A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis ... The fourth edition, revised and enlarged. By a Magistrate

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TREATISE OH THE POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS. A TREATISE ON THE POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS ; CONTAINING A DETAIL OF THE VARIOUS CRIMES and MISDEMEANORS By which Public and Private Property and Security arc, as present, injured and endangered: AND SUGGESTING REMEDIES FOR THEIR PREVENTION. The SIXTH EDITION, Corrected and considerably Enlarged. BY P. COLQUHOUN, LL.D. Acting as a Magistrate for the Counties of Middlesex, Surry, Kent, and Kssex.—m For the City and Liberty of Westminster, and for the Liberty of the Tower of London. Memiiaerint legum conditores, alias ad proximum hunc finem accommo date ; Scelera videlicet arceiada, refrænandaque vitia ac morum pravitatem. Judicespariter leges illas cum vigore, æquitate, integritate, publicæqueutiii tatisamoiecutentexequijutjuititiaetvirtusomnessocietatisordinespervadant.

Industiiaque simul ctTemperantia inertiæ locum assumant et prodigalitati?. LONDON: JRINTED BY H. BALDWIN AND SON, NEW BRIDGE-STREET, BLACKFR1ARS; FOR JOSEPH MAWMAN, IN THE POULTRY, SUCCESSOR TO MR. DILLY. M.DCCC. TO THE SOVEREIGN, IVho has graciously condescended to approve of the Author s Efforts " To establish a " System of Morality and good Order in - the Metropolis ;" AND TO HIS PEOPLE; In every Part of the British Dominions; whose favourable Reception of these Labours, for the Good of their Country, has contributed, in a considerable degree, to the Progress which has been already made, towards the Adoption cf the Remedies proposed for the Prevention - of Crimes, the Comfort of Society, and the Security of the Peaceful Subject : This Improved and Enlarged Edition of The Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, is humbly LONDON, Jan. 1, 1800. and respectfully DEDICATED. a

ADVERTISEMENT.

Preface

. In revising the present Edition, the Author felt a strong impulse to reduce his estimates ; but after an attentive review of the whole, excepting in the in stances of the Depredations on Commercial Property, (which have been greatly diminished by the establish ment of a Marine Police, applicable to that particu lar object,) he was unable to perceive any ground for materially altering his original calculations. — If some classes of Theft, Robbery, and Depredation, have been reduced, others have been augmented ; still leaving the aggregate nearly as before. The causes of these extensive and accumulated wrongs being fully explained, and accounted for, in various parts of the Work, a very short recapitulation of them is, therefore, all that is necessary in this Preface. The enlarged state of Society, the vast extent of moving property, and the unexampled wealth of the Metropolis, joined to the depraved habits and loose conduct of a great proportion of the lower classes of the people ; and above all, the want of an appropriate Police applicable to the object of prevention, will, after a careful perusal of this work, reconcile the attentive mind to a belief of the actual existence of evils which could not otherwise have been cre- 1 dited.

PREFACE.

. ditcd. Let it be remembered also, that this Metropolis is unquestionably not only the greatest Manu facturing and Commercial City in the world, but also the general receptacle for the idle and depraved of almost every country ; particularly from every quarter of the dominions of the Crown — Where the temptations and resources for criminal pleasures—^ Gambling, Fraud and Depredation almost exceed imagination ; since besides being'the seat of Govern ment it is the centre of fashion, amusements, dissifa-. tlon and folly. Under such peculiar circumstances, while immo rality, licentiousness and crimes are known to advance in proportion to the excessive accumulation of wealth, it cannot fail to be a matter of deep regret, that in the progressive increase of the latter the means of checking the rapid strides of the former have not been sooner discovered and effectually applied.

It is, however, earnestly to be hoped that it is not yet too late. — Patriots and Philanthropists who love their country, and glory in its prosperity, will rejoice with the Author in the prospect, that the great leading features of improvement suggested and matured in the present Edition of this Work will ultimately receive the sanction of the Legislature. May

PREFACE.

. May the Author be allowed to -express his con yictioii«diat the former Editions of this, book tended, iiit no small degree, to remove various misconceptions on the subject of Police : and at the same time evi-; dently excited in the public mind a desire, to seesuch remedies applied as -should contribute to the im provement of the Morals of the People, and to the icmoval of the danger and insecurity which were: universally felt to exist ? An impression it is to be hoped Is generally felt from the example of the Roman Government, when enveloped in riches and luxury, that National prosperity must be of short duration when public Morals are too long neglected, and no effectual measures adopted for tbe purpose either of checking the alarming growth of depravity, or of guarding the rising generation against evil examples.

