The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-10 00:00:00

THE RIJN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY- EVENING; MARCH 10, 1169.

A correspondent, signing himself "N. A. W.," writes a
long letter to the Times under the heading, "The
Haunts of Crime in London," which will mate-
rially strengthen the hands of Lord Kimberley in
his conduct of the Habitual Criminals Bill. The
argument of "N. A. W." throughout the letter is
that power should be put into the hands of the police to
arrest those who are known convicted thieves when they
are evidently up to mischief. Referring to the grtunblings
against the inefficiency of the police, "N. A. W."
says : " The police are far less to blame than it is the
fashion to suppose or assume. Their hands are tied up
with legal difficulties in every direction. Of course there
are culpable and negligent members in such a large body
of men, and these are exactly the ones who can plead
excuses under the present laws. It is the active and
energetic members of the force who are checkmated. Such
an one may see two notorious burglars going along a
street at midnight. He can't stop them. All he can do
is to follow them as secretly as possible, and watch them
try door after door with skeleton keys. He waits till be
meets with the regular constable, whom, of course, the
burglars have watched off his beat, and makes his arrest
sometimes easily, sometimes not without desperate
resistance. Then follows the old story. Housebreaking
implements are found upon the prisoners, previous con-
victions are proved against them, and they get three
months' imprisonment, with hard labour ! Before
they are out of prison two days the same detective
who made their capture may again see them late
at night lurking about villas, but if they go away
as he comes up he has no power to touch them. If
they persist in loitering he can, of course, arrest them,
but this the thieves never do, but walk off, merely
balked by one night or so of their intended booty. In the
same way there are recognised haunts and thieves'
houses in London, which are as well known to the
police as the Bank, and which are in fact visited by
the police every night. Some are occupied only
by convicted thieves—men whom the police know
to live by robbery every day, and who will go out on their
chance of larceny each successive morning. Yet, unless
there is a specific charge against an individual, or a
suspicion amounting to an almost legal certainty of his
having committed a recent crime, the police have no
power to ask these vagabonds a single question." With
'this introduction, "N. A. W." goes on to describes some
visits which be paid under the guidance of two inspectors
and a police-sergeant to some well-known thieves' houses
in the metropolis. In one night he went to penny theatres,

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

music halls, casual wards, refuges, thieves' haunts, low
beerhouses, leaving shops, and cheaplodging-houses. The
most interesting parts of his letter are his descriptions of
the thieves' beershops. Under the present system a known
thief may get an Excise license to sell beer. The police
have no power over him, and so he goes
on and flourishes. He cannot sell spirits; the
magistrates can prevent that ; but anyone who
puts his money down may take up his leave to open a
house for selling malt liquor. "N. A. W." describes his
visit to high-class house where the elite of the thieves con-
gregated. "It is near an East-end road. It is brightly
lighted, clean, and comfortable. The landlord and land-
lady are behind the little bar. Both are known to be con-
victed thieves, both are known to be lucrative re-
ceivers and expert disposers of stolen goods. Under
a magisterial system these people could not hold their
license for a day. Let us pass into the parlour. It is a
very wide, well-furnished coffee-room, the walls of which
are amply garnished with glaring pictures, and at the
tables in it some fight or nine well-dressed men
are sitting over their cigars and beer. These were
the elite of the swell mob. There was nothing about
them externally to distinguish them from the ordinary
frequenters of Pall Mall, or St. James's-street, yet
there was not one who, as our inspector and sergeant
assured us, had not been convicted of `robberies from the
person' over and over again—indeed, our sergeant rather
markedly pointed out a ' gentleman ' who had only just
come out from six months' imprisonment on his (the ser-
geant's) own arrest, and against whom many convictions
had been proved before. Our entry, lam sorry to say,
seemed to throw a general damp upon the company. There
was an utter silence, and then, at intervals of a few
seconds, one after another went out to get a cigar or a
glass of `old and bitter,' all of which they must have
found it particularly difficult to find, as none of them came '
back, and our sergeant laughed at the idea that his coming
among them would be likely to keep the house quiet and
scatter its customers for a day or two. The landlord, who
had evidently arrived at the same conclusion, was not in
so jocose a mood, and scowled at us fiercely as we passed
out."

