The Express.
London, England, 1852-10-29 00:00:00

CRIME IN FRANCE.

Tho Momiteur pUbllalltsis as report on the adminis-
tration of ericninal justice in France., addressed to the
Prince President by the Minister of Justice, together with
a mats of criminal statistics. But instead of being confined
as heretofore to a recapitulation of the crime. and offences
committed in a particular year then documents are so
drawn up as to represent the results of en entire quarter of
&century. The following are the moat striking features of this
publication —T h e number ofprocis rerba us, and complaints
of all kinds, addressed to the prusecuton averaged 111,181
annually in the period from 181'8 to 18.10; but it increased to
225,082 a year in the period from 1815 to 18 i 0; und in these
totals offences against the forest, customs, and excise laws.
and those of what are called the simple police are nut
included. It is, however, to be remarked that no prosecu-
tions took place on one half at least of the complaints made
to the public prosecutors; a great portion of them being
unfounded, or the authors of them being unknuwu. The
number of crimes against the person has iiiertaieLd—from
1826 to 1830, the Courts of Assizes were called on to try
annually 1,314 such ease.; whereas from 1816 to 1850 they
had to try 1,778. On the other hand the crimes against
property have declined—from 1820 to 1830, they averaged
4,024 • year, whereas from 1846 to 1810 they only averaged
3,381 a year. Amongst the crimes against persons those
which present the most striking increase are criminal as-
tnths on female adults and chit., rem, especially on the
latter. Thus, for example, such crimes on chil-
dren were only 136 annually from 1826 to
1830 ; ethereal they rose to 420 from 1816 to
11150. The diminution in the crimes against pro-
perty is not, it appears, owing to any hump rennin in me-
nden', but to the fact that they are accompanied with less
violence and more cunning than formerly, which causes
there them to he treated as " of instead of " crimes ;"
and also to the fact that of late years the examining megts-
trates have made a rule of not admitting aggravating ca cum-
stances so readily as they used to do. Whilst then the
"crimes" of robbery tried by the Courts of Asset, have
fallen from 3,456 annually from 1816 to 1830, to 2,463 from
1846 to 1810, the "offences" of rubbery submitted to the
Correctional Tribunals have risen from 9,871 in 1826, to
24,332 in WO. In other descriptions of crime, there has
been en increaeu instrul of a diminution ; thUi is especially
the case in forgery, minion, fraudulent bankruptcy, arson,
and extortion of signatures. In addition to the increase
of the eases of robberies submitted to the Correctional
Tribunate, there has been an increase in the offences of
embezzlement, sit Mollie& and others. As regards men-
dicity, the annual number of such offences was 732 arum
1826 to 1833, whereas it rose to 6,903 from 1816 to 1850.
The number of offences cf yoga'aindage I.as risen in the
same periods from 2,314 to 6,089; of reheil:un, outrages,
&c., against public functioosries from 3,314 to 8.613 ; of
sundry offences iesainet morality from 497 to 1,26; ; and
in all other aorta of offences there is also an increase. '1 he
following facts also appear from the return. :-01 the num-
ber of accused tried fur crime by the Comte of Assize
only one-sixth are females; for offence. tried by the
Tribunals one-fifth. Criminals a mel I,•as than 21, gene-
rally attack property; aged mere than 21, mid especially
aged more than 50, they attack the person ; the proportion
of unmarried men guilty of crime. against property is
38 in WO; in crimes against the person they form only 52
in 100 ; and of robberies taken separately 64 in 100. It
further appears that the inhabitants of the country districts
form about three-fifths of the total number of accused, and
the inhabitants of towns two.fitths. But in crimes against
the person, the country people form seven-tenths of such
betide, whereas in crimes newest property they only count
for six-tenths, As to the degree of instruction of the ac-
accused, it appears that the number of accused completely
unlettered has declined 10 per cent.; and that in crimes
against the person they figure in the proportioa of 553 in the
1,1000, and in crimes ow.in,t property, .562 in the 1,000. From
1822 to 1830, out of IT/ accused there were on au average
33 acquitted, and of the 61 convicted, 37 were con-
deemed to what are called pcines afflictive' et ink-
muter, and 21 to correctional penalties; from 1841 to 1645
the average number of acquittals was 34 per bemired, and
of the 65 convicted 27 were sentenced to " prices uMetivex
et infemantes, and 30 to correctional penalties; from 1846
to 1830, out of 100 accused 37 were twinkled, and rf the
63 convicted 26 were condemned to the former, 31 to the
latter penalties, The decline in the latter period is owing to
decrees of the provisional government having changed the
majority of the jury required to pronounce a eOlisietMll
Taking the whole 25 years together, the proportion per
100 is 37 acquitted, 28 condemned to " penes sae-
s:lves et infamantes," and 33 to correctional penalties.
Before the cerrectionul tribunals the number of acquittals
on prosecutions instituted by the public prosecut are, has
declined from 271 per 1,000, from 1816 to 1830, to 146 per
1,000, from 1846 to 18 XI. But, on the other hand, punish-
ments have been made less severe by the frequent admis-
sion of extenuating circumstance', and imprisonment has in
many cases been replaced by flue. It appears, finally, front
the returns and report, that persons accused t f crimes
against property aro punished more severely than those
accused of crimes against the person; that more indulgence is
shown to women than to men, and to old men than to men
in the prime of life; whilst criminals possessed of some
education are treated more severely than those without
any.