It is by the general influence of good Laws, aided by the regulations of an energetic Police, that the blessings of true Liberty, and the undisturbed enjoy ment of Property are secured. The sole object of the Author in pointing out the accumulated wrongs which have tended in so great a degree to abridge this Liberty, is to pave the way fcr the adoption of those practical remedies which he 6 i)3S

PREFACE.

. has suggested, in conformity with the spirit of the Laws, and the Constitution of the Country, for the purpose of bettering the state of Society, and im proving the condition of human life. If in the accomplishment of this object the Morals of the People shall undergo a favourable change, and that species of comfort and security be extended to the. inhabitants of this great Metropolis, which has not heretofore been experienced, while many evils are prevented, which in their consequences threaten ' to be productive of the most serious mis chief, the Author of this Work will feel himself amply rewarded in the benefits which the System he has proposed shall be found to confer upon the Capital of the British Dominions, and on the Nation at large. Preparing for the Press, by the Author of this Work.

A TREATISE ON THE COMMERCE AND POLICE OF THE RIVER THAMES: CONTAINING AN HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE TRADE OF THE PORT OF LONDON; THE DEPREDATIONS COMMITTED OM ALL PROPERTY IMPORTED AND EXPORTED THERE; THE REMEDIES HITHERTO APPLIED; AND THE MEANS OF FUTURE PREVENTION, BY A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF RIVER-POLICE. WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE VARIOUS MAGISTRATES AND OTHERS EXERCISING OR CLAI.MINC JURISDICTION ON THE RIVER : AND OF THE PENAL STATUTES AGAINST MARITIME OFFENCES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. The above will be published in the course of the Spring, by Jos. Mawman, in the Poultry.] CONTENTS. CHAP. I. GENERAL VIEW OF EXISTING EVILS. PAGE Ineffective System of Criminal Jurisprudence. — • Facility of eluding Justice. — Severity and inequality of Punishments. — Necessity of revising our Penal Code. — Certain dangerous Offences not punishable. — Receivers of Stolen Property. — Extent of Plunder in the Metropolis, &c. — Proposed Restrictions on Receivers. — Coiners and Utterers of Base Money ; the extent of their crimes. — Defects in the mode of prosecuting Offenders. — Pardons. — Periodical Discharges of Prisoners. — Summary of the causes of the present inefficacy of the Police, under nine different heads \ CHAP. II.

ON THE SYSTEM OF PUNISHMENTS: THEORETICALLY CONSIDERED. The mode of ascertaining the Degrees of Pimishment. — The object to be considered in inflicting Punishments — Amendment, Example, and Retribution. — In order to render Criminal a Laws CONTENTS. II PAGE Laws perfect, prevention ought to be the <rreat object of the Legislature. — General Rules su?<resled for attaining this object. — Reflections on the Punishments authorised by , the English Laws, and their disproportion. — The necessity of enforcing the observance of religious and moral Virtue. — The leading Offences made Capital by the Laws of England considered, with the •Punishments allotted to each ; compared with, and illustrated by, the Custom of other Countries ; with Refections. — The Code of the Emperor Joseph the Second, shortly detailed. — Refections thereon 2Q CHAP. III.

THE CAUSE AND PROGRESS OF SMALL THEFTS. The numerous Receivers of Stolen Goods, under the denomination of Dealers in Rags, Old Iron, and other Metals. — The great Increase of ' these Dealers of late years. — Their evil tendency, and the absolute necessity of restraining them by Law. — Petty Thefts in the Country round the Metropolis. — Workhouses the causes of Idleness. — Commons. — Cottagers. — Gypsies. — Labourers and Servants. — Thefts in Fields and Gardens. — Frauds in the Sale, and Adulteration of Milk. 74 CHAP. «ONTENTS. III CHAP. IV. ON BURGLARIES AND HIGHWAY ROBBERIES. PAGE These Crimes more peculiar to England than to Holland and Flanders, &c. — A General View of the various classes of Criminals engaged in these pursuits, and of those discharged from Prisons and the Hulks, without the means of support. — The necessity of some antidote previous to the return of Peace. — Observations on the stealing Cattle, Sheep, Corn, &c. — Receivers of Stolen Goods, the nourishers of every description of Thieves. — Remedies suggested, by means of detection and prevention g3 CHAP. V. ON CHEATS AND SWINDLERS.