A low-class thieves' haunt is also described :—" The low
beerhouse for the worst class of thieves is general:y in an
ill-favoured 'slum,' ill-looking and worse smelling, with a
group of tawdry women choking up its narrow entrance,
and half-naked children playing about barefooted on the
slimy flagstones, biding amid the dust-heaps, from among
which they only sally out when the older inhabitants of
the court have come forth to lock upon the phenomenor
of a respectably-dressed stranger venturing into their
district. At the upper end of the court is a broad
dim light, to which our party at once made their
way, and passed through a low bar into a small taproom.
Quick as we were, however, we were not quite quick
enough to prevent the large party there secreting the cards
with which they were practising. I use the word practis-
ing advisedly, for most of them were only occupied it
attaining perfection in the three-card trick or in ringing
the endless variations of the cards with a view to future
and certain profit at racecourses and country fairs. An
111-looking bulldog, but by no means the most ill-looking of
the company, came towards us as we entered, but was at
once called off by his master, and then, as in the better
class of thieves' house, we sat down in our corner amid a
dead silence, broken only by a few muttered words of slang
or an occasional spitting on the table to efface the chalk
marks by which they had been practising some gambling
11 game. When we had time to look around we found our-
selves in a curious place and in curious society. The room
was low, ill-smelling, and very full—full, too, of tin
lowest description of broken-down fighting men, card and
skittle sharpers, and thimble riggers. One is known
over half the country fairs and racecourses in England as
the very prince of successful swindlers. The other?
were all known rogues and vagabonds, who had
been convicted as such over and over again. As with
the swell thieves' beerhouse so with this infamous
haunt, as soon as our party came in, its regular occupants
instantly and silently departed, with the single difference
that while the first-named class affected gentility in their
departure and wished Good night,' the latter did not
conceal their fear, but slunk away as much as they could
unnoticed. Yet both classes were equally criminal, both
were known as having lived by crime only, and as certain
only to live by crime while they were at large. Yet to
neither one class or the other could the detectives
say a single word, for there was no specific
charge against them, and they went out as usual
from their beershops to prey upon society at large,
whether rich or poor." "N. A. W." further tells us that the
police know every face in these houses, and instantly
detect a fresh one—that generally of a man whose own
district has been made too hot for him. He goes on to
speak of receivers. Among the worst class of beerhouses
are those whish combine beer-selling with some other
trade. These are always able to elude the vigilance
of the police, and in these the regular receivers of
stolen goods wait for the boy thieves, from whom
they will purchase anything—a single shoe, a pewter
pot, a waggoner's whip, a horse's nosebag, a piece of
ttanihnoa
ey tthyimher i
oeynrc
ogee
ui
tvnaheana dfvno
vagabonds
veataehe r7cnehntti
chlai
sirontef
bacon, a brace of pheasants, a watch or handkerchief—
sy
value,atlhme iorssoht atnnh deamst.
nominal,
Theayoung
probably
toahuhi amount
igaciniteislnai fact, on which these ins*.
has to pilfer to the value of some 30s. before he gets 3s. or
4s. to pay for his dinner, his place in the g lle7 of a cheap
iTtmhhepeaostesrsei
b,r
leaeenedi
tvhoe
ss
g,supper andrd
tohf be, e dfporarets
eatnhcteh el
baalaopv; i o
t i
g i n g-house.
n thse masl eml vo es fit
tell themselves.
hd it
need
hardly
ynohte
saidtell of them—
receiversth e y dare
don't not—
of
that h
He also draws attention to the " leaving
the
thieves' pawnbrokers. " There is hardly a street
et in
the
lowest districts of the Borough, of Itatcliff Highway,
Spitalfields which has not one or more of them. rhore
pledges are kept for a month, and interest is charged on
advances at the rate of a penny for every sixpence, whether
redeemed the same day or at the end of the four week
What this rate of interest is I must leave others to ca.
culate, though it really matters little. It is the system of
which I complain."
The Times commenting on this letter, says "We bays
been all perplexing ourselves with the possible fate of some
contrite convict disposed to become respectable, but
thwarted in his efforts by the intervention of the police.
Why, among the real, genuine representatives of crime--
among the people described by our correspondent—there
is not a man who dreams, or ever would dream, of any
honest calling. Doubtless in this metroplis there are re-
claimed men leading, as far as they can, reformed lives, but
the malefactors of whom the police speak—the habitual
criminals' of whom we read—the enemies of society of
whom we wish to rid ourselves—these people, with all
th- it belongings, exist in a perfect blaze of notoriety.
Now, a-e we to be told, and must we really conclude; that
this state of things is to continue, because we can find 120
way of empowering the police to put a stop to, tit waent
eucroachment on the liberties 0 the aut*Qt r

