The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-16 00:00:00

CRIME IN FRANCE.

The statistics of criminal justice for the year
1849 inform us that the number of crimes and mis-
demeanours considerably increased in that year. At
the same time it is apparent that this augmentation is
explained by a fortuitous and accidental circumstance
—viz., the deficiency of the harvest, and the conse-
quent pressure on the labouring classes. In this,
then, we recognise one of those insignificant varia-
tions from which no deduction can or ought to be
drawn, since there is no reason for supposing that in
the next year the whole phenomena may not be re-
versed. If we would really profit by statistics, if we
would derive light and certainty from that source,
we must follow the course of criminal statistics
throughout the twenty• two years of which we pos-
sess the exact history. Of those years a table has
been prepared, in which they are divided into four
periods of five years, besides the two years which
commenced the course ; in juxtaposition with this is
placed the number of accused who were tried in each
year, and the average number of trials for each period
of five years.
From this table it appears that the mean number
of accused has been fir the first period-1826 to
1830, 7,130 ; for the second period, 1831 to 1835,
7,466 ; for the third period, 1836 to 1840, 7,885 ;
for the fourth period, 1841 to 1845, 7,106. The
figures for the two intermediate periods, it will be
seen, are higher than those for the two others, and
that the figures of the last are lower than of the first.
But the proportions are not the same, if we consider
the accused according as they have committed crimes
against persons or against property. It it the first
period that contains the lowest number of crimes
against property, only 1,824 per annum on an
average. The second period offers the greatest num-
ber of these, 2,371 ; while the third and fourth have
only produced 2,153 and 2,220 respectively. But if
we deduct from the number accused of crimes against
the person during the second period, 1831 to 1835,
about 1,000 accused of political offences, we shall
have for the second period an average number of
2,170 accused of crimes against the person ; a
number which differs very little from those which
we have found in the third and fourth periods.
With respect to persons accused of crimes against
property their number is the lowest in the last
period, 1841 to 1845, the average per annum being
4,918. After it comes the second period, which
counts 5,095: the first 5,306 ; the third 5,732.
Thus the difference between the third and fourth
period is 814 accused, that is to say, that from 1841
to 1845, the mean annual number of persons accused
of crimes against property was less, compared with
the preceding five years, by more than 14 per cent.
What is the corollary to be drawn from these
figures ? Is it true, as is often asserted, that the
number of crimes increases year by year in a fright-
ful manner ? Such is not the teaching of statistics :
on the contrary, this science attests that from 1826 to
1847, the number of crimes properly so called, and
qualified as such by the penal code, has not increased.
If we leave out the exceptional year 1847, it has
even diminished ; and still more remarkable,
it has diminished, although the population of France
has augmented during that period by more than one-
tenth. It is true that by the side of this result sta-
tistics place another of a less satisfactory character ;
it is, that while certain classes of crimes have re-
mained stationary or diminished since 1826, there are
others which have augmented in considerable pro-
portion. Thus the number of forgeries, which in
the period 1826-1830 was only 403 per annum, has
progressively increased, and in 1847 attained the

height of 68:2. Fraudulent bankruptcies, which
from 1826 to 1830 did not exceed an average of 99,
rose in 1846 to 170, felling to 146 in 1847. In the
same lapse of time the crime of coining has increase.l
to a fourfold extent.

A sad progression is likewise to be noticed in the
excesses resulting from disordered passions. Viola-
tions and assaults with intent on adults have increased
from 166 to 227 in twenty years. The same crimes
committed on persons of tender years have progressed
from an average of 139 to 369. The number for
1847 was 384.
Hitherto we hive spoken only of acts qualified as
crimes by the penal law, and submitted as such to
the courts of assize. As to those which are classed
under the term of offences, and as such sent to the
police courts, they have followed, since 1846, the as-
cending movement. These offences are divided into
two classes, according as they come before the court
on the complaint of the public authorities, or as mere
civil cases. Charges of the first class are more seri-
ous, since they have for their object the repression of
conduct which attacks the public morals, or social
order. The others affect only private interest, and
those but feebly. But during the twenty-two years
embraced by statistics, we find that the number of
persons tried on the demand of the Minister has more
than doubled.

This number which in 1826 was only 47,443 has
gradually ascended to 124,159, the figures for 1847,
It is to be noticed that the cases flr swindling, abuse
of confidence, and simple bankruptcy present au in-
crease corresponding to that which we have remarked
of the crimes of forgery, coining, and fraudulent
bankruptcy.
We are thus enabled to discriminate in the in-
crease of crime. It is not that all crimes are multi-
plied, but only certain kinds ; and these would be
more properly styled delinquencies. The crimes
and offences whose numbers have most signally aug—
mented are those which have their source in private
interests.

