\66 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



some persons in the house fired 

 and wounded several, some se- 

 verely, one of whom has since 

 died. The men, howevei', ])ro- 

 ceeded to the works, stop[)ed the 

 blast at the furnaces, and beinc; 

 joined by many others, went to 

 Pendaran and ]\Ierthyr, where 

 they did the same, and remained 

 there all night (Thursday). On 

 Friday, they returned by Tic- 

 degar and Sirhowy, and inquir- 

 ed minutely at tlie houses for all 

 the workmen, and for bread and 

 cheese, which was sers'ed out to 

 them from the shops of the pro- 

 prietors. Their numbers bei nt^ 

 increased to several thousands, 

 they proceeded over the hills to 

 Beaufort works, where they a^keii 

 the men if they were satisfied with 

 their wages and employers, lo 

 which the men replied in the aftir- 

 mative. Their wages were low, 

 they said, but their masters kind, 

 and used them well in the shops. 

 On this the others gave them 

 three cheers, and departed for 

 Ebbw vale, the works of Messrs. 

 Harfords ; here a few joined 

 them : the blast going to tlie fur- 

 naces w;is, however, stopped, but 

 no violence offered to the pro- 

 prietors. From thence they pro- 

 ceeded to Blanavon (Messrs. Hill 

 and Co.). Mr. Hill endeavoured 

 to prevent them from doing any 

 mischief to the works, by leason- 

 ing with them, and offering tem- 

 porary relief : their reply was, 

 they wanted food ; tl\at wages 

 were not sufficient to support 

 them and their families, and they 

 wished to be sent home to their 

 parislies. Here they were sup- 

 plied with biead and cheese, and 

 Mr. Hill commiserating their 

 wants ordered them some beer. 



but they refused to partake of it, 

 saying, while they Avere sober 

 they knew what they were doing ; 

 Init if they should get intoxicated 

 they might be guilty of what they 

 might afterwards be sorry for. 

 They remained there till night, 

 and did no further injury than 

 stop])ing the blast furnace. On 

 Saturday morning they proceeded 

 to Llanellv, and acted there in the 

 same manner. They now came 

 across tlie mountains towards the 

 coal-works in the neighbomhood 

 of Crundin, Newbridge, and Aber- 

 carne, with a view to learn the 

 state of the men's minds there. 

 Their numbers were increased 

 now from 10 to 1^,000 ; Init as 

 night came on they separated ; 

 the military that came into New- 

 port on Friday night were for- 

 warded towards Merthyr on wag- 

 gons and other vehicles, and ar- 

 rived there on Saturday evening, 

 but no violence has yet been of- 

 fered on either side. The cavalry 

 which went from Cardiff have 

 been recalled, and such troops as 

 liave arrived since have been sent 

 up to the works, and a detach- 

 ment to Pontvpool ; but at a late 

 hour last nigiit the men were still 

 assembled in different places, from 

 300 to 500 and more together. 

 Accounts have come from Ponty- 

 pool to-day, that'tlie military weie 

 called up early this morning to 

 proceed to Blanavon, where the 

 men employed had shown symp- 

 toms of acting in concert with 

 those who liad been there on Fri- 

 day evening. 



Tills evening the accounts are, 

 that they are chiefly among the 

 collierie?, tl>at a troop of cavalry 

 from Swansea is among them, but 

 no violence oflere<{ on either side. 



Mr. 



