The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-28 00:00:00

THE LATE MAYORALTY.

__,........_
At the Mansf n eon-housa, dung tilla'e Mayoralty, the number
of eases of offence inquired into varied but slightly from that of
the preceding.
The rua.ber of eases investigated when Alderman Garrett was
Lend Mayor. was—
Cases of Felony - - - 458
Cases of Ali demeanor - . &IR
Cases of Assault - - - 130
Cases of Vagrancy . - - 360

Tmal - 1515
At Guildhall Justice•rootn the cases brought before the Alder-
men were—
Cases of Felony - - 721
Cases of MisdeMeanor . . 1335
Casey or Assault . - - 452
Cares of Vagrancy - - - 103

Total - - :fill
So that the whole number of cases brought before the City Ma-
gistrates during the late Mayoralty were—
Cans of Felony - - - 1179
Cases of 3lisdemeanor 1843
Cases of /tumult - • . 632
Cases of Vagrancy - . 472

Total

4126

There has been a considerable diminution of crime of the mitt
serious nature. Desperate street robberies Lave not been of such
frequent occurrence as theywere two or three years ago in the dif.
f;;Tetit districts of the City ; and the neighbourhood of iloundsditch
and the narrow and winding alleys of Itishopspite have undergone
some improvement, if we are to judge from the romparaiively
in-
sipnificant number of complains mole against the conduct of
those who haunt them.

It is necessary, however, to Pate that the stopping up of those
dangerous thoroughfares altogether would be extremely desirable,
as tliPy are calculated to afford the most complete means of escape
to those&

Burglaries are less frequent. We nriderstrind the several parishes
of the City are adopting the suggestion of the present Lord Mayor
with repect to the better security of houses at night, by directing I
the watchmen so to regulate their movements as never to be absent
from one place long enough to allow a robbery to be effected.
The offence of uttering forged notes is scarcely ever heard of.
Indeed forgery seems to be confined to the dashing ranks of society,
in which the conduct of Fauntlerny seems to hare operated rather
as an encouragement than a caution. Several extensive forgeries
have been lately committed upon eminent houses in the City, and
in some instances the losers are persons to whom the guilty indi.
viduals have been under great pecuniary obligations. The rouge
et noir, or hazard table, has been abundantly supplied from the
produce of forged bills. In consequence of the desperate mania for '
speculating in joint-stock companies another sort of robbery has be.
come very common amongst men who have been holding up their
heads very high—ernbenlement. In fact, no estimate can be formed
of the extent of the plunder of this description ; for it is well known
that in several instances public exptsure has hem prevented by the
prompt exertions of the friends of the parties in making up the de-
ficiencies or compromising them. The general character of the crimes
of the lower t rders seems to be undergoing a change. Petty swind.
ling and pocket picking ream to substitute those to which the
penalty tit death is affixed. Almost all the great city gangs of
violent depredators ate broken up. 'Die operations of the Dudfields
nod triter who:etale plunderers have not lately been heard of.
The exploits of the Crowder, and the Townley, have for a long
time ccase.l, and, for aught that is known to the contrary by the I
police, who e exertinns they have so often baffled, multitudes
of other levrers of contributions upon the public are now living
honestly. The public are indebted tnAldertirom Thorp for seve-
ral
improvements in the police, the system of patrolling the
streets more frequently and effi;ctively having been adopted in
his mayoralty.
The close general average of the gross amount of magisterial
business during the last five years Is curious :
In the Mayoralty of Alderman Thorp the number of
cases investigated in the City was - 4,220
In Alderman Magnay's . - 4,008
Its Alderman licygate's . 4.428
In .11derman Waithman's - 4.292
In Alderman Garratt's - 4,1211
In Alderman Wood's mayoralties the number in each year was
from 5,000 to 8.000. It has been for several years enforced in
the Mansion House, that one active inteldgent man was of more
service than a dozen of the men generally employed as watchmen ;
and it is well known that the City police establishment, which con-
sists of from 40 to 60 chosen men, who are well paid, do mote
service to the public titan three times the number of ward
officers, constables, watchmen, ICe. In some of the wards old
men are still employed as watchmen, and robberies are frequent
in those wards ; for what can be expected front the efforts of
an aged person, who is remunerated for his duties with no more
than 10s. a week ?

MURDER AT NOTTINGHAII.—The remains of the un-
fortunate Mrs. Wood (who was murdered in such a cruel
manner by her husband) were interred in St. Mary's
burying ground on Sunday. A great crowd of people, who
commiserated her hapless fate, . attended the funeral ob-
sequies. With respect to the wretched husband, we have
nothing further to add, than that his mind continues in
nearly the same state as before he cunimitted the honiti
deed. It has been ascertained, that 'he bought the coal
pick the day before for the very purpose to which he ap-
plied it. —Nottingham Journal.
GOVERNOR OF LANCASTER CASTLE.—WC understand
that there are several candidates for the office of governor
of Lancaster Castle, which is about to he:ome vacant by the
resignation of Mr. lliggin. Amougst them are Mr. joint
Nelson Lavender (the present governor of WoreCster gaol,
and brother of the Ihputydeonstable of this town) ; Mr.
Miller, head police-officer of Liverpool; Mr. Liddell, go-
vernor of the house of correction at Preston P • and Mr.
Hardman, governor of the house of industry at Liverpool
The appoietment, we belirre, rests in the =Ostrow of the
canny.