But besides a statement of the number and nature
of indictments and police charges, our statistics fur
nish us with the results of trials. Upon the whole
this result agrees exactly with those of the two pre-
ceding years. Of 100 accused we find in the last
three years 33 have been acquitted, 27 condemned to
personal and ignominious punishment, and 40 to cor-
rectional penalties. There has thus teen no increase
in the vigour of repression during the last three years.
It is nevertheless true that since 1835 the repression
of crime has made way.
The jury, as well as the magistrate, bring more
intelligence and firmness to the accomplishment of
their duties. This is in some measure due to the
number of modifications to which our criminal law
has been submitted during several years past. It
was under the reign of the Code Napoleon and its
Draconian provisions, that the proportional number
of acquittals increased from 1826 to 1831, while the
number of condemnations to ignominious punish-

ments followed an inverse movetnent. The law of
1831, requiring for a verdict of " guilty" eight
voices in the Jury•box, instead of seven as before,
greatly increased the number of acquittals, which in
that same year reached 46 per cent. The law of
April 28, 1832, followed, moderating the severity of
many of the penalties prescribed by the Imperial
code and extending to all offences within the pur-
view of that code the faculty of admitting of ex-
tenuating circumstances, which had been as-
signed to as mall number of cases by the law of June
25, 1824. The effect of these modifications was an
immediate and sensible diminution of the number of
acquitments, but at the same time they served, to
diminish the number of the more aggravated punish-
ments which has not ceased to decrease since 1837.
The law of September 9, 1837, reducing again the
number of votes necessary to conviction from 8 to 7,
powerfully contributed to confirm the power of the
law, and it is under the influence of this statute that
we have seen the average number of acquittals de-
scend from 39 to 32 per cent., while the average of
condemnations to ignominious and personal punish-
ment has during the same period been raised from 23
to 29 per cent.
The law of September, 1835, that liberticide law,

• • •
as it was called, exists to-day no more. Within the
last two years the law of the jury majority has been
twice changed. M. Cremieux, by an an act of
authority, raied the number from 7 to 9 ; the con-
stituent then reduced it from 9to 8 voices. One day
statistics will iuform us what has been the result of
these variations.
The table of second offences continues to exhibit
the saddest results. It gives an almost regular in-

crease in the number of —repeated offences since 1826,
and especially since 1835, the date since which the
previous conduct of culprits has bean more search-
ingly investigated than in anterior rears. In 1825
the number of offenders whose previous convictions
could be ascertained was 11 per cent. ; in '1835, 21
per cent. In 1842 the proportion had attained to 25
per cent. ; at this figure it stood for three years ; in
1846 it was 26, and in 1847 25 per cent. Thus one
criminal in four has undergone previous punishment.
Such is the result of statistics, but it is below the truth,
because, by concealing their names, many criminals
escape the penalties which the law prescribes for a
second conviction. It very frequently happens that
individuals, who have been convicted as if for a first
offence, are not recognised under their true name and
antecedents until they arrive as the places where they
are to undergo punishment. Official documents prove
that in the year 1846 the number of criminals liable
to punishment as having been previously convicted,.but
against whom that charge was never preferred, ex-
ceeded by one-fourth that of the number recognised
end condemned as offenders for at least the second
time.
These figures prove the character of that regimen
to which our criminals are subjected in our prisons
and penitentiaries. They prove that the reforms of
detail which we have attempted are completely ineffi-
cacious. They prove something more ; they show
how vicious is the system under which our convicts
pass the period of their punishment.

GERMANIA ; ITS COURTS, CAMPS, AND PEOPLE....
The startling revelations made in the moat fearless spirit
throughout the numerous pages of this work, have naturally
directed public attention towards its author, but we believe
it is not generally known that the gifted writer who has ex•
cited so much interePt and curiosity has already figured in
the world of letters with signal Mat, it being to. her able pen
that we are indebted for the very graphic novel of " Mildred
Vernon."—Evening Paper.

