STATE OF CRIME IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND. 383 



and justice; second, against morals; tliird, against the person; fourth, 

 against property; fifth, against public decorum ; and sixth, against local 

 and other general statutes. Thus divided, the crimes and ofiences in the 

 three kingdoms are as follows : — 



The comparison here instituted is doubtless far from exact. In the 

 judicial statistics for England and Wales, the cases of assaults classed 

 under offences against the person are distinguished from breaches of the 

 peace, which appear under offences against public order. In the judicial 

 statistics for Scotland, the cases of assault include breaches of the peace. 

 Upon inquiry, however, it has been found, that of the total number of 

 assaults reported in Scotland, about 21 per cent, may be considered as 

 offences against the person, and the remainder simple breaches of the 

 peace. In either case the classification is ai'bitrary. But taking tbem as 

 they are, the facts are very suggestive. In proportion to population, the 

 offences against public order are 11-73 to the 1,000 in Scotland, against 

 1*18 in England. The offences against morals, in the proportion of 0-21 

 to the 1,000 in England, against O'O? per 1,000 in Ireland. The offences 

 against the person in the proportion of 6"66 to the 1,000 in Ireland, 

 against 2-83 in England ; and the offences against property in the pro- 

 portion of 5-02 per 1,000 in Scotland, against 1-45 in Ireland. Honour 

 and property are safest in Ireland. The person is safest in Great Britain. 

 But drunkenness is worst in Ireland, 16-60 per 1,000, against 678 in 

 England, and 7-27 per 1,000 in Scotland. 



§ 11. Irish Crimes. 



Wtat aggravates the state of crime in Ireland is the recurrence of 

 social and political crimes and agrarian outrages, seldom indeed absent 

 from Irish criminal jurisprudence, but, of late years, forming a large 

 percentage of the crimes committed, and for which but few offenders 

 are brought to justice. Nor are they light offences. At one time, these 

 consisted of high treason, treasonable felony, administering treasonable 

 oaths, using seditious language, having arms in a proclaimed district, 

 attempting to seduce soldiers from their allegiance, and the like. At other 

 times, as in recent years, they consisted in aggravated assaults, firing at 

 the person, incendiary fires, and arson ; killing, cutting, or maiming 

 cattle ; sending threatening letters, notices, or intimidations, and the like. 

 Separate these from the ordinary crimes, and we find the proportion of 

 crimes considerably less in Ireland than in England and Scotland. 



