The Sun.
London, England, 1828-07-31 00:00:00

MENT OF THE GENERAL POLICE.

Your Committee have reserved for the last head
of their Repert, the suggestion of such measures as
it may be advisable to adopt for the improvement of
the general Police of the Metropolis and its neigh-
bourhood.

The various establishments connected with the
Police are so fully detailed in the Report of the
Committee which was appointed in the year 182,
that it is unnecessary to refer to them in detail in tliiE.
Report. It is well knewn that the City of London
has a separate systera of Police and of Watch by
night, under the controul of the municipal authorities.
In the City of Westminster there is an establish
ment of eighty constables, annually chosen at
a Court
of Burgesses, from persons carrying on trade, who
are permitted, under certain regulations, to perform
the office by deputy.
for the protection of property,
This consists of seven officers of Polies, each pre,
siding over a 'certain district, with a fixed number of
constables attached to each, for the assistance of the
Magistrates in the discharge of their ordinary duties;
of the Thames Police Office, with an establishment
applicable to the general purposes of '
of about ninety officers,
and the maintenance of order on the River; and of
the Bow-street office, which, acting under the direc--
dons of the Secretary of State for the Home Dew
tment has the immediate superintendance of tile
par 1 .
olis and its neighbourhood, with
the
in the
exception of the City of London.
This force is divided into three 1 TI
C USSCS : .le.
Horse Patrol, patrolling
the great roads within about
twenty miles of the Metropolis ; the Dismounted
Patrol, stationed in the environs ; andthe
Foot
Patrol, charged with the duty ofpatrolling
the •
streets, by night and by day.
The extent of each of these establishments, 'the '
annual expense, and the nature of the particular '
eiffoel
iectei cien ftohrecemetrop
duties assigned to each, will be found fully set forth
Appendix, No. ..,
. In addition to these establishments is the i\ ightly •
Watch, to which is committed,, in a great degree,
the maintenance of the public j)4aee, and the guar-
slianship of the persons and propeesy.of the inhabit-
ants of the metropolis and its; viols? n. during that.
period of the 24 hours when they inthtitist exposed
to danger.
It is scarcely necessary to state, that the Watch,
where it exists, is a parochial establishment.
Each parish, which has authority for theft ',La-

t»se, regulates its own - watchmen, and defrays the
expence incurred by them by a rate levied on the
inhabitants.

In some parishes, through the meritorious exer-
tions of individual residents, the system of watching
is well conducted. Due attention is paid to the
selection of persons properly qualified in point of
age and strength to act as watchmen ; and a proper
controul appears to be exercised over the perform-
ance of their duties. But the system as a whole is
defective; and in the opinion of your Committee
the time is now come when a determined effort
must be made to effect a decisive change in it.
Your Committee are well aware that in effecting
fth's change there may be serious difficulties to en-
co inter. The difficulties of changing ancient usages,
of simplifying a complicated system, of arranging
troublesome details; of transferring to one depart-
ment a sort of patronage and power, which is now
exercised by many.
But the difficulties must be encountered if it be
intended to institute an efficient system of police for
the protection property, and prevention and de-
tection rif crime.
Your Committee earnestly entreat the attention of
the House to the argument, to the evidence, and to
the authority on which their proposition will be
founded. If they can prove to the satisfaction of
the House and the country, that the present system
is, and msst continue to be, defective; that its con-
demnation has been the almost uniform result of pre-
vious inquiries ; awl that abetter system can be adopt-
ed, probably at aless expenee, w►th no new restra►nt
on the liberty of the subject—they will have made a
most material advance towards the important object
for which they were appointed, although no legis-
lative measure should be immediately founded on
their suggestions.
Nothing can mor:, facilitate the ultimate adoption
of such a meacdre, and the successful operation of it,
after it sh::11 have been adopted, than a general con-
viction, in its favour, the result of full inquiry and
maitire deliberation.

