New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-21
ROTlNY BAY At THE NORTH POLE

BOTANY BAY al IHE -'O"IH N~'
Crime has hitherto been regarded as the issue
of misery and poverty, prosperity as IT'S pre-
vontive. and the cold, incement winter months
a. the time of year most favorable to us ue-
volopment. All these theories have been shaken
TO their very foundation by the cold logic OF inc
statistics compiled by Mr.. w. D. Morrison, who
for nearly twenty years has been connected as
chaplan with the principal British penltehVi-
aries. The conclusions which he has ~ached
after long and profound study OF the crlnlilal
glasses are In direct contradiction with all preyl-
ously accepted ideas, and by no means OF a COM
fortinp nature For they indicate that crime
Is IN the increase at a rate altogether dispro-
nortionate to the growth of the population, and
that prosperity, progress, popular enlightenment
and civilization, instead OF diminishing aug
ment the prevalence Of crime.
Mr.. Morrison concludes that murder Is ue-
cidedlv on the increase. And murder is an eX-
ccllent criterion Of crime, because FEWER Oh
fences of this character escape the attention Vi
the authorities than of my other. On an average
in the five years 1870 to 1875 there was one
murder reported for every 196.S07 persons IN
Great Britain. whereas in the five years from
1894 TO 1889 there was one for every 1881
Mr.. Morrison asserts that similar increase mas
been observed in the United States ana on the
Continent of Europe. In the same manner inc
statistics show that offences against properly
almost the only ones that can be laid at poverty
door-are far more frequent in the years OF
great prosperity than in the bad years and thai
the season when British prisons have the small
est number of inmates is the period from De-
cember to March-months which are the hardest
on the poor
The fact that crime should be more 1requehu
in summer than in winter leads to the altogether
novel theory that cold is preventive OF and heae
conducive to penal offences. In the EngliSn
penitentiaries the cases of INSTRUMENTATION among
the prisoners are just double in summer what
they are in winter. Moreover the further south
one goes, either in Europe or America, the
greater the amount of crimlnallty apparent.
Murders are far more numerous IN Italy ana
Spain than in any northern country or Europe,
and in the same manner the criminal statistics
of or Southern and hotter States are alleged TO
comnare unfayOraby with those OF the North.
Russia appears to have been the only country
until now to comprehend the influences OF heat
and cold on crime. At any rate hers Is the
only Government which has taken practical
advantage thereof For, instead Of sending her
penal population to colonies near the Equator
as France, Spain and Portugal arc still in the
habit of doing, and as Great Britain was wont
TO do until she abandoned punitive transporta-
ton Russia conveys all her most dangerous
criminals to the most northern and icy parts
of Siberia. Should Mr.. MOrisOns statistics and
conclusions have the effect of causing other
European nations to follow the example set by
tho Muscovtes, we may yet live to see the Grim
inaI population of the Old World diverted from
our shores to some Botany Bay at the NORTH
| Pole.