The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-02-05 00:00:00

REPORT OF THE WATCH COMMITTEE.

nivHE WATCH COMMITTEE of the COUNCIL of the
_l. BOUOUGH of LIVERPOOL, appointed on the Bth Jan-
uary, 1836, and to whom on the 15th was referred a resolution
of the Commissioners of Watch, Scavengers, and Lamps, of
the Bth January, 1836, have proceeded in the necessary inqui-
ries, and have considered the matters referred to them, and do
agree upon the following Report:—
That your Committee immediately proceeded to inquire into
the present state of the Day and Nightly Watch, and to collect
the information requisite towards the establishment of a Day
and Night Police on a plan at once efficient and economical,
the Committee called before them any
Welleveigc?tifrleousl ovitgOaee • %.,,,,..anttee have e ad)
as follows :
Apart from the Dock Police, there is a Constabu
the day, and a body of Watchmen for the night.
The Constabulary Force consis
1 Superintendent, who, exclusive of s, a house,
coal, &c., receives annually a sal 'y of ElOO

9 Head Constables,
4t Constables,
4 Clerks,
13ridewell Keeper,
3 Turnkeys,

y force for

In all 61 men, whose yearly income, exclusive of fees,
amount to about 3lOO
The Expenses incidental to the Establishment 2500
• Cost of Clothing for Constables 9OO
Cost of Special Constables at the General
Election, &c. &c.

800

Total, per annum £BOOO
This body, maintained at so large an expenditure, the Com-
mittee find is not employed os a preventive force, being chiefly
engaged in the apprehension of felons, the service of warrants
and summonses, attendance on the magistrates, and at the daily
and sessional courts, &c. &c. It is not, however, professed that
the whole of this body is necessary for the discharge such duties,
but the Committee could not discover that any part of it was sys-
tematically employed as a permanent Street Patrole. Six of
the Constables are said to be constantly on duty, in the day
time Duly, at St. George's Pier; if so, the number is unneces-
sarily large, for, on inquiry, the Committee find that the duty
could be done equally well, both by day and night, by four of
the Dock Polite.
The Nightly Watch consists of
1 Superintendent,
16 Captains,
130 Watchmen,
16 Patrol,
3 Bridewell Keepers,

In all, 166 men,—the total expense of which (including a pro-
portion of the salaries of a Clerk, a Sub-Treasurer, four Col-
lectors, a Law-Clerki Rent of Office, &c.) for the year ending
30th September, 1835, was £92OU
Of the 130 Watchmen now on the establishment, the Com-
mittee feel it theiPcluty to report 45 unfit fJr the office, and 25
whose qualifications are very doubtful.
The next inquiry was into the Police of the adjoining dis-
tricts, Toxteth-park, Low-hill, Edge-hill, Everton' and Kirk-
dale, within the Parliamentary boundry, which was found to be
singularly defective, though maintained at a yearly cost as fol-
lows (as nearly as it
you'd be ascertained) :
Toxteth-park—about 1200
Part by Private? and Edge-hill 120)
Subscription S Everton and Kirkdale 1000

Total £3400 per annum

The total expense of the existing Police (exclusive of the
Dock force) will therefore stand thus—
For Liverpool—Police. £BOOO
Nightly Watch.... 9200

- per annum.
_
For the adjoining Townships withintht
Parliamentary boundary....
..... ......... 3,400

206 W
,
• Ta-whigkiKar&mniittee 0!cI may be added,
Wages for the year .... .. . • ........ 400
For the Fire Police,
Making a total ...... 1.:21,000

