The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-16 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 16, 1829.

reports of those committees, particularly those of
later date, would find the state of our police to be
most defective. (Hear, hear.) It had been pretty
clearly a:certained that it was altogether unsafe,
and that it had been so for a long period, to com-
mit the care of the lives and the properties of the
people of the metropolis and its vicinity to the
charge of the parochial watch, during that part
of the 24 hours which constituted the object of their
very lax and inefficient protection.—(Hear.)—He
might rest his case on the Report of the Police
Committee which lay on the table, and which clearly
showed the necessity of some alteration in the exist-
ing means for the prevention and detection of crime,
but he thought it would be more satisfactory to the
House and the public, to state generally the grounds
upon wh'eh he felt himself imperatively called upon
to call on them to abandon the present system of
protecting property and guarding the safety . of the
person. lf they compared the state of crime in the
metropolis with that in other parts of the country, or
in England and Wales at large, the result would be
very unfavourable to the former. If, for example,
they selected the last year, and calculated the pro-
portion which the number of criminals in London
and Middlesex bore to the population, they would
find that not less than one person in every 383 had
• been committed for some crime or other in 1828. If,
in the same manner, they determined the ratio be-
tween the number of persons similarly committed
within the same period in England and Wales, the
proportion would be found to be one .criminal to
every 822 of the entire population. The result of a
comparison of both, as he had stated, would be very
unfavourable to the metropolis. It might be said,
perhaps, that a different ratio of increase in popuia-
lation in London and Middlesex and the country at
large would account for this difference in the amount
of crime; but an examination would show that the
great increase of crime in the former could not be
explained by the increased number of its inhabitants.
Neither, he was sorry also to say, would the result
be favourable to the metropolis, if they compared its
present amount of crime with that of any other pe-
riod, or compared either with that of other parts of
the country. In 1821, the number of persons com-
mitted in London and Middlesex amounted to 2,480,
the population being 1,167,000. In 1828, he re-
gretted to say, the committals for crime amounted
to 3,560. There was no official return of the
amount of increase of population in 1828; but as-
suming it was in a corresponding ratio to that of
other periods, the number of inhabitants in London
and Middlesex would be 1,349,000 in that year.—
The result, therefore, of a comparison between the
rate of increase of population and the rate of increase
of crime in the metropolis, showed that the former
was not in proportion to, and could not account for,
the great increase of the latter; for there was an
increase of 41 per cent. in the number of committals
in 1828 over that of 1821 ; while there was an in-
crease of population of only 151 per cent.—(Hear.)
Increase of population, then, did not explain the
great increase of crime in London and Middlesex.
Neither did the rate of increase of the number of
commitments in England and Wales correspond
with that of the inhabitants; for a comparison of
both in the years 1821 and 1828 showed that crime
had increased 26 per cent., while population had in-
creased but 111 per cent. Although it did not be-
long properly to his present subject, he thought, as
he had alluded to the state of crime in the country
at large, he might, with satisfaction to the House,
state, that though the number of committals had
increased to so great a degree of late years in Lon-
don and Middlesex, crime had very sensibly dimi-
nished in many parts of the country. The increase
of committals in 44 counties of England and Wales
in 1827, as compared with the preceding year,
amounted altogether to 1,914: the decrease in six
counties, including the city of Bristol, amounted to
167, leaving a net increase of 1,657 committals for
crime in the year 1827. But if they proceeded fur-
ther, and compared the year 1828 with 1827, they
would find a decrease of committals in 35 counties,
of 1,656; and an increase in 14 counties, including
Bristol, of 299, leaving a net decrease of committals
for crime during the last year, in England and
Wales, of 1,357.—(Hear.)--This statement he
thought was some consolation for the unfavour-
able comparison which the metropolis afforded,
the rather, as the diminution of committals generally
throughout the country, during the last year, was
not at alt owing to any laxity of duty on the part of
the country police, but to an actual diminution of
the amount of crime. This diminution would ap-
pear more striking on a comparison of the total num-
ber of committals in the last and preceding year.—
In the year 1827, the total number of persons com-
mitted for crime in England and Wales was 17,921 ;
in the year 1828, the number of committals
amounted to but 16,566.-4 Hear, hear )—ln some
counties the decrease was very remarkable. In Lan-
cashire, for instance, there were but 448 commit-
ments last year, while there were not less than
2,457 in 1827. In Somersetshhe the number of
committals was 151 less last year than in the pre-
ceding. The decrease in Yorkshire was 129, and
so on in other places, till they came-to what he was
sorry to call the unfavourable exception of London
and Middlesex, in which there was an increase of
135 committals in 1828, over those of 1827. It
was not, he regretted to say, only in one year that
London and Middlesex afforded a proof of the in-
crease of crime, much greater than any possible in-
crease of population could account for. If they took
any series of years, say seven, on which the Police
Committee had reported, they would find that crime
had not only increased in the metropolis more than
in the other parts of the country, but had far out-
stepped the rate of increase of its inhabitants. If
they, for example, compared the increase of crime
in the seven years beginning with 1811, with the
seven years ending with 1828, and then compared
both with the increase of population, they would
find that crime had increased 55 per cent., while the
population had increased but 19 per cent. —(Hear)
—leaving an excess of crime over population of 36
per cent., to be accounted for by other means.—
It was no easy matter to determine what those
other means or causes were which had occasioned this
frightful difference between the increase of crime
and the increase of population, of not less than 36
per cent. in a series of years. Many intelligent
gentlemen, who took an interest in the subject, had
endeavoured to investigate and determine those
causes; but he still must say,—and he spoke in the
presence of many Hon. Members who had taken an
active part in the Police Committee,—without hav-
ing arrived at any satisfactory conclusion on the
real nature of those causes. lie himself feared that
one of those causes was the increased mechanical
ingenuity of the age, by which the perpetration of
crime was aided, and the means of detection lessened.
What he meant was, that the mechanical improve-
ments which so much distinguished the country,
and which were the source of its prosperity, so aided
the perpetrators of crime, by enabling them to travel
a great distance in a few hours, and to use great
caution in the selection of time and manner, that
the means of detection were very much lessened.
All causes, therefore, of the increased comforts of
the people of the country became thus sources of the
crime,
not less than the increased temptation which
they necessarily created, than, as he had stated, from
the increased facilities which they afforded of per-
petration and evasion. Another very influential
cause was the very unsatisfactory state of that
branch of our police which was chiefly controlled by
the parochial authorities.—(Hear, hear.)—He was

