made, and of information derived from different sources, it appears
that fraudulent Lottery Insurances have not diminished. The Offices
are numerous all over the Metropolis, and are supposed to exceed four
hundred of all descriptions; to many of which there are persons
attached, called _Morocco Men_, who go about from house to house among
their former customers, and attend in the back parlours of Public
Houses, where they are met by customers who make insurances. It is
calculated that at these offices (exclusive of what is done at the
_licensed_ offices) premiums for insurance are received to the amount
of _eight hundred thousand pounds_, 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 support about 2000 agents and clerks, and nearly 7500 Morocco
Men, including a considerable number of hired _armed Ruffians_ and
_Bludgeon Men_: these were paid by a general association of the
Principal Proprietors of these fraudulent Establishments; who
regularly met in Committee, in a well-known public house in Oxford
Market, twice or thrice a week, during the drawing of the Lottery; for
the purpose of concerting measures to defeat the exertions of the
Magistrates, by alarming and terrifying, and even forcibly resisting,
the Officers of Justice in all instances where they could not be
bribed by pecuniary gratuities;--to effect which last purpose, neither
money nor pains were spared; and the wretched agents of these
unprincipled miscreants were, in many cases, prepared to commit
murder, had attempts been made to execute the Warrants of Magistrates;
as can be proved by incontestable evidence. It is greatly to be feared
that too much success attended these corrupt and fraudulent
proceedings, in violation and defiance of the Laws of the Kingdom.]
A general Association, or perhaps an act of Parliament, establishing
proper regulations, applicable to this and other objects, with regard
to menial servants, would be of great utility.
If a Legislative regulation could also be established, extending
certain restrictions to the members of the different _Friendly
Societies_ situated within the Bills of Mortality, with regard to
Fraudulent Lottery Insurances, above _seventy thousand families_ would
be relieved from the consequences of this insinuating evil; which has
been so fatal to the happiness and comfort of a vast number of
tradesmen and artisans, as well as inferior classes of labourers.[42]
[Footnote 42: The regulation proposed, is this--that every member
belonging to a Friendly Society, should be _excluded_ or _expelled_,
and deprived of all future benefits from the funds of that Society, on
proof of his having insured in any Lottery whatsoever, contrary to
law;--and that this rule should be general, wherever the Acts of
Parliament, relative to Friendly Societies, have taken effect.]
Such prohibitions and restraints would have a wonderful effect in
lessening the profits of the Lottery-Office Keepers; which, perhaps,
is the very best mode of suppressing the evil.--At present, the
temptation to follow these fraudulent practices is so great, from the
productive nature of the business, that unless some new expedient be
resorted to, no well-grounded hope can be entertained of lessening the
evil in any material degree.
In addition, therefore, to what has already been suggested on the
subject, other expedients have occurred to the Author; and some have
been suggested by persons well informed on this subject.
The Lottery in itself, if the poorer classes could be exempted from
its mischiefs, has been considered by many good Writers and Reasoners
as a fair resource of Revenue; by taxing the vices or follies of the
People, in a country where such a considerable proportion of the
higher and middling ranks are possessed of large properties in money,
and may be induced, through this medium to contribute to the
assistance of the State, what would (probably to the same extent) be
otherwise squandered and dissipated, in idle amusements.
It is a means also of benefit to the Nation, by drawing considerable
sums of money annually from foreign Countries, which are laid out in
the purchase of tickets.
In many respects therefore, it might be desirable to preserve this
source of Revenue if it can be confined to the purchase of Tickets,
and to persons of such opulence, as upon the abolition of the Lottery
could not probably be restrained from squandering their money in
another way, from which the State would derive no benefit.
The Lottery, on the plan upon which it is at present conducted, has
not yet ceased to be an evil of the utmost magnitude, and perhaps one
of the greatest nurseries of crimes that ever existed in any
country.--At the close of the English Lottery drawn in 1796, the Civil
Power was trampled upon and put to defiance in a most alarming and
shameful manner, disgraceful to the Police of the Metropolis. The
means used for this purpose have been already fully detailed; _ante p.
156 in the note_.
