ed to render this nefarious traffic a very ferious evil.

Among the multitude of perfons concerned in it, fome are faid to keep men conftantly employed in untwifting the cordage, for the purpofe of removing the King's mark, or coloured ftran, which is introduced into it as a check against fraud; and others (as has been already noticed) are, in like manner, employed in knocking the broad arrow out of copper bolts, nails, bar iron, and other articles, on which it is imprefsed, fo as to elude detection.

It would fcarce be credited, to what an enormous extent the fale of cordage, fail-cloth, and other naval articles thus plundered, is carried, in fupplying coafting veffels and fmaller craft upon the river Thames, at a cheap rate.

"The criminal and unfortunate individuals, who compofe the difmal catalogue of highwaymen, foot-pads, burglars, pick-pockets, and common thieves, are thus claffed :".

1. Young men of fome education, who, having acquired idle habits by abandoning business, or by being bred to no profeffion, and having been feduced by this idleness to indulge in gambling and feenes of debauchery and diffipation, at length impoverished and unable to purchase their accustomed gratifications, have recourfe to the highway to fupply immediate wants.

2. Tradesmen and others, who, having ruined their fortunes and bufinefs by gaming and diffipation, fometimes as a defperate remedy-go upon the road.

But thefe two claffes are extremey few in number, and bear no proportion to the lower and more depraved part of the fraternity of thieves, who purfue the trade fyftematically; who conduct their depredations under fuch circumstances of caution, as to render detection extremely difficult; and whofe know

ledge of all the weak parts of the criminal law is generally fo complete, as to enable them to elude justice, and obtain acquittals, when detected and put upon their trial.Namely,

I. 1. Servants, hoftlers, ftable and poft-boys out of place, who preferring what they confider as idleness, have ftudied the profeffion of thieving.-2. Perfons, who being imprifoned for debts, affaults, or petty of fences, have learned habits of idle-, nefs and profligacy in goals.-3. Idle. and diforderly mechanics and labourers, who having on this account loft the confidence of their masters or, employers, refort to thieving, as a means of fupport; from all whom the notorious and hackneyed thieves, generally felect the most trusty and daring to act as their affociates., 4. Criminals tried and acquitted of offences charged against them, of which clafs there have been a vast number let loofe upon fociety within the last ten years.-5. Convicts difcharged from prifons and the hulks, after fuffering the fentence of the law: too often inftructed by one another in all the arts and devices which attach to the moft extreme degree of human depravity, and in the perfect knowledge of the means of perpetrating crimes, and of eluding juftice.

From Newgate alone, were dif charged, between the years 1786 and 1795, 6206 prisoners.

The depredations which are committed almoft every evening in Cheapfide, and the adjacent streets leading into it, afford flrong proof of the neceffity of an improved sys tem with regard to watchmen and patroles.

Allured to that particular part of the metropolis, from the extenfive and valuable property in piece-goods and other portable articles which are conftantly removing to and fro from the different fhops and warehouses: a mul

a multitude of thieves and pickpockets exhibiting often in their dress and exterior, the appearance of gentlemen and men of business, affemble every evening in gangs, watching at the corners of every street, ready to hustle and rob, or to trip up the heels of the warehouse porters and the fervants of hop-keepers carrying goods; or at the doors of warehouses, at dusk and at the time they are locked, to be ready to feize loofe parcels when unperceived; by all which means, aided by a number of other tricks and fraudulent preten ces, they are but too fuccessful in obtaining confiderable booty. In short, there is no device or artifice to which thefe vigilant plunderers do not refort of which an example appeared in a recent inftance, where almoft in the twinkling of an eye, while the fervant of an eminent filk-dyer had croffed a narrow street, his horse and cart, containing raw filk to the value of twelve hundred pounds, were driven clear off. Many of these attrocious villains, are alfo conftantly in waiting at the inns, disguised in dif. ferent ways, perfonating travellers, coach-office clerks, porters, and coachmen, for the purpofe of plundering every thing that is portable: which, with the affiftance of two or three affociates, if neceffary, is carried to a coach called for the purpose, and immediately conveyed to the recei

ver.

