A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis Part 53

A Superintending Police would, in many instances, correct the want of intelligence, which is apparent, and enlighten the local Managers in such a manner, as not only to promote objects of oeconomy, calculated to abridge and keep within bounds an enormous and growing expence, but also to suggest improvements by which it might be reduced, and many solid advantages be acquired by the Community.

It is impossible to examine, with the mind of a man of business, the various Establishments which have become necessary for promoting the comfort and convenience of great Societies, without lamenting, in many instances, the unnecessary waste that prevails, and the confusion and irregularity which often ensue, merely for want of system, judgment, and knowledge of the subject.

Various, indeed, are the evils and disorders which Time engenders, in every thing connected with the affairs of civil Society, requiring a constant and uniform attention, _increasing, as the pressures increase_, for the purpose of keeping them within bounds; that as much happiness and comfort may be extended to the People as can possibly arise from a well-regulated and energetic Police, conducted with purity, zeal, and intelligence.

We are arrived at an epoch full of difficulties and dangers, producing wonderful events, and still pregnant with consequences, in their nature, stretching beyond the usual course of human conjecture, where it is impossible to judge of the ultimate issue.

Under such circ.u.mstances, it becomes, more than ever, necessary to make prudent arrangements for the general safety, for amending the morals, and promoting the happiness of the People; by improved Laws, extending protection to all, and correcting those evils, which are felt as a burden upon the Community.

CHAP. XX.

_A summary View of the Evils detailed in the preceding Chapters.--The great opulence and extensive Trade of the Metropolis a.s.signed as a Cause of the increase and multiplication of Crimes, and of the great extent of the Depredations which are committed.--Arguments in favour of a more energetic Police as the only means of remedying those Evils.--A wide Field opened to Men of Virtue and Talents to do good.--A general View of the estimated Depredations annually in the Metropolis and its Vicinity, amounting in all to Two Millions Sterling.--General Observations and Reflections an the strong Features of degraded Humanity, which this Summary of Turpitude exhibits.--Observations on the further Evils arising from the deficiency of the System with respect to Officers of Justice.--The want of a Prosecutor for the Crown, and the inadequacy of Punishments.--A View of the Remedies proposed--1st. With respect to the Corruption of Morals.--2d. The means of preventing Crimes in general.--3d. Offences committed on the River Thames.--4th. Offences in the Public a.r.s.enals and s.h.i.+ps of War.--5th. Counterfeiting Money and fabricating Bank Notes; 6th. Punishments.--7th. Further advantages of an improved System of Police.--Concluding Reflections._

In taking a summary view of the various evils and remedies, which have been detailed in this Work, it may be right, previously to apprize the Reader, that in contemplating the extent and magnitude of the aggregate depredations, which are presumed to be committed in the course of a year, it is necessary to measure them _by a scale proportioned to the unparalleled amount of moving property exposed in transit in this great Metropolis_, as well as the vast and unexampled increase of this property, within the last half century; during which period there has certainly been an acc.u.mulation of not less than two-thirds, in commerce as well as in manufactures.

It has not, perhaps, generally attracted notice, that, besides being the Seat of the _Government_--_of the Law_,--_Learning_, and the _Fine Arts_,--the resort of the n.o.bility and the Opulent from every part of the British Empire, however distant; LONDON, from being a great _depot_ for all the manufactures of the country, and also the goods of foreign nations as well as East India and colonial produce, is not only the first Commercial City at present existing, but is also one of the greatest and most extensive Manufacturing Towns, perhaps in the World; combining in one spot every attribute that can occasion an a.s.semblage of moving property, unparalleled in point of extent, magnitude, and value in the whole Globe.--From the abstract of Imports and Exports in _page_ 215 of this Work, it appears that above 13,000 vessels,[187] including their repeated voyages, arrive at, and depart from, the Port of London, with merchandize, in the course of a year; besides a vast number of river craft, employed in the trade of the interior country, bringing and carrying away property, estimated at above _Seventy Millions Sterling_.[188]

[Footnote 187: See Table in page 215.]

[Footnote 188: See page 216.]

