Year: 1863

A late London journal publishes q


loud lament over the perilous condition


of the streets of that city. The Satur-


day Review put the case still much more


strongly, insisting that the garrotters
who infest London, must be summarily


disposed Of 1t says:


"This winter has commenced with a


series Of outrages to the person SO auda.


cious that ii is difficult to believe they


can have occurred in the most frequent


ed streets Of vast city. The notion Of
lonely place being suitable for robbery


is quite exploded. The hignwaymen


have quilted the wild and storm swept


moors, where travellers were few, and
the task of robbing them involved tedi-
GUS watchings and disagreeable exposure
to the weather, and have betaken them.
selves to the centres of population where
victims may be found without delay or
trouble, and the robber may speedily
make himself comfortable under friendly
shelter, after his nights work is DONE
Instead of riding many miles, he merely
runs up court, turning up the next
street and even the old-fashioned cere-

mony of stand and deliver is omitted by
these highwaymen, who first throttle
you, knock you down, and kick you, and
then wrench your watch-guard, and turn
your pockets inside out. There is only
one healthy feature about these atrocities,
which is, that the ruflians who perpetrate
them are generally afraid of the police.
This being so, instead of lamenting that
our moral sewerage no longer finds a
free outlet into the colonies, or arguing
about the limit of punishment and the
possibility Of reformation, suppose we
were TO try what can be done to make
the streets of London safer by placing in
them a larger garrison"


The most audacious of these frequent
acts Of villany, giving pleasant idea of
the present condition of London, is thus
described:


"a gentleman was returning home
from Pimlico to Lambs Conduit street,
at 8 o'clock in the morning, when he saw
three men approaching him. Two of
them rushed upon him and gave him
violent blow on the neck which knocked
him down. Then they kicked him, as
usual, and were proceeding to rifle his
pockets, until his cries were heard by
policeman. On the approach of a con-
stable the men ran off, as is also usual.
They were pursued, and one was captur-
ed in the chase, and the other two after
wards. When brought up to Bow street,
one Of them had the impudence TO ask
what right had the prosecutor to be out
in the streets at three o'clock in the NOR
ming"


The Saturday Review makes these
significant suggestions TO the citizens;


at seems to US that the Londoners
should enlist some more stout young
men from the country in the police force
but if they will not go to this expense,
they must become their own insurers, or
in other words, they must take the duty
Of dealing with what the newspapers
call powerfully built fellows and 'des-
perate looking characters on themselves.
If the latter alternative is to be adopted, |
we may just mention that there is an art,
sometimes looked upon as barbarous,
which might be found highly valuable to
gentlemen whose business or pleasure
axes them abroad after dark. The names
md professors of this art may be learned !
'asily. 1t would be very economical
arrangement if the Londoners would not
,nly defend themselves, but also execute
prompt justice upon their assailants."


The gentlemen of civilization evil

lently have serious job of work cut
'ut for them at their own doors.