The profits of these Cheats and Swindlers were said to be immense
beyond all former example, during the Lottery drawn in the spring both
of 1796 and 1797; and of course, the Poor were never in a greater
degree plundered.
In calculating the chances upon the whole numbers in the wheels, and
the premiums which are paid, there is generally about 33 1-3d per
cent. in favour of the Lottery Insurers; but when it is considered
that the lower ranks, from not being able to recollect or comprehend
high numbers, always fix on low ones, the chance in favour of the
insurer is greatly increased, and the deluded Poor are plundered, to
an extent which really exceeds all calculation.
At no period is there ever so much occasion for the exertions of the
Magistracy, as during the drawing of the English and Irish Lotteries;
but it is to be feared, that even by this energy, opposed as it always
undoubtedly will be, by a System as well of corruption as of force
unexampled in former times, no proper check can be given, until by new
Legislative regulations, some more effectual remedy is applied.
The following expedients with the assistance of a superintending,
energetic, and well-regulated Police, it is to be hoped, might be the
means of greatly abridging this enormous evil, and of securing to
Government the same annual revenue, which is at present obtained, or
nearly so.
"1. That the numbers of the Tickets to be placed in the
Lottery Wheels shall not be _running numbers_, as heretofore
used; but shall be _intermediate_ and _broken_; thereby
preventing insurances from being made on specific numbers,
from the impossibility of its being known, to any but the
_holders of tickets, or the Commissioners_, what particular
ticket at anytime remains in the wheel.
"2. That all persons taking out licences to sell Lottery
Tickets, shall (instead of the bond with two sureties for
one thousand pounds, now entered into under the act of the
22d George 3. cap. 47,) enter into a bond, with two sureties
also, for L.50,000--which sum shall be forfeited, on due
proof that any person, so licensed, shall have been,
directly or indirectly, concerned in taking insurances
contrary to law; or in setting up, or being connected in the
profit or loss arising from any illegal insurance-office: or
in employing itinerant Clerks, to take insurances on account
of persons so licensed.
"3. That besides the above-mentioned bond, all licensed
Lottery Office Keepers shall, previous to the drawing of
each Lottery, make oath before a Magistrate, that they will
not, in the course of the ensuing Lottery, be concerned,
either directly or indirectly, in setting up any illegal
offices for the sale of tickets, or insurance of numbers,
contrary to law: Which affidavit shall be recorded, and a
certificate thereof shall be indorsed on the licence
without which it shall not be valid. And that the affidavit
may be produced in evidence, against persons convicted of
illegally insuring; who shall in that event be liable to the
punishment attached to perjury, and of course, to the
ignominy of the pillory and imprisonment.
"4. That all peace-officers, constables, headboroughs, or
others, lawfully authorised to execute the warrants of
Magistrates, who shall receive any gratuity, or sum of money
from illegal Lottery Insurers, or from any person or
persons, in consideration of any expected services in
screening such offenders from detection or punishment,
shall, on conviction, be rendered infamous, and incapable of
ever serving any public office; and be punished by fines,
imprisonment, or the pillory, as the Court, before whom the
offence is tried, shall see proper.
"5. That all persons who shall be convicted of _paying
money_ on any contract for the benefit arising from the
drawing of any Lottery Ticket, insured upon any contingency
(not being in possession of the original ticket, or a legal
share thereof) shall forfeit L.20 for every offence, to be
levied by distress, &c.
"6. That an abstract of the penalties inflicted by law on
persons insuring, or taking illegal insurances in the
Lottery, shall be read every Sunday, in all churches,
chapels, meeting-houses, and other places of public worship,
during the drawing of the Irish and English Lotteries
respectively; with a short exhortation, warning the people
of the consequences of offending against the law: And that a
copy of the same shall be pasted up in different parts of
Guildhall, and constantly replaced during the drawing of the
Lottery; and also at all the licensed Lottery Offices within
the Metropolis.
"7. That a reward, not exceeding L.50 be paid to any person
employed as a clerk or servant in any illegal Lottery
Office, who shall be the means of convicting the actual or
principal proprietor or proprietors of the said office, who
shall not appear themselves in the management; also a sum
not exceeding L.40 on conviction of a known and acting
proprietor; and a sum not exceeding L.10 on conviction of
any clerk or manager, not being partners.
