THE WEST INDIES 67 



The reading of the Riot Act by the Chief Justice had little effect, 

 and the rioters, now armed with sticks and stones, divided their 

 forces into three main bodies, more by chance than by organisa- 

 tion. One section went to the prison, broke down the gates and 

 released some of the prisoners, severely manhandling one of the 

 warders in the process. The second section cut the cables at the 

 Cable Offices and the remainder of the rioters commenced 

 looting the stores. 



The police were by now armed and they fired a round over the 

 heads of the looters. This had no effect and so orders were given 

 to fire low at this section of the mob. Most of the casualties 

 occurred at this stage, and the looters now began to filter up the 

 side streets, taking their booty with them. 



There was sporadic looting and uproar in the outskirts of the 

 towTi throughout the day, when property was damaged and 

 stones were thrown. 



The wires leading from the Cable Office having been cut, no 

 signal could be sent to the outside world from there. However, 

 the A.D.C. to the Governor and a member of the Cable Company 

 managed to find their way on foot through the skirmishing on the 

 outskirts of the town and along the shore to the cable hut which 

 was still intact, and were there able to pass a message to Grenada 

 calling for assistance. They were just in time, as the mob cut 

 the wires outside the hut only a few minutes after the signal had 

 gone out. 



Challenger was carrying out a survey of the harbour at St. 

 George's, Grenada, being anchored in the harbour, with her boats 

 and parties away from the ship on the survey. To her came the 

 message from Kingstowoi. The general boats' recall signal was 

 hoisted at the yardarm and the various parties of officers and men 

 hurried back to the ship. Such a recall is unusual during the course 

 of a fine surveying day, and speculation as to its meaning was in- 

 tense among the boats' crews as they collected the coastline parties 

 and made for the ship. Theories ranged from a major error having 

 been found in the triangulation to an order having been received 

 onboard to return at once to Portsmouth. One lovelorn ordinary 

 seaman was already imagining himself meeting his girl on Farewell 

 Jetty at Pompey when he was rudely awakened to the fact that he 

 should be handling his boat-hook as the boat came alongside. 



