$36 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



at least in the night. But the 

 main improvement of this law 

 would consist in creating a super- 

 intending power, to whose discre- 

 tion should be intrusted the dis- 

 missal of the persons appointed by 

 the parochial authorities in cases 

 of misconduct, negligence, or in- 

 ability, and to whom it should he- 

 long to enforce generally, if neces- 

 sary, the due execution of this act. 



Your committee, considering 

 with this view whether there are 

 any public bodies on whom might 

 conveniently be imposed the duty 

 of connecting: in some decree the 

 scattered parochial authorities, have 

 naturally found their attention di- 

 rected to the Boards of Magistracy, 

 which have been created by the 

 32 Geo. in. c. 53. which esta- 

 blishes seven Boards of Magistracy. 

 These Boards have obtained the 

 name of Police Offices, although 

 neither by the provisions of this 

 act, nor by the nature of their du- 

 ties, have they any superintendance 

 whatever in matters of preventive 

 and parochial police; they merely 

 constitute the first stage in the ad- 

 ministration of criminal jurispru- 

 dence. It would seem to be ex- 

 traordinary, that in London there 

 should be no office in which infor- 

 mation is collected from which in- 

 telligence can be obtained as to the 

 state of the police. The Secretary 

 of State for the home department, 

 has not, necessarily, any know- 

 ledge on this subject, except with 

 reference to crimes committed. 



The greatest advantages would 

 arise from making use of these 

 boards of magistracy, as constitut- 

 ing centers to which information 

 might constantly be communicat- 

 ed, and daily reports made from 

 the several parishes. It should be 



the duty of some of the principal 

 officers, attached to the several 

 boards of magistracy, to go rounds 

 according to some rotation, and to 

 visit the several watch-houses, and 

 report in the morning to the office 

 to which they are attached. It 

 should be the duty of the high 

 constable occasionally to make si- 

 milar visitations and reports. It 

 is further recommended, that the 

 provisions of the statute of 14 Geo. 

 ill. cap. 90, should be extended, 

 which, after having prescribed the 

 general outline of the manner in 

 which watch is to be kept, directs 

 that the several parochial autho- 

 rities shall meet, and make more 

 detailed rules and regulations for 

 the instruction and guidance of 

 the constables, beadles, patroles, 

 and watchmen. Copies of such 

 rules and regulations should also 

 be transmitted to the police office 

 of the district, that the officers may 

 judge whether such regulations are 

 con) plied with. Copies should be 

 affixed to the watch«-house. But 

 the system would be imperfect un- 

 less information, collected at each 

 of the seven boards of magistracy, 

 was accumulated at some one cen- 

 tral point, in order that there may 

 be the means of comparing the oc- 

 currences and circumstances of the 

 various parts of the town. The office 

 at Bow-street might form the cen- 

 ter, to which this various informa- 

 tion should be transmitted. 



It would probably be necessary 

 to attach to it some fit person, 

 whose immediate duty should be, 

 to compare and digest such infor- 

 mation, for the purpose of being 

 communicated to that board of 

 magistrates, and to the secretary 

 of state. Although this part of 

 the subject be of pre-eminent 

 importance. 