A considerable check already given to the higher class of Forgeries, by shutting out all hopes of Royal Mercy. — Petty Forgeries have, however, encreased. — The qualifications of a Cheat, Swindler and Gambler. — The Common and Statute Law applicable to Offences of this nature, explained. — Eighteen different classes of Cheats and Swindlers, and the various tricks and devices they pursue. — Remedies proposed 110 a 2 CHAP. CONTENTS, CHAP. VI. ON GAMING AND THE LOTTERY. PAGE The great anxiety of the Legislature to suppress these Evils, which are however encouraged by high sounding names, whose houses are opened for purposes odious and unlawful. — The civil Magistrate called upon to suppress such mischiefs. — The danger arising from such Seminaries. — The evil tendency of such examples to Servants and others. — A particular statement of the proceedings of a Confederacy of Persons who have set up Gaming-Houses as regular Partnership- Concerns, and of the Evils resulting therefrom. — Of Lottery Insurers of the higher class. — Of Lottery Offices opened for Insurance. — Proposed Remedies. — Three Plans for drawing the Lottery so as to prevent all Insurance . . 133 CHAP. VII.

ON THE COINAGE ©F COUNTERFEIT MONEY. The Causes of the enormous increase of this Evil of late years. — The different kinds of false coin detailed: — The process in fabricating each Species. — The immense profits arising therefrom. 1 —The CONTENTS. V PAGE —The extensive Trade in sending base Coin to the Country. — Its universal circulation in the Metropolis. — The great grievance arising from it to Brewers, Distillers, Grocers, and all Retail Dealers, as well as to the Labouring Poor. — Counterfeit Foreign Money extremely productive to the Dealers. — A summary View of the Causes of the Mischief. — The Defects in the present Laws explained : — And a Detail of the Remedies proposed to be provided by the Legislature J 7 1 CHAP. VIII. ON RIVER PLUNDER. The magnitude of the Plunder of Merchandize and Naval Stores on the River Thames. — The wonderful extent and value of the Floating Property, laden and unladen, in the Port of London in the course of a year. — The modes heretofore pursued in committing depredations through the medium of various classes of Criminals, denominated River Pirates : — Night Plunderers : — Light Horsemen: — Heavy Horsemen: — Game Watermen: — Game Lightermen: — Mudlarks : — Game Officers of the Revenue :—And Copemen, or Receivers of Stolen Property. — The effects of the Marine Police Institution in checking these Depredations. — The advantages which VI CONTENTS.

PAGE which have already resulted to Trade and the Revenue from this system partially tried. — The further benefits to be expected from Legislative Regulations, extending the System to the -whole Trade of the River « 21 3 CHAP. IX. ON PLUNDER IN THE DOCK-YARDS, &C. Reflections on the causes of this Evil. — Summary view of the means employed in its perpetration. — Estimate of the Public Property exposed to Hazard. — A Statement of the Law;s at present in force for its protection : — Proofs adduced of their deficiency. — Remedies proposed and detailed, viz : — 1st. A Central Board of Police. — id. A Local Police for the Dock-yards. — 3d. Legislative Regulations in aid thereof. — Ath. Regulations respecting the sale of Old Stores. — 5 th. The Abolition of the Perquisite of Chips. — 6th. The Abolition of Fees and Perquisites, and liberal Salaries in lieu thereof, — 7 th.

An improved Mode of keeping Accounts. — 8th. An annual Inventory of Stores in hand. — Concluding Observations 24Q CHAP. CONTENTS. VII CHAP. X. ON THE RECEIVERS OF STOLEN GOODS. v PAGE Receivers more mischievous than Thieves. — The increase of their number to be attributed to the imperfection of the Laws, and lo the disjointed state of the Police of the Metropolis. — Thieves in many instances, settle with Receivers before they commit robberies. — Receivers always benefit more than Thieves : — Their Profit immense: — They are divided into two Classes: — The immediate Receivers connected with Thieves, and those who keep shops and purchase from Pilferers in the way of Trade : — The latter are extremely numerous. — The Laws are insufficient effectually to reach either class. — The existing statutes against Receivers examined and briefly detailed, with Observations thereon. — Amendments and Improvements suggested, with means to ensure their due execution 288 CHAP. XI.