In the observations which your Committee are
about to offer, they will speak in the first instance of
the metropolis, exclusive of that part of it which is
within the jurisdiction of the City of London.
They must consider it with reference to no defini-
tive boundary, by which the limits of many cities
can be determined, but as an immense aggregate of
houses, extending on many sides for several miles in
almost a continuous succession, and containing seve-
ral hundred thousands of inhabitants.
The inquiries of the Committee have extended to
loamy parishes, which, strictly speaking, are not
part of the Metropolis, but still are situated within
that district, over which any general system of
Police that may be established ought to extend, It
could not be effectual unless it included the large
villages and towns in the neighbocAood of the Me-
tropolis, and the intervening space.
The observations of your Committee will there-
fore generally extend to a district, the centre of
which is some point in the middle of the metropolis,
with a radius of eight or ten miles (excluding for. the
present the City of London.)
The charge and police of this important and po-
pulous district, the constant resort of innumerable
strangers, of characters totally unknown, of no fixed
residence, and in respect to whom no controul can
be, or, while they obey the laws, ought to be exer-
cised, is committed during the night, almost exclu-
sively either to the parochial authorities, to Com-
missioners appointed under Local Acts, or to the
voluntary exertions of the inhabitants, acting re-
spectively in their several parishes.
The total number of men employed by night as
Foot Patrol, under the orders of the now-street
Office, does not exceed
If each parish had full power, by law, to establish
an efficient watch; and if each parish exercised that
power with the greatest judgment and discretion,
still there would be no unity of system and no se-
curity for mutual concert and co-operation.
But at present, while in some few parishes the
watch is well regulated, is others it is very imper-
fectly constituted ; and in many there appears no
regular establishment of watch whatever.
The exertions of the parishes which are well re-
olated, are often defeated, in a material degree, by
the indifference and neglect of their neighbours.

The regulations, as to the wages of watchmen—
as to the hours of their attendance—as to the per-
sonal qualifications requisite—depend upon no fixed
rule, but vary at the discretion of the local autho-
rities. In some parishes, a preference is given to
persons, who, if not employed as watchmen, would
be chargeable to the Poor Rates; in many, from
considerations of charity, and the natural unwilling-
ness to dismiss an old servant on account of infir-
mity, watchmen are continued, who are manifestly
disabled by age or infirmity for the proper discharge
of their duties. It appears to your Committee, that
the presumption is very strong, without any evidence
as to particular facts, that the present system of pro-
viding by night for the Police of a great city and
its vicinity, is a defective one.
The absence of all union; of all general controul
and undivided responsibility; the number of criminal
commitments; the frequency of depredation, with-
out detection of the offenders—would constitute in
themselves a strong ground for attempting an im-
provement in that system.
But your Committee deem it of great importance
to call the attention of the House first, to the result
of the inquiries of former Committees ; and secondly,
to the evidence which your Committee has recently
received, both tending to confirm those impressions
as to the imperfection of the present system which
might result from abstract reasoning.
First, as to the inquiries of former. Committees :
In 1772 a Committee was appointed to inquire
into the several burglaries anel robberies committed
in London and Westminster.
Sir John Fielding was examined before that
Committee, and being asked what he thought of the
mode of watching the town, replied, that the watch
was insufficient—that their duty was too hard, and
their pay too small; that the watch of Westminster
had every parish under a separate commission; that
Commissioners of the respective parishes appoint
the beats of the watch without conferring together,
which leaves the frontiers of each parish' in a con-
fused state ; for that where one side of a street
lies in one parish, and the other side in another
parish, the watchmen of one side cannot lend any
assistance to persons on the other side, other than
as a private person, except in cases of felony.
Being asked what remedies he could suggest, de-
livered in a paper, from which the follewmg is an
extract :
" The Watch of Westminster is extremely defec-
tive ; the number ought to be increased, their pay
-augmented, and the whole direction of them put
under one commission; and that commission should be
Magistrates of the city and liberty of Westminster."
The Committee, after receiving of his evidence,
use to several resolutions, of which the. following

.1 one :--
" That it is the opinion of this Committee, that
the number of watchmen should be increased—'
another method adopted for appointing them--their
beats should be less extensive—their duty be made
general ; and that they should be put under one ge-
neral direction."
In 1793 a Committee was appointed to- inquire
into the state of the Nightly Watch within the city
and liberty of Westminster.
This Committee resolved—,,
That the present
mode of Watching, and pay of the Watchmen, is
very irregular and various, and ought to be put under
proper regulations. That it would teud, to the safety ,
of the inhabitants of the city and. liherty of west.
minster, if a regular and uniform Watch, with Pa-
treles, was established under proper regulations,"
In 1812, the defective state of.the Nightly Watch
of Westminster again occupied the attention of the
House. Very atrocious murders had very recently
been committed; and a general alarm, inducing great
temporary exertions and precautions, pervaded the
metropolis. The following are. extracts from the
Report of this Committee:--
"Your Committee hare not failed to observe,,thtit

the city of London, from the nature of its Magis-
tracy, the description of its various public officers,
the gradation and subordination of their various
classes, the division and subdivision of its local
limits, affords an example of that unity, and o: that
dependence of parts on each other, ivithout which
no well constructed and efficient system of police'
can ever be expected. If such a system could be
successfully imitated in Westminster and its liberties,
and within the other adjacent parishes which have
hitherto formed an unconnected mass of scattered
and uncontrolled local authorities, considerable benefit
might be expected to ensue; for your Committee
are disposed to concur in opinion with several of the
witnesses, that a well-arranged system of superin-
tendence, vigilance, and control, would tend more
to the prevention of crimes, by rendering it difficult
to commit them, than any degree of lctivity in the
pursuit and conviction of criminals after the crime
has been committed ; at all events, however, the two
systems are not only not incompatible, but would
necessarily afford mutual aid and assistance to each
other."