(Note—Out fit in 1833
ihuo in. 183-1 ..1206

1;2196)
.....-----
The Committee, in directing their attention to the ulterior
object, "the establishment of an efficient Preventive Police,"
have not only carefully considered the different plans laid be-
fore them, but have given the subject their earnest and con-
stant attention ; and, as the result of their deliberations, sub-
mit a plan, which they believe will give to the town and its
suburbs, what has been so long wanting, the protection of a
really efficient police: and they have the gratification of de-
claring their couviction that tliis object can be attained with
little 'addition to the sum now expended 'upon a system which
has be ,-ei found to be totally inadequate. Indeed, they are not
without hopes that the preventive force contemplated will, by
diminishing crime, prove a saving to contingent expences, to a
much greater amount than the difference between the cost of
the old system and that of the plan now submitted.
They suggest that the Day and Night pollee should form
OOly ort. body, which (adopting the term in the Municipal Act)
might be denominated "Constabulary Force'; and, although
the Comrnitt,,raust nesessarily retain the right of appoint-
ments, directions, and dismissals, as well as the hearing of all
reports and complaints, the Committee recommend, in order to
_.... _give to the force that reg
result from an undivided. 11 't and unity purpose -
ari y.that which
a principal superintendent, "
onnediate! and constant direction, t hat
hie," be appointed, who shall , denominated the "Head Consta-
-1 be held accountable for the whole
body. As one person, however,the could not compass, both by day
' and night, the full extent Of borough, it is suggested that
he'should have the assistance of f Superintendents, between
whom and the men should stands °11)Ord
removed, of inspectors,
point of class, both
say, twen-
ty-four, these to be sufficiently
isiioenthat all undue frout the Superintendents and the men, so
numberu of men fami-
liarityne-
with either may be prevented.
extra
cessary for the force the Committe estimate hundred
, and ninety for the permanent body, and a reserve of
.. men, making in the whole three hundred and fifteyo shay
The pay of these men is an important item in the ”,;pendi-
t„,.;„; 144 your Committee entertain no doubt, that mei' well
. ,„,441)fied,to form the permanent body can be procured fci, ei,h_
iiee.shillings per week, with in addition, the principal articles
(L 3, Clothing; and with regard to the extra or reserved force,
1 ,c,,chicil,,fre); tlien.riatnee,of the duties and the prospect of porno.
irht hp prnvidect at ,a somewhat reduced rate, a fund
''-461' Int' '''' Air its" • ' t ,
pigpen s
,ma) be, calculated to 'rise
quite sufficient
trout the sums retained front.the pay of the absent, &c. In or-

der that Inspectors may be obtained from an intelligent class
of men, incapable of mixing improperly with.those :inner them,
the pay of these officers shall not be Tess than thirty shillings
!per week with clothing in addition: It may scarcely be neces-
sary to remark that the men, as well as the Inspectors, should
be dressed in a becoming, good, and well-made uniform, to be
supplied under the direction of the Committee. The Superin-
tendents, in the opinion of the Committee, should not have less
than £l3O per annum, with the prospect oradvancement to the
.extent of £l5O per annum, depending on merit and duration
of service.

On these data your Committee estimate the expenses., in
Wages and Clothes, of an effective and well-organised Con-
stabulary Force, as follows:
PERMANENT BODY.

Per Annum.
1 Head Constable, exclusive of House

,
4 Superintendents, if taken at the maximum of £l5O
per annum
21 Inspectors, at 30s. per week 1872
Clothes for ditto; at £7 10s. per annum each... lBO
290 Men, at 18s. per week each
Clothes for ditto, at £6 per annum each. 1740
5 Brideweil Keepers, at 21s. per week each 273
5 Ditto Ditto, at 255. per week each... 325
Clothes for Ditto, at £6 per annum each. 6O
Ditto for 60 Extra Me at £6 per annum each 360
One Horse for Head ("stable 5O

.E 19,482

Per annum
CENTRAL. POLICE OFFICE, EXCHANGE.
1 In-door Superintendent or Commissioner, with
House £450
8 Constables, at 255. per week 520
(In addition to these 8 Constables, there would
always be 15 to 20 men available from the
general force for Court duty, &c.
1 Keeper of Main Bridewell, with House. 4 l2O
His Wife 2O
4 Turnkeys, at 255. per week each
2 Clerks, one £lOO, the other £BO
Office Keeper
Clothing for 12 Constables, at £lO each l2O

- 1722
Contingent Police Expenses, probably 2545

FILE POLICE

..LlOO

1 Foreman, per annum.
1 Assistant, at 18s. per week
40 Policemen, to be selected from the general esta-
' blishmeut, at Is. per week each extra lO4