ON THE ORIGIN OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES. The increase of Crimes imputed to deficient Laws and an ill-regulated Police: — To the habits of the Lower Orders in. feeding their families CONTENTS. PAGE families in Alehouses :— To the bad Education of Apprentices : — To the want of Indusfry : To idle and profligate menial Servants out of Place .—To the Lower Orders of the Jews, of the Dutch and German Synagogues : — To the depraved Morals of aquatic Labourers: To the Dealers in Old Metals, Furniture, Clothes, &c — To disreputable Pawnbrokers: — And finally, to ill-regulated Public Houses. — Concluding Reflections 310 CHAP. XII. THE ORIGIN OF CRIMES CONTINUED : FEMALE PROSTITUTION. The pitiable condition of the unhappy Females, who support themselves by Prostitution: — The progress from Innocence to Profligacy. — The morals of Youth corrupted by the multitude of Prostitutes in the streets. — The impossibility of preventing the existence of Prostitution in a great Metropolis. — The Propriety of lessening the Evil, by stripping it of its Indecency and much of its immoral tendency. — The advantages of the measure in reducing the mass of Turpitude. — Reasons offered why the interests of Morality and Religion will thus be promoted. — The example of Holland, Italy, and the East- Indies CONTENTS.

PAGE Indies quoted. — Strictures on the offensive manners of the Company who frequent Public Tea-Gardens : — These places under a proper Police might be rendered beneficial to the State. — Ballad-Singers — Immoral Books and Songs — Necessity of Responsibility for the execution of the Laws attaching somewhere 334 CHAP. XIII. THE ORIGIN OF CRIMES CONTINUED : STATE OF THE POOR. The System with respect to the Casual Poor erroneous. — The effect of Indigence on the Offspring of the Sufferers. — Estimate of the private and public Benevolence amounting to 850,000/. a year. — The deplorable state of the Lower Ranks, attributed to the present System of the Poor Laws. — An Institution to inquire into the cause of Mendicity in the Metropolis explained. — A new system of Relief proposed with respect to Casual Poor, and Vagrants in the Metropolis. — The distinction between Poverty and Indigence. — Tha Poor divided into five classes, with suggestions applicable to each. — The evil Examples in Work- Houses. — The stat. of 43 Eliz. considered. — The defective system of Execution exposed. — A Public CONTENTS.

X PAGE- A Public Institution recommended in the nature of a Pauper Police, under the direction of three Commissioners : — Their Functions. — A proposition for raising a fund of 5230/. from the Parishes for the support of the Institution, and to relieve them from the Casual Poor. — Reasons why the experiment should be tried.-^- Assistance which might be obtained from Gentlemen who have considered this subject fully 351 C II A P. XIV. ON THE DETECTION OF OFFENDERS. The present state of the Police on this subject explained. — The necessity of having recourse to known Receivers. — The great utility of Officers of Justice. -^—The advantages of rendering them respectable in the opinion of the Public. — Their powers by the common and statute Law. — Rewards granted to Officers in certain cases of Conviction. — The Statutes quoted, applicable 4o such rewards. — The utility of parochial Constables, under a well-organized Police. — A Fund for this purpose might arise from the reduction of the expenses of the Police, by the diminution of Crimes. — The necessity of a competent Fund. — A new System for prevention and delect ion of Crimes proposed. — The functions CONTENTS.

XI PAGE tions of the different classes of Officers. — Salaries necessary to all. — Improvements in the system of Rewards suggested. — 1040 Peace- Officers in the Metropolis and its vicinity, of whom only pO are stipendiary Constables. — -Defects and abuses in the system of the Watch explained. — A general Plan of Superinlendance suggested. — A' view of the Magistracy of the Metropolis.— -The inconvenience of the present System. , , 381 CHAP. XV. ON THE PROSECUTION OF OFFENDERS. The prevailing Practice when Offenders are brought before Magistrates. — The duty of Magistrates in such cases. — Professed Thieves seldom intimidated when put upon their Trial, from the many chances they have of escaping. — These Chances shortly detailed. — Reflections on false Humanity towards Prisoners. — The delays and expences of Prosecutions a great discouragetnent to Prosecutors. — An account of the different Courts of Justice, for the trial of Offences committed in the Metropolis. — Five inferior and two superior Courts. — A statement of Prisoners convicted and discharged in one year. — Reflections thereon. — The advantage which would arise from the appointment of a Public Prosecutor, CONTENTS.

XII PAGE Prosecutors in remedying Abuses in the Trial of Offenders. — From 2500 to 3000 Persons committed for trial, by Migistrates, in the course of a year. — The chief part afterwards returned upon Society 422 CHAP. XVI. ON THE SYSTEM OP PUNISHMENTS I CONSIDERED PRACTICALLY. The mode authorised by the Ancient Laws. — The period when Transportation commenced. — The principal Crimes enumerated which are punishable with Death. — Those punishable by Transportation and Imprisonment. — Number of Persons tried compared with those discharged. — The system of Pardons examined ; and Regulations suggested. — An historical Account of the rise and progress of Transportation. — The system of the Hulks ; and the Laws as to provincial and national Penitentiary Houses. — Number of the Convicts confined in the Hulks for twenty-two years. — The enormous expence of maintenance and inadequate produce of their Labour. — The impolicy of the System. — The system of Transportation to New South /Vales examined, and Improvements suggested. — Erection of National Penilenticiry Houses recommended.