satisfied that so long as the present night-watch
system was persisted in, there would be 1:0 efficient
police prevention of crime, nor no satisfactory pro-
tection for property or the parson. This was the
conclusion which the Police Committee had come
to, and which the evidence of persons most inte•
rested in the subject made manifest. In fact, it
was the conclusion which every one who inquired
into pus present watch-house system must arrive
at. The chief requisites of an efficient police
were unity of design and responsibility of its agents,
both of which were not only not ensured by the pre-
sent parochial watch-house system, but were actually
prevented by it. The House was aware that each
parish had its own watch-house establishment, its
own watchmen, its own discipline, and its own irre-
sponsibility ; and it was left to the parochial autho-
rities alone to devise and enforce, and control the
means of protecting the property and persons of its
inhabitants. By this arrangement each parish was
perfectly isolated, so far as prevention of crime was
concerned, from every other; there could be, there-
fore, no general unity of design—no general respon-
&bilitta ,But this was not all—each parish had its
own Chl.Triers., every one of which might be per-
fectly independent of the rest as to its police, so
that the responsibility is still further subdivided, or
rather destroyed.—( Hear, hear.)—Could there, then,
be any unity of design under such a system ? Cer-
tainly not ; nor responsibility, till all the parochial
police was concentrated under one responsible and
efficient head. He did not, when he made this de-
claration, mean to deny that some of the parishes in
the metropolis had applied- themselves meritoriously
and successfully to protect the property and persons
of their inhabitants, by establishing as efficient
pa-
rochial police; but he contended, that till this effi-
ciency was made genera!, nothing hut a local benefit
could follow from their efforts. What advantage, in
a general point of view, could be derived from one
well-regulated district, surrounded by five or six
neighbouring parishes, in which no attempts had been
made to remedy the present inefficient watch-house
system ? Would not the necessary effect be to drive the
thieves from the protected parish into those parishes
on its skirts on which the authorities were indifferent
about providing efficient security for the propertyhc.
contained in it ? Would not, consequently, the one
well-regulated district aggravate the evils of its
n&ghbours ? This was actually the case with the
parishes of Hackney, St. James's, and Marylebone,
in which, owing to the vo7untary and unpaid exer-
tions of some of the inhabitants, an efficient watch
police establishment was kept up. But though
these exertions were eminently successful at present,
he need not say, that, being dependent wholly on
the disposition of individuals, who had, as he had
stated, voluntarily, and without remuneration, un-
dertaken them, there could be no adequate security
for their continuance, far less for their extension,
but in the appointment of responsible official agents.
Besides, he repeated, supposing their continuance
could be insured under the present system, they
must prove abortive against .the effects of a bad
neighbourhood, till unity of design was established.
The necessity for that unity was strikingly shown
by the present police arrangements of some of the
parishes adjoining the well-regulated ones he had
mentioned. In the parish of St. Pancras, for
example, in which there was a large watch-house
establishment kept up, according to returns which he
had thought it right to call for, there was not less
than eighteen different watch trusts—(hear)—that
is, eighteen different isolated irresponsible police
establishments, rendering a unity of design among
the eighteen local authorities of that large parish an
actual impossibility.—(Hear, hear.)—ln that pa-
rish, then, there were eighteen watch trusts; but if
they inquired into the arrangements of other parishes
they would find not too many watch trusts, but ac-
tually no night watch at all. This was the case
in the parish of Lambeth, in which there was 110
provision fur a night watch, and in which there was
a different species of police altogether, but no watch
trust. Upon this point there was much interesting,
and—if he could say so in a case involving so seri-
ous a subject as increase of crime--much amusing
information in the evidence annexed to the report
of the Police Committee. To that evidence, be
begged leave to direct the attention of the House,
particularly of such Hon. Members as might be dis-
posed to view his intended Bill with a jealous eye. ,
For the satisfaction of those Hon. Members, he
thought it necessary to then state, that lie had higher
opinions in favour of his present object, than paro-
chial authorities. Those most competent to judge,
and most interested in the subject in the city and
elsewhere, had expressed their decided and unani-
mous opinion, that some material improvements were
imperatively necessary in our present arrangements
for the protection of property. Those also practi-
cally acquainted with the workings and defects of
the present parochial police system, had expressed
the same opinion, either directly or by implication,
in their evidence before the Police Committee. Mr.
Julian, the clerk to the Magistrates of the Kensing-
ton district, had furnished on this point very im-
portant information. It appeared from the evidence,
that that district was dreadfully exposed to the de-
predations of thieves and housebreakers. That it
should be so, he thought Mr. Julian's evidence of
the number and character of the—he supposed he
must call it—parochial police—showed was not very
surprising. That witness stated, that the wealthy
and populous district of Kensington,—not less than
15 miles in extent,—was dependent on the peace-
tion of three constables and three head-boroughs,
some of whom, after they were a time in office, be-
came not very remarkable for their abstinence from
intoxicating liquors, and who, from the nature of
their appointment by the steward of the manor,
were, to all intents and purposes, beyond the con-
troul of the magistrates,. and who, from having no
fees but the law allowed them, in the end did no
duty at all except indeed that of making out very long
bills.—(Hear.)—Surely it was not surprising when
the great extent of the Kensington district was con-
sidered—when its great wealth was considered—that
three drunken beadles should be no preventive of
housebreaking and thievery in it.—(llear.) Indeed, as
had been said of the Court of Chancery, three angels
under such circumstances would be a sorry protec-
tion. He repeated, it could not be considered sur-
prising that burglaries were frequent in the Kensing-
ton district, with such a police. What said another
clerk of the magistrates of that district in his evi-
dence ? Why, that in 'the parish of Tottenham
alone, in six weeks, not less than 19 attempts at bur-
glary had been perpetrated—(Hear)—and out of
these 19 attempts, but three failed, the remaining 16
being entirely successful.--(Hear, hear.)—And this
was but one parish out of eight in the district. It
was, he felt, unnecessary for him to say with such
facts staring them in the face, the bounden duty of
the Legislature to interfere, not only to prevent such
a daring outrage against the laws, but to provide
more secure means of protecting the person and the
property of the subject. Again, if they examined
the evidence respecting the parish of Spitalfields,
they would see additional, and, if possible, stronger
proof of the necessity of some legislative measure.
It was true that the present state of that district
presented a very favourable contrast to its recent
one, when gangs of thieves stood at the corners of
the streets, robbing in the middle of the day all per-
sons who came within their reach, in open defiance
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police, and it showed the striking advantages of the

