country from mendicancy and vagrancy, and the various evils that follow in their course; it would free the industry of the manufacturing labourers and increase the inducements to the investment of capital by protecting them from lawless violence; it would tend to secure the people from the alarms and dangers of riotous disturbances of the peace, by affording a powerful means of repressing them without the risk of military execution and bloodshed, without putting hostile parties in array against each other, without engendering animosities by arming neighbour to conflict with neighbour, and master with servant; all this, and much more beneficent service it might be made to render at an immediate expense of less than onefourth of the sum recently saved by one amendment in local administration; or, as we feel confident, all these great [objects may be accomplished with an ultimate saving of the whole expense from upwards of two millions of money, now chiefly expended on what have been proved before Committees of both Houses of Parliament, and pronounced by them to be, ineffective or demoralizing systems of punish

Appendix to Report of the Constabulary Force Commission.

m and Table shewing the number of forged notes presented at the Bank of England, and the number of Convictions and Executions for Forgery

On the first division of the above Table (1805-1823) the numbers Executed are those for of every description; the Returns not distinguishing separately the Executions for Forging ering Forged Bank notes. In the latter division (1824-1837) the numbers Executed are of who were Convicted of the offences in the second column, while they continued capital.

APPENDIX.

No. 1.

(Where any Magistrates of the Petty Sessions may be desirous of answering any questions Appendix No. 1. individually, those answers should each be distinguished by the Initials of the Magistrate

making them.)

1. What is the extent and supposed population of the division for which you act?

2. What number of acting magistrates reside generally within your division?

3. State, as nearly as you can, the number of felonies and misdemeanours committed during the last twelve months within your division?

4. What proportion of the offenders has been apprehended?

5. Do the constables apprehend offenders without being specially applied to for that purpose?

6. To what causes do you ascribe the failure to bring the offenders to justice; and have such failures been ascribable in any cases to the inefficiency of the constables?

7. Are there any, and what peculiar facilities or inducements to the commission of crime within your division?

8. By what means, as you conceive, may they be removed?

9. In case of depredation in your division, is escape with the property easy; and is such property easily disposed of?

10. Is there reason to believe that the depredations committed within your division have been committed by persons who do not reside in it; if so, from what place or direction are they supposed to come?

11. Are there within your division any lodging-houses for trampers, vagrants, or mendicants, or any peculiar inducements to vagrancy or mendicancy?

12. Are these lodging-houses frequently inspected; and by what officers?

13. Are offenders frequently apprehended there?

14. Are there within your division any persons who have no visible or known means of obtaining their livelihood honestly, and who are believed to live by habitual depredation, or by illegal means? Will you state the numbers and supposed habits of such persons?

15. Are the beer shops or public houses within your division the subject of complaint; and are they, in point of fact, ill conducted?

16. Since the year 1829 have there been any riots or tumults within your division? if any, describe them and their supposed objects.

17. Since the year 1829 have there been any fires within your division? If so, specify their nature, and whether they were suspected to have been wilfully caused; and what were the effects so far as relates to the loss of life or property?

18. Was any efficient assistance rendered by the constables in arresting the progress of the fires, or in apprehending the offenders or suspected persons?

19. Since the same period have there been any malicious injuries committed on cattle or other property; and if so, what number?

20. Is there reason to believe that offences of any description within your division are much more frequent than any official information would give reason to suppose?

21. What is the number of constables in your division, and how are they appointed?

22. From what class of persons are they usually selected, and are they permitted to provide substitutes?

23. What description of persons usually serve as substitutes?

24. What is usually paid to them by the principal?

25. Have the persons serving as substitutes any other emoluments or inducements to serve the office.

26. Have constables or their substitutes a competent knowledge of the law with relation to the duties of their office?

27. Are their connexions or interests such as might tempt them to connive at illegal practices, or cause them to be less active than they ought to be in the performance of their duty? 28. Can you ascertain, by examining competent persons who have served the office of constable, what is the annual cost on an average to the public, and the individual, of the services of a constable during the year?