"8. That the punishment to be inflicted on offenders shall
be fine, imprisonment, or the pillory; according to the
atrocity of the offence, in the discretion of the Court
before which such offenders shall be tried."
The following Plans have also been transmitted to the Author by
Correspondents who appear to be well-wishers to Society. They are here
made public, in hopes that from the whole of the suggestions thus
offered, some regulations may ultimately be adopted by the Legislature
towards effectually remedying this peculiarly dangerous and
still-increasing evil.
PLAN I.
"It is proposed, that the _Prizes only_ should be drawn, and that
Seven Hours and a Half per Day should be the time of drawing, instead
of Five Hours, by which means a lottery of the same number of tickets
now drawn in thirty-five days, would be drawn in seven days and a
half; and each adventurer would have exactly the same chance as he has
by the present mode of drawing; since it is evidently of no
consequence to him whether all the blanks remain in the Number Wheel
undrawn, or an equal number of Blanks are drawn from a blank and prize
wheel; the chance of blank or prize on _each ticket_ being in either
case exactly the same.
"According to the usual mode of drawing, 50,000 tickets take about
thirty-five days in drawing, which is 1,420-6/7 per day.--By
increasing the time of each day's drawing, from five hours to seven
and a half, 2,131 tickets would be drawn each day; but as the reading
prizes above L.20 _thrice_, causes some little delay, I reckon only
2000 per day; at which rate 15,000 tickets, the usual proportion of
prizes in a Lottery of 50,000 tickets, would be drawn in seven days
and a half. Thus the _Period_ of Insurance would be nearly reduced to
one-fifth part of its present duration, and the _daily_ insurance on
_Blanks_, and _Blank and Prize_, which opens the most extensive field
for gambling, would be _entirely abolished_. Reducing, therefore, the
time of Insurance to one-fifth, and the numbers drawn to less than
one-third of what they have hitherto been, there could scarce remain
in Lotteries thus drawn, one-fifteenth part of the insurance as in
former Lotteries of an equal number of Tickets.--It is also worthy of
remark, that as all the late Lotteries have been thirty-five days at
least in drawing, the Insurance Offices had thirty-four to one in
their favour the first day, by which circumstance they were enabled to
tempt chiefly that class of people who can only gamble on the lowest
terms, and to whom gambling is most extensively pernicious, with a
very moderate premium, (_e.g._ about twelve shillings to return twenty
pounds) which increases daily by almost imperceptible degrees, and
thus insensibly leads them on to misery, desperation, and guilt.
"But in the proposed Plan, the Insurance Offices would have only six
days and a half to one in their favour the first day; so that they
must begin with a much higher premium than the generality of the
common people can advance, which premium must each day be very
considerably increased.--These considerations would undoubtedly
operate as an absolute prohibition, on far the greatest part of
Lottery Insurers; beside which, the great probability of numbers
insured being drawn each day, would deter even the Office Keepers from
venturing to insure so deeply, or extensively, as they have been
accustomed to do.
"Should it be objected, that if Insurance is thus abridged, or
prohibited, tickets will not sell, and the Lottery, as a source of
Revenue, must be abandoned: the following expedient may, it is
apprehended, effectually obviate such an objection.--
"Let Tickets, which cannot now be legally divided below a sixteenth,
be divisible down to a _Sixty-fourth_ share, properly stamped; which
regulation, while it would greatly benefit and encourage Licensed
Offices, would equally discountenance illegal Gamblers; and whilst it
permitted to the lower orders of the Community a fair chance of an
adventure in the Lottery on moderate terms, would co-operate with the
restrictions on Insurance to advance the intrinsic value, as well as
the price of tickets, which every illegal _Scheme_ evidently tends to
depreciate."
The preceding Plan appeared in the Appendix to the fifth edition of
this Treatise; in consequence of which the Author received the
following observations and which therefore he presents as--
PLAN II.
"The Suggestions as far as they extend and relate to the shortening
the duration of the drawing are highly useful, but they fall short of
the object, and the Plan, if executed, would nearly prevent the sale
of tickets, and totally so that of shares, and consequently abolish
Lotteries altogether;--a consummation devoutly to be wished by every
friend to the public, but under the pecuniary influences, which
perhaps too much affect political considerations, little to be
expected.