exertion 9 that had been made, chiefly through the
praise-worthy zeal of one inhabitant (Mr. Gre-
gory), to improve the local pace. The indi-
vidual to whom he had alluded stated in evidence
that he was then the superintendent of the watch in
his district—that the number of watchmen was as
before 21; but that they were now much more effi-
cient, being better looked after than in the time of
die late treasurer, a very old gentleman, who was
wholly blind, and never gave himself any trouble
about their ccuduct or appointment. It was much
to be wished that the conduct pursued in this parish
should be imitated by others. But it unfortunately
was not. lie had returns from parishes in the vici-
nity of the metropolis, showing that in those pa-
rishes there was no species of nightly watch at ail;
and that the only protection the inhabitants had for
their lives and property was their own individual
vigilance, and the honesty of the thieves—(a laugh)
—in their neighbourhood. This was the case in
the parish of Fulham, containing 15,000 inhabitants :
and in Chiswick, Ealing, Old Brentford, Acton,
St. Mary, Stratford, Bow, Edgeware, Barnet, Put-
ney, Wandsworth, and two other parishes. In
those populous and wealthy parishes these was no
parochial police—no protection for life or property
—but the voluntary exertions of individuals, at
whose expenses others who had not contributed
anything were benefitted. There was no parish not
actually forming a part of the metropolis, but in its
near vicinity, furnished stronger evidence of the ne-
cessity of an efficient police, and of the conse-
quences to neighbouring parishes of one containing
no parochial police, than Deptford. This parish
contained upwards of 20,000 inhabitants, was situ-
ated as a ready asylum to those banished from West-
minster and the adjoining district for their offences,
and positively did not contain a single watchman or
night police authority to prevent crimes and appre-
hend offenders.—(Hear, hear.)—it was not sur-
prising, such being the fact, that that parish was
the scene of frequent depredations, and as in a re-
cent instance of a must atrocious and sanguinary
outrage. Within the last few years the indignation
at those outrages had led to the formation of a
voluntary night, patrol by the parishioners; but as
the apprehension for the security of life and pro-
perty had abated, this temporary protection disap-
peared with the excitement which gave it birth.
The Right Hon. Gentleman proceeded to read a
letter from the parochial authority of St. Nicholas,
Deptford, in which the writer stated, that though
no place required a parochial police more than the
parishes of St. Nicholat and St. Paul, Deptford,
there was no public watch, no watching or lighting
tax, and no protection during night for life and pro-
perty, but that afforded by two persons, to whom
some of the inhabitants paid a sum totally inadequate
to support existence and ensure vigilance. Such a
state of things he (Mr. Peel) said would continue
so long as that, or any other parish, was depend-
ent on the voluntary exertions of individuals for the
means of protection, and was not called upon by
Act of Parliament to maintain an efficient police.
This compulsion, in eases where it was necessary,
was his present object. This measure contained a
variety of details, which he would not then state to
the House : indeed, they were of a nature much
more fitted for the notice of a Select Committee.
He therefore proposed, in carrying into effect the
recommendations of the Committee last year, to
have that Committee re-appointed. He would then
merely State, that be proposed, as had been suggest-
ed by the Committee, to unite under one head all
parochial police authorities, including, of course,
nightly watchmen. These would be under the con-
troul of a Board of Police, whose duty it would be
to superintend, and be responsible for, all the agents
required by the police. lie would abandon the term
" watchman"—indeed it was one that was not in
great repute,—and consider and speak of their sub-
stitutes as a species of night patrol. The Bill
would appoint three Magistrates to the direc-
tion of this board. He proposed that all watch
taxes should in future be abolished, and a gene-
ral police tax substituted in their stead ; of course
all parochial distinctions would be done away with;
the advantages of this would appear particularly
striking to those who considered the defects of the
present system. It was not unusual now for one
side of a street to be in one parish, and the other
side in another parish ; and, its a consequence, the
power-of watchmen and constables being confined
to their own parish, a watchman standing on one
side of the street could not interfere, and would be
a passive spectator of a depredation performing on
the other, so that that depredation was actually
short of felony. He had no power of prevention,
on grounds of suspicion even of felony, out of his
own parish, and could not, as he (Mr. Peel) had
stated, prevent the actual perpetration of minor
crimes, unless in his own district. One effect of
the measure he intended to propose would be to do
away with this arid other mischievous consequences
of the present parochial distinctions. He did not
intend to proceed at first on too extensive a scale,
but would proceed in this, as on other occasions,
effecting a gradual reformation, with that cautious
feeling his way, and deriving aid from experience,
essential to the ultimate success of all reforms. He
would not abolish at once all the parochial p6ce
establishments, but would apply his proposed Bill
to a few districts in the vicinity of the metropolis at
first, and then gradually extend it to all the others
as its advantages disclosed themselves. In those
districts in which the necessity for a change in the
present system was most apparent he would com-
mence with the operation of the measure, intending
that local taxation should defray the expellee of
the local application of the measure. Supposing,
for example, he should begin with ten parishes,
those he would make liable to a local Police-
Tax, the local Watch-Tax ceasing when the mea-
sure should be applied. In time the board would
be empowered to unite-other partisans in the neigh-
bourhood to their 'jurisdiction, and thus gradually
make the measure general. With respect to the
tax which he proposed to levy, he was confident
that it would be much less than the present watch-
rates; while, as he need not say, it would ensure a
more efficient police. The subject had many de-
tails which though of local importance would, he
conceived, be annoying to the majority of the
House, and would therefore be discussed with more
advantage in a select committee. He therefore
would propose the re-appointment of the Police
Committee of last year. To it he would refer the
Bill he was about to move for, which was ready
drawn up, and which had been prepared with great
care and ability by gentlemen recommended to him
by their talents and fitness for the office. Still,
however, as it was a new measure, he would refer
it to the re-appointed Committee, to there receive
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to be not sufficient for its protection, there was
established the horse-patrol, which was found so
efficient in preventing crime and apprehending
offenders. It cannot be any peculiar change in cir-
cumstances which has occurred since that time that
can account for the cessation of robberies in that
district; and the cause can alone be found in the
efficiency and exertion of the horse patrol. The
present horse patrol consisted of 51 men. The
selection of the patrol was made in the first instance
by reference to the age of the man, in order that there