I In the event at Liarvey. Lewi:4 rtetoitv tOi
1 ;vat for Iklaryhobopo, the, Eleoculit IK9on 4.ofitrintkiieh
Qfc
that borough will iuYito Dry ty014910.K.-.
•

THE HAUNTS OF CRIME IN LONDON. 711 E PROPOSED AMENDMENT:

The Anglo-Italian Gazette informs us that the
American colony at Naples met on the 22d February, at
the house of the United States Consul, to celebrate the an-
niversary of the birthday of Washington.
LUXURIANT AND BEAUTIFUL HAIR.—MRS. S. A.
ALLEN'S WORLD'S HAIR RESTORER OR DRESSING never fails to
quickly restore Grey or Faded Hair to its youthful colour and
beauty, and with the first application a beautiful gloss and de
lightful fragrance is given to the Hair. It stops the Hair from
falling off. It prevents baldness. It promotes luxuriant growth;
it causes the Hair to grow thick and strong. It removes all
dandruff. It contains neither oil nor dye. In large Bottles—
Price Six Shillings. Sold by most Chemists and Perfumers.
Depot 266, Iligh_ll9ll.vru

MISCEL LANEOUS NEWS.

Kansas and Louisiana have ratified the Constitu.
tional Amendment relating to the Suffrage. The
New England element rules strongly in Kansas, but
of strongly enough to induce the Senate to strike
the word " white" out of the State Constitution,
although it is asserted that three " Female Suffrage"
Senators bolted, as they were more interested in
striking out the word " male." The Louisiana
Legislature does not pretend to express more than
the feeling of a section of that State's citizens. A
Parliament of negroes and carpet-baggers Might
securely be counted upon to pass the Amendment,
even without discussion. The opposition will be
experienced in the most loyal of the States outside
New England, perhaps greatest, in the Western
Staten. Indeed it will be difficult to predict what
they will do ; although the result could easily be
told if each American dropped his answer " Yes" or
" No" into a ballot-box. In that case the Amend-
ment would be lost by an overwhelming majority,
but in this case it has to be decided by Republican
Legislatures pledged to the principle on which it is
grounded. The Pacific States of California and
Oregon may not only reject but most likely fiercely
oppose it. Indeed the danger to the Amendment
is in the feeling it will engender on the Pacific
slope, where, although now powerless to withstand a
measure as hateful, as in the opinion of Califor-
nians, hazardous, no small split may hereafter be
caused. There is a sympathy which runs through
from the Pacific to the Atlantic, losing force, of
course, the further it gets from the one ocean to-
wards the other, but still a power which will exert
its influence unless the Amendment be rushed
through the Legislatures without discussion. It
will be felt in the Western States, and will go
to make up the opinion which decides the ques-
tion, if time for argument be given. A Western
farmer will say, if this Amendment be adopted,
the Pacific slope will eventually pass into the
power of the Chinese, who by force of numbers
will outvote the American element, and whose in-
telligence is just sufficient to enable them to make
an effective use of their power and place their own
men in office. It will only be a question of time,
for China can beat Europe and America com Lined
in peopling California, if it becomes to them not
only the land of wealth, but the laud of liberty—a
liberty beyond their wildest dreams. In endea-
vouring to secure the equal rights of the African in
the Southern States this Amendment may give to
China the most promising portion of American ter-
ritory, a result never contemplated by the Legisla-
ture. Nor can such action be controlled, once set
in motion, for the tide of Chinese emigration may
flow over towards the Atlantic, and exert a stu-
pendous influence on a nation exercising a great
control over the affairs of mankind. Regarded
from this point the subject assumes a magnitude
simply world-wide, and it behoves those on whom
rests the responsibility to know the full import of
what they do. The Western farmer may conclude
that Congress with its eyes fixed on one view only
of this question is blind to another of infinitely
greater extent, and in sympathy with the Cali-
fornian he may vote for the rejection of the Amend-
ment. Nor earnestly, as is to be desired the success of
the principle on which this Amendment is grounded,
can we arrive at any other conclusion. Are the
Chinese fitted by nature for the future this Amend-
ment would open to them ? If not, the farmer
would as soon think of crossing his breed of fine
pigs with some lean, hungry, unprofitable kind, as