Tez OBIAT INDIAN PENINSULA RAILWAY.—The ter-
minus, which will occupy the parade ground of the
Native Infantry Regiment, lying nearest to the ditobies'
lines, is nut yet commenced, but will be is the course of
next month. The road from Mazsgon to Fort George
will be chisel for vehicles and aloi fur passengers until a
foot bridge is put actor.: all the traffic must in future go
round by the road in course of construction between the
gun Imam lines and those of the dhobics. From the
Market to Sion the liar mey be said to be almost completed
—it is so with the exception of a few minor details. At pre-
sent the distance of the rails is being boxed up conse-
quent on the effects of the monsoon, which tho whole
of the line has stood remarkably well. The Byculla
Bridge is still unfinished, owing to the girders not
having arrived from England. The whole of the perma-
nent way and double road are laid, except in one or
two places, between Bombay and Tanna. The Sion rotting,
now in a very forward state, prevents the communication
throughout the length : this cutting Is expected to be
finished, and the whole of the contract No. 1 and part of
INo. 2, which embrace the distance, placed in working trim
by January next. In the mean time stations will he con-
structed at Feral, Mahim, Sion, and Tanna. The branch
line to Mahim, • single road, is in course of completion.
Beyond Tann' the engineering difficulties are very great,
requiring the closest attention ; and only such a really
practical professional, as the present engineer appointed to
that part of the work (Mr. Clowser, C.E.), could surmount
such obstacles as are presented. la a short distance of
about three miles epeur two viaducn apd two tunnel,, both
of which, in their respective parts, axe formidable under-
takings. The arches of the least of the viaducts are
all turned, and the bottoms in, and some of the piers up to
the springing of the larger one. The strong rah of water
during the monsoon caused • considerable delay in these
works. From Tacna to the tunnel (No. 1) at Penick
Point the permanent way is laid. The tunnel is solid rock,
and is being got on with very slowly; but more rapidly
than with tunnel No. 2, which is rather behind. The first
lengths are, however, being bricked in. The bricks used
are made on the ground by the contractor, and are con-
sidered very good. Both tunnels will be broken through
it is expected. From the No. 2 tunnel to Callisn
forms contract No. 3, which is in the hands of
natives, and es natives always do work, so are they
working—swarms of biggaries and coolies, but no plan
—literally scratching the cuttings out where they occur
with their finger was. There are no works of any import-
ance along this part of the line—a distance of about six
miles : it rune across a let, which at high tide is inundated.
Now the monsoon is over, all will be astir again, and pro.
bably the next event in Bombay of any moment will be the
opening of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Surveys
have been made along the principal routes to the interior ;
the most practicable one for the course of the line appears
to be that by the Than ghaut—works, however, in that
direction have not yet been set out. By the ship Charles,
which arrived a few weeks sines, three locomotives and
several different class carr•age, have arrived with other
moving stock, which are now beins landed and conveyed to
the site of the tersuint!: fi......:o„wpW„pg.hie drivers. also
art.! i' ne same trim—Correspondent y Pcnnball Turn"'
DESTRUCTION OF THE SOUTH LONDON ArAlti A"
OTIINR BUILDINON Dr Bae.)—This morn.
ing, at a few Drente' before three o'clock, a fire broke out
in the premises of Mr. Janes, a coach builder, situate at
No. IA, Webber.street, Blackfriars-read. The property in
Mr. Janes's tenancy extended backwards something like
200 feet, and was bounded on each side by houses, whilst
the South London Hall or Amembly.roome ran over the top
of the coach factory. Two engines were soon on the spot, and
were instantly set to work, bat the flames had obtained pos-
session of every part of the factory, and also of the hell.
The firemen, finding that two engines would be of little
use in extinguishing so great a body of fire, sent off to tho
other 'Wiens for additional &assistance, and in •
very brief period numerous other engines arrived, but
although tons weight of water were thrown upon the Ma-
sing premises, several hours elapsed before they could
make the least impression upon the tire, which continued to
attack the houses in the main road, and finally several of
the back windows were burned out. The hose from the
engines were taken through the adjoining buildings, and
by that means the firemen were enabled to cut off the fur-
ther extension of the flame, but the main body of flame
could not be entirely extinguished until 8 o'clock this
morning, and not before the coach-rectory and the hall were
entirely destroyed, and three houses in the Blackfriars-
road extensively injured by fire and water. The whole et
the carriages in the place have also been consumed. The
Royal Society's Ire escape, which arrived remarkably soon
at the spot, was the means of saving one, if not two lives
from destruction. Mr. Chatter, the proprietor of the hall,
was sleeping on the premises, and was nearly auflucated
before ho became aware of the existence of the fire.
MR. MACAULAT AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.—MT.
Macaulay is to invite the electors to meet him in the Music-
hall on 1 uesday next. The fixing of a day fee the m eting
has, we believe, been a matter of some difficulty and brine'.
lion with tho committee, in whose hands Mr. Macaulay left
the arrangements. Owing, on the ono hand, to the proceed-
ings in connection with the halt yearly sacrament, and. on
the other, to the desirableness of Mr. IlLicaulay being in his
place in parliament on Thursday, the 4th, the choice of days
was practically restricted to Monday and Tuesday of next
week,hnd of these two days the former is in part occupied
by the thanksgiving services, and the latter is the day of the
annual municipal elections. In these circumstances, and
•Ithough, even in the prospect of the municipal elections not
being of any absorbing interest, there is same awkwardnes
in having a public political meeting during the hours of
polling, we do not doubt that the committee, in selecting
Tuesday, have best consulted the convenience and feelings
of the citisens.—Scotsnion.