FIGHTING IN LIVERPOOL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1206, 15 August 1911, Page 5

FIGHTING IN LIVERPOOL.

2Jy Tele crash--Press Association— CoDyTleM (Rec. August 14, 10-.40 p.m.) London, August 14. A series of extraordinary disturbances has taken place in Liverpool. Fifty thousand men attended a trade union rally organised by the National Transport Workers' Federation at St. George's Plateau, an the centre of Liverpool. The police sought to remove some youths from a dangerous position oil a windowsill, ,and this spark started a riot lasting through the afternoon, and well into the night. Ugly rushes were made on the police, who were in small force and wore unable to clear Limo Street. The constables were obliged to take refugo behind the iron gates of the Great Lime Street Rail'way Station. The mob resisted the constables' baton charges with sticks, stones, bottles, and bolts. After more hand-to-hand fighting the mob stormed tho station, and burst in. too gates, and demolished a neighbouring hoarding for weapons. The railway staff kept tho rioters at bay with the fire hose until tho police were reinforced. . The inob then attacked the reinforcements with renewed energy. The Riot Act was read. Detachments of the Scots Greys and the Warwickshire Regiment appeared, and the police again chargcd. Scores of men fell under the constables' truncheons. Bricks and bottles meanwhile flew in showers. The injured police were carried away in ambulances. The rear of Lime Street resembled a shambles. When St. George's Square was cleared tho rioters reassembled in the Islington district-, where they erected barricades and lit fires in the street to impede the mounted police. Rioters on the house-tops rained bricks and tiles 011 the police, and they also attacked firemen who were quenching o supposed incendiary lire. The hotels in the strike area were closed, and tho hooligans retaliated by smashing the windows of shops and hotels. A van containing ginger beer was seized and the bottles used for ammunition. A hundred and fifty civilians and forty police wore treated at tho hospitals after first aid had been rendered at the Limo Street Station, which was converted into a field hospital. There were many cases of broken limbs and ugly head wounds. One policeman's jaw was smashed' by a bottle, and another will probably lose a leg. ' Tho Superintendent of Bolton is critically injured. Guerilla warfare continues in many of tho city thoroughfares. ■ ■ : MILITARY RULE. TROOPS ASSIST MERCHANTS. London, August 13. Virtually military rule prevails in Liverpool. Large quantities of provisions which were blocked at Edge Hill Station were released by the military. Hundreds of lorries, many of them driven by tho merchants themselves, were escorted by tho Scots Greys and the Warwickshire Regiment, and obtained possession of the produce. The strikers made no demonstration. "SEETHING WITH UNREST." GENERAL RAILWAY STRIKE FEARED. MORE DEMANDS BY THE MEN. (Rcc. August 14, 9.10 p.m.) London, August 14. The railwaymen are seething with unrest. Tho storm centre at present is Manchester, where a' general railway strike is threatened to-night, unless the men's demands aro granted. The goods shed employees and carters of the Great Western Railway Company at Bristol have resolved to strike for higher wages and a revision of hours. The Leeds men will next Sunday consider a general strike. The Great Central Company's engineers demaud 'an all-round rise of four shillings weekly. 'Otherwise they will strike. Two thousand London railwaymen decided to strike on Saturday unless a settlement is effected. SITUATION GRAVE. EIGHT THOUSAND MEN STOP WORK. London, August 13. The situation at Manchester is grave. Eight thousand goods railway men have

THOUSANDS ON RIOT IN THE CITY. POLICE SEEK REFUGE. MOB STORMS RAILWAY STATION.

ceased work, and five hundred porters and cleaners struck to-day. The men have no particular grievance, but are acting in sympathy with the Liverpool men. Tho butchers are closing their shops, owing to a meat famine. Tho cotton industry' is seriously affected.