The Sun. — 1862-12-11 (London, England)

NCREASE OF CRIME IN THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX.  Coldbath-fields, for The official report of the House of Correction, the year ending Michaelmas, 1862, has just been issued, and shows that a great increase of crime has taken place within that period as compared with the previous year. Upon this subject the report says :—" The exceptional state of things prevailing in the metropolis during the past year has been attended with a considerable increase in the number of commitments. In 1861 the total number of prisoners was 8,065 ; in the present year, 9,261. It is, under these circumstances, a matter of rejoicing that, while the aggregate numbers have thus risen, the number of prisoners under 16 years of age has not only failed to keep pace with the adults, but has materially diminished. Last year the total number of boys under 16 years of age was 774, this year it has fallen to 682, Of the prisoners committed during the year 1,562 had been once before committed; 567, twice; 251, three times ; and 422, four times and upwards. In addition to the punishments to which the prisoners were sentenced, the following have been inflicted for offences committed during the year in prison : Whippings, 10; put in irons, 6; solitary confinement, 267; other punishments, 6,227—making a total of 6,510 additional punishments. The daily average of prisoners we s 1,594. The report of the House of Correction at Westminster shows a great increase in the number of female prisoners committed during the year, amounting to 5,099; in the previous year they were 4,802. The number of females received from this prison into reformatory asylums during the year was 130, namely, into the Refuge for the Destitute, 29 ; Elizabeth Fry Refuge, 60; Manor-hall Asylum, 6; placed in other asylums, and paid for by the ladies of the Patronage Society, 29. Of the prisoners committed during the year, 993 had been once committed before, times, and 1,841 four timesor4;97antdwimeeo'e threere27xt:apunishment for offences committed within the prison—solitary confinement, 83; other punishments, 1,485, making a total of 1,568. The House of Detention, Clerkenwell, as in the previous cases, offers a considerable increase in the number of prisoners for the year. The number committed this year B,BBo—namely, --while in the previous year they were 8,014, being an increase of 866. The daily average was 224. Of the number males and 2,370 females thrice,. committed itted there were committed before :—Once, 1,098; twice, 331 ;14; and four times and more, 207. Extra punishments, in irons, 1.; soliother punishments, 131. attempting to commit suicide, 177. solitart' Committedco confinement, for em ent, 33;  The French Imperial steam yacht L'Actif, carrying the pennant, arrived and moored off the dockyard, Woolwich, yesterday to coal and replenish her stores. On account of the extraordinary accumulation of mud all communication with the dockyard was barred at low water from 9 to 10.30 a.m. by a huge and impassable mudbank. On the flow of the tide about midday the officers landed and afterwards visited the. Fisgard, Captain Lysaght. Commander Zelenoy and the officers of the Russian corvette Almaz, now lying at Gravesend, were also received on board the Fisgard, and were accompanied over the dockyard. -The Leveret screw gunboat, tender to her Majesty's screw frigate Dauntless, in Southampton.water, tested her machinery and speed at the measured mile yesterday, on the completion of repairs and the fitting of condensers to her engines. Six runs were made at the mile, the mean of the six giving the ship a speed of 7.958 knots.: The Alfred target ship has been brought down from the practice moorings, and berthed alongside Portsmouth dockyard, to receive fresh armour plates for testing and experimental firing. The two plates fired at on Monday last proved to be of very inferior quality ; one, made at the Elswick Ordnance Works (Sir W. Armstrong and Co), broke up like potters' clay under the blows of the 68 pounder shot. A second plate from the Elswick Ordnance Works, with one for the Prince Albert cupola ship, and four other makers, are now being fixed for the next trial.  The Frederick William,B6,screw, has been brought down from her harbour moorings at Portsmouth, and berthed alongside the dockyard to receive her deck fittings for sea service. She is to be ready for commission in May, 1863. Sixty hired shipwrights, with other trades in proportion, are being entered in the yard to take in hand the repairs of the ships ordered to be brought forward for commission. The Esk and Curacoa will be the first two vessels taken in hand, the former to be ready for commission, it possible, by May, 1863, and the Curacoa as soon as possible without interfering with other work in hand in the yard. We are glad to be enabled to announce that Vice Sir H. W. Bruce, Naval Commander inChief at Portsmouth, is fast recovering from his late severe attack of illness, and is expected to be able to resume his official duties in a day or two. The report that the gallant Admiral has written to the Admiralty to be superseded is incorrect. An official communication has been received at the office of the Cornmander-in-Chief at Portsmouth from the Admiralty, expressing their lordships' gratification at the satisfactory reports they bad received from the inspecting officers of the creditable and expeditious manner in which the Arrogant screw frigate was lately paid out of commission at Portsmouth, and which, their Lordships observe, does credit to the officers and crew of the Arrogant, and likewise to the officers of Portsmouth dockyard. The following appointments were made yesterday at the Admiralty :—Lionel Swift, chief engineeer, to the Asia for the Neptune, when the litter J. paid off; J. A. Burton, chief engineer, to the Cumberland for the Amphion, when the latter is paid off.