190 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



from tlie bloody state of part of a 

 flail U3ccl foi' thrashing (.orn, that 

 the wounds had been inflicted by 

 that instrument. A surgeon^wa^s 

 procured, but his assistance wus 

 of no avail. The poor old man 

 died of his wounds on INIonday, 

 about four o'clock. His hoiisc- 

 keepcr remained in an insensible 

 state, and was living yesterday 

 morning, but very little hopes 

 were entertained of her recovery. 

 Chippciiliam, (Wilts) . — Early 

 this morning, about three o'clock, 

 the corn and flour- mill (the larg- 

 est and most extensive for many 

 surrounding miles) belonging to 

 Messrs. Dowling and Gaby, of 

 this town, was discovered to l)c 

 on Are, and, together with its 

 stock of wheat and flour, was in 

 a few houis totally destroyed. 

 The damage is eitimated at 

 10,0001. and upwards. The im- 

 mediate consequence of this is, 

 that on our next market wheat 

 will of course rise considerably. 

 There can be no doubt of its 

 having been purposely set on lire. 

 Upon tlie flrst alarm, the flames 

 were discovered issuing from 

 three different places at the saine 

 time — from the right, from the 

 Ifft, and centre of the buiUling. 

 Besides, the proprietors only last 

 Thursday received an incendiary 

 letter, containing a threat that, 

 unless the price of flour was 

 lowered (that is to say, unless 

 they consented to give up the 

 profits of their trade), their mill 

 and house would be burnt. The 

 house, which stands on the other 

 side of the road, is untouched, 

 and the proprietors are insured. 

 It is remarkable, that there as 

 few unemployed poor at Chippen- 

 hani at this naoment as have been 



remembered there for these many 

 years past. 



2- On this day a riot took place 

 in the metropolis, which for a 

 time put on a very alarming ap- 

 pearance. About a fortnight pre- 

 ceding, a popular meeting had 

 been held in Spafields, chiefly at 

 the instigation of Mr. Henry 

 Hunt, once a candidate for re- 

 presenting the city of Bristol, for 

 the purpose of presenting a peti- 

 tion to the Prince Regent from 

 the distressed manufacturers and 

 mechanics. By means of hand- 

 bills dispersed over London,, the 

 people were invited to attend at 

 the same place on this day in order 

 to hear tlie answer to their peti- 

 tion. A considerable crowd was 

 assembled, which was waiting 

 the appearance of Mr. Hunt about 

 the Merlin's Cave public-house, 

 when, about twelve o'clock, an- 

 other crowd, with tri- coloured 

 flags and a banner, entered an- 

 other part of the Held, in the 

 midst of which a waggon was 

 stationed. This was ascended by 

 three or four persons, one of 

 whom, by name Watson, an in- 

 digent person of the medical pro- 

 fession, made a very inflammatory 

 harangue to the surrounding po- 

 pulace, in wliiclrhe was succeed- 

 ed by his son. They then descend- 

 ed from the waggon, and attend- 

 ed by a number of followers, 

 among whom were many sailors, 

 proceeded to Clerkenwell. Pass- 

 ing thence through JSmithfield, 

 they went to Snow-hill, and a 

 cry for arms being raised, they 

 attacked the shop of Mr. Beck- 

 with, a gunsmith. Here a young 

 man, the first who entered, de- 

 manding arms, was told to go 

 about his business by a Mr. Piatt 



who 



