, 

 assuring them, that every protec- 

 tion, both by the civil and military 

 power, would be afforded. The 

 patrole, therefore (about seventy 

 or eighty), assembled at half past 

 five, and in parties, patroled all the 

 roads leading to the town. There 

 has not been the slightest disturb- 

 ance hitherto. 



26. On Friday afternoon, about 

 four o'clock, a large body of rioters 

 suddenly attacked the weaving fac- 

 tory, belonging to Messrs. Wroe 

 and Duncroft, at West Ploughton, 

 about thirteen miles from this 

 town; of which, being unprotected, 

 they soon got possession. They 

 instantly set it on fire, and the 

 whole of the building with its va- 

 luable machinery, cambrics, &c. 

 were entirely destroyed. The 

 building being extensive, the con- 

 flagration was tremendous. The 

 damage sustained is immense, the 

 factory alone having cost 6,000/. 

 The reason assigned for this horrid 

 act is, as at Middleton, ' weaving 

 by steam.' By this dreadful 

 event, two worthy families have 

 sustained a heavy and irreparable 

 injury, and a very considerable 

 number of poor are thrown out of 

 employment. 