` tzton
SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN
RAILWAY;—(THIS DAY.)
The usual half-yearly general meeting of the pro-
prietors of the London and North-Western Railway
was held this morning at the Eustore square Station;
Mr. G. C. Glynn, 11.1" ,chairman of the board of direc-
tors, in the chair.
The advertisement convening the meeting, and the
minutes of previoue meetings having been read, the
common seal of the company was affixed to the register
of shareholders.
Tne CHAIRMAN then proceeded to address the meeting
to the following eel c :—Gentlemen, in performing the
duty which devolves upon me en the present occasion, I
do not think it like::: that I shall be obliged to claim
your indulgence fir any lengthened period.—(Hear,
hear) You have already in e our hands the accounts of
the last half-year, soil I trope on lookieg at the face of
theta the same .satisfaction will be experienced by you
that is felt by your executive btely at the favourable
results which they extebit.—( dear, hear.) At the same
time, gentlemen, it appears to us that those accounts
tend very much to prove the causes to which I have
frequently alluded in this room, and which account for
that depression of reilw :y property which I have more
that once pointed out to you.—(flear, hear.) We
have always soloed that the great depression
which has existed in the railway interest has
arisen partly from the monetary crisis of 1847 in con-
nexion with the railway mania, and the effect which
it produced on the means of individuals who had pre-
viously been in !he hsbit of sienna:, a portion of their
surplus money in travelling and such like amusements.
—(Hear, hear.) leccurelle, gentlemen, we have always
stated that one cause tor the depression of
railway property arose from the rapid application of
capital in too great a degree to the purposes of railway
nndertakingr.—(Hear, hoar.) Now, with regard to the
first of these causes, an • xamiaation of the accounts
will not only' prove its eetstence, but, as is %tweets
the case in this country, that the lapse of time
replaces the means ef individuals, and allows
them to recover iu a great measure from the effects
which may have been produced by such causes as those
to which I have referred, and I trust, considering the
prospect we have of eh;oying a considerably good harvest
this year, we may luck forward to a still greater
increase in that which has already been called
a gradually increasing traffic —(Bear, hear.) With re-
gard to the second cause, gentlemen, since we last met
you we have opened several additional undertakings,
but we cannot coegratulate you that these undertakings
in their present resulta have produced that addition
to our receipts whine our increased corresponding
mileage warranted us in expecting, and that fact I
think srovest he existence or the second cause for the
great depression we have b en suffering, namely, the too.
rapid application t f cepitir increasing ins much greater
ratio than the development' or the traffic of this country.
—(Hear.) Gentlemen, that I think is another reason
why every person ceen• ctsei with the railway interest
must concur in that policy so maturely considered and
laid down by my Lord Deltioueie, while at the Board of
Trade, and in regretting that it . should have •been set
aside by Parliament.—(Hear, hear.) Instead of being
allowed to distribute the various railway ramifica-
tions and. the expenslieuro of our money over
a course of yeare, end gradually over a COWS@
of country, we have been hurried on by legisla-
tive enactments to a premature expenditure of vast
capital, without, in point s.l time, securing tin equalvelopment hf traffic, which, nevertheless, must come in
the progress of time:—(Cheers.) There causes, which
have so Much effect on your -oven property and railway
property, are proved •uy your own accounts. But still I
have to eoegeatu'atteyon upon a considerable increase in
your traffic eieluie. further, an additional cause for gra-
tification will be found in the fact that this increase of traf-
fic has been obtained without any additional working ex-
penses. In point of Met, gees:lemma, we have considerably
increased our mileage distance without materially in-
creasing our expense (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I have
often from this chair had the pleasure of assuring you
that proper economy was the first intention and desire
of your encetttive body, and I think now we may
fairly refer to the accounts of the present half-year in
corroboratien of our desire to carry that intention out.—
(Cries of Hear, hear.") There are, however, one or
two points in connexion- with those accounts to which,
for a moment or so, I desire to call your attention.
In the first place it es united in the report that there has
been a dunitituien it; t::e working expenses, the quota-
tion of per-tee-ea:so hqif jeer, comparing it with the
corresponding !self of Ili; year, is 34 as to 36 per
cent , • but it is right that you should understtnd
that, although we nee fully • entitled to make
that cotinpartern as hetwoen those two half-years, yet
there is in that mode of stedng the per-tentage of the
working expeusee a censiderable fallacy involved.—
(Hear, hear.) For tie-se, accounts are made up in the
same taanner that the Admiralty accounts and those of the
steam packer service used formerly to be made out,
namely, including only the actual outlay. Thus
our working ex; uses include nothing as a return for
year expended catet.l. ruching fur interest of capital
expended in the weir arid rear of works and machinery.
—(Rear.) Now lam inioced t allude to this because
it is net only iropertant in its-lf, but although, as be-
tween ourselves as co-partners, it makes no difference
which way we make up our aceounts, since it a mere
epiestion of an hen to: 'us one bete, and figures on
the tether, ye., when you look to these ac-