CONTENTS. XIII PAGE mended. — The National Penitentiary House (according to the Proposal of Jeremy Bentham, Esq.) considered : — Its peculiar advantages with respect to Health, productive Labour, and Reformation of Convicts. — General Reflections on the means of rendering Imprisonment useful 435 C H A P. XVII. CRIMINAL POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS. The Police of the Metropolis examined, and its Organization explained. — The utility of the System, established in \7Q1 examined and explained. — Its great deficiency from the want of Funds to reward Officers for the detection and punishment of Offenders. — Suggestions relative to stipendiary Justices, and the benefits likely to result from their exertions in assisting the City Magistrates. — The vast labour and weight of ■ duty attached to the chief Magistrate and Aldermen in London. — The benefits to result from Established Police Magistrates exemplified by the System already adopted under the Act of 1792. — The advantages which would arise from the various Remedies proposed in the course of this Work, only of a partial nature, for want of a centre-point and superintending Establish- Contents XIV PAGE Establishment. — The ideas of Foreigners on the Police of the Metropolis. — Observations on the Old Police of Paris, elucidated by Anecdotes of the Emperor Joseph II. and Mons. de Sartine. — A Central Board of Commissioners for managing the Police, peculiarly necessary on the return of.

Peace. — This measure recommended by the Finance Committee 501 CHAP. XVIII. PROPOSED SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL POLICE. A Proposition to consolidate the two Boards of Hawkers and Pedlars, and Hackney Coaches, into a Board of Police Revenue. — The whole Revenue of Police from Fees, Penalties, and Licence Duties, to make a common Fund. — uiccounts to be audited. — Magistrates to distribute small Rewards. — A power to the Board to make Bye Laws. — A concurrent Jurisdiction recommended. — The Penitentiary House for reforming Convicts. — Measures proposed after the Board is established — namely, A Public Prosecutor for the Crown: — A Register of Lodging. Houses — The Establishment of a Police Gazette — Two leading Objects : the prevention of Crimes s and raising a Revenue for Police purposes. — The enumeration of the . 3 Dealers, CONTENTS.

XV PAGE Dealers, who are proposed to be licenced.— A '' general View of the annual E.vpence of the present and proposed Police System. — Suggestions respecting a chain of connections with Magistrates in the Country. — The Functions of the proposed Central Board of Police. — Specification of the Trades to be regulated and licenced. — The advantages likely to result from the adoption of the Plan 53G C II A P. XIX. MUNICIPAL POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS. Extent and Opulence of the City of London, its Streets, Lanes, Allies, Courts and Squares estimated at 8000. — Churches, &c. 400. — Seminaries for Education 4000. — The various Institutions and Societies for Learning, for the fine Arts, and for charitable and humane Pur+ poses. — The Courts of Law. — The Prisons — Suggestions as to improving the System of Imprisonment for Debt, particularly as relates to Small Debts : and as to dividing the judicial and ministerial Labours among more Officers. — The internal or municipal Regulations established in the Metropolis by several Statutes; respecting Paving — Watching — Sewers — Hackney Coaches — Carts — ft atermen — and Buildings.

CONTENTS. PAGE Buildings. — Necessity of rendering these Laws ttniform and coextensive, so as to consolidate the System of Municipal Police. — Expence calculated at 1,000,0001. a year. — Suggestions for reducing it. — The present Epoch calls for Improvements 567 CHAP. XX. CONCLUSION. A summary View of the Evils detailed in the preceding Chapters. — Arguments in favour of a more energetic Police as the only means of " remedying these Evils. — A general View of the estimated Depredations annually in the Metropolis and its Vicinity ; amounting in all to Two Millions sterling. — A View of the Remedies proposed — 1st. With respect to the Corruption of Morals. — id. The means of preventing Crimes in general. — 3d. Offences committed on the River Thames. — 4th. Offences in the Public Arsenals and Ships of War. — 5th.

Counterfeiting Money and fabricating Bank Notes ; 6th. Punishments. — 7th. Further advantages of an improved System of Police. — Concluding Reflections fj02 A TREATISE, &c.