may be a certainty of having efficient aad able officers
capable of enduring the fatigues and (Lscharging the
duties which the situation imposed open them : the
selection was also conducted by a refereace to tile pre •
vious character of the men, and above all their promo-
tion was made to depend upon theirgood conduct,ited
they were always under the surveillance and con-
troul of one establishment. It was upon such prin-
ciples that he would propose to establish the patrol
which was contemplated by this Bill. Now, with
respect to the watchmen. In some instances, it had
appeared that the watchmen in some places only re-
ceived for their regular pay 2d. an hour; in other
instances it had been found that persons who were
burdens upon the poor-rates were chosen to fill the
situation of watchmen ; and, as he had said before
in many parishes in the neighbourhood of the me-
tropolis the inhabitants were obliged to come for-
ward themselves, and, by their own voluntary con-
tributions, to support a night watch, for their own
protection. He supposed that no objection wiThia
be miter' to this measure on the score that it wenr
to confer an unconstitutional power upon the board
evhich he proposed to establish. The fact wae, the
magistrates constituting this board would not pos-
sess moire than the ordinary powers which usually
belonged to the office of police magistrate; and
even if their power in some degree went be-
yond the extent, the 1-10119 e, he was confident,
would perceive that it would be better to have,
undor such a system, one thousand efficient con.
stables, than to have two thousand less efficient cone
stables under a laxer system. He was therefore
satisfied that no objection would be taken to the
measure in so far as it went to invest the Boaed of
Magistrates to be constituted by this fill with effi-
cient means of exercising the power., which hee-
longed to them.-e-(Hear.)—ln one respect, perhaps,
objections would be taken to this measure or the
ground of its exciting jealousy on the part of The
existing parochial authorities, in consequence of its