After observing that the statute of 14th George 3,
c. 90, regulates the watch of certain parishes, the
Committee proceeds to state, that other parishes or
hamlets are governed by particular Acts of Parlia-
ment, authorizing the raising of rates for watching
and lighting, and vesting powers in certain Com-
missioners or vestries for carrying these purposes
into effect ; but in many cases, the execution of the
law is extremely defective, and in some cases the
power of raising money is inadequate ; in others the
full amount is not levied ; the mode of watching ge-
nerally had, and the men employed, both in number
and ability, wholly inefficient for the purpose.
In other parishes there is no legislative provision,
and upon the whole, no uniform system prevails ;
and neither the Magistracy or the Government have
at present any connection whatever with the state of
the "Watch, and no'control or superintendence over it.
It would appear that this statute of the 14th Geo.
3, c. 90, has been very little known, or very loosely
examined and considered ; for many of the witnesses
whom we have examined, and many of the projects
which have been submitted to our consideration,
suggest, as valuable improvements, the very princi-
ples and very details which are enforced, by substan-
tive enactment, in this very statute.
Your Committee feel that much would be done
by merely extending the provisions of the 14th Geo.
3, to the adjacent parishes in and near the Metro-
polis, which should be particularly described, pro-
vided it were duly executed; but they are convinced
that it may receive very beneficial amendments, for
the details of which they would refer to the Appen-
dix, stating here only, that, in many instances, it
may be absolutely necessary to give powers for levy-
ing a higher rate than is now allowed, in order to
defray the expence arising from an increase of the
numbers or wages of the persons employed in dif-
ferent capacities in the nightly watch ; your Com-
mittee being strongly impressed with the opinion of
the expediency, if not necessity, of relieving the
watch once at least in the night.
But the main improvement of this law would con-
sist in creating a superintending power, to whose
discretion should be entrusted the dismissal of the
persons appointed by the parochial authorities in
cases of misconduct, negligence, or inability, and to
whom it should belong to enforce generally, if ne-
cessary, the due execution of this Act ; for, with all
the other proposed amendments, it cannot escape
observation that the system would still remain im-
perfect, and very infrrier in efficacy to that which
subsists within the City of London (properly so
called); there would still remain. that want of unity,
that want of dependence of parts on each other—
that want of a general superintendence and control,
without which every system of government must be
imperfect.

( I'o BE WONTINUF.P.)

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCH PAPERS.

(From the Gazette de France, dated July 29.)
BUCHAREST, JULY 10.—Accounts this moment
received inform us that Managlia, an important forti-
fied place, which defends the road to Varna, has sur-
rendered to the Russians.—There is now no obstacle
to stop the march of the left wing of the Russians
towards Varna. _

_
A report is spread that Abduraliman, Paella of
Bosnia, was assassinated just at the moment that he
was going to join the corps of troops which he had
collected conformably to the firman of the Sultan.
If this news should be confirmed, it is easy to foresee
that troubles in the interior of Bosnia will be the
consequence, and that the situation of that province
with respect to Servia will be essentially changed.
The Servians, however, remain in the same position,
and do not appear disposed to commit any acts of
hostility against the Porte; or on the other hand, to
suffer any armed body of Turks to enter their 'pro-
vince. The hurricane which ravaged this city on
the 23th of June, and which extended to all the
country along the Danube, is said to have done
much damage to the baggage of the Russian army.
(From the Moniteur, dated July 28.)
The Expedition to the Morea, which was an-
nounced some months ago, has been finally ordered.
The King has confided the command of it to Lieut.-
General the Marquis Maison, Peer. of France. This
General will have under his command the Major-
Generals Viscount Tiburce Sebastiani, Baron Higo-
net and Schneider. General Baron Durieu is ap-
pointed Chief, and Colonel Trezel Second Chief of
the Staff. The artillery will be commanded by
Colonel . Viscount de la Ilitte : the Engineers by
Lieut.-Colonel Andoy. Baron Volland, the Military
Intendant, is charged with the direction of all the
Administrative Departments.
Fay.zsert Feisns, JUTX 28.—Five per Cents. 105 f. 85c.
90c. 95c. 90c. 95c. 90c. ; Three per Cents. '72f. 20c.
15e. 20c.