34 British Association for the Advancement of Science. 



thieves, and the remainder occasional thieves, Hving by a combi- 

 nation of labor and plunder ; and the whole was set down at up- 

 wards of 700,000^. This does, at first sight, appear incredible ; 

 but an investigation, pursued with much labor, and not unattended 

 with obloquy, convinced me the statement contained no exaggera- 

 tion. 



" A more recent inquiry, caiTied on by better means, afforded 

 by a more experienced police force, not only confirms these details, 

 but leaves an impression that the number of criminals was under- 

 rated. In an inquiry of this kind, an approximation to accm-acy 

 is all that can be expected ; and all I purpose to do is to furnish 

 the society with the most accurate data which are accessible. 



''I hold in my hand two or three returns, about the correctness 

 of which there can be no doubt. They contain the nmnber of 

 persons brought before the magistrates, and the number commit- 

 ted ; the number of felons apprehended, and the number com- 

 mitted ; they also give the age of the juvenile felons. In the year 

 1835, there were taken into clistody 13,506 persons, of whom 

 2,138 were committed. In 1836, there were taken into custody 

 16,830, of whom 3,343 were committed. Up to the 13th of the 

 present month, the number taken into custody in eight months, 

 was 12,709, of whom 2,849 were committed. From July, 1835 

 to July, 1836, the number of juvenile thieves, under eighteen 

 years of age, apprehended was 924, of whom 378 were commit- 

 ted. From July, 1836, up to the present day, the number of ju- 

 venile thieves taken into custody was 2,339, of whom 1,096 were 

 committed. There were in custody, during the same period, up- 

 wards of 1,500 well-known adult thieves. 



" In our report, juvenile thieves were set down at 1,270 : it 

 now seems that the number was very greatly underrated, for the 

 most expert officer does not pretend to say that one-half were ta- 

 ken into custody. 



"In the returns made by the old watchmen, the number of 

 houses of ill-fame was set down at 300 ; but this return referred 

 only to the notorious ones. A full and complete return has since 

 been made, and the real number is 655, exclusive of private hou- 

 ses in which girls of the town reside. In all the houses of ill- 

 fame, females reside ; and, allowing an average of four to each 

 house, the number residing in such places only would be 2,620. 