doluntarily to introduce such an emigration. The
essence of the question lies in the fitness of the
Chinese for such a part, and as no half-bred races
have thriven, it becomes narrowed to the American
versus the Chinaman. It is almost impossible to
np re ei
cc
sntt
annadt i
most nadgrveaanteeerdeoinnetriasvilti.zatAiomn,ercichainias the
newest and most advanced in civilization, China the
oldest and most decayed; America is the most rapid,
changing, inventive, speculative, and energetic—
China the most passive, unchangeable, and least
years before America was discovered . China is the
inventive, remaining in a lethargy, for a thousand
country of tradition, veneration, irreligion, and moral
pedantry ; America has no veneration, no tradition,
but religion. Nor is the difference in appearance
less marked, while the habits and customs are
wholly dissimilar. To say that the superior race is
deliberately to make way for the inferior, or rather
to put its neck under the latter's yoke, with whom
it has no sympathy whatever, is something too
extravagant to be entertained if the result be under-
stood. The question then is—Are we justified in
believing in a probability so dangerous ? The best
answer is to be found in the right place to seek for
it---California.. A Chinaman there, is scarcely re-
cognized by the law as a human being, indeed the
courts have decided that he is not a " person"
am ent
white; hi s
man, t
aesntdi m
tohney f irsm
sn oo
ft
hreceived
hai
within the meaning of the Fourteenth Amend-
! da inns;
oath, when given against each other, only provoke
derision. Here are men unable to hold real pro-
perty, who have no status before the law, to whom
the superior race scornfully throw their
dirty linen
to wash, still pouring by every available means
into the country, notwithstanding the repression
attempted. From this, two facts are eliminated—
tb e earnest desire of the citizens of the Pacific States
to fend off Chinese immigration, and their inabi-
lity to do so notwithstanding measures
posed to the spirit of Republican government. It
is then clear that the Californians, who are best
placed to appreciate it, entertain so strong a sense
of the danger, that they.endeavour to turn back the
men most useful to them, who cheapen labour, and
give to the State so much of its prosperity ; yet
that their measures are inavailing to avert the in-
vasion they dread. The Federal Congress passes
the proposed Amendment, and States wholly over-
looking the position on the Pacific slope, sanction it
in the teeth of the Californian remonstrance, and
what then becomes of the situation there? The
repression being removed, the immigration is in-
creased, and Chinamen become a voting, office-
holding power with which it is difficult to deal ; or
California and her sister States refuse the Amendment
when carried, maintaining, in violation of it, the
discrimination on account of race and colour, which
is tantamount to secession ! We have always re-
garded this question with anxiety, and we only
hope that means may be found, if the Amendtnent
be passed, to provide for the difficulty. We believe
that the American press has seriously taken up the
discussion of this subject, as we did on receiving the
Cable messages, and let us hope not too late. But, as
is natural, on what affects two score millions, while
the Pacific slope numbers little over half a million,
the discussion must turn on the interests of the vast
majority. Hence the cancelling of educational
qualifications, even for holding office, is the provi-
sion most forcibly exposed. On this subject the
New York Sun says:—" Are we to be denied the
privilege of insisting that our candidates for judges
shall know the law ? Must that excellent Act of
Congress be annulled which provides that persons
who apply for clerkships in the Executive Depart-
ments at Washington shall be examined to ascer-
tain how far education has qualified them for the
places they desire ?. If a State wishes to institute a
geological survey, may it not require that the gen-
tlemen who apply to do the work shall know the
difference between limestone and hornblende ?"
The Chinaman sitting as judge iu the court wherein
his testimony had lately been refused on oath would
present a startling picture to a San Franciscan ; but
if this Amendment be passed, what is to prevent
the tables being turned In California, and the Celes-
tial Judge refusing to receive the evidence of an
American against the naturalized Chinese citizen.
The intelligence received yesterday adds Missouri,
West Virginia, and even Nevada to the States
which had ratified the Amendment.

