Glasgow Courier. — 1861-12-26 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

URSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1861.  CRIMINAL RETURNS FOR THE CITY OF GLASGOW.  Captain Smart has just issued his returns of crimes and offences for the year ending 29th Sept., 1861. In addressing the Police Committee, he says : My Lords and Gentlemen- I have the honour to Ilay before you the annual statement of crime, with tables of sudden deaths, accidents, &c., within the city, reported to the police; also, number, rank, pay, length of service, resignations, dismissals. aii:l deaths in the police force, for the year ending 29th Sept., 1861. In this, as in the previous year, two murders have been committed, one by stabbing, at or near the door of an unlicensed whisky shop, where the murderer and his victim had both been drinking. The other, that of a man who killed his child while labouring under delirium, the effects of excessive indulgence in liquor. One case of culpable homicide, by stabbing, has likewise occurred this year. The person who committed the deed hail also newly come out of a shebeen. Serious assaults, although fewer in number this year, contain five cases where the knife was used, and one by the now uncommon means of throwing sulphtu ic acid. This year, 390 youths, under fifteen years of age, have been brought before the magistrates, charged wjth crime, being an increase of 83 over last. The number of thefts of all kinds reported to the police this year has been 5,472, being an increase of 525 over last year; but a great number of these thefts were commited under circumstances over which the police have little or no control. For instance, 15 thef ts were comniitted by shopmen and clerks, 50 by domestic servants, 152 by lodgers, 130 of goods exposed for sale, 449 by prostitutes, 170 in brothels, 1776 by doors being left open, and 291 from intoxicated persons. Amount of property stolen, by all means, 1860,... £10,631 13 5 Do. do. do. 1861, 10,243 110  Decrease ... £3BB 11 7 2,136 men and 3,096 women received shelter and protection in the various Police Offices during the year. This is an increase of 1,272 over last year. 05 tons 15 cwts. 2 qrs. 14 lbs. of butcher meat, cheese, dtc.. in a state unfit for human food, has been seized by the police during the year, being three times the quantity seized the year previous; but lain of opinion that only a tithe of this carrion is discovered. The number of the police force is increased by 25. The rate of pay remains the same. The average length of service of the members of the force remains the same as last year— namely, five years and three-quarters, 89 men resigned, *aid 2o deserted, the service this year. This is a reduction of 53 from last year. It is proper to mention that of the men who resigned, 8 did so on account of had health, and 7 to join their friends in the colonies. The 75 dismissals were, as usual, nearly all young hands. The deaths in the force this year number 13; one of the number was Mr Assistant Superintendent Porter, one of the oldest servants in the establishment. Another was that of constable Duncan Cameron, Clyde Division, who fell into the river and was drowned. Another, that of constable John M'Arthur, who fell down a dark cellar stair, in George Street, and WWI killed. The Fire Brigade remains in a highly efficient state. The public fires this year have been 104, against 109 last year, and few of the fires have been very serious. The water carts are all but abolished, and the fire engines themselves have been seldom used. The branches or hose have, in nearly all cases, been wrought direct from the mains. The Magnetic Telegraph is in operation between the Central Police Office and principal fire engine station, and between the Central and Court House station, and operations are in progress for connecting all the other police offices and fire stations. When these arrangements are completed, no city in the kingdoni will be in a better position for conveying intelligence of fires, thefts, riots, &c.,  The crew of the ship Surinam, which lately left Greenock for Bahia, have returned to port. It is said that they gave as a reason for this now too common practice some complaint against one of the officers.