29. Does any nightly patrol appear to be requisite within your division?

30. Do the high roads in your division require patrolling?

31. In case of the commission of any offence, are there any public means of promptly spreading information or of pursuing the offender? Describe the means, and specify the extent of district over which such information can be carried; in what time, and at what

cost.

32. In the case oft he occurrence of any riots or tumults, what means are available for their

Appendix No. 1. suppression, and for the apprehension of the offenders; and do you find any difficulty in securing the prompt attendance of a sufficient number of persons to act efficiently as special constables for the protection of your division?

33. In case of need, are there any and what means of co-operation between your division and other divisions in the same or different counties?

34. Are there within your division any, and what class of persons, such as army pensioners or others, who may be relied upon for trustworthy service as special constables?

35. Is any difficulty or delay experienced in the service of warrants, or the execution of processes, or in the performance of their duties, civil and penal, by constables as at present appointed within your division? If so, specify the difficulties and their consequences.

36. Do any delays or obstructions arise from constables being restricted from acting beyond their immediate district?

37. Are there within your division any, and what number of officers paid to keep the peace or give their whole time to the execution of their duties as constables? If so, state what is the whole expense of maintaining them, including their salaries and equipments; the authority under which they are appointed, and the fund out of which they are paid.

38. On the apprehension of any offender, to what distance is it requisite to take him to a magistrate?

39. In case a prisoner is remanded for further examination, in what place and manner is he secured; and to what distance is it necessary to send him to a place of legal confinement? 40. In case he is committed for trial, what is the distance of the prison to which he must be sent; and what is the expense of his conveyance thither, including maintenance?

41. Is any, and what part of the procedure before trial, the subject of complaint on account of trouble, delay, and expense? If so, specify their effect in inducing persons to withhold information or otherwise.

42. Supposing it desirable to appoint paid constables to give their whole time to the performance of their duties, what other useful functions might be assigned to them?

43. How many paid constables do you consider would be requisite in your division?

44. Are there any voluntary associations for the protection of property or the prosecution of offenders within your division? If so, describe them, and state their effects in preventing crime.

45. Is there within your division any voluntary association for the suppression of vagrancy and mendicity? If so, state its effects.

46. What proportion of the expenses now incurred by the public in the apprehension and prosecution of offenders do you conceive might be saved by the establishment of a more efficient preventive force?

47. Do any and what additional means appear to you to be desirable in your division for increasing the actual security, and the sense of security to person and property?

48. Have you any other information to give or suggestions to offer in furtherance of the objects of this commission?

Appendix No. 2.

Where

any

No. 2.

Member of the Watch Committee may be desirous of answering any questions individually, those answers should each be distinguished by his Initials.

1. What is the extent and population of the borough?

2. Has there been a constabulary force formed under the provisions of the 5th and 6th Wm. IV. cap. 76?

3. State the entire number of the paid constables.

4. Are there any, and what gradations of rank in the constabulary?

5. Do they wear a uniform or distinguishing dress?

6. What is the pay of a constable of each class?

7. Is the clothing or lodging of the constables supplied? and if so, state the cost.

8. Are there any other emoluments received by the constables?

9. Is there any other expenditure for the purposes of police? and if so, state the amount under the respective heads.

10. What is the total yearly cost of the police?

11. Are the appointments of the paid constables temporary, or during the good behaviour of the individuals?

12. Were any of the appointments given to individuals who had been employed elsewhere as paid constables? and if so, state how many, and where they had been so employed. 13. Do you find that you can now procure a sufficient number of men of good character, and competent to serve as paid constables for the payment given?

14. Be so good as to send a copy of any general instructions or regulations given to the constabulary.

15. What effects have been produced by the new constabulary acting upon these regulations? Specify any improvements which have taken place in consequence.

16. Have you a record of crimes, offences, and occurrences calling for the interference of the police for the year 1856? If so, can a copy be sent ?