The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-21 00:00:00

THE POLICE MOVEMENT.

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE.--The defection, or ra-
ther dissatisfaction of the force, as expressed by the pri-
vates in the H and K divisions, at the system of promo-
tion and the rate of pay they receive, is rapidly extending
throughout the numerous divisions of the metropolis ;
the complaints of the men are deep, although not loud,
and rumours :continue to gain credence that some hun-
dreds of the force will resign if their grievances are Lot
listened to, and an alteration of the system adopted by
the commissioners, with an increase of pay. As it
would be impossible to hold a general meeting of the
whole body, deputations from each division are spoken
of to unite and adopt measures to urge a consideration
and redress of their complaints ; but all urge that it
should be done in a temperate and respectful manner.
THE CITY POLICE.—APPREHENDED STRlKE.—Yester-
day sectional meetings were held in several of the divi-
sions of the City police, confined to the members of the
force comprising the second, third, and fourth-class men,
for the purpose of adopting measures to convene a general
meeting of the whole force, to consider the best means
and course to be pursued by them in bringing the griev-
ances under which they labour prominently before the
public • and to memorialise Mr. Daniel Whittle Har-
vey, the chief commissioner, for an amelioration of their
present condition. The meetings, however, •appear to
have been conducted privately, the general body keep-
ing aloof until such time as their proceedings, by una-
nimity, among themselves, are ripe for a general meeting.
There would, however, appear to be some differences
among them upon their several grievances ; but on
one question—the system of promotion—the dis Sati-
sfaction appears to be general throughout the several
divisions, six in number ; the ground of complaint—
that where civilians have been in the force for upwards
of 10 or 12 years, and gone through all the duties im-
posed upon them with satisfaction to their superior offi-
cers, the duties having of late years been of no ordinary
character on many occasions, particularly the Chartist
riots and other public occasions, they find men who have
been only a few months in the force are promoted over
their heads as serjeants, simply because they have
been in the army. - The men, also, of the second,
third, and fourth class, consider they have a right to
complain of being deprived of their usual week's re-
laxation, while the inspectors have each enjoyed their
ten days' absence, the sergeants and first-class men
having received a week's leave of absence, the re-
mainder of the force being denied similar relaxation.
Their being compelled to reside within the city is a
mare minor consideration, and applicable to a few, but
they all express themselves unanimous upon the inade-
quacy of their pay and the length of time they have to
servo before they arrive at even 20s. a week, the pay'
of the. second class, the greater portion of whom, by
that time, are married men, having to support a wife
and several children, some of them as many as five, be-
sides payment for their lodgings, no trifling deduction
from their pay. The fourth-class men enter at 175.,
serve six months, and if not reported they are raised
to the third class at 18s., serve another six months
with the same result, and then are advanced to 19s. ;
and in 12 months after, go into the second class at 11.,
and wait their chance of another 12 months to get
into the first class at 225., when they begin to look for
promotion as serjeants at 255., but in vain ; they find men
who have only recently been in the force made ser-
jeants without any apparent cause. The men say they
cannot continue to live upon such a system, and unless
an alteration takes place, and their pay and chances of
promotion are increased, they will have no other alter-
native but to retire from the force. The movement is
by no means confined to this class of men. The men
in the first class equally complain of the system of pro-
motion and pay, and commiserate the position of the
other classes. The serjeants in several of the divisions
have memorialised the commissioner for an increase of
pay, but as yet have received no answer. The men are
anxiously looking for a general meeting, and are watch-
ing the proceedings of the metropolitan force.

OCEAN PENNY POSTAGE OFFERED BY
PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

A few months ago Lord Aberdeen stated to a large
and influential deputation that if any of their
number
connected with the shipping interest were wilting to
gladly
y its
acceptcolo-
conveycharge, lettersfor
which ac rtobses
Governmentt the
proposed
o.st
el ide
tfoo upreprefno
rniyn
nthiees,trbaenswitassersvuicree
tbbeetw.peeonst.Goffirecaet
the offer ; and, since that declaration, Lord Canning
has intimated the intention of the Government to put
• • of private enterprise. These official
wßontalding
up the conveyance of the mails to some of the colonies
to the competition
statements have been widely published in the United
States, and have elicited the following comrnunicatio
from a new steam-packet company in New York :
~casszow and New York Steam-packet Co.,
No. 33, Broadway, New York, June 25, 1853.
"Brain, BIIRRITT, Esq.
" Sir,—Observing the enclosed in the Tourna? of Coin-
New York Steam-ship Co. here) to say I shall be glad to
ma agent for the Glasgow and
ce of the 22d Lust., I beg (as
any quantity of mail bags at the rate
make an arrangement with the British and American
astetearin-gshipep r(tlheettTl.asglonw)thoon m
thee a n
bt inme
,e a wme
have only t
Go-
vernments to carry
of one
penonnye
that vessel makes her passages in from 12 to 14 days.
Another (the New York) is now building, which we expect*
will be from 36 to 48 hours faster, and will be ready for
sea by February next. Two others will be immediately
contracted for, and, when completed, will enable us to
have fortnightly failings from each side of the Atlantic.
"You can make any use you choose of this communica-
tion, if you think it will assist in forwarding the good ob-
ject you km isa viowe7-Yours, &c.,
2J. )11`Simox."