Folios 116-117. A letter sent by E W Foster, Hill House, Andover, [Hampshire], commenting...

Folios 116-117. A letter sent by E W Foster, Hill House, Andover, [Hampshire], commenting on the situations in the local area, which he says has been '...fraught with such fearful consequences.' He reports that the peasantry are not only demanding higher wages and damaging machinery, but they are now also gathering in large groups and going to 'private' houses and extorting money. He notes that many local people do understand plights of the poor and sympathise, but they are alarmed and fearful of the large forces of rioters or 'vagrants'.

He continues that the lack of civil force action is appalling and, when rioters poured into the town on Saturday, the authorities dared not show themselves. He reports that a squadron of Lancers arrived on Monday and that they seemed to restore order. He adds that he thinks it a sad state of affairs when the military has to be brought in, and relays fears that this bodes ill for the future security of towns in the event of further uprisings. He proposes that the Yeomanry troops should be reorganised and he closes '...it is fervently hoped and trusted, that, in order to strike consternation into the hearts of the Insurgents, the law will be put into force with... terror and severity'.