as followed
by complete discomfiture: before the troops came up the ringleaders
escaped, and by midnight quiet again reigned. The morning, however,
showed a dismal scene of devastation: besides the premises which
were consumed by fire, nearly twenty shops were destroyed; and it was
reckoned that L40,000 would not cover the damages.

In consequence of these lamentable occurrences, and the excited state
of the northern districts of the kingdom, on the 22nd of July, Lord John
Russell announced his intention of taking the requisite precautions for
securing the tranquillity of the country, by placing at the hands of the
magistrates a better organized constitutional force for putting the law
into execution, and providing sufficient military means for supporting
them in the performance of their duty. On the next evening he moved
a resolution to authorize the treasury to advance L10.000 out of the
consolidated fund, for the purpose of establishing an efficient police
force at Birmingham, which was to be repaid out of the rates to be
levied on the said town. In explanation of this resolution, his
lordship stated, that there were difficulties in the way of an immediate
organization of such a force on account of the excited state of
Birmingham, and from the question lately raised in Manchester, with
regard to the corporation, whether the municipal body of Birmingham
had the power to impose a rate for the establishment of a police. Under
these circumstances he proposed that the state should interfere so far
as to advance certain funds, to be repaid by the town. This would not
be a vote of supply, but a vote forming the foundation of a bill which
should provide for the recovery of the money by a rate on the borough,
to be imposed by an act of parliament, and, therefore, irrespective of
the authority of the corporation. This resolution was carried, and a
bill was brought in, which became law. Similar bills, with the exception
of the advance of funds from the treasury, were subsequently applied to
Manchester and Bolton, to remain in force until the power of the civil
functionaries to raise a rate should be determined. A bill was also
passed, with the same intention, to enlarge the powers of the justices
of the peace for appointing county and district constables, and charging
their support upon the districts to which they might be nominated. This
measure, however, was not intended to be imperative; but justices in
quarter-sessions were