transferring the patronage which Iva; at presetit
vested in their hands, to this department, acting'
under the control of the Secretary of State. F, r
his part he (Mr. Peel) could not perceive what
valid objection could be urged against the power
which would be derived from this patronage to Go-
vernment, more than to that which resulted froar the
selection of persons for the Army and Navy.—
(Hear, hear.)—Certain he was, that from the Bless,
of persons who would be chosen under such asys-
tem, for any jealousy which might be entertained
by parochial authorities in reference to the loss or
this petty patronage, there would be found an ample
compensation in the increased protection whirls woulcl
be afforded against offenders, and the increased
security given to the inhabitants for the preservatiwil
of the peace, "and tranquillity of their respective
neighbourhoods.—(Hear.)—But the subject should
and must be considered and determined upon highs e
and more extended principles than in reference ttt
these petty parochial jealousies.—(Hear, hear.)—
When they looked at the relative proportion which
the criminals bore to the population ;n this metro-
polis,—when they saw that one out of every 383 of
that population was committed to prism:, charged
with some criminal offence, it was their duty, under
such circumstances, to legislate upon priticiples of
higher and more extended stature, and to adopt rf-

fectual means to put a stop to such a f ightfia
crease of crime.—(Hear, hear.)—But it might be
said that this measure would go to impose addiiional
burdens upon the inhabitants of the various parishes.
It was true that a certain degree of expellee would
be required to carry this measure fully into effect ;
but he was sure that any additional burden imposed
in that way would be fully compensated for by the
additional protection arid security which this mea-
sure would afford. Besides, cue certain effect of
this measure would be to diminish the number of
prosecutions in Middlesex and London, and thus,
while the inhabitants would he relieved from the
Watch Tax, they would also be relieved from other'
parochial rates which had been materially increased.
by the expense and number of those prosecutions,
But he (Mr. Peel) would rest the defence of this
measure upon a much higher considerationupon
its effects in checking the increase of crime. He saw
no other mode by which they could hope ultimately
to mitigate the severity of their Criminal Code,
unless they were to adopt some such measure as
this for preventing the increase of crime.—(Hear.)
—lt would be vain for them to attempt to miti-
gate the penalties which attached to crime already,
unless they took measures to prevent the commis-
sion of crime itself.—(Hear.)—lf, as it appeared
from the documents upon their table, the number
of criminals in the year 1821 amounted to 2,500,—
if they had increased in 1828 to 3,500,—and if

