forming a part of the metropolis, but in its near vicinity, which furnished stronger evidence of the necessity of an efficient police, and of the consequences to neighbouring parishes of one containing no parochial police, than Deptford. This parish cons tained upwards of twenty thousand inhabit. ants, was situated as a ready asylum to those banished from Westminster and the adjoining district for their offences, and positively did not contain a single watchman or night-police authority to prevent crimes and apprehend offenders. It was not surprising, such being the fact, that that parish was the scene of frequent depredations, as in a recent instance of a most atrocious and sanguinary outrage. Within the last few years the indignation at those outrages had led to the formation of a voluntary night-patrol by the parish ioners; but as the apprehension for the security of life and property had abated, this temporary protection disappeared with the excitement which gave it birth. The right hon. gentleman proceeded to read a letter from the parochial authority of St. Nicholas, Deptford, in which the writer It was, he felt, unnecessary for him to say with such facts staring them in the face, that it was the bounden duty of the legislature to interfere, not only to prevent such a daring outrage against the laws, but to provide more secure means of protecting the person and the property of the subject. Again, if they examined the evidence respecting Spitalfields, they would see additional, and, if possible, stronger proof of the necessity of some legisla tive measure. It was true, that the present state of that district presented a very favourable contrast to its recent one, when gangs of thieves stood at the corners of the streets, robbing, in the middle of the day, all persons who came within their reach, in open defiance and contempt of the laws; but the evidence was still highly important. It showed the imperfect security afforded by the present system of parochial police, and the striking advantages of the exertions that had been made, chiefly through the praiseworthy zeal of one inhabitant, Mr. Gregory, to improve the local police. The individual to whom he had alluded stated in his evidence that he was then the super-stated, that though no place required a intendent of the watch in his district that the number of watchmen was, as before, twenty-one; but that they were now much more efficient, being better looked after than in the time of the late treasurer, a very old gentleman, who was wholly blind, and never gave himself any trouble about their conduct or appoint ment. parochial police more than the parishes of St. Nicholas, and St. Paul, Deptford, there was no public watch, no watching or lighting tax, and no protection during night for life and property, but that afforded by two persons, to whom some of the inhabitants paid a sum totally inadequate to support existence and ensure vigilance. Such a state of things must continue so long as that, or any other parish, was dependent on the voluntary exertions of individuals for the means of protection, and was not called upon, by act of parlia ment, to maintain an efficient police. This compulsion, in cases where it was necessary, was his present object. This measure contained a variety of details, which he would not then state to the House: indeed, they were of a nature much more fitted for the notice of a Select Committee. He therefore proposed, in carrying into effect the recommendations of the committee of last year, to have that com It was much to be wished, that the conductpursued in this parish should be imitated by others. But it unfortunately was not. He had returns from parishes in the vicinity of the metropolis, showing that in those parishes there was no species of nightly watch at all; and that the only protection the inhabitants had for their lives and property was their own individual vigilance, and the honesty of the thieves in their neighbourhood. This was the case in the parish of Fulham, containing fifteen thousand inhabitants; and in Chiswick, Ealing, Old Brentford, Acton, St. Mary Stratford Bow, Edgeware, Barnet, Putney, Wands-mittee reappointed. He would then worth, and two other parishes. In those populous and wealthy parishes there was no parochial police no protection for life or property-but the voluntary exertions of individuals, at whose expense others who had not contributed anything were benefitted. There was no parish not actually merely state, that he proposed, as had been suggested by the committee, to unite under one head all spárochial police authorities, including, of course, nightly watchmen. These would be under the control of a Board of Police, whose duty it would be, to superintend, make the measure general. With respect to the tax which he proposed to levy, he was confident that it would be much less than the present watch-rates; while, as he need not say, it would ensure a far more efficient police. and be responsible for, all the agents required by the police. He would abandon the term "watchman "indeed it was one that was not in great repute and consider and speak of their substitutes as a species of night patrol. The bill would appoint three magistrates to the direction of this The subject had many details, which, board. He proposed, that all watch taxes though of local importance, would, he should in future be abolished, and a conceived, be annoying to the majority of general police-tax be substituted in their the House, and would be discussed with stead. Of course, all parochial distinctions more advantage in