A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis Part 14

"7. That a reward, not exceeding .50 be paid to any person employed as a clerk or servant in any illegal Lottery Office, who shall be the means of convicting the actual or princ.i.p.al proprietor or proprietors of the said office, who shall not appear themselves in the management; also a sum not exceeding .40 on conviction of a known and acting proprietor; and a sum not exceeding .10 on conviction of any clerk or manager, not being partners.

"8. That the punishment to be inflicted on offenders shall be fine, imprisonment, or the pillory; according to the atrocity of the offence, in the discretion of the Court before which such offenders shall be tried."

The following Plans have also been transmitted to the Author by Correspondents who appear to be well-wishers to Society. They are here made public, in hopes that from the whole of the suggestions thus offered, some regulations may ultimately be adopted by the Legislature towards effectually remedying this peculiarly dangerous and still-increasing evil.

PLAN I.

"It is proposed, that the _Prizes only_ should be drawn, and that Seven Hours and a Half per Day should be the time of drawing, instead of Five Hours, by which means a lottery of the same number of tickets now drawn in thirty-five days, would be drawn in seven days and a half; and each adventurer would have exactly the same chance as he has by the present mode of drawing; since it is evidently of no consequence to him whether all the blanks remain in the Number Wheel undrawn, or an equal number of Blanks are drawn from a blank and prize wheel; the chance of blank or prize on _each ticket_ being in either case exactly the same.

"According to the usual mode of drawing, 50,000 tickets take about thirty-five days in drawing, which is 1,420-6/7 per day.--By increasing the time of each day's drawing, from five hours to seven and a half, 2,131 tickets would be drawn each day; but as the reading prizes above .20 _thrice_, causes some little delay, I reckon only 2000 per day; at which rate 15,000 tickets, the usual proportion of prizes in a Lottery of 50,000 tickets, would be drawn in seven days and a half. Thus the _Period_ of Insurance would be nearly reduced to one-fifth part of its present duration, and the _daily_ insurance on _Blanks_, and _Blank and Prize_, which opens the most extensive field for gambling, would be _entirely abolished_. Reducing, therefore, the time of Insurance to one-fifth, and the numbers drawn to less than one-third of what they have hitherto been, there could scarce remain in Lotteries thus drawn, one-fifteenth part of the insurance as in former Lotteries of an equal number of Tickets.--It is also worthy of remark, that as all the late Lotteries have been thirty-five days at least in drawing, the Insurance Offices had thirty-four to one in their favour the first day, by which circ.u.mstance they were enabled to tempt chiefly that cla.s.s of people who can only gamble on the lowest terms, and to whom gambling is most extensively pernicious, with a very moderate premium, (_e.g._ about twelve s.h.i.+llings to return twenty pounds) which increases daily by almost imperceptible degrees, and thus insensibly leads them on to misery, desperation, and guilt.

"But in the proposed Plan, the Insurance Offices would have only six days and a half to one in their favour the first day; so that they must begin with a much higher premium than the generality of the common people can advance, which premium must each day be very considerably increased.--These considerations would undoubtedly operate as an absolute prohibition, on far the greatest part of Lottery Insurers; beside which, the great probability of numbers insured being drawn each day, would deter even the Office Keepers from venturing to insure so deeply, or extensively, as they have been accustomed to do.

"Should it be objected, that if Insurance is thus abridged, or prohibited, tickets will not sell, and the Lottery, as a source of Revenue, must be abandoned: the following expedient may, it is apprehended, effectually obviate such an objection.--

"Let Tickets, which cannot now be legally divided below a sixteenth, be divisible down to a _Sixty-fourth_ share, properly stamped; which regulation, while it would greatly benefit and encourage Licensed Offices, would equally discountenance illegal Gamblers; and whilst it permitted to the lower orders of the Community a fair chance of an adventure in the Lottery on moderate terms, would co-operate with the restrictions on Insurance to advance the intrinsic value, as well as the price of tickets, which every illegal _Scheme_ evidently tends to depreciate."

The preceding Plan appeared in the Appendix to the fifth edition of this Treatise; in consequence of which the Author received the following observations and which therefore he presents as--

PLAN II.