IdAYINOOTH.

Some or our contemporaries seem to be so hard
up for any objection to the Irish Church Bill that
they -are compelled to raise the old exploded anti-
Maynooth cry. They quote Mr. Gladstone's letter
to Mr. Jubb, written during the general election, in
which the Premier said, "Not only my own declarations
upon every occasion, but the resolution unanimously
passed by the House of Commons, bind me in
honour, as I am bound in purpose and conviction, to
propose that the Regium Donum and Maynooth
grant should be wound up, and should cease with the
Church Establishment. Can words go further ?"
They then assert that Mr. Gladstone's present proposal
is a direct violation of this promise. It is nothing of
thesort. He always saidAt was hi, intention to " wind nn"
the Irish Uhurch, the Itegium Donum, and tue aay-
nooth grant. He has fulfilled his promise by proposing
to wind them up in precisely the same way. The State
connection is to cease, and the revenue is to be
capitalised in each case; only whereas at present
500,000 Protestant Episcopalians enjoy £700,000 a
year, and 5,000,000 of Roman Catholics only £26,000
a year, Mr: Gladstone does not find any surplus fund in
the latter sum as he does in the former ; does not
propose, therefore, to appropriate any of the May-
nooth grant as he does of the Church revenues. If
he has over estimated the value of the grant and the
buildings that is a detail capable of alteration.

to the Continent. A. plan has been started for
reaching Europe under the sea. Among the pro-
moters are Lord Richard Grosvenor, Mr. Bazley, Mr.
Thomas Brassey, Mr. Hawkshaw, M. Michel Cheva-
lier, M. Arles Dufour, and other influential English-
men and Frenchmen. The idea favoured by these
gentlemen is that of tunneling through the submarine
chalk. In order to prepare the way, borings have
been made on both sides of the Straits. On
the English side the chalk was bored
through, and the green sand reached at 540
feet below high water. It is assumed that no " fault "
occurs in the chalk formation underneath the
Channel, and in that case the tunnel could be carried
through the lower or grey chalk, where there would
be little percolation of sea water. Of course leis
possible that sea water may find its way through
some unexpected fissure, in quantities too large to be
overcome. To ascertain this it would be necessary
to drive preliminary driftways under the sea. It is
anticipated that the work would cost ten millions
sterling, and take ten years to execute.