a Select Committee. would be done away with. The advan- He therefore would propose the reappointtages of this would appear sufficiently ment of the Police Committee of last year. evident, to those who considered the To it he would refer the bill he was about defects of the present system. It was not to move for; which was ready drawn up, unusual now for one side of a street to be and had been prepared with great care and in one parish, and the other side in another ability by gentlemen recommended to him parish; and, as a consequence-the power by their talents and fitness for the task. of watchmen and constables being confined Still, however, as it was a new measure, to their own parish-a watchman standing he would refer it to the reappointed on one side of the street could not inter-committee, there to receive the necessary fere with, and would be a passive spec-minute investigation. tator of, a depredation performing on the He could not help saying a word or other, so that that depredation was actually short of felony. He had no power of stirring, on grounds of suspicion even of felony, out of his own parish, and could not prevent the actual perpetration of minor crimes, unless in his own district. two as to the good effects of a policepatrol like to that which he was about to establish. In 1805, when highway-robberies were so frequent in a particular district adjoining the metropolis, that the watch and police of the district were found to One effect of the measure he intended be not sufficient for its protection, there to propose would be, to do away with this was established the horse-patrol, which and other mischievous consequences of was found so efficient in preventing crime the present parochial distinctions. He and apprehending offenders. It could did not intend to proceed at first on too not be any peculiar change of circumextensive a scale, but would endeavour instances since that time that could account this, as on other occasions, to effect a gradual reformation, with that cautious feeling of his way, and deriving aid from experience, essential to the ultimate success of all reforms. He would not abolish at once all the parochial police establishments, but would apply his proposed bill to a few districts in the vicinity of the metropolis at first, and then gradually extend it to the others, as its advantages unfolded themselves. In those districts in which the necessity for a change in the present system was most apparent, he would commence with intending that local taxation should defray the expense of the local application of the measure. Supposing, for example, he should begin with ten parishes, those he would make liable to a local police-tax-the local watch-tax ceasing when the measure should be applied. In time the board would be empowered to unite other parishes in the neighbourhood to their jurisdiction; and thus gradually they would 1 for the cessation of robberies in that district; the cause could alone be found in the efficiency of the horse-patrol. The present horse-patrol consisted of fifty-four men. The selection of the patrol was made, in the first instance, with reference to the age of the man, in order that there might be a certainty of having officers capable of enduring the fatigue and discharging the duties which the situation imposed upon them. The selection was also conducted with reference to the previous character of the men. Above all, their promotion was made to depend upon their good conduct; and they were always under the surveillance and control of one establishment. It was upon such principles that he would propose to establish the patrol contemplated by this bill. Now, with respect to the watchmen. In some instances, it had appeared, that the watchmen, in some places, only received for their regular pay 2d. an hour: in other instances, it had been found that + persons who were burthens upon the poorrates were chosen to fill the situation of watchmen; and, as he had said before, in many, parishes, in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, the inhabitants were obliged to come forward themselves, and, by their own voluntary contributions support a night-watch, for the protection of their families.-He imagined that no objection would be taken to this measure on the score that it went to confer an unconstitutional power upon the board which he proposed to establish. The fact was, the magistrates constituting this board would not possess more than the powers which usually belonged to the office of police magistrate; and even if their power, in some degree, went beyond that extent, the House, he was confident, would perceive that it would be better to have under such a system, a thousand efficient than to have two thousand less efficient constables, under a laxer system. He was therefore satisfied that no objection would be taken to the measure, in so far as it went to invest the board of magistrates to be constituted by this bill with efficient means of exercising the powers which belonged to them. In one respect, perhaps, objections would be taken to this measure, on the ground of its exciting jealousy on the part of the existing parochial authorities, in consequence of its transferring the patronage which at present vested in their hands, to this department, acting under the control of the Secretary of State. For his part, he could not conceive what valid objection could be urged against the power which would be derived from this patronage to government, more than to that which resulted from the selection of persons for the army and navy. Certain he