counts, you see a ccn.iderable item for sums
receivable from (neer companies uncler the head
of returns !or lecomerie., csergee, and that circumstance
. is Itkel„v to lead tie c too wet wisapp'reheasion out
of doors.—(l-lear. beer I Teat, however, which
appears ;here ther compaeies a large
item when compared with our own locom Hive
expenses of it u' e, the r.-sti:t of an agreement will
there, which tqi-ze, tufo censidersison, as an element of
charge. the lit goo. widen arises on the capital, which
capital has been laid snit in the purchase of the working
stack.—(Cheers.) Yea will see, gentlemen, that ties
is a material matter to b- borne in mind when we enter
here on a disuse on with regard to the question
of rating, and the low figure at which, iu point -
of meet, oar working expenses are put down. It
should always bet borne in mina that these figures
rendered to you here in this room are figures merely
between ourselves as partners, and net the figures which
came into operation hen we come to work under a
e ntract w th separate and distinct, companies.—(Heir,
hear.) We charge y. u not as a mercantile
man would, but the charge at rate is put down, because
in point of face the charge for interest is not included in
it.--(Elear, hear.) Gentlemen, I am anxious to put
this clearly before you, because I know that in many pafts
of the country arguments have been raised against us,
founded upon teis. very circumstance to which I have
referred.—(Hear, tt er.) It is true thee in making up
cur accounts we erid,ei:our to bring all the elements
of ebterge into consideration; but the accounts do
not fairly state the facts except as between
our elves, when we say the difference of charge this
half-year is as 3.1 per c re. to 36 per cent. of the cor-
respendirg half of list year. We ought to add, to make
the case appear tatriy before the public, the intecest
on the cost of the original locomotive power,
together wita the teat or its repair.—(llear.) Now, I
pass to another f.nr.)'eet. We have, I believe, been
charged, by particelar inaividua!s, with entertaining a
certain latent skein: to keep opts the capital account.
--('lear.) Now, I !e, to assure you teat if you could
stiggc.,t any step weuld relieve your directors
from the responsibility of keeping open the capital
a count we will gladly adopt it, but. in saying that.
and in expressing our desire that the capital ac-
count sh• ,u!el be closed, I am bound to tell
you that it cannot 100 immediately sealed up.—(Rear,
bear.) An. the laid mectiag, or the one before th t, we
(heed your capital account so fir as locomotive peer
was concerned ; we have nothing more to draw
from that, and shouid there be any necessity
to increase ary portion of our locomotive power
we most come to Tel for the funds t e do it with, bat at
present I am happy to say there is no prospect of that
necessity arising.—(Chet,r4.) •At the last meeting we
closed the capeel
_account as regards the outlay
upon branch lite ~ alai I am happy to say you
see in the report no oharge mentioned under that
heed, which wril be a source of satisfaction to you,
as it is to yoar executive.—(Hear, hear.) Now,
gentlemen, we propose on this occasion es pro-
ceed .a step further, wtasca I hope will 'convince the
pneprietors and the mire that if tfle closing of the en-
tire capital account can be accomplished at any given
time, we are deeirous of doing it.—(feend cheers.)
We now propose to close the capital account
of the company as resrards • the necessity far
working etock.--(1, cud cheers.) Upon three ma--
terial items, then, uamely, the locomotive Power, the
broich and the huililine of waggons, carriages, &c.,
tee capital accounts wAil bencefurth be virtually closed,
but as regards the latter account we shall have
to bring, before you; proposals which will
s ail amount to a eractieal closing of the capital account.
For this purpose, however, it will be necessary for us to
a .ic you to give c a vote on account of the addi-
tional working stock, since our stock of car-
teges and we,greene were both not sufficient
f,r our increasing treffic. la the year 1847
our stock of working waggons was 6,236, iu the year
1850 our stock of worlene wagons is only 7,890, and it'
any Hon. Proprietor will take the trouble of considering
on the one side the increase of traffic with the in-
crease cf waggons, lie will see at once the neces-
sity for the propoeal es which I have alluded,
and the difficulty et working our immense traffic with so
short a stock —(dear, lfcor.) With regard to carriages,
in 1817 they were peed. in 1830 they are only 1,826;
but still we do not ask anything like the same increase
in the carriage., for the passenger traffic has cot in-
creasei like the goods traffic, and therefore we do
not find that we rogutre se. great an increase in the one
cps. as in the other.—(if.ar, hear.) Tne carriage of
; OOds, which stood in 1117 at 1,000,610 tons, stands in
tee year 1850 at 2,(:)00,;_',0.) tons. 'l'he amount of pas-
sengers conveyed its 1817 was 5,495,000, it is now,
in 1850, 6,000,7e0. December, 1847, in-
chiding the Chester and llolyhend, we have
had 223 new milts or railway. The new mileage
since 1?A.7 ht's been at the rate of 42 per
cent.. while the wuggozot have increased ouly at the rate
of 17 per cent., and te.o carriage stock only at
the rate- of 12 per cent., and we have still got
e further vailesee re open. though not to that
'Cipittmt, but to the eeterit of- 75 miles, and we therefore
=I ask sou to give as credit for a certain sum to provide
,
_Reee ask} oil
sock.---(Hear, hear.) We want at least 800 more
and a c»rt•e!.n t.',:mber, bat not that number, of
carriages.—(Cr.etp.) We shall ask you to give us
e eenedit to the ester t erteel 0001. for the purchase of new
'he and you ~!...t t, that satTie:icat credit to, el-
";
(es/. s as to buildA?a: t.r t is .1.:,-;Ail2r.:isti-ra 41 the sti.;;.k;
.-1

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