The most adroit thieves in this line are generally convicts from the hulks, or returned transports, who, under pretence of having fome oftenfible bufinefs, (while they carry on the trade of thieving) generally open a chandlers shop, fets up a green-ftall, or get into a public-house :-fome of thefe old offenders are known alfo to keep livery-ftables for thieves, and hories for the ufe of highwaymen; thereby forming a connected chain by which thefe criminal people extend and facilitate their trade; nou

rishing, accommodating, and fupporting one another.

"Many curious particulars are related concerning the arts practised in counterfeit coinage. Several kinds of bafe filver coin are described."

It is impoffible to eftimate the amount of this base money which has entered into the circulation of the country during the last twenty years: but it must be immenfe, fince one of the principle coiners in the flat way who has lately left off bufinefs, and made fome important difcoveries, acknowledged to a magiftrate of the police, that he had coined to the extent of two hundred thousand pounds. fterling in counterfeit half crowns, and other base filver money, in a period of seven years. This is the lefs furprifing, as two perfons can stamp and finish to the amount of from 2001. to 300l. a week.

Trading in base money has now become as regular and fyftematic as any fair branch of trade.

Certain it is that immenfe quantities are regularly fent from London to the camps during the fummer feafon and to perfons at the fea-ports and manufacturing towns, who again fell in retail to the different tradef-. fmen and others who pass them at their full import value.

In this nefarious traffic a number of the lower order of the Jews in London affift the dealers, in an eminent degree, particularly in the circulation of bad halfpence.

It has not been an unufual thing for feveral of these dealers to hold a kind of market, every morning, where from forty to fifty Jew boys are regularly fupplied with counterfeit halfpence; which they difpofe of in the courfe of the day in different ftreets and lanes of the metropolis, for bad fhillings, at about threepence each. Care is always taken that the perfon who cries bad fhillings fhall have a companion near him who carries the halfpence and takes

charge

charge of the purchased fhillings (which are not cut :) fo as to elude the detection of the officers of the police, in the event of being fearch

ed.

The bad fhillings thus purchafed, are received in payment, by the employers of the boys, for the bad halfpence fupplied them, at the rate of four fhillings a dozen; and are generally refold to fmafhers, at a profit of two fhillings a dozen; who speedily re-colour them, and introduce them again into circulation, at their full nominal value.

The boys will generally clear from five to feven fhillings a day, by this fraudulent bufinefs; which they al most uniformly fpend, during the evening, in riot and debauchery; returning pennyless in the morning to their old trade.

Thus it is that the frauds upon the public multiply beyond all peffible conception, while the tradefman, who unwarily at leaft, if not improperly, fells his counterfeit fhillings to Jew boys at threepence each, little fufpects that it is for the purpofe of being returned upon him again at the rate of twelvepence, or 300 per cent. profit to the purchasers and utterers. "A diftinct account is given of various kinds of cheats ;-sharpers who obtain licenses to become pawn brokers, hawkers, and pedlars, or auctioners; others, who raise money by pretending to be discounters of bills, and money-brokers; cheats, who fet up gaming-houses; and unlicenfed infurers of lottery tickets; Jews, who pretend to buy old cloathes and metals; people, who fell provifion and other articles by falfe weights and measures; fwindlers, who confpire to defraud tradefmen of goods; cheats, who take genteel lodgings under falfe names; who perfonate tradesmen's fervants, or gentlemen's footmen; who affociate to make a prey of the ignorant; who attend ions at the time that coaches and

waggons are loading and unloading; who go from door to door foliciting contributions to charitable eftablishments; duffers, who pretend to fell fmuggled goods; female fharpers; female bankers; and fortune-tellers. From the numerous particulars related concerning thefe claffes of cheats, the following may deferve felection."

