The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-11 00:00:00

BUSIYESS uY THE LAST MAYORALTY.

The following returns exhibit the extent of the magisterial busi-
miss of the late 3layoralty, nod the general compeuative state of
the City pollee timing that period
The number of pawns charg•al with felony was . 463
Of those were ronimire.l for trial - - 131
Discharged for want of sufficient evidence, or in consequence
of the failure of thanes - - - 2E2
Misdemeanors and disanderlks charged . - 542
lif these were diaellargetl - . . 3416
Committed or held to bail - . 156
Fawn, begging or wandering in the streets - - 418
Of those comniitted as rogues and ral.,raboads . 51
Discharged or relieved in various ways . - 237
There were other cases no: exactly comprehended in this
class, amounting to - - - 113
Finning a total of persons taken before the Lard Mayor,
in custody, during the last year, of - 106
During the same time there were taken b:fore the Magistrates of
Guildhall, chiefly on Corgi* of misdemeanor, vagrancy, and
atatts of a less important nattier, persons to the number of 2315.
Fanning a total of eases in the City during the last mayoralty of
4151.
The gross amount of magisterial business is remarkably close to
that of Aldenran Ileygate in his mayoralty, but then that worthy
gentleman had the almost daily assistance of his brethren. Indeed,
on some occasions we have known Alderman Heygate to sit for one
Lour. Alderman Cox sit for another hoar, and Alderman Ainsley
sit fo: a third hour, in one day of that memorable mayoralty. The
numbers in that year, token not exactly before the Lord Mayor,
but to the Mansion-house, were - - - 1327
Takla before the tinting Magistrate at Guildhall - 3006

Total . 4311 S
The Police Establishment, in some respects, is much more if.
c ire than during the preceding year, but in others it is much less
elective. The plan adopted by the Police Comiatitue of appoint-
ing six stations, with offic.ma to each station, ordered to patrol a
certain district in uniform, to return every hour to their station, and
siga a book, kept by en Inspector. for the purpose of showing the.
they were upon duty, has operated very basally. The thieves and
otbert who live upon the public in the streets, have been able t
ascertain at what time any officer might be expected in particular
directions, and have been et.ahled to avoid him, and to work at
their profession in its different branches, whilst he is engaged in
making his war to the alanaion House, to sign the book. They
have also made it a pnaciice to watch the officers on their several
estions ; and the police uniform gives [heal facilities which before
mate regulations were not known.
The last Lord Mayor considered it matter of the highest import.
ante to the retail dealers and aboyikcepers, as well as to tra...e in
general in the City, that all the publiz thoroughfares ,hould be kept
Clair from every kind of obstruction. With this view, he exerted
himself to have new and efficient street-keepers appointed to all the
wards ; foe that office had been in many instances to f rred upon old
and infirm men, to prevent them from becoming burthmesoine to
their parishes. It is well known to the retail dealers, that a very
considerable effect is produced by obstructions or inconveniences of
as apparently ti ivial nature.
Besides the cases above enumerated, there were last year, it is
calculated, upwards of lOW eases heard on summonses. which
sirs many of them iniportant, the tithe and parochial fur
trustier. Independent of the duties of the Justice Howe, the
Le:. Mayor has to sign permits for all the corn and frod vessels
which inter the River. The number of these documents signed
hat Tea amounted to 17,000. There are beside, many thousands
id Admits, and other papers, to be signed in the course of the
mayoralty, the total number of which was last year upwarla of
le,ein. the Secretary, or Chaplain of the Chief Magistrate, had
of foe years taken this trouble off the hard, of the Lord
Mayor, VI illegal practice, and calculated to occasion great ir.coa.
userace should any litigation arise. The late Lord Mayor went
beck to the old course. and signed every document and answered
tray letter himself. The Lord Mayor, besides these labours, has
to Mild Courts of Aldermen, Courts of Common Council. Common
Bat, Courts of Conservancy. COLITI4 of Hustings, the Old Bailey,
the London, and the Southwark Sessions, to preside over the enter-
tamments at the Mansion House, and over Meetings of public
charities.

The bump's at Guildhall eonsisns chiefly of larcenies, assault
tkleS, and dech.ions upon squabbles between the low people of that
eismet, the cases of importance being constantly taken w the
filantson.house, where the Lnrd Mayor is aided by very consider-
able legal skill and experience. and has the attendance of the
iaisi.sis and the most experienced officers under them. Light,
ftweter, as the business of the Guildhall comparatively is, Alder-
men cannot invariably be found to despatch it, anti it has often
feen lest over to the 3lansion-bouse in addition to the appointed
bsticeit cf the Lord Mayor.
The foLowing is an account of the number of persons brought
Wore the City 3lcgistrates, during the several Mayoralties, from
t?rf.nt of—

-4,32 E
- 4.46_13
- 4.334
- 4,361

Aid. Wood—. in 1918 . 4 740 Ald. Thorp
.'"??3,1 of Wood . . b 032 31agnay
Cu. C. Smith - 4,800 Ileygate
Atkias . . 4.494 Waithmen
ittttgrs . . 4,012
The has been undoubtedly a decrease in the mows serious bus i-
rem ci the City. The number of street robberies has much dimi.
tient, a fact attributable to the improved state of the police up to
e replations. 'l'he nightly watch is however in an extremely
Kite notwithstanding the strictures made upon the syc_
tent, it his undergone no improvement what ever. It is the opinion
Celentze,4 persons that one-third of the present number would,
were active men, under proper regulations, more efficiently
Presrie the public peace. The pay given now seldom exceeds Ios.
v,ek. The consequence is, they are obliged to resort to expedients
up a corn petcuct, and end less ex tortions arise, and pass ninety.
4, et canes out of a hundred, with impunity. In some instances it
"55 been frond necessary to employ privet,' watchmen, u well to
•,,rx:l the other watch:neat as to guard against professed thieves.
°Y.:: the creanst porti..n of the business above enumerated is done
tr the Coy Officers, the whole body of witant does not exceed 40
e",,t,,e men, who cannot be induced us continue in such au °cc°.
without adequate remuneration.
ictm numbers ot untortunatc persons have been. in the mayor-
, at Alderman Wsithnian. clothed and sent home to the
or to the hospital, and many have been saved from ruin
the timely applicauon of such relief, at the private expense of
Bii<ot; ate, whose zeal, talent, and humanity are equally
roasin:svcs.

•-- • •
AAXY.—The payment of three months' half-pay
Ow reduced officers of his Majestv't land forces, due the
etc September, including those heretofore borne upon the
l'hh establishment, will be, in future, only on Monday,
fa-slay, and Wednesday, in each west.
A very handsome parish church, in the gothic style, has
leel hen erected at Birdsall, near Mahon, at the sole es-
Pt'ase of the Right lion. Lord and Lady Middleton.
F:td*y evening, last a sailor, who it appears hail his
e 79.-: a hoard, left Newmarket for Bury St. Edmunds in
el 3, and undertook to pivot a miller to the same p!r,.e.
lacy were ruing at the rate twelve knots an hour, when
the; came up w i!li a cuter, and attempted to get a-lica.l
of hire• hut unluckily the driver, Leine: perhaps better ae-
.lvrented with steering a chip than a ran aground andui.s't, u,el.t. within a Omit distaitee of ther 'town. The sailor
l from the week with little injury, but his friend
sustained many bruises. The carter rendered
411 :he assistance in -his power, and landed the holiest
nrd C3lllinnim at their temporary reef epee.—Br

THE GREEK SCHOONER AMPHITRITE.