"The Suggestions as far as they extend and relate to the shortening the duration of the drawing are highly useful, but they fall short of the object, and the Plan, if executed, would nearly prevent the sale of tickets, and totally so that of shares, and consequently abolish Lotteries altogether;--a consummation devoutly to be wished by every friend to the public, but under the pecuniary influences, which perhaps too much affect political considerations, little to be expected.

"It will be necessary to exhibit only a plain Statement of the proportionate chances in the wheel during the 7-1/2 days of drawing on the Scheme of 50,000 Tickets, viz.--

_Prizes._ _Blanks._

1st. Day 15,000 to 35,000 2-1/3 to a Prize 2d. --- 13,000 -- 35,000 3d. --- 11,000 -- 35,000 4th. --- 9,000 -- 35,000 5th. --- 7,000 -- 35,000 6th. --- 5,000 -- 35,000 7th. --- 3,000 -- 35,000 last. --- 1,000 -- 35,000 35 to a Prize.

"Hence it is evident, that on supposition the value of the Prizes diminish by an equal ratio, every day of drawing, still the actual value of the Prizes in proportion to the permanent number of the Blanks will be diminished by the relative proportion increasing at the rate of about 4666 Blanks every day after the first. Consequently it must follow, that the premiums of insurance, as well as the price of Shares and Tickets, instead of acquiring in their value _a very considerable increase_, must be subject to a very considerable diminution.

"To maintain the foregoing Plan, No. I. which is a good ground-work for lessening the evil, I take the liberty (says my Correspondent) of suggesting the following improvement.

"After the Prizes are drawn each day, let the proportion of the Blanks, namely, 4666 be drawn also. Let there be a suspension likewise of five or seven days between each drawing for the sale of Tickets and Shares, and to give time for insurance. It may be objected, that the time being thus prolonged the inconvenience will remain the same; to avoid which, the blank numbers so drawn, must be done secretly and sealed up by the Commissioners, or, they may be drawn openly but not unfolded or declared, and if necessary, made public after the drawing; by which means the insurance against Blanks or Blank and Prize will be equally abolished."

PLAN III.

"The Evils of a Lottery are many.--The Advantages might, if well regulated, be as numerous. According to the Schemes that have hitherto prevailed the _principle_ has been wrong. Since the bait held out has been the obtaining of an immense fortune, and the risk has been proportionably great--Insurance has reigned unchecked by all penalties and punishments that could be devised to the ruin and misery of thousands. The price of tickets has been fluctuating, and fortunes have been won and lost on the chance of the great Prizes keeping in the Wheel: the .20 prizes have always proved dissatisfactory, as though there are only 2-1/2 prizes _on an average_ to a blank, yet such is the uncertainty, that many have scores of tickets without obtaining the proportionate advantage even from these low prizes. It is thought, therefore, that a scheme which should offer considerably more chances for prizes of and above .50, and which should ensure a return on all blanks, would be acceptable. If also it could be made to prevent insuring of tickets and capitals, it seems to be the grand desideratum in this branch of financeering.

"The principle on which these benefits may be obtained is this. There should be a considerable number of moderate prizes, such as might be fortunes, if obtained by the inferior ranks, and of consequence sufficient to answer the risk of the rich. The tickets to be drawn each day should be previously specified which may be done by appropriating a certain share of the prizes to a certain number of tickets. All the tickets not drawn prizes of .50 or upwards shall be ent.i.tled to a certain return, which would be superior to a chance for a .20 prize.

"SCHEME.

_Number of Prizes._ _Value of each._ _Total Value._ . .

25 5,000 125,000 25 1,000 25,000 100 500 50,000 250 100 25,000 600 50 30,000 ----- ------- 1,000 255,000 49,000--.5 returned on each. 245,000 ------ ------- 50,000 Tickets. 500,000

"SCHEME OF DRAWING.

"Let 2000 Tickets from No. 1, to 1999 inclusive, (with Number 50,000) be put into a Wheel the first day, and proceed in the same manner numerically for 25 days. In the other Wheel, each day let there be put the following proportion of Prizes, viz.