"It will be necessary to exhibit only a plain Statement of the
proportionate chances in the wheel during the 7-1/2 days of drawing on
the Scheme of 50,000 Tickets, viz.--
_Prizes._ _Blanks._
1st. Day 15,000 to 35,000 2-1/3 to a Prize
2d. --- 13,000 -- 35,000
3d. --- 11,000 -- 35,000
4th. --- 9,000 -- 35,000
5th. --- 7,000 -- 35,000
6th. --- 5,000 -- 35,000
7th. --- 3,000 -- 35,000
last. --- 1,000 -- 35,000 35 to a Prize.
"Hence it is evident, that on supposition the value of the Prizes
diminish by an equal ratio, every day of drawing, still the actual
value of the Prizes in proportion to the permanent number of the
Blanks will be diminished by the relative proportion increasing at the
rate of about 4666 Blanks every day after the first. Consequently it
must follow, that the premiums of insurance, as well as the price of
Shares and Tickets, instead of acquiring in their value _a very
considerable increase_, must be subject to a very considerable
diminution.
"To maintain the foregoing Plan, No. I. which is a good ground-work
for lessening the evil, I take the liberty (says my Correspondent) of
suggesting the following improvement.
"After the Prizes are drawn each day, let the proportion of the
Blanks, namely, 4666 be drawn also. Let there be a suspension likewise
of five or seven days between each drawing for the sale of Tickets and
Shares, and to give time for insurance. It may be objected, that the
time being thus prolonged the inconvenience will remain the same; to
avoid which, the blank numbers so drawn, must be done secretly and
sealed up by the Commissioners, or, they may be drawn openly but not
unfolded or declared, and if necessary, made public after the drawing;
by which means the insurance against Blanks or Blank and Prize will be
equally abolished."
PLAN III.
"The Evils of a Lottery are many.--The Advantages might, if well
regulated, be as numerous. According to the Schemes that have hitherto
prevailed the _principle_ has been wrong. Since the bait held out has
been the obtaining of an immense fortune, and the risk has been
proportionably great--Insurance has reigned unchecked by all penalties
and punishments that could be devised to the ruin and misery of
thousands. The price of tickets has been fluctuating, and fortunes
have been won and lost on the chance of the great Prizes keeping in
the Wheel: the L.20 prizes have always proved dissatisfactory, as
though there are only 2-1/2 prizes _on an average_ to a blank, yet
such is the uncertainty, that many have scores of tickets without
obtaining the proportionate advantage even from these low prizes. It
is thought, therefore, that a scheme which should offer considerably
more chances for prizes of and above L.50, and which should ensure a
return on all blanks, would be acceptable. If also it could be made to
prevent insuring of tickets and capitals, it seems to be the grand
desideratum in this branch of financeering.
"The principle on which these benefits may be obtained is this. There
should be a considerable number of moderate prizes, such as might be
fortunes, if obtained by the inferior ranks, and of consequence
sufficient to answer the risk of the rich. The tickets to be drawn
each day should be previously specified which may be done by
appropriating a certain share of the prizes to a certain number of
tickets. All the tickets not drawn prizes of L.50 or upwards shall be
entitled to a certain return, which would be superior to a chance for
a L.20 prize.
"SCHEME.
_Number of Prizes._ _Value of each._ _Total Value._
L. L.
25 5,000 125,000
25 1,000 25,000
100 500 50,000
250 100 25,000
600 50 30,000
----- -------
1,000 255,000
49,000--L.5 returned on each. 245,000
------ -------
50,000 Tickets. 500,000
"SCHEME OF DRAWING.
"Let 2000 Tickets from No. 1, to 1999 inclusive, (with Number 50,000)
be put into a Wheel the first day, and proceed in the same manner
numerically for 25 days. In the other Wheel, each day let there be put
the following proportion of Prizes, viz.