was, that from the class of persons who would be chosen under such a system, for any jealousy which might be entertained by parochial authorities in reference to the loss of this petty patronage, there would be found an ample compensation in the increased protection which would be afforded against offenders, and in the increased security given to the inhabitants for the preservation of the peace and tranquillity of their respective neighbourhoods. But the subject must be considered and determined upon higher and more extended principles, than in reference to these petty parochial jealousies. When they looked at the relative proportion which the criminals bore to the population in this metropolis-when they saw that one out of every three hundred and fifty-three of that population was committed to prison; charged with some criminal offence, it was their duty, under such circumstances, to legislate upon principles of a higher and more extended nature, and to adopt effectual means to put a stop to such a frightful increase of crime. But, it might be said, that this measure would go to impose additional burdens upon the inhabitants of the various parishes. It was true, that a certain degree of expense would be required to carry it fully into effect; but he was sure that any additional burden imposed in that way would be fully compensated for, by the additional protection and security which it would afford. Besides, one certain effect of the measure would be to diminish the number of prosecutions in Middlesex and London; and thus, while the inhabitants would be relieved from the watch-tax, they would also be relieved from other parochial rates, which had been materially increased by the expense and number of those prosecutions. But, he would rest the defence of this measure upon a much higher consideration-upon its effects in checking the increase of crime. He saw no mode by which they could hope ultimately to mitigate the severity of their criminal code, but the adoption of some such measure as this for preventing the increase of crime. It would be vain for them to attempt to mitigate the penalties which attached to crime already, unless they took measures to prevent the commission of crime itself. If, as it appeared from the documents upon the table, the number of criminals in the year 1821 amounted to two thousand five hundredif they had increased in 1828 to three thousand five hundred,--and if they were going on at such a rapidly increasing ratio, it would be obviously impossible, unless some check were put to their increase, to effect any material mitigation in the penalties which, under the existing laws, attached to the commission of crime. He was not one who considered that this increase of criminals had been mainly occasioned by the increase of distress amongst the population. He believed that these criminals were, in almost all instances, trained and hardened profligates, that they had been incited to the commission of crime, by the temptations х which the present lax system of police [ ciently active in frightening away unfor held out to them; and he was sure it was tunate apple or orange-women; but he possible effectually to check them, by the did not believe that they were equally vigorous exercise of the powers supplied active in banishing pickpockets, and proby the common law of the land.-He had tecting the public against the depredations already referred the House to an instance, of the thieves and robbers who abounded in which nineteen acts of burglary had in the crowded streets of the metropolis. been committed in the parish of Totten- Besides, this species of patrol or streetham, within an exceedingly short space of keepers had only been established in a few time; and he might now state, that these of the leading streets: in many of the burglarious attempts had been committed great thoroughfares a really efficient patrol by notorious thieves, who made burglary a of that kind was still much wanted. He profession. When, therefore, they talked trusted that the inconvenience experienced so much of the liberty of the subject by the public in that particular would be possessed by the people of this country, removed by the measure which the right he was afraid that they gave credit to some hon. gentleman was about to introduce. parts of the population for the enjoyment He had thought it right to call his attenof much more liberty than they actually tion to this point, as he had confined his possessed. He believed that a large por- observations to the state of the night tion of the inhabitants resident in the watch; and he trusted, that as the right neighbourhood of Twickenham and Brent- hon. gentleman proposed to establish a ford were under constant apprehensions more efficient night patrol, he would also that their lives and properties would be see the necessity of establishing a regular attacked; and such fears were entirely patrol for perambulating the streets of the inconsistent with the free enjoyment of metropolis during the day. The House liberty and peace. It was the duty of was, of course, aware of the correspondence the legislature to afford them protection which had taken place between the Homeagainst the causes which gave rise to such office and the city authorities, with referapprehensions, it was the duty of parlia-ence to the regulation of the police. He ment to afford to the inhabitants of the metropolis and its vicinity, the full and complete protection of the law, and to take prompt and decisive measures to check the increase of crime, which was now proceeding at a frightfully