New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-02
THE LONDON " BOBBY"
A CONTRAST TO THE NETWORK POLICE
MAy-ONE BOBBY FACE TO FACE.

Iordon Sent 1j.-One's first impression Of the Lon
don poccnan Is that he Is an inslenhcantlooNng i'l
low IN fact. Is likely 10 form this impression pe-
nprc reaching London II he spends few hours OF u'y
CT two IN Liverpool II anyinr the policemen OF Liver
uOol are physically less Impressive tnan those OF Lon
DON one wonders II such as these are tAe result
n a diet on the famous roas, beef % Old England
In comparison, the broadway squad o. New-iork are
literally "out OF sight" visit Of several weeks IN
London VII fail 10 reveal buccoat To Vie In stall
vartncss with several hundred who can readily be seen
on a single day In tho metropolis ~ The New World.
What these men would do In an emergency requiring
strength bravery and endurance only be- imagined
by the stranger.
Ttc nam, commonly applied to a policeman in this
country + "bobby." \ good many Englshmen are
doubtless familiar w.th the origin Of this slang term,
though It may be taken for granted that the majority
Of tho rising generation do not receive Instruction on
the point In such schools rs they attend. II may be
explained IN passing that It took is rise In 800. when
S-r Robert Peel then Home secretary. secured IA"
passage 81 a I'LL rcorcinz,rg tie Lordou police force
ana Increasing Us efficiency. Presumably he WIS
known among thc irrcv"ron' a. Bob: at al event.,
The members of the new police force came 10 De-
known ny The dlmlantlve Of that contraction and TIE
word bobby" has made place for i,scli-a certain
sort Of place-tn tho English lang are. TIE word
pcclor" as applied % a policeman. Is derived from
the surname Of the same statesman. "Peeler."
sngIlarly enough II sometimes heard In Newl TX, but
hobby" believe. never. II s saf' 10 say that no.
one H. 10000 ~ those IN S"r Yorh WHO have used
heard "peecr IN ibis sense IS aware Of Tho highly IL
tcrcsirg or gin u TIE term Pccler,' hy the way,
has acquired such position In tae Language as IN be
used hy Kingsley in Alton Locho" without apologize
or dcprcca'ory quotation nark'.
To "hohhy" e ordinarily VOL informed. and en-
iroly willing - lmpart Information 30 those IN quest
81 g. he g polite ani ot'rnr. rule. and cX-
trcmclv respectful IN lis tone and bearing There Is
nothing ~ that hlrshtnc-s and rper.l.nnncsS which
are pronounced traits u Tho policeman oi Ncv'lork.
f. % experience ! hGyc met only ono specimen Who
assumed political MR. one RI rs sunday evening 1t
hal boon ralrl during The greater art II to day
taking q quiet stroll along ll!gh Hob 10. half mile
or - from my loienc in part ~ London with which
was perfectly familiar when CHANGED % see bus
going north through street which lad not before
noticed ~ De part % m Omnibus route. There was
"hobhy" standing on the corner I'D 20 Mn applied
for Information 70 whore that particular 'bu ran.
To nv surprise h" was disposed 20 treat me rather
cavslerly. Evidently 10 took ho !nquinne pedestrian
for stranger In search OF cDhyeyance 20 carry him
home This policeman wss ret-uus'achcd. and. rs It
proved ~ not TOO amiable disposition.
Where do you i've ?" his rather s'irly r. ponsc
10 the qucsiin renriing the destination Of the ornn
! tod him, though saw no particular reason for
doing so under The Circumstances Vhcrcup)n hc IN
ST intlg gan 20 tell where tac street vas and how
10 get there. I Interrupted him with the remark that
! knew perfectly well whore my lodgings were and
where was and. In short intiuntci Tint was about
familiar with that part Of The big cty a. hc himself
Then limited that had asked him about the bus
which Crossed Iioborn at that point.
How DO you expect me 10 know where every bus
goes - was the decidedly uncvil answer % perfectly
civil inquiry.
! was not 10 be rcbuifcd. and proceeded to explain
That had seen the bus going past md never having
seen one there before felt little curiosity regarding
H. and thought be would De able Ia give M information
on the subject Then Le told what be- might az
well have ssid ~ Inc outset. Int hy time l.
become mollhcd and takauve.
"Pcople expect us TO know everything" he said.
And they ask all sorts Of foolish queS Ions. Now
every bus IN London nut III tel you one ihlng
Do know and that made mp my mind 10 learn Just
son rs came Oh the force. That H. I know Inst
when tac last bus runs every line And ! ,ll Won
that is very important. Lots Of people don't know
ANYTHING about H. and Just like not they viii walt
any o. them BUSES riinnln' for an hour or more ~
II anybody comes along and ask, mo long this time -
night. how soon thcre'll b, bus for such place
tell em IN minute whether there's goln' to be-
another or not. Now. learnt all that I'm the first
or thrro months on thn police and think every
al lots Of things about london That no orc can know
anl YET there ne unreasonable r'one VINO find fault
with SO n 70 don't know eVnryt Ing
on the whole. the rather sirly b" hobby" proved to
have heart In him. and The semi con ldcn'ia tone
which ne assumed Indicated that when he once under
INV way possible. Tlarilne him for his kindness /
walked when | came back fifteen or twenty
minutes later he SIN standing az the same corner
but hc did not recognize me.