In addition to this, it is calculated, that above 40,000 waggons and other carriages, including their repeated journies, arrive and depart laden, in both instances, with articles of domestic, colonial, East India and foreign merchandize; occasioning a transit of perhaps (when cattle, grain, and provisions sent for the consumption of the inhabitants, are included) _Fifty Millions more_. If we take into the account the vast quant.i.ty of merchandize and moveable property of every species deposited in the various _maritime magazines_, _timber-yards_, _piece-goods' warehouses_, _shops_, _manufactories_, _store-houses_, _public markets_, _dwelling-houses_, _inns_, _new buildings_, and _other repositories_, and which pa.s.s from one place to another, it will establish a foundation for supposing that, in this way, property to the amount of _Fifty Millions_ more at least, is annually exposed to depredation; making a Sum of _One Hundred and Seventy Millions_; independent of the moving articles in s.h.i.+ps of war and transports, and in the different a.r.s.enals, Dock-yards, and Repositories in the Tower of London, and at Deptford, Woolwich, Sheerness, and various smaller magazines, in the daily course of being received and sent away, supposed to amount to _Thirty Millions_ more; making in the whole an aggregate sum of _Two Hundred Millions_. Thus an immense property becomes exceedingly exposed, in all the various ways already explained in the course of this Work; and the _estimated_ amount of the _annual depredations_ hereafter enumerated under these respective heads will cease to be a matter of surprise, if measured by the enormous scale of property above particularized. Although it is supposed to amount to about _Two Millions_ sterling, it sinks to a trifle, in contemplating the magnitude of the capital, _scarcely reaching one per cent. on the value of property pa.s.sing in transit in the course of a year_.

It is not, therefore, so much the actual loss that is sustained (great as it certainly is) which is to be deplored _as the mischief which arises from the destruction of the morals of so numerous a body of people; who must be directly or collaterally engaged in perpetrating smaller offences, and in fraudulent and criminal pursuits_.

This, in a political point of view, is a consideration of a very serious and alarming nature, infinitely worse in its consequences than even those depredations which arise from acts of violence committed by more atrocious offenders; the numbers of which latter have been shewn to be small, in comparison with other delinquents, and not to have increased in any material degree for the last 50 years; while _inferior thefts, river-plunder, pillage, embezzlement, and frauds, in respect to public property, coining base money, forgeries under various ramifications, cheating by means of swindling and other criminal practices, and purchasing and dealing in stolen goods_, have advanced in a degree, commensurate to the great and rapid influx of wealth, which has arisen from the vast increase of the commerce and manufactures of the Country, and the general acc.u.mulation of property by British subjects in the East and West Indies, and in foreign Countries.

The evils, therefore, are the more prominent, as they have become so exceedingly diffused; and implicate in criminality numerous individuals, of whom a very large proportion were formerly untainted with any of that species of Delinquency, which now renders them, (for their own sakes--for the benefit of their families--and for the interest of public morals,) objects of peculiar attention on the part of the Legislature, as well as the Police of the Country.

The habits they have acquired are, doubtless, very alarming, as in the destruction of their own morals, they also destroy those of the rising generation; and still more so, as the existing Laws, and the present System of Police, have been found so totally inadequate to the Object of Prevention.

Indeed it is but too evident, that nothing useful can be effected without a variety of Regulations, such as have been suggested in different parts of this Work. It is not, however, by the adoption of any one _remedy_ singly applied, or applied by piece-meal, but by a combination of the whole Legislative _Powers_, _Regulations_, _Establishments_, and _superintending Agencies_ already suggested, (and particularly by those recommended by the Select Committee of the House of Commons _which may be considered as the Ground Work_) that Crimes are, in any degree, to be prevented, or kept in check. And it is not to be expected, that such Remedies can be either complete or effectual, unless there be a sufficient Fund appropriated for the purpose of giving vigour and energy to the General System.

The object is of such astonis.h.i.+ng magnitude, and the abuses which are meant to be corrected, are of so much consequence to the _State_, as well as to the _Individual_, and the danger of a progressive increase is so evidently well established by experience, that it is impossible to look at that subject with indifference, when once it is developed and understood.

It opens a wide field for doing good, to men of virtue, talents, and abilities, who love their Country, and glory in its prosperity. Such men will speedily perceive, that this prosperity can only be of short duration,--if public morals are neglected,--if no check is given to the growing depravity which prevails, and if measures are not adopted to guard the rising generation against the evil examples to which they are exposed.

Philanthropists will also, in this volume, find abundant scope for the exercise of that benevolence, and those efforts in the cause of humanity, which occupy their attention, and const.i.tute their chief pleasure.--It is earnestly to be hoped, that it may produce an universal desire to attain those objects, which are shewn to be so immediately connected with the Public good.

For the purpose of elucidating, in some degree, the dreadful effect of the profligacy and wickedness, which have been opened to the view of the Reader, and occasioned the perpetration of Crimes and offences of every species and denomination, the following Estimate has been made up from information derived through a variety of different channels.--It exhibits at one view, the supposed aggregate amount of the various depredations committed in the Metropolis and its environs, in the course of a year.

