canal from Manchester to Ashton-under-Lyne, with a branch from Fairfield to Hollinwood, near Oldham; and in 1794 an act was passed authorising the construction of the Rochdale canal, from Manchester to Sowerby bridge, passing in its course through Chadderton, two miles to the west of Oldham. Though both these navi- gations are distant more than a mile from the town of Oldham, they have tended to enrich and improve the district.

The French having threatened an invasion as early as 1794, the volunteer system was resorted to, and in no part of the country did the patriotic flame glow with more ardour than at Oldham. The excitement, however, passed away for a time; but the alarm being renewed in 1798, two bodies of volunteer soldiery were raised here in April in that year, in common with other towns. The command of the horse company was entrusted to Mr. Ralph Kershaw, of Copster hill.

The return of a season of scarcity, caused by the failure to an alarming extent of the corn crops of 1799, produced considerable discontent throughout the country; and on the 28th of October, in that year, a large assemblage of the people went round to the provision dealers in Oldham, and threatened that if they did not reduce the prices of flour and meal, they would themselves sell it at lower prices. As these denunciations proved unavailing, the mob re-assembled on the 31st of the same month and instantly took forcible possession of all the flour and meal they could lay hold of, and sold the former at 2s., and the latter at ls. 6d. per peck, handing the cash at the conclusion of the sales to the shopkeepers. These outrages were renewed on the succeeding day, when eight loads of flour on its way from Saddleworth to Oldham were seized, and retailed on the road at the prices of the previous day. During the following December, a great number of the poor were relieved by the distribution of beef and potatoes, which were sold at

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