The Report of the Committee of Inquiry directed to investi-
gate the circumstances attending the military suppression of the riot at Featherstone on September 7th, completely exonerates the authorities. The Committee, which contained the strong Radical, Mr. Haldane, as well as Lord Justice Bowen and Sir A. Roffit, declare that the Ackton Hall Colliery was in the kind of danger which justifies soldiers in firing, and, indeed, compels them to fire, not to do so being a legal misdemeanour; that all care and skill were exercised ; and that the firing being legal, the death of the innocent, if any inno- cent man died, must be accounted accidental. The Committee further describe the state of the law with great lucidity, the essence of their remarks being that soldiers have precisely the right and duty to prevent riot which other people have; that the Riot Act only makes the refusal to disperse within one hour a felony ; and that the presence of a Magis- trate, though highly advisable, is not legally essential. They add a suggestion which is, we think, a little weak, that it might be useful when soldiers are firing on crowds to use a weapon less formidable than the modern rifle. That is Mr. Forster's buckshot plan, and has this evil effect, that in diminishing the danger of death it diminishes that panic of the mob which it is the truest mercy to create. it is because the modern soldier is irresistible, that in a collision between soldiers and civilians so few lives are usually taken. The Peterloo massacre was the work of yeomanry using sabres.