The intelligent reader will perceive at once, that in the nature of things, such a calculation cannot be perfectly accurate; because there are no precise data upon which it may be formed; but if it approaches in any degree near the truth, (and the Author has discovered nothing in the course of four years to alter the opinion he originally formed in any material degree,) it will fully answer the purpose intended; by affording many useful and important hints favourable to those improvements which are felt to be necessary by all; though till of late, understood by very few.

It is introduced also (merely as a calculation) for the purpose of arresting the attention of the Public, in a greater degree, and of directing it not only to inquiries similar to those upon which the Author has formed his conjectures; but also to the means of procuring those improvements in the Laws, and in the System of the Police, which have become so indispensably necessary for the security of every individual possessing property in this great Metropolis.

AN ESTIMATE _of the Annual Amount and Value of the Depredations committed on Public and Private Property in the Metropolis and its Vicinity_, IN ONE YEAR. _Specifying the Nature of such Depredations under Six different Heads, viz:--_

1. _Small Thefts_, committed in a little way by _menial Servants, Chimney-Sweepers, Dustmen, Porters, Apprentices, Journeymen, Stable Boys, Itinerant Jews, and others_, from _Dwelling-Houses, Stables, Out-Houses, Warehouses, Shops, Founderies, Workshops, New Buildings, Public Houses_, and in short every other place where property is deposited; which may be specifically estimated and subdivided as follows:

_Tons._ .

Articles new and old, of iron and steel 5000 100,000

bra.s.s 1500 150,000

copper 1000 120,000

lead 2500 50,000

pewter, solder, and tin 300 35,000

Pewter pots, stolen from 5204 Publicans 500 55,000[189]

Small articles of plate, china, gla.s.s ware, sadlery, harness, and other portable articles of house and table furniture, books, tea, sugar, soap, candles, liquors, &c. &c. &c. 100,000

Piece-Goods from shops and warehouses, by servants, porters, &c. 50,000

Wearing apparel, bed and table linen, &c. 40,000

Silk, cotton, and worsted yarn, embezzled by Winders and others in Spitalfields, &c. formerly 20,000_l._ a year, now supposed to be 10,000 ------ .710,000

2. _Thefts upon the River and Quays_, committed in a little way on board s.h.i.+ps in the River Thames, whilst discharging their cargoes; and afterwards upon the Wharfs, Quays, and Warehouses, when the same are landing, weighing, and storing; by glutmen, lumpers, jobbers, labourers, porters, lightermen, boys called mudlarks, and others employed, or lurking about for plunder, _viz._

Raw sugars, rum, coffee, chocolate, pimento, ginger, cotton, dying woods, and every other article of West-India produce, estimated at the commencement of the Marine Police Establishment at 232,000_l._ a year; but now reduced to 50,000

East-India goods, and merchandize from Africa, the Mediterranean, America, the Baltic, the Continent of Europe, coasting trade, &c. &c.

274,000_l._ now reduced by the Marine Police Inst.i.tution to 155,000

s.h.i.+p stores and tackling, including cordage, sails, tar, pitch, tallow, provisions, &c. taken from above 10,000 different vessels, estimated at 100,000_l._ but now reduced since the Establishment of the Marine Police, according to Estimate, to 45,000 ------- .250,000

3. _Thefts and Frauds_ committed in his Majesty's Dock-yards and other public Repositories, situated on the River Thames; including the plunder, pillage, and frauds, by which public property (exclusive of metals) is embezzled in the said stores, and from s.h.i.+ps of war. (Besides the frauds, plunder and pillage, in the Dock-yards, and from s.h.i.+ps of war at Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, &c. at all times enormous, but especially in time of war; when public property is unavoidably most exposed, equal at least to 700,000_l._ a year more:) making in all, one million sterling, at least; but reduced by the Marine Police from 300,000_l._ to 200,000

4. _Depredations_ committed by means of burglaries, highway robberies, and other more atrocious thefts, viz.

1. Burglaries by Housebreakers, in plate, and other articles 100,000

2. Highway Robberies, in money, watches, bank-notes, &c. 55,000

3. Private stealing, and picking of pockets, &c. 25,000

4. Stealing horses, cattle, sheep, poultry, corn, provender, potatoes, turnips, vegetables, fruit, &c. in London and the Vicinity 100,000 ------- .280,000

5. _Frauds_ by the coinage and recolouring of base money, counterfeited of the similitude of the current gold, silver and copper coin of the Realm 310,000