THE ' NE IV POLICE ' 



51 



away. But to bring back the policeman of that era, 



if that were possible, and set him to control this 



traffic, would be more instructive still. When the 



last years of the coaching age along this road were 



still running their course, ' Robert,' 



the ' Peeler,' or the ' Xew Police,' as 



he was variously named, had an easy 



time of it here. Not so his successors, 



who have to deal with an almost 



continual block, all day long and 



every day. 



The ' New Police ' were a novel body 

 of men in the early years of the reign, 

 having been introduced in 1829 by 

 Sir Robert Peel. Hence the brilliant 

 appropriateness of those nicknames. 

 There still, however, lingered in various 

 parts of the Metropolis that ancient institution, the 

 Watchman, who patrolled the streets at night and 

 announced the hours in a curious sino'-sono- voice 

 with remarks upon the state of the weather added. 

 Those who sat up late were familiar with the chant : 

 ' Twelve o'clock, and a stormy night ! ' and found 

 comfort in the companionship of that voice. 



The watchmen, although scarce anyone now living- 

 can have seen one of those many-caped, tottering 

 old fellows, seem strangely familiar to us. That is 

 Ijecause we have read so much about them in the 

 exploits of Tom and Jerry, the Corinthian youth of 

 the glorious days of George the Fourth, wdien the 

 most popular forms of sport were knocker-wrenching, 

 bilking a pikeman, and thrashing a Charley. A 



THE • NEW Pi iLICE. 



