The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-03
EDalishmen Point With scorn ut New
York's Notorious Police, but There
Are Flaws In Their Own.

| idNof, WHICH our DilliSi SOuSiii" a. =
drawing. call for a protest.
English policemen are iirst-class auton-
atoms. They obey orders admirably. One
reason for that is that there has been
| no uncertainty about the orders. New
| York policemen have labored under the
| disadvantage Of having their orders given
| too frequently with significant wink OF
| the other eye, and, having regard TO the
side on which their bread is buttered,
| they have paid less regard TO the com
| mands than TO the wink.
When they really understand, as they
| are beginning to- that the orders given
to them are meant to be obeyed. they
will demonstrate TO the satisfaction of
all that they really deserve to be called
1.-THE finest"
Considered as raw material the New
York cop is greatly superior In energy
and intelligence to the English bobby"
In this country the latter. to use
slang phrase, would be considered dead
slow" Where his duties are restricted,
as is generally the case, to returning
civil answers to civil question from stran-
gers who find Zigzag streets rather con-
fusing, and carrying out simple categori-
cal orders he is a most excellent bit of
official mechanism. but when II comes
to taking the initiative in an emergency.
with no one around to direct him. nine
times out OF ten he doesn't know what TO
do, and ends by doing nothing.
DON'T KNOW WHAT HUSTLE MEANS.
His mental processes are sluggish. It
is part of his training that he mustn't
think for himself-that that Is "A response
bility for others who are put in authori-
~ over him for the express purpose of
relieving him of il.
L 4
tle,' When | first had occasion to ask
some service of an English policeman 1
used that word, intending to reward
CELEBRITY with tip" But my bobby"
came back in five minutes, and. with a
please excuse me, SIR wanted to know
what | meant by ii. Time being an item
OF some pecuniary Importance at that
particular moment. l attended to the
business myself and kept the tip"
And here | will say that the virtuous
British bobby" never turns his back
on tip if he is sure that his super
Tor hasn't an eye on him.
In one of the largest cities in the West
of England in which there are big gov
eminent dock yards | once stood for an
hour watching the inhabitants saunter-
ing along, for that best describes the form
Of locomotion in which they INDUCED.
Then / stopped policeman who was
doing the same thing, and explaining that
! was a stranger in those parts, asked
him if he had ever seen anybody in a
Furry on his beat.
Il hain't never zec1 none, zur," he re
piled. IAN I've bane yer two yers, cum
Christmas"
He also told me that he had reycr had
occasion to make an arres, In al that
time. That was lucky. He might have
fdnpbf q nFs ri or
thing Of that sort but | very much doubt
his ability to catch anything that knew
how to travel fast on two legs.
USELESS PRECAUTIONS.
In London during a dynamite scare l
was once entertained for half an hour
watching a policeman who had been sta
toned at the main entrance TO West
minister Abbey 10 search visitors for ex-
plosiveS 1t happened TO be a Saturday
afternoon, which, being a half holiday,
is taken advantage OF by large numbers
of jewellers in the country to see some
thing of the sights OF the British metro
polls, among which Westminster Abbey
stands foremost. They fairly swarmed
around that historic Pile
After the manner Of thrifty English
folk when they 30 sightseeing, most of
tIiem had brougt with them capacious
hand baskets, In which were packed away
more less varied assortment Of cdiDles.
with here and there a paper collar br
two belonging TO persons who expected
to prolong their stay more than twenty
four hours.
No hand basket was allowed 10 pass
the official representative of British Vi
GLANCE until he had eXhumed its contents
and shifted at the sandwiches, tarts,
and pastries to obtain olfactory evil |
dence Of their gcnuineGess, All this oc-
casioned much veXatous delay and evok- |
ed characteristic growls, especially |
from matrons who objected to public |
exhibitions of their culinary skill No |
was made in the examina- |
tons. and pockets were never searched.
why" L said to the bobby" don't |
you know that a man might have enough |
dynamite about him to bl2E the roof of
the Abbey. and you VIA never find |
it out that way?' a.
II suppose so. sir" he replied with a |
grin; but horders is horders sir. an
I've got horders to search all baskets
and packages, an l haint got no horders
TO search nothing else
The answer exhibited two of the most
striking qualities of the London police
man, unvarying civility. which is highly
and blind obedience to
!
nave answered such a query with a forci-
Die suggestion that his interlocutor had
better attend TO his own business, and he
would have considered himself under OBJ
igations TO exercise some judgment in
'arlying out his instructions.
TOO MUCH FREE SPEECH.
On another occasion I attended a politi-
al meeting where the chief speaker
- |
nee been a conspicuous follower of
Gladstone but had seen tit TO ally him
elf with the opposition, thereby making
himself the OBJECT of much hostile crit
cism. As soon as he began TO speak
men. who had evidently primed them
elf for the work by swallowing a lot
4 gin, stood up on their seats in the mid
lie OF the hall and began shouting at tie
op of their lungs. "Turncoat. turncoatY
hey had all stentOrian voices. and the
NJ. p. had not the ghost OF
chance TO make himself heard against
hem. What in reports of political meet
lgs is usually described as "uproar' and
confusion" followed. But the three men
ept on shouting.
why don't you put those men out?" |
sked of one of two policemen who stood
omplacently observing the scene. Don't
on see they have come here just 20 make
row."
Il hain't got nothing 10 do with what ,
hey come here for" he replied. 1--WE got I
orders not to interfere with any OF the ]
an not 10 do nothing till they
egins fight Then he added for my ;
sneht. my speech having betrayed me, !
This hain't Hamt rlca. sir: this is a free
'untry. an one mans got just as much
ght as another TO speak at a political
/