The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-05 00:00:00

THE WATCH COMMITTEE

The proceedings:reSOliitiOns,-Qrei;Olts of the Watch
Committee were next read, amongst which was the follow-

REPORT

The Watch Committee ber to lay before the council the
criminal and other police returns for the year 1840.
Although the criminal classes have not in the aggregate
decreased during the past year in the same ratio as in 1839,
there has been a considerable diminution in the number of
individuals in custody more than once, and of course a cor-
responding decrease in the number of hardened offenders.
Number of individuals in custody for felony, as suspicions
characters, &c.—ln 1840, 4893; in 1839, 5005.
In 1840 the convictions, to the whole number of prisoners
in custody, were forty-four per cent. ; and in 1839, fifty-one

•
per cent.
In the class of juvenile thieves there is a decrease—in
1840, the number known to the police was 139 ; in 1839, 171.
The number of burglaries and housebreakings in 1840 was
233 ; and in 1839, 249.
The number of felons apprehended in the act by the police
in 1840 was 136 ; and in 1839, 132. The total number of
offences prevented by the police in 1840 was 212; and in
1839, 237

The number of prisoners apprehended by the police sub-
sequent to the commission of the offence, from a description
of their persons was, in 1840, 1507 ; and in 1839, 1567.
The following is a comparative summary of the criminal
returns for the last two years :—ln custody hi 1840, 17,522 ;
in 1839, 18,074. Committed in 1840, 7504 ; in 1839, 9213.
Discharged in 1840, 10,018 ; in 1839, 8861.
The following gives a summary of offences against the bye-
laws :—Number of offences in 1840, 4903—Penalty, £958 Bs.
Gd. Ditto in 1839, 3282—Penalty, £BB2 13s. 6d.

•
The number of fires in 1340 was 129 ; and in 1839, 103.
The amount of property lost in 1840 was £6128 55..; and in
1839, £8530 9s. gd. _ _

The amount of property saved under the roof of the build-
ing or buildings on fire was, in 1840, £161,125 ; and in
1839, £159,278 9s. 6d.
The number of brothels was, in 1840, 568 ; and in 1839,
591. During the past year, 12 disorderly houses were closed
in consequence of being indicted, and 84 by removals of the
parties, reformation, transportation, and death—in all, 156.
There were, however, 133 houses of this description opened,
leaving a decrease in the number of brothels of 23.

TheThuniber of hotises Where prostitutes lodge was, in
1810, 209 ; and 1839, 184. ,During the past year 28 were
closed, and 43 new ones opened.
The number of prostitutes inhabiting both descriptions of
houses was, in 1840, 2489 • and in 1839,.2104.
JOSHUA WALMSLEY, Chairman

.sir J. WALMSLEY laid on the table certain returns con-
nected with the Police-office, which he said were compiled
with great care and accuracy. and moved that the tabular
forms, &c., contained in them be printed, and a copy sent to
each member of the Council, the magistrates, and the secre-
tary for the home department.—Ordered.

•
THE BILLET-MASTER.
Sir J. WALMSLEY moved the confirmation of Mr. Coin-
nj..sioner Dowling as billet-master, without any further cm°-
.

FURTHER INCREASE OF SAI

Sir J. WALMSLEY rose again, and moved that the salary
of Mr. John Hewitt, foreman to the fire police establishment,
be increased from £lOO to £l2O.
Mr. THORNHILL seconded the motion.—Carried unani.

mously.
Sir J. IVALmsLEY nest moved that the salary of Mr. Wm,
M'Fadzen, superintendent of scavengers, be increased by the

sum of X3I.
Mr. SLATER seconded the motion.
The proceedings of the Improvement, _
Education, (from which Mr. Alderman Earie
retire,) Church Expenditure, and Courts of L,
quests Committees, were next read and confirmed

—Carried unanimous!

arkets, Town---h-a-11

as allowed

v and Re

LIE PARKS COMMITTEF

Mr. SANDBA'

moved the confirmation of the proceedings,
ports of the Parks Committee.

I4lr.Ev4l;ssald if he wanted any additional reason for
opposing the project of erecting parks, it was to be found in
the reports which had just been, read; by which it appeared
that the quantity of land intended for the purpose was cut
up into detachments; that it was intersected by Lodge-lane,
and that it wanted consolidation, lie would wish that, once
for all, this question would come on for discussion, and that
the "'mks Committee should not be entering into communi-
cations with Lord Sefton, which, he was convinced, could
never end in any real business. They had laid out £4OO
now, and he hoped that that would be the first and last of
their expenditure; for the subject ought really to be pur into
a shape in which it could come once for all before the com-
mittee.,_

Mr..toliN HOLMES agreed in the sentiments given utter-
ance to by Mr. Evans, knowing well that they could not
pay even the interest on the sum required without a borough
rate.

Mr. SANDBAoti thought it unfair of Mr. Evans to Burk