The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-15 00:00:00

DRUNKENNESS.

A return has been made during the present
session of Parliament on this subject, which cannot
fail to excite interest, as it is one which is, in a
statistical point of view, illustrative to a certain
extent of the moral condition of the people of
this vast metropolis. The returns moved for
by Mr. Hume were " of the number of persons taken
into custody for drunkenness, and for disorderly con-
duct, by the metropolitan police, in each . year from
1831 to 1843 f both inclusive, distinguishing each, and
stating the population of the metropolitan police dis-
trict in the years 1831 and 1843 ; and a similar return
for the City of London."
From this document we glean the following sin-
gular results :—The maximum amount of persons
taken into custody for drunkenness is to be found in
the years 1831, 1832, and 1833, and the minimum in
1843 :

In 1831 they were, males and females ... 31,353
1832 ditto ditto ... 32,636
1833 ditto ditto 29,880
Taking the population according to the census of
1831 at 1,515,585, then the number of persons
taken into custody for drunkenness was in these pe-
riods respectively as about 2 1-15th, 2 1-17th, and
14 and a fraction out of every 100. In 1843 the
number of persons taken into custody for drunken-
ness fell to 10,890, which, taking the census of
1841, say 2,068,107, was in the proportion of little
more than in every 100. In the City of London
also the same gratifying result is shown
In 1840 the numbers were 5,113, which, on
the estimated population of 124,876, was in the enor-
mous proportion of full 4 1-10th out of: every 100.
In 1843 the numbers were 2,595, which, taking the
official estimated pupulation at 125,273,; was in the
ratio of 21 to every 100. Let us hope, from these
facts, that temperance is becoming mere general
among the labouring classes of the metropolis. Its
beneficial influence on the social condition of the
people must be evident to every man.

LORD ELDON.—" On one occasion,", relates his
Lordsnip, " I heard Lee say, I cannot leave Fawcett's
wine : mind, Davenport, you will go home immediately
after dinner to read the brief in that cause that we have
to conduct to-morrow.' Not I,' said Davenport ; leave
my dinner and my wine t 3 read a brief ! No, no, Lee
—that won't do.' Then,' said Lee, what is to be
done ? Who else is employed ?' Davenport---' Oh !
young Scott.' Lee—' Oh ! he must go. Mr. Scott you
must go home immediately, and make yourself ac-
quainted with that cause before our consultation this
evening.' This was very hard upon me ; but I did go,
and there was an attorney from Cumberland, and one
from Northumberland, and I do not know how many
other persons. Pretty late, in came Jack Lee, as drunk
as he could be. I cannot consult to-night—l must go to
bed,' he exclaimed, and away he went. Then came Sir
Thomas Davenport: Wecannot have a consultation to-
night, Mr. Wordsworth,' shouted Davenport, don't you
see how drunk Mr. Scott is ? It is impossible to consult.'
altult.
Poor me, who had scarce had any dinner, anci
my wine, / was so drunk that 1 could not
vb consulo lo
owing to
a verdict was given against us, and it was all
anew trial,
lawyer Fawcett's dinner. We moved
muste , say, for
Le teh
and
nhdo
Sirnou
Thomasr f the
bar,av et
nh
pa
et those
paid
wa
all
agnend I
tlem n
expenses between them of the firds.td.triNavl.e
mltoisvetdhPfoornly
instance I ever knew, but they e
new trial (on the ground,
suppose,l of the counsel not
Davenport,
it was granted. When it
came
eg
on
nn
ttbheeirfelsleenwsiensg), and
year the judge rose and said'
Is
Gentlemen, did any of you dine with lawyercause till Fawcett
yesterday ? for if you did I will not hear
next
cause Eldon.
There was great laughter.
ughter. We gained the
LIVERPOOL,
WEDNESDAY MORNING.—The Thomas
ytehaart: time., '—Lye of
Bennet, lately commanded by Captain Halsey, which
sailed hence the 3d instant, for Charleston, has put back
into this port, the Captain having been murdered in the
Bay of Biscay. The murderer has been liven into the
custody of the authorities here, and will, it is supposed,
Le Qxamiued to-day,