In confequence of a very accurate enquiry which has been made, and of information derived from different fources, it appears that fraudulentlottery infurances have not diminished. The offices are numerous all over the metropolis, and are fuppofed to exceed four hundred of all def criptions; to many of which there are perfons attached, called morrocco men, who go about from houfe to houfe among their former cuftomers, and attend in the back parlours of public houfes, where they are met by customers who make infurances. It is calculated that at thefe offices (exclufive of what is done at the licenfed offices) premiums for infurance are received to the amount of 800,000l. fterling during the Irish lottery, and above one million during the English; upon which it is calculated that they make from 15 to 25 per cent. profit.This infamous confederacy was estimated, during the English lottery of the year 1796, to fupport about 2000 agents and clerks, and nearly 7500 morocco men, including a confiderable number of hired armed ruffians and bludgeon men; thefe were paid by a general affociation of the principal proprietors of thefe fraudulent establishments; who regularly meet in committee, in a well-known public houfe in Oxford market, twice or thrice a week, during the drawing of the lottery; for the purpofe of concerting measures to defeat the exertions of the magiftrates, by alarming and terrifying, and even forcibly refifting, the offcers of justice in all inftances where

they

on the fame footing with iron shops, they could not be bribed by pecuniary gratuities;—to effect which laft purpose, neither money nor pains were fpared; and the wretched agents of these unprincipled mifcreants were, in many cafes, prepared to commit murder, had attempts been made to execute the warrants of magiftrates as can be proved by inconteftable evidence.-It is much to be feared that too much fuccefs attended these corrupt and fraudulent proceedings, in violation and defiance of the laws of the kingdom.

One of the harpers for defrauding tradesmen commonly affumes, the character of a merchant,bires a genteel houfe, with a counting houfe, and every appearance of business. One or two affociates take upon them the appearance of clerks, while others occafionally wear a livery: and fometimes a carriage is fet up, in which the ladies of the party vifit the shops, in the ftile of perfons of fashion, ordering goods to their apartments. Thus circumftanced, goods are obtained on credit, which are immediately pawned or fold, and the produce ufed as a means of deception to obtain more, and procure recommendations, by offering to pay ready money,

-or to discount bills.

When confidence is once effablished in this way, notes and bills are fabricated by thefe confpirators, as if remitted from the country, or from foreign parts and application is made to their newly-acquired friends, the tradefmen, to affift in discounting them. Sometimes money and bills upon one another are lodged at the banker's for the purpofe of extending their credit, by referring to fome refpectable name for their character.

After circulating notes to a confi. derable amount, and completing their fyftem of fraud by poffeffing as much of the property of others as is poffible, without risk of detection, they move off; affume new characters;

and when the bills and notes are due, the parties are not to be found.

Female fharpers fametimes go to St James's, and from their effrontery, actually get into the circle; where their wits and hands are employed in obtaining diamonds, and whatever other articles of value, capable of being concealed, are found to be most acceffible.

The wife of a well known fharper now upon the town, is faid to have appeared at court, dreffed in a ftile of peculiar elegance: while the sharper himself is fuppofed to have gone in the drefs of a clergyman.-According to the information of a noted receiver, they pilfered to the value of 1700l. on the king's birth-day (1795) without discovery or fufpicion.

Houses are kept where female cheats drefs and undrefs for public places.-Thirty or forty of thefe fharpers generally attend all mafquerades, in different characters, where they feldom fail to get clear off with a confiderable booty.

Female bankers accommodate barrow-women and others, who fell fish, fruit, vegetables, &c. in the streets, with five fhillings a day; (the usual diurnal flock in trade in fuch cafes ;) for the use of which, for twelve hours, they obtain a premium of fixpence, when the money is returned in the evening; receiving thereby at this rate, about feven pounds ten fhillings a year for every five fhillings they lend out!

A police-magiftrate, on discovering this extraordinary fpecies of fraud, attempted to explain to a barrow-woman on whom it was practifed, that by faving up a fingle five fhillings, and not laying any part of it out in gin, but keeping the whole, fhe would fave 71. Jos. a year, which feemed to aftonish her, and to flagger her belief. It is to be feared, however, that it had no effect upon her future conduct, fince it is evident that