Total

£24,000

Your Committee have further to report. that having inspected
the Fire Police Station, and baying examined all matters rela-
tive to that establishment, they are enabled to state that, both
with regard to the engines and the supply of water, as well as
tha celerity with which the whole can be put in motion, the ar-
rangements are on a most efficient plan, and with the economi-
cal provisions for carrying them into effect, shown in the above
statement (adding, perhaps, a few hand-engines,) your Com-
mittee are persuaded that this branch of the Police Force of the
borough will not be inferior to any Fire Police Establishment
in the kingdom. With respect to water, a large body is always
kept in tanks at the station, capable of being immediately con-
veyed by the water-carts to the engines, and more than sufficient
to maintain a supply until notice can be given to the water
companies to fill the main pipes; and such are the arrange-
ments, that this notice is conveyed in less than ten minutes
from the first alarm of fire.
Whilst the committee are impressed with the absolute neces-
sity of every officer and man of the Constabulary and Fire
Police being strictly forbidden to take any thing in the shape
of fee, on pain of instant dismissal, they would strongly recom-
mend a system of rewards from the Committee for extraordinary
merit, personal risk, or exertion.
For the purpose of facilitating the operations of the Police, it
is recommended that the borough be classed in two divisions,
north and south, which might be by a line drawn from Water-
street, along Dale-street, up Shaws-brow, and directly up to
Low-hill. Each of these being subdivided into eight districts
or sections, Vour Committee propose that one section at night,
and two in the day, should be under the care of one Inspector,
and that each division should have constantly the presence, in
the streets, of one of the Superintendents. In the centre of each
division, say in thee,:aleighbourhood of Scotland-place and Duke-
street, a station would be absolutely necessary for exercising
the rdeu, and for what is styled "setting the Watch." Each sta-
tion might at the same time constitute a Bridewell or Lock-up,
and adjoining one of them the Head Constable himself ought
to reside. Thus two Bridewells or Station-houses, so much wan-
ted, would be added to the three night Bridewells, called Lock-
ups, already existing. Each Bridewell would require two
Keepers, the one a married man, to reside with his wife in the
Bridewell, and receive 21s per week; the other to attend 12 or
14 hours each day, and to be paid 25s per week.
The permanent or established men of the Constabulary Force
would be made available as follows :-
202 on duty from 10 o'clock p.m. till 6 a.m.
88 6 „ a.m. „ 2 p.m. '
88 2 t p.m. ~ 10 p.m.
Leaving 114, after having had 16 hours' rest, to go on night
duty with the 88 of the morning, who have bad 8 hours' rest.
Thus the men will have alternate periods of 8 and 16 hours' rest,
or, on the average,l2 hours' rest with Mous' duty. The ex-
tra men, or rather such of them as may not be wanted to supply
the absence of the permanent men, will be engaged as Patrol
every night in parts requiring more than ordinary watching.
The Committee deem it unnecessary to burthen this Report
with further details respecting the kind of men most suitable
for the Police, the duties they would have to perform, or the in-
structions it will be necessary to give them, All these are doubt-
less important and essential points, but the general plan being
once laid down, the details can be followed out with much better
effect,. The Committee are, however, prepared with suggestions
on these heads.
With respect to the existing Police, your Committee are in
duty called upon to report, that a vicious system has long existed;
and, as might therefore be expected, that force, as a body, is
most inefficient, and that, when disbanded, few of its members
4..fcrn-ra.4.li,SlA,tlut.enueut. jo,th-ovamntfee
regret that they cannot recommend his being retained in any
of the new arrangements. Your Committee wish to exempt
the Central Bridewell establishment from their censure, as it
appears to them that this department has been well managed,
which they attribute to the general good conduct of Mr. Batchel-
dor.

Of the men of the Nightly Watch your Conimittee have al-
ready reported. With regard to the Superintipdent of that
body they have a more pleasing duty to perform. This officer
they can strongly recommend as a person well qualified for the
appointment of Head Constable.
Tn thus reporting, your Committee have acted , upon a strong
feeling of duty, that" whilst existing. officers should not be dis-
missed for the mere purpose of substituting others, it should be
held as a principle, that a fearless course of removal should be
adopted in alt instances in which the parties may be unfit, or,
from any circumstances, not calculated effectually to aid in the
great object of the Council—the maintenance of an efficient
Police Establishment.

It will have been seen that your Committee have thus far
proceeded in the consideration of'the Constabulary Force apart
from the Dock Police, a course they have adopted on the as-
assumption that the nomination and control, together with the
expense of the Dock Constables, belong to the Trustees of that
Estate until the Ist of November next, by virtue of the proviso
contained in the 74th section of the Municipal Act.
Your Committee, however, cannot conclude this Report.
without expressing their decided opinion that it is essential to
the good government of the Police and the consolidation of
strength, whenever it is called for, as well as for economy, and,
for carrying the spirit of the Municipal. Act into full effect, that
the whole Constabulary Force of the town, the adjoining dis-
tricts within the parliamentary limits, and the Docks with the
port and harbour, should be under one controlling and regu-
lating CoMmittee, acting by the advice and under the direction
of the Council of the Borough. Your Committee, therefore,
hope that the period for such entire control may he accelerated
by an understanding with the Dock Committee upon fair and
equitable terms, 'Which would require that a sum equal to the
charge of its separate Police should be contributed by the Dock
Estate; and your Committee are satisfied that the Dock Trust
would benefited by such arrangement.