1 5000 5000 1 1000 1000 4 500 2000 10 100 1000 24 50 1200 ---- ------ 40 10,200 1960.--.5 to be returned on each. 9800 ---- ------ 2000 Tickets 20,000

"In Lotteries where the lowest prizes have been of .20 the blanks have been the proportion of 2-1/2 to a prize. If therefore a person had seven tickets they were ent.i.tled to expect only two .20 prizes or .40. In this, however, they were frequently disappointed, and their chance for a prize of .50 or upwards has been as about 200 to 50,000.

By the above Scheme, if a person has seven tickets they are sure of a return of .35, and have the chance of 40 to 2000, or 1000 to 50,000 for a superior prize. The certainty of the numbers and the prizes to be drawn each day would prevent insurance on those events, and every ticket being a prize there could be no insurance against blanks.

"In fact, the Lottery might be drawn in one day,--thus: Let there be twenty-five bags containing each 2000 numbers, either promiscuously chosen or of stated thousands. Let there be also 25 bags each containing the 40 prizes above appropriated to each day's drawing. Let the Commissioners empty one bag of numbers and one of prizes into two wheels. Let them draw 40 numbers out of the Number Wheel, and the 40 prizes out of the other. The remaining 1960 numbers to be ent.i.tled to .5 each.--Then let them proceed with other 2000 numbers in the same way."

At all events, whether these Plans for reforming this enormous evil, are or are not superior to others which have been devised, it is clear to demonstration, that the present System is founded on a principle not less erroneous than mischievous; and, therefore, it cannot too soon be abandoned; especially since it would appear that the Revenue it produces might be preserved, with the incalculable advantage to the nation of preserving, at the same time, the morals of the people, and turning into a course of industry and usefulness the labour of many thousand individuals, who, instead of being, as at present, pests in Society, might be rendered useful members of the State.

CHAP. VII.

_The Frauds arising from the manufacture and circulation of base Money:--The Causes of its enormous increase of late years.--The different kinds of false Coin detailed:--The Process in fabricating each species explained:--The immense Profits arising therefrom:--The extensive Trade in sending base Coin to the Country.--Its universal Circulation in the Metropolis.--The great Grievance arising from it to Brewers, Distillers, Grocers, and Retail Dealers, in particular, as well as the Labouring Poor in general.--The princ.i.p.al Channels through which it is uttered in the Country and in the Metropolis.--Counterfeit foreign Money extremely productive to the dealers.--A summary View of the Causes of the mischief.--The Defects in the present Laws explained:--And a Detail of the Remedies proposed to be provided by the Legislature._

The frauds committed by the fabrication of base Money, and by the nefarious practices, in the introduction of almost every species of Counterfeit Coin into the circulation of the Country, are next to be discussed.

The great outlines of this enormous evil having been stated in the first Chapter, it now remains to elucidate that part of the subject which is connected with _specific detail_.

One of the greatest sources of these multiplied and increasing frauds is to be traced to the various ingenious improvements which have taken place of late years, at Birmingham, and other manufacturing towns, in mixing metals, and in stamping and _colouring_ ornamental b.u.t.tons.

The same ingenious process is so easily applied to the coinage and colouring of false money, and also to the mixing of the metals of which it is composed, that it is not to be wondered at, that the avarice of man, urged by the prospect of immense profit, has occasioned that vast increase of counterfeit money of every description, with which the Country is at present deluged.

The false coinages which have been introduced into circulation, of late years, are _Guineas, Half-Guineas and Seven s.h.i.+lling Pieces, Crowns and Half-Crowns, s.h.i.+llings, Sixpences, Pence, Halfpence, and Farthings_, of the similitude of the coin of the realm: of foreign coin, _Half Johannas, Louis d'ors, Spanish Dollars, French Half-Crowns, s.h.i.+llings and Sixpences, 30 Sol pieces, Prussian and Danish Silver money, and other continental coins_; to which may be added, _Sequins of Turkey, and PaG.o.das of India_. These foreign coins except in the instance of the _Spanish Dollars_[43] issued by the Bank of England in 1797, have generally been sold as articles of commerce for the purpose of being fraudulently circulated in the British Colonies or in Foreign Countries.

