The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-03 00:00:00

TRANSPORTATION.

Mr. SCOTT moved for a select committee to consi-
der how far, and in what direction, recent legislation
and the substitution of other punishments for transpor-
tation, has influenced the existing amount of crime.
Crime, he said, had of late greatly increased, and it. was
desirable to ascertain how far recent legislation,
with reference to the substitution of transportation for
other punishment, bad tended 'towards that in-
crease. The Secretary for the Home Department had
given notice of an amendment to his (Mr. Scott's) mo-
tion, which he thought was too narrow, viz., fora select
committee to inquire into the operation of the 16th and
17th Vic., c. 99. intituled an act to substitute in certain
cases other punishment in lieu of transportation. In
the case of boys he thought that the present short im
prisonment inflicteed on them, and the manner in which
they were treated tended to snake them confirmed cri
mina's rather than to reform them, and be instanced
the case of a boy he had seen in a prison near that
house who was undergoing his 26th sentence amidst
50 other boys, and no doubt one teaching the other
wickedness. This subject required the earnest attention
of the Government, and the investigation of that house.
They had, it was true, voluminous details with reference
to crime, but it was impossible for them to ascertain the
real facts of the case from them, and therefore it was
that he asked for this committee. Between 1829 and
1854, capital punishments had happily decreased.
In 1829 the convictions for six months and under
averaged 50 per cent., but now they were 71 per
cent., for out of 23,000—convictions, from 16,000 to
17,000 underwent punishments of six months and under.
The estimates for this year showed that the expense for
law and criminal jurisprudence had doubled since 1548,
having now reached 2,650,0001., and which they would
be called upon to-morrow to vote. The popuation of
this country increased greater than moat other countries,
and it was strange to say that our prison population in-
'ofeased'al a morel rapid rate than the increase of the po-
pulation. Therelinssed annually through the prisons
of this country.: taft. many persons as the population
of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire
put together, and in twelve years as many as
the population of Middlesex, large as it was. In 1815
peace brought an influx of crime on the country. In
1854 and 1855, in a time of war, the returns gave 10.
per cent, over that of the preceding year, and 7i per
cent, over that of the preceding ten years. From the
last Government returns, issued in 1850, the prison
population was given at one in one hundred and forty-
tour of the entire population of the country. He
then referred to Col. Jebb'a reports relative to the effect
of the fats act for the substitution of penal servitude for
transportation, who, he thought, was rather over san-
guine in this matter. If his return was, however,
to be relied on, it gave the impression that there
was a reformation taking place in this class of cri-
minals. He thought the ticket-of leave system was a
mistaken kindness, and the Government had adopted it
against the advice of the judges, and those who were
competent to giye an opinion on the question. He made
an application to the superintendents of the metro-
politan police for a return of the ticket-of-leave men in
their diitric•,, and he found that they numbered 314
per cent, of the convictions, and he a:so found, and he
begged the house to remind it when the police bill
came hef,re it, that these superintendents were
prohibited from giving information such as be
applied to them f a-, without the concent of the Home
Secretary. Time Government though t that, by with-
holding a ticket-of-leavernan's name in the return, that

it was a secrecy in favour of the man, but such was not
the case. He was well known to the police, and on-his re-
turn to his own neighbourhood he was looked on with
suspicion by employers, and in many instance' could not
obtain employment, and be was consequently thrown into
large and populous cities, where he had recourse to his
former evil habits. The hon. gentleman entered into
some other details with reference to crime, and quoted
the opinion of the late Mr. Sergeant Adams in eonar-
rnation of- Lis opinion with reference to the ticket-of-
leave men.

[LEFT SPIZAKING.I

FRENCTI AND BRITISH FIRE
INSURANCE OFFICES.

On the subject of the competition of French agaia-t
British fire insurance offices, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer has announced a bill which he appears to consi-
der will prevent French policies from being undertaken
here without the payment of the Governinent•dnty. The
general belief is not merely that the measure will prove
futile, but that, short of a reduction, no method can be
devised which would be likely to prove effectual. The
case .stnads thus :--English insurances are liable to a
duty of 3s. per cent. In France there is no duty. The
Parisian office La France has consequently established
an agency here, where policies, which at our offices would
be ebarged 4s. 6d. per cent. (namely, 13. 6d. premium
and 3s. duty), may be effected at 2s. 6d. per cent., the
French office, even upon these terms, getting ls. per
cent. More than the English. for its risk, and the assurer,
at the same time, saving 28. To meet this the Chancellor
of the Exchequer proposes to make all agencies effecting
insurances in this country liable to the same duty as the
regular British offices. It is contended, however, that
the insurance is not effected ty the agent, whose func-
tions are simply those of facilitating the arrangements
between the insurer and the Paris establishment. More-
over, the existence of an agency here is not essential,
and nothing can prevent an Englishman writing to
France to enter into any contract that may be in con-
formity with the laws of that country. Of course, in
case of a claim being disputed, his remedy would lie
only in the -French courts, but there is no reason
-to suppose he would fail to obtain justice there as
speedily and effectually as in our own, Indeed,
under the circumstances, a disposition might pos.
sibly grow up to manifest generally a favourable
leaning to the foreigner, and, at all events, the
offices themselves being fully aware that the continu-
ance of the business would depend mainly on the
honour and liberality with which it was carried on,
would be certain to avoid vexatious litigation, while they
-*field also be able to lie less rigid than our own, since
'they would receive 2s. 6d. instead of is. 61 premium:
Under these circumstances, the view is that a reduction
of the duty from 3s. to ls. will be the only plan to pre-
vent We immense and profitable branch of business he
ins gradtuallY transferred from London to Paris. Un-
oubtedly ,the question as regards its effect on the re-
venue is serious-, the aggregate annual sum derived by
the Government from this source being about 1,250,0001.
But the immediate lostewonhl probably soon be made up
cbaYs:h.teh'einfteta:-.:sft.Pbaelle,..e.a, and even if this were not the
, recognised that the matter is.one
of choice between keeping an
and suffering them gradually ea -
p'ertion of these receipts
alost altogether. In
France, it is asserted,
house property effect insauervaenac-eesig,lha of the owners of
4
while in England the
result of the duty is to keep the proportion at one-third.
There is, therefore, good room for the revenue-to recover
from a reduction, and apart from other considerations,
and above them ail, would be the advantage ise,:toin;
away with the discouragement which the tax at its pre-
sent- point offers to the exercise of that kind of piudence
which in a commercial country should be cultivated as
most essential.

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