Were the entire Police under the control of Council, the
requisite number of Constables and two more Superintendents
attached to the Dock Station, would simply have to be added,
and the calculations of your Committee extended accordingly.
In the event of this plan being adopted, it would be for con-
sideration whether Mr. Dowling might not, with advantage to
the public and the Dock Trust, be appointed to the office of In-,
door Superintendent or Commissioner of Police, as, from all that
has conic before your Committee, they are disposed to believe
that officer would be found well qualified to discharge the duties
of the Central Office.

JOHN HOLIES, CHAIRMAN.
Town Flail, Febory 3, 1836.

h eCs eA PillsMMa eL ?.
OiltiNTDOlNG'ESsit,ritiol
,vB,aleaa_b‘lie p
urPILLSe extra
tfor
f
Camomile Flowers, prepared by a peculiar process, by which
all the medicinal properties of rather more than one ounce of
the flowers are. concentrated into four moderate sized Pills.
They are mild in operation, and have proved wonderfully suc-
cessful iu removing every sympton of indigestion, sick- head
ache, loss of appetite, giddiness, heart-burn, costiveness, erup-
tions of the skin, and all complaints arising from a disordered
state of the digestive organs; they require no alterations
diet, and their operation will be found so beneficial i n‘,
tone.t.e,the. stomach, regulating, the bowels, and in pH • a
healthy habit, as fully to convince all who take the of `Their
great utility. Persons who have suffered from indigestson for
several years, have by their use in a few weeks perfectly re-
covered. which i
is a convincing proof, that in the smallest com-
pass is contained the largest quantity of the tonic principle, of
so peculiar a nature as to pervade the whole system, through
which it diffuses health and strength.
Sold wholesale by Barclay and Sons; T. Butler; E. Edwards;
F. Newberry and Sons; W. Sutton and Co. ; and A. Wilough-
by and Co. (late B. Godfrey Windus,) 64, liishopsg,ate-street,
Without London; and retail by nearly all respectable Medi-
cine Venders.

Be particular to ask for "Nortons Pills." for in consequence
of their great success some unprincipled Persons have prepared
a spurious imitation.

FE,LoN PATRIOT.—It is unnecessary for us to translate
the phrase, Par mobile fratrum. The necessity is done away
with, indeed, from the frequent livinc* instances it is in our
power to give in cogeqt illustration. 'At the examination in
Lambeth-street, on W6dnesday, of the suspected perpetrator of
the great Custom-house robbery, one Sullivan requested that
some beer might be brought to him. This was done ; and, on
getting the pint in his hand, he exclaimed aloud, " Well, here's
success to old Ireland and the repeal of the union." O'Connell
could not have said more, and must have fraternized with the
felon.

VIOLENT GALE AT EDINBURGI-L—ln our last we (Edinburgh
camene
Advertiser) noticed a tremendous gale of wind and rain on Sa-
turday week, whic\lh.ede
appears tohairre violentbeenv gale general.
on, Soon
e
also
t) ge
after mid-day on
from S.W., -tvhich blew for some hours with a fury quiteappaanld-
m
appal-
ling, stripping chimes of their cans, roofs of their slating,
damaging windows exposed to the sweep of the hurricane
those in the back of the new barracks in the castle suffered; and
while Dr. Chalmers was addressing the Presbytery in the Hall
in North
in,
St.
which
caused David-street,
a partofthe glass of the cupola was
dashed momentary
alarm in the meeting.
In exposed situations it was not only dangerous but difficult to
walk the streets. A number of persons, male and female, were
blown down in crossing at the foot of the Mound, some of whom
received considerable injury, many had to save themselves by
clinging to lamp-irons, and hats innumerable were blown away,
some of them beyond recovery by their owners. Two men con-
veying a large painting in a packing-case op the Mound, had
their burden torn from them by the force of the wind, which
borew it over into the eastern gardens, where case and frame
.ere dashed to pieces, but fortunately the picture received but
little injury. Between eight nine
o'clock, by which time the
gale had moderated, there, were some peals of thunder and vivid
lightning.i

,

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

DISSOLUTION OF THE. SPANISH CORTES.

(From the Standard of Wednesday.)

We stated yesterday, (Tuesday) that a speedy dissolution of
the Cortes, at Madrid, was a probabie event, and we find our
statement confirmed by the following telegraphic dispatch,
transmitted from Bayonne, and published in the Journal de
Paris of yesterday :
"BAYONNE, JAN. 31.
"A decree of the Queen has dissolved the Cortes in virtue of
article 24 of the Royal Statute."—Madrid; J.zn. 27.
M. Mendizabal, it seems, was pledged to this measure, in or-
der to allow a new election immediately after the establishment
of the electoral system which has lately passed. He might
perhaps have had other reasons of a more urgent nature for
taking such a step. The opposition was evidently gaining
ground in the Chambers.