[Footnote 43: The circulation of stamped Spanish Dollars, in 1797, gave rise to a very extensive coinage of counterfeit money of the same species, which was generally executed in a very masterly manner, and before the fraud was discovered vast quant.i.ties were in the hands of many innocent members of the community. Several detections, however, having checked the circulation, and silver bullion having fallen greatly in price, those who were in the habit of dealing in base money availing themselves of this circ.u.mstance, purchased Dollars in great quant.i.ties at about 4_s._. 2_d._ which they instantly stamped and circulated at 4_s._ 9_d._ and by which species of villainy large sums of money were suddenly ama.s.sed.--One dealer in particular is said to have made above .5000 in six weeks. The Laws attaching no punishment to this unforeseen offence, and the Author representing the circ.u.mstances of the case to the Bank Directors, the whole were called in, leaving, however, in the hands of the dealers a large surplus of actual counterfeits,--which appears to have suggested to them the expedient of finding a market in the British American Colonies and the United States, where, in general, frauds are less likely to be detected from the payments being made (particularly in the West India islands) in dollars put up in bags containing a certain value in each.

However, they were fortunately defeated in this object by the timely notice given, by the Author of this Treatise, to his Majesty's Secretary of State, and the American Minister, and through these respectable mediums commercial people were put upon their guard before the intended fraud could be carried into effect.]

So dexterous and skilful have Coiners now become, that by mixing a certain proportion of pure gold with a compound of base metal, they can fabricate guineas that shall be full weight, and of such perfect workmans.h.i.+p as to elude a discovery, except by persons of skill; while the intrinsic value does not exceed thirteen or fourteen s.h.i.+llings, and in some instances is not more than eight or nine. Of this coinage considerable quant.i.ties were circulated some years since, bearing the impression of George the Second: and another coinage of counterfeit guineas of the year 1793, bearing the impression of his present Majesty, has been for some years in circulation, finished in a masterly manner, and nearly full weight, although the intrinsic value is not above eight s.h.i.+llings: half guineas are also in circulation of the same coinage: and lately a good imitation of the seven-s.h.i.+lling pieces. But as the fabrication of such coin requires a greater degree of skill and ingenuity than generally prevails, and also a greater capital than most coiners are able to command, it is to be hoped it has gone to no great extent; for amidst all the abuses which have prevailed of late years, it is unquestionably true, that the guineas and half-guineas which have been counterfeited in a style to elude detection, have borne no proportion in point of extent to the coinage of base _Silver_. Of this latter there are _five_ different kinds at present counterfeited; and which we shall proceed to enumerate.

_The first of these are denominated_ Flats, from the circ.u.mstance of this species of money being cut out of flatted plates, composed of a mixture of silver and blanched copper. The proportion of silver runs from one-fourth to one-third, and in some instances to even one-half: the metals are mixed by a chemical preparation, and afterwards rolled by flatting mills, into the thickness of _s.h.i.+llings_, _half-crowns_, or _crowns_, according to the desire of the parties who bring the copper and silver, which last is generally stolen plate. It is not known that there are at present above one or two rolling mills in London, although there are several in the Country, where all the dealers and coiners of this species of base money resort, for the purpose of having these plates prepared; from which, when finished, _blanks_ or round pieces are cut out, of the sizes of the money meant to be counterfeited.

The artisans who stamp or coin these blanks into base money are seldom interested themselves. They generally work as mechanics for the large dealers who employ a capital in the trade;--and who furnish the plates, and pay about eight per cent. for the coinage, being at the rate of one penny for each s.h.i.+lling, and twopence-halfpenny for each half-crown.

This operation consists first in turning the blanks in a lathe;--then stamping them, by means of a press, with dies of the exact impression of the coin intended to be imitated:--they are afterwards rubbed with sandpaper and cork; then put into aquafortis to bring the silver to the surface; then rubbed with common salt; then with cream of tartar; then warmed in a shovel or similar machine before the fire; and last of all rubbed with _blacking_, to give the money the appearance of having been in circulation.

All these operations are so quickly performed, that two persons (a man and his wife for instance,) can completely finish to the nominal amount of fifty pounds in s.h.i.+llings and half-crowns in two days, by which they will earn each two guineas a day.