The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1893-02-18
THE LONDON POLICE.
WHAT ASSISTANT DISTRICT At
ToRNEY WeLLMAN OBSERVED,

wholly Upon Merit.
During my visit to London | spent con
siderable time investigating the police
force Of that city,
The history OF the London police has
yet 10 be written, and avery curious record
indeed would be that Of tho successive
changes, always in the direCSion OF inn
provemeut, which have been made In the
constitution, the discipline aud tho dress
Of the metropolitan and city police since
the force, established by act 10 OF George
", commenced duty on Sept, 30, 1890
Although the hlundering and inefficient
force of police constablcs had by this timo
discarded their swallow tailed coats and
their stovepipe hats the city authorities,
excepting for n very short period in lStS,
heSitated Co provide tho force with any
weapon whatsoever excepting lantern
and rattle
Even IA late rs 1850 the metropolitan
police force numbered only $500 consta.
beS, although the city had over 100000
inhabitants, At present its total strength
Is i4.0Sl, maintained at n cost of II little
over Gt.OOO,OO0 (SS,O00,OOM, This civilian
army was practically founded by the sec
ond Sir Robert Peel while home secretary,
and was bitterly opposed in the outset 10y
a large section OF the public press The
London police force, once national scan
dal, has now become, however, the par
donable pride Of every nhabtant OF the
city.
At the head OF this army OF 1000 police
is a sinle commissioner called the chief
commissioner OF police, lie is appointed
by the queen and holds his office for life.
A general in the army Of twenty years
standing is always selected for the place
some soldier who has distinguished HIM
self for his executive ability. The present
chief commissioner is Sir Edward Brad
ford, X. c. b.. X. G. 5. T., who organized
the king of persia's cavalry some years
ago. His salary is ea50O or Sl2,5O0 This
commissioner has the appointment Of three
assistant commissioners at salary OF
e. 800 $1 500 and allowances OF about
$500 year extra. These assistants are
chosen from the ranks OF barristers who
have distinguished themselves for upward
Of twelve years in the criminal courts.
Next in rank come four chief constables,
who likewise must be chosen from the list
of army officers in good standing.
There is strictly no politics in any OF
these appointments, and they are all for
life or during good behavior. II would
seem fitting To put an experienced army
officer at the head OF such body of men
and especially fitting TO join with him as
his assistants three experienced criminal
lawyers.
In addition to the Il, ,OOOuniformed police
there are coo detectives and 800 mounted
police The department breed all their
own horses, and they board in barracks
all bachelors belonging to the force-at
one shilling week.
The pay of an ordinary constable is from
thirty to thirty-six shiijngs ($7. 50 to $9) u
week The detectives orinspeCtors receive
glSj (s925) year, and E5 ($!5) advance for
each year of service for ten years and then
Rl0 advance for the next fifteen years. Aft
er twenty-five years service they are PEN
stoned for life on two.thirds pay. The ser
geants of police receive forty five shillings
| ISL. .25) week and are only chosen from
the ranks of constables. Every one con-
nected with the force excepting the com
missioner and his assistants and the four
chief constables, must rise in the service
| from the lowest ranks.
No ordinary policeman is allowed to
carry a revolver excepting in the suburbs,
where revolvers are handed to the men
when going out on duty and are inspected
each morning to see If any shot has been
| fired. Each officer must likewise report
each use of his stick or truncheOn. There
| is almost no drunkenness found among
the force. Most CT the men are recruits
from the country aud are farmers sons
ANY policeman found intoxicated off serv-
ice is put back from two to three years in
rank and pay aud if found drunk while on
service is discharged at once.
Any one visiting London for the first
time is stunned on week days by the tour.
| billion of movement in its streets and the
constant eddies at all the great crossings
| in the whirlpool OF it's business life such as
no other city in the world can show. 1t is
estimated that over 5000 vehicles pass the
Bank of England each day. Such a thing
as block or stoppage in the stream of We
hcles for more than a moment is never al
lowed to occur thanks to the skillful man
agement of the police under the present
nearly every street corner, and any driver
or cabman who advances II yard beyond
the appraised hand of the officer may expect
to have his number taken and is certain to
have a two pound fine to pay. II he drives
on his license is forfeited. This Is not q
rule simply, for the law is invariably en-
forced, and the consequence is absolute
order and freedom from blocks.
The police seldom use force. 1t is not
necessary in q city where the laws are en-
forced with unfailing promptness and Ger
tainty. In consequence perhaps the most
unruly class of men in the world-the
London cabbies-stand in absolute awe Of
the police. This feeling is shared equally
by all tradespeople. was assured on the
best authority that there was not dis
orderly house Or policy shop in the en-
tire city Of London with its 600 square
miles and its streets and roads measuring
$500 miles In aggregate length and over
10000 inhabitants 1t is commonly said
of London that there are more Scotchmen
there than in Edinburgh, more Irish than
in Dublin, more Jews than in Palestine
and more Roman Catholics than in Rome.
Nothing is allowed to be sold in the way
of either food or drink after IL clock, and
every public restaurant or bar must be
closed by 1890 This rule is kept TO the
very minute, or the license is forfeited.
Nobody once convicted of even misdo-
meanor can obtain a license for bar or
public house in London.
The fidelity and bravery Of the London
police were well shown in 1884 when a
couple of officers on duty at the parlia-
mentary building discovered lighted
dynamite cartridge in the hallway directly
under the hall in which the house of COM