they were going on at such a rapidly increasing ratio,
it would be absolutely impossible, unless some
check were put to their increase, to effect tiny ma-
terial mitigation in the penalties which; under the
existing laws, attached to the commission of crime.
—(Hear.)—He (Mr. Peel) was not one who con-
sidered that this increase of criminals had been
mainly caused by the increase of distress amongst
the population.—(Hear.)—He believed that these
criminals were, in almost all instances, trained and
hardened profligates,—that they had been incited to
the mere commission of crime by the temptations
the present tax system of police held out to them ;
and he was sure it was in their power effectually to
check them, by the vigorous exercise of the power;
supplied by the common law of the land. He had
already referred the House to an instance, where
19 acts of burglary had been committed in the
parish of Tottenham within an exceedingly short
space of tine; and he might now state, that these
burglvrious attempts had been committed by noto-
rious thieves, who made burglary a profession.
When, therefore, they talked so much of the liberty
of the subject possessed by the people of this coun-
try, he was afraid that they gave credit to some
parts of the population for the enjoyment of much
more liberty than they actually possessed. He be-
lieved that a large portion of the inhabitants resi-
dent in the neighbourhood of Twickenham and
Brentford were under constant apprehensions that
their lives and properties would be attacked : and
such fears were entirely inconsistent with the free
enjoyment of liberty and peace.—(Hear, hear.)—ft
was the duty of the Legislature to afford them pro-
tection against the causes which gave origin to such
apprehensions,—it was the duty of Parliament to
afford to the inhabitants of this metropolis and its
vicinity, the full and complete protection of the law,
and to take prompt and decisive measures to check
the increase of crime, which was now proceeding
at a frightfully rapid pace; and it was upon such
grounds, with such objects, and for the purpose of
providing a more efficient police for the metropolis,
that he now begged to move for leave to bring in
a Bill for the improvement of the police of the me-
tropolis.
Mr. BERNAL wished to direct the attention of
the Right Hon. Gentleman to one point to which
be had not alluded In his very convincing statement
on this subject—he meant the system of street pa-
trol, to whom was entrusted the care of the streets
of the metropolis during the day. Owing to the
defective state of the streets of the metropolis, and
the dangers to which the public were exposed in the
more crowded thoroughfares, a new' system of
patrol had been established for the purpose of driv-
ing away pickpockets, and for protecting the public
against their depredations. These patrols were not
known by any staff or other ensign of authority, and
they were only recognised by the wearing of a blue
coat with a red collar. hey were sufficiently
active in frightening away unfortunate apple or
orange-women; but he did not believe that they
were equally active in banishing pickpockets, and
protecting the public against the depredations of the
thieves and robbers who abounded in the crowded
streets of this city. Besides, this species of patrol
or street-keepers had only been established in a
few of the leading streets, and in many of the
great thoroughfares a really efficient patrol of that
kind was still much wanted. lie trusted that the
inconvenience experienced by the public in that par-
ticular would be redressed by the measure which th
Right Hon. Gentleman was about to introduce.—
He had thought it right to call the attention of