L. L.
1 5000 5000
1 1000 1000
4 500 2000
10 100 1000
24 50 1200
---- ------
40 10,200
1960.--L.5 to be returned on each. 9800
---- ------
2000 Tickets 20,000
"In Lotteries where the lowest prizes have been of L.20 the blanks
have been the proportion of 2-1/2 to a prize. If therefore a person
had seven tickets they were entitled to expect only two L.20 prizes or
L.40. In this, however, they were frequently disappointed, and their
chance for a prize of L.50 or upwards has been as about 200 to 50,000.
By the above Scheme, if a person has seven tickets they are sure of a
return of L.35, and have the chance of 40 to 2000, or 1000 to 50,000
for a superior prize. The certainty of the numbers and the prizes to
be drawn each day would prevent insurance on those events, and every
ticket being a prize there could be no insurance against blanks.
"In fact, the Lottery might be drawn in one day,--thus: Let there be
twenty-five bags containing each 2000 numbers, either promiscuously
chosen or of stated thousands. Let there be also 25 bags each
containing the 40 prizes above appropriated to each day's drawing. Let
the Commissioners empty one bag of numbers and one of prizes into two
wheels. Let them draw 40 numbers out of the Number Wheel, and the 40
prizes out of the other. The remaining 1960 numbers to be entitled to
L.5 each.--Then let them proceed with other 2000 numbers in the same
way."
* * * * *
At all events, whether these Plans for reforming this enormous evil,
are or are not superior to others which have been devised, it is clear
to demonstration, that the present System is founded on a principle
not less erroneous than mischievous; and, therefore, it cannot too
soon be abandoned; especially since it would appear that the Revenue
it produces might be preserved, with the incalculable advantage to the
nation of preserving, at the same time, the morals of the people, and
turning into a course of industry and usefulness the labour of many
thousand individuals, who, instead of being, as at present, pests in
Society, might be rendered useful members of the State.
CHAP. VII.
_The Frauds arising from the manufacture and circulation of
base Money:--The Causes of its enormous increase of late
years.--The different kinds of false Coin detailed:--The
Process in fabricating each species explained:--The immense
Profits arising therefrom:--The extensive Trade in sending
base Coin to the Country.--Its universal Circulation in the
Metropolis.--The great Grievance arising from it to Brewers,
Distillers, Grocers, and Retail Dealers, in particular, as
well as the Labouring Poor in general.--The principal
Channels through which it is uttered in the Country and in
the Metropolis.--Counterfeit foreign Money extremely
productive to the dealers.--A summary View of the Causes of
the mischief.--The Defects in the present Laws
explained:--And a Detail of the Remedies proposed to be
provided by the Legislature._
The frauds committed by the fabrication of base Money, and by the
nefarious practices, in the introduction of almost every species of
Counterfeit Coin into the circulation of the Country, are next to be
discussed.
The great outlines of this enormous evil having been stated in the
first Chapter, it now remains to elucidate that part of the subject
which is connected with _specific detail_.
One of the greatest sources of these multiplied and increasing frauds
is to be traced to the various ingenious improvements which have taken
place of late years, at Birmingham, and other manufacturing towns, in
mixing metals, and in stamping and _colouring_ ornamental buttons.
The same ingenious process is so easily applied to the coinage and
colouring of false money, and also to the mixing of the metals of
which it is composed, that it is not to be wondered at, that the
avarice of man, urged by the prospect of immense profit, has
occasioned that vast increase of counterfeit money of every
description, with which the Country is at present deluged.
The false coinages which have been introduced into circulation, of
late years, are _Guineas, Half-Guineas and Seven Shilling Pieces,
Crowns and Half-Crowns, Shillings, Sixpences, Pence, Halfpence, and
Farthings_, of the similitude of the coin of the realm: of foreign
coin, _Half Johannas, Louis d'ors, Spanish Dollars, French
Half-Crowns, Shillings and Sixpences, 30 Sol pieces, Prussian and
Danish Silver money, and other continental coins_; to which may be
added, _Sequins of Turkey, and Pagodas of India_. These foreign coins
except in the instance of the _Spanish Dollars_[43] issued by the
Bank of England in 1797, have generally been sold as articles of
commerce for the purpose of being fraudulently circulated in the
British Colonies or in Foreign Countries.