rapid pace; and it was upon such grounds, with such objects, and for the purpose of providing a more efficient police for the metropolis, that he now begged to move for "leave to bring in a bill for the Improvement of the Police of the Metropolis." was not aware whether any thing had since been done on that subject, but to him it appeared quite nifest, that in order to produce the good ests of any plan for the improvement of the police of the metropolis, there must be a perfect harmony between all the authorities on the subject; otherwise the thieves would have only o emigrate eastward or westward of Tepple-bar, according as they were driven from the one place or the other, by the exer tions of a more efficient and better-regulated police. He hoped the right hon. gen Mr. Bernal said, he wished to direct the attention of the right hon. gentlema to one point to which he had not allude, in his very convincing statement,--he meant the system of patrol, to whom was trusted the care of the streets of the metropolis during the day. Owing to the defective Mr. Secretary Peel said, that the hon. state of the streets of the metropolis, and member was mistaken in supposing that the the dangers to which the public were ex-board which he proposed to establish would posed in the more crowded thoroughfares, only embrace the regulation and managea new system of patrol had been establishment of the night patrol. That departed, for the purpose of driving away pick-ment would be responsible for the state of pockets, and for protecting the public the metropolis both by night and day. against their depredations staff or other patrol, even as it was at present constiThese patrols Much benefit had resulted from the day were not known by any ensign of authority; and they were only tuted. To what did the day patrol at recognized by the wearing of a blue coat present amount? Only three inspectors and a red waistcoat. They were suffi-and twenty-four men. When benefit ntleman would direct his attention to these points; and he was sure he would see the necessity for the establishment, not only of a night, but of a day police throughout the streets of the metropolis. resulted from such a small patrol, it was Mr. Hume said, there was only one point in the observations which had fallen from the right hon. gentleman which he conceived objectionable. He alluded to that part of his statement, in which he spoke of letting the parishes come into this new system, as they might think proper ["No, sno," from Mr. Peel]. He wished to know from the right hon. gentleman, whether the parishes would be left at liberty to adopt this system as they pleased.mamned Mr. Peel said, that under the act which he intended to introduce, a certain day would be appointed when the parochial establishments in each parish would be abolished, and the whole management of the police of that parish transferred to the board appointed under this act. It was desirable, however, that so great a change should not be made too suddenly. He did not propose that all at once the parochial police establishment should cease, and that this new police department should at once be obliged to take charge of the whole police of the metropolis. He would first propose to intrust to them the charge of the police in a certain number of pas rishes; and he would extend their authority gradually to other parishes, until the charge of the entire establishment devolved upon them. By that means, the new police department would become gradually exer cised in the management and control of the police, and in the course of time they would be competent to take charge of the entire police of the metropolis. In every instance a day would be fixed when the charge of the police in a particular parish would devolve on this department: the exist+ ing parochial authorities would then entirely cease; the rates paid for the maintenance of watchmen would also cease, and instead of the watch-rate a new police-rate would be imposed. He was not, however, for giving to this new department a too widely extended authority all at once.boTorgive to them suddenly the charge and management of fifteen hundred men would be too much. He would have them, in the first instance, to take charge of the police in the city of Westminster; then he would propose to extend their jurisdiction gra dually to Kensington, Hammersmith, and other places in the neighbourhood; and in that manner he would gradually extend it over the various districts where sits authority was intended to reached done Mr. Hume said, he had supposed that it was to be left to the parishes themselves to come under the jurisdiction of the board; but the right hon. gentleman had satisfactorily explained that part of his statement. He was sure that the plan, if carried into effect, would be productive of the best consequences. Bieg to 1000 Leave was given to bring in the bill; which was accordingly brought in, and road a first time.s of daw ton bib ad bensbanenhed bluos doidw SPANISH CLAIMS BILL.] On the report of this bill being brought up, laubiv Sir R. Wilson said, he wished to address a few words on this occasion to the right hon, the chancellor of the Exchequer. He thought it his duty to direct the attention of the right hon. gentleman to the claims of a class of persons whom he conceived were entitled to the consideration of his majesty's government-he alluded to the Spanish bondholders, whose property had been confiscated by the most outrageous violation of good faith that had ever been displayed by any government. These bondholders lent their money on the good |