the Right Hon. Gentleman to this point, as he had rally read a second time, and ordered to be COM-
confined his observations to the state of the night milted upon Friday, the Ist of May next.
watch; and he trusted, that as the Right Hon. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
Gent. proposed to establish a more efficient night Mr. HUNIE wished to know frOm the Right
patrol, he would also see the necessity of establishing Hon. Secretary opposite, to what day it was his in-
a regular patrol for perambulating the streets of the tendon on to-morrow (this day) to propose the ad-
metropolis during the day. `. The House was of journment of the House ?
course aware of the correspondence which had taken Mr. PEEL said, he did not intend that the ad-
place between the Home-office and the City authori- journment should extend beyond the usual period,
ties with reference to the regulation of , the police. and he should therefore propose on to-morrow that
He (Mr. Bernal) was not aware whether any thing the House should adjourn to Tuesday, the 28th
had since been done on that subject, but to him it of April.
appeared quite clear and manifest, that in order to On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the Ex-
produce the good effects of any plan or system for CHEQUER, the Committee of Supply, and the Corn-
the improvement ef the police of the metropolis, mittee of Ways and Means, were postponed till Wed-
there must be a perfect union and harmony between nesday, the 20th of April.
all the authorities on the subject, otherwise the GREENWICH HOSPITAL BILL.
thieves would have only to emigrate eastward or Sir A. GRANT brought up the Report upon
westward of Temple-bar, according as they were the Greenwich Hospital Bill. The Report WIIS
driven from the one place or the other by the exer- agreed to, and the Bill was ordered to be read a
tions of a more efficient and better regulated police. third time to-morrow (this day).
He hoped the Right Hon. Gent.- would direct his SPANISH CLAIMANTS.
attention to these points, and he was sure the Right Sir A. GRANT brought up the report upon the
m. Gent. would see the necessity for the este- Spanish Claims Bill.
blishment, not only of a night, but of a day police Sir R. WILSON wished to address a few words
throughout the streets of the metropolis. on this occasion to the Right Hon. Gentleman op-
Mr. PEEL said that the Hon. Member was mis- posite (the Chancellor of the Exchequer). He
taken in supposing that the board which he pro- thought it his duty on this occasion to direct the
posed to establish would only embrace • the regula- attention of the Right Hon. Gentleman to the
tion and management of the night patrol : that claims of a class of persons whom he conceived were
department would be responsible for the state of the entitled to the consideration of his Majesty's Go-
metropolis both night and day, and its object would vernment—he alluded to the Spanish bondholders,
be to afford efficient protection to the public as well whose property had been confiscated by the grossest
by day as by night.—(Hear, hear.)—Much benefit and most outrageous violation of good faith that
had resulted from the day patrol, even as it was at had ever been disp'ayed by any Government. These
presented. To what did the day patrol at present bondholders lent their money on the good faith of
amount ? To only three inspectors and twenty-four the Spanish Government, the signature of the King
men. When benefit resulted from such a small pa- of Spain was affixed to the bonds, and all the
trol, it was plain that great good could be effected Ministers of the different Courts of Europe, who were
by the establishment of a vigilant and .numerous then at the Spanish Court, gave their sanction to the
patrol under the controul and superintendence of the agreement. The greatest portion of the money
new board of magistrates, and capable of giving which was thus lent upon such security to the King
efficient protection to the passengers in the streets of Spain was appropriated to the King's own ser-
against the attacks and depredations of the thieves vice, and to defray the expenses of the Court, to
and pickpOckets in the great leading streets and which a great portion of the public revenue in that
thoroughfares. of this metropolis. The Hon. Mem- country is devoted. But no sooner did the French
ber had spoken of the defects which existed in the forces enter the country, and no sooner had the King
present system of the day patrol, but the Hon. of Spain entered the French camp, than he caused
Member would no doubt concur with him (Mr. to be cancelled all the obligations in which he had
Peel) in thinking, that if that patrol so constituted bound himself to those bondholders, and thus per-
had been productive of any benefit ,it only demon- petrated one of the most glaring acts of bad faith
atrated the necessity and advantage of having an that had ever been committed. He (Sir Robert
efficient, vigilant, and well-regulated patrol, both by Wilson) was aware that these bondholders hail not
Might and day, controuled by one authority, and given a power to the Government to act for them
acting under one head.—(Hear.)—Unless it were under the convention which determined the claims
established on such a plan, it would be quite impos- to which this Bill applied. Still their claims were
sible to effect the objects in view; for when the good; and though the British Ambassador had it
thieves would be driven from one part of the town, not in his power to protest against the confiscation of
they would have only to transfer themselves to their property, at the same time it was so shamefully
another part of the town; and it was therefore ab- and openly made by the King of Spain, he (Sir R.
solutely necessary that there should be but one head Wilson) conceived that his Majesty's Government
presiding over and directing the operations of this might interpose their good offices on the part of
new police.—(Hear, hear.)—With a police esta- those bondholders with the French Government, in
blished upon such a system and such a plan, lie order to induce that Government to compel the
(Mr. Peel) was t onfident that they would be able King of Spain to discharge their just claims. The
to dispense with the necessity of a military force in French declared, on entering Spain, that they did
London, for the preservation of the tranquillity of not go there to injure or destroy the property of in-
the metropolis. He was certain that ii an efficient dividuals, but that their solepurpose was to re-estab-
police of that kind were once established here, they lish the Government of Spain, and to place the
would not be subject to the risk of any attempts at King upon the throne. It was therefore probable
disturbing the peace and tranquillity of London. that France might be induced to interfere in this
Mr. HUME said there was only one point in the matter, so as to make the Court of Spain restore
observations which bad fallen from the Right Hon. their property to these bondholders.
Gent. which be conceived called for explanation, and The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
which lie considered objectionable. He alluded to said that he did not at all wish to expressan opinion
that part of the statement of the Right Hon. Gent. which could be considered in any way unfavourable
where he spoke of letting the parishes come into this to the justice of the claims of the individuals on
new system, as they might think proper.--(4, No, whose behalf the Hon. Gentleman had spoken, but
no," from Mr. Peel.) He wished to know from the the Hon. Gentleman must see that their claims
Right Hon. Gentleman whether the parishes would were totally different from those particular claims to
be left at liberty to adopt this system as they pleased, which the present Bill applied. The claimants in
Mr. PEEL said, that under the Act which he in- the present instance, were persons whose property
tended to introduce, a certain day would be appointed had been seized by vessels employed by Govern-
when the parochial establishments in each particular ment. Now the individuals of whom the Hon.
parish would be abolished, and the whole manage-
Gentleman had spoken, stood in the situation of
ment of the police of that parish transferred to the those who, placing a reliance_ upon the faith of
new board of Magistrates appointed under this Act, a Foreign Government, entered into pecuniary en-
It was desirable, however, that so great a change
gagements with that Government ; and under such
should not be made too suddenly. He (Mr. Peel) circumstances they must be prepared to bear upon
did not propose that all at once the parochial police their own shoulders the misfortune, if it should so
establishments should cease, and that this new happen that that Government should riot adhere
police department should at once be obliged to to its engagements, and if its faith should turn out
take charge of the whole police of the metro- to be bad. He conceived that it would be an un-
polis. He would first propose to intrust to them safe principle to admit that the Government of this
the charge of the police in a certain number of country should interfere in such a case, on behalf of
parishes ; and he would extend their authority persons who bad taken upon themselves, and at
gradually to other parishes until the charge of t heir own risk, to enter into pecuniary engage-
the entire police establishment devolved upon ments with a Foreign Government, and in which
them. By that means, the new police department transaction the Government of this country took
would become gradually exercised in the manage- no part. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer)
anent and controul of the police, and in the course distinctly refrained from expressing an opinion ad-
of time they would be competent to take charge of verse to their claims, but he doubted much the
the entire police of the metropolis. In every instance propriety of this Government interfering on their
a day shall be fixed when the charge of the police behalf.
in a particular parish shall devolve to this depart- Sir R. WILSON would merely recall to the re-
ment; the existing parochial authorities shall then collection of the Right Hon. Gentleman the case of
entirely cease, the rates paid for the maintenance of the South American bondholders. The Secretary
watchmen shall also cease, and instead of the watch- for Foreign Affairs exercised his .influence on their
rate a new police-rate shall be imposed. He was behalf, so as to induce the Governments in South
not, however, as he already said, for giving to this America to make an adjustment of their claims, as
new department too- widely-extended authority all they ought to do to support their own credit, and as
at they were bound to do by virtue of the engagements
once,—to give to them suddenly the charge and
management of 1,500 men would be too much. He into which they had entered. Now here was a gross
would have them, in the first instance, to taxe instance of a violation of good faith on the part of
charge of the police in the city of Westminster, the King of Spain ; and he conceived that the Go-
then he would propose to extend their jurisdiction vernnient of this country might very properly afford
gradually to Kensington, Hammersmith, and other their aid and co-operation to these unfortunate bond-
places in the neighbourhood, and in that manner he holders, with a view to procure them redress.
would gradually extend the jurisdiction of this de- The Report on the Bill was then agreed to, and
partment over the various districts where its au- the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-
thority was intended to reach. morrow (this day.)
The Report on the Assessed Taxes' Composition
Mr. HUME had supposed that it would be left to
B
the parishes themselves to come under the jurisdic- Bill was brought up and agreed to, and the Bill was
o
tion of the Board; but the Right Hon. Gentleman ordered to be read a third time to-morrow (this
had satisfactorily explained that part of his state- day.)
ment. He was sure that the plan, if carried into The other Orders of the Day were then disposed
effect, woukl be productive of the best consequences. of, and the House adjourned at Half-past Six
The motion was agreed to, and leave was giver
o'clock.
to bring in the Bill.

