A riot of a serious description occurred last week on
the works of the Chester and Birkenhead Railway. The following particulars are taken from a Liverpool paper-
" On the line of railway now forming between Birkenhead and Chester, con- siderable jealousy has for some time past been manifested amongst the work- men, and particularly the major portion of them engaged in the excavations or cuttings through the eminences and the filling up or embankments in the hol- lows. This ammosity (as in other parts of -the country.where similar works are in progress) had its origin in the mutual ' national ' dissent of the English and the Melt labourers employed ; the former entertaining a general opinion that the hitter flocked too numerously to their country and by accepting of a a rate of weges below the Eeglish standard, relueed tVeir value in the labour market. In the present instance, however, the English labourers were, we learn, mistaken on this point, and the offence seems to have been taken up by the Irish.
" It appears that portions of the line taken up by contractors had been sub- let, as is usual iii woks of that magnitude. One of the sub-contractors, named Graham, who is represented as being a strict master' had engaged English workmen exclusively. This gave ofrence to the Irish labourers, who sought reteliat:un for this preference, as ae.11 es for former supposed grievances. On Monday last, in consequence of Englishmen being exclusively mn- ployed at the mildly portion of the line, the Irish labourers assembled at Childer Thornton to beat them off; in which they succeeded, by superior numbers and the employment of dangerous weapons. On the following day, the English mustered Pe:iv forces and well alone. the line, from Miler Thornton toteerds Chestcr, with a deternlination to 'drive the Irish from the field, by way of retaliation. Near the former place they met the Irish, and a battle ensued detween them. The Irish mustered about three hundred; the English about two hundred and fifty. The former were armed with pick- handles, shovels, (a kind of sharp spade,) and bludgeons. The English having only sticks, were overpowered. The neighbourhood was in great alarm, and se- veral of the belligerents were severely hurt. " Lifbrinetilu of the diet urbance hat lug reached the ears of the Mimistracy of Birkeitheal, Mr. Palmer, the active superintendent of the Constabulary force of the district, de:Tab:lied to the seene of disturbance, with the cone. paratively few officers nether hi command. They reached Chiller Thornton at about feer o'clock on Tuesday afternoon ; but 31r. Palmer, finding his have altogether inadequate to euppress the ferment amongst the xlisturbers, busiemi himself in aeeertaining the ringleaders ui cii further assistance could be pro- cured, mel ,e.reet,t, the: obutinen warrants. On ednesdny, Mr. Palmer was neti■-: ebtainie;,, further it ; mid on that day the rioters (the
Irish) leieed d the in military array, vowing vengeance against every Englishman who should work with the obnoxious contractor : between Sutton and Childer Thornten they met a party f English labourers, who, being fewer in numbers. N.,:•5 61,11•4,..1 to retreat. On this occasion, too, several of them were sever, :y lojured.
"On 11:it-d..y. 1 ecel, -einence of the still excited feeling and conduct of the victoe1oa, party-- he Irish—and the necessity to serve the warrants against the w.N deemed desirable, on the part of the Magistrates, to Send for the aid et the ndlitaey to Liverpool and Chester. We should premise that the had previously taken possession of the beer-houses in the ham- let of Chide e Thorobm, and helped themselves ad libitum, to whatever of the good thing: of this lite they could lay their hands upon. With this exception, they committed no depredation, nor (as has been rumoured) inflicted any in- dignity or persomil injury beyond what occurred in the conflict with their 'fel- low ' workmen."
A detacilment of infantry from Chester, and another from Liverpool, came to the assistance of the .Magistrates and the civil power- " The village, here most of the Irish lodge, was, at this time, apparently in a state of awl the lahabitants in great alarm. The doors of the cot-
tages, in whirl, sonic of the rioters had enseonsed. themselves, were closed and
barricaded. Mr. Palmer, however, backed his horse against several of them, and, the animal being a knowing one, kicked out, so that his heels became an effectual battering-ram, and the hoards gave way. Though many of the
aggressors tied across the fields, he was enabled, with the aid of the military, to apprehend twenty-six of the ringleaders, who were brought to Birkenhead on the same night. They were exandued yesterday, before Mr. Case. Sixteen of them were committed for trial at the Sessions, to commence on Monday next at linutshind : the remainder were summarily dealt with, by being fined or held to bail. It is to the credit of the military and the constabulary of Birkenhead, that none of the prisoners were hurt in their capture, though three of Mr. Palmer's men were much beaten in the cottages before the military Mlle up."
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