SILK TRADE.
Sir A. GRANT brought up the report upon the
Silk Trade Acts. The resolutions were agreed to,
and a Bill was ordered to be brought in founded
upon them.

NEW METROPOLITAN POLICE BILL.
Mr. PEEL brought in a Bill for the Improve-
ment of the Police of the Metropolis. It was read
a first time; the second teadinc, waS fixed for Mon-
day, the llth of May, and the Bill was ordered in
the mean time to be printed.
A message from the Lords brought down Tyrrell's
Divorce Bill, and notified their Lordships' Assent to
several Private Bills.

EAST RETFORD.
Colonel FANE said a few words in reference to
the borough of East Retford, which were but in-
distinctly heard in the gallery. The Gallant Colonel
was understood to say that there were at present
two notices of Inotiews in respect to that borough,
the success of one of which would have the effect
of putting an end to the other. Ile was understood
to express his determination to bring on his motion
for the issuing of a new writ, for the electing of two
burgesses to serve in Parliament for the borough of
East Retford, at an early period after the holidays,
and to suggest to the Hon. Member for Bletchingly
the propriety of having the subject disposed of as
slot' as possible by the House.
RE-APPOIN I'MENT OF THE METROPOLITAN

POLICE COMMITTEE.
Mr. PEEL moved the re-appointment of the
Select Committee appointed last Session to inquire
into the cause of the increase of the number of corn-
mitnittiS and coovictions in London and Middlesex,
Fl-154t0---the state of the police of the metropolis,
jami: Q-r the t4itiets adjoinining thereto.—Motion
pilreed' to: -----' ''.
cs\
.{: LZGAL4 REFORM.
dn. Ate [notion Mi.. SUGDEN, the property in
annis; Ike., _PA' titelllusory Appointments Bill,
L \.- tit the Liability of Real Property' Bill, were seve-

WHO VOTED ON MR. FY

-

INQUIRE IN'
Attwood, 111.
Antrobus, G.
Bankes, H.
Buxton, I'. F.
Davenport, D.
Dundas, Hon. C.
Egerton, W.
Encombe, Lord
Estcourt, T. H. S. B.
Farquhar, Sir It.
Gascoyne, Gen.
Harvey, D. W.

Cr OF THE MINORITY
VLER'S MOI lON FOR A SELECT COMMITTEE TO
TO THE STATE OF THE SILK TRADE.
Heathcote, Sir W. Smith, Abel
Lygon, Hon. H. Scott, Hon. W.
M'Leod, J. R. Sadler, M. T.
Monck, .1. B. Vyvyan, Sir R.
Mundy, F. Waithman, Ald.
Osborne, Lord F. Wells, J.
I'almer, R. Western, C. C.
Peachy: General Walrond, B.
Rickford, W.
Seymour, Henry TELLERS.
Smith, S. Fyler, T. B.
Robinson, George

~. .