considerable failures among persons connected with French Houses,
before the next settling day. A principal Stockbroker,
immediately connected with a Gentleman, formerly a Member of the
Legislative Assembly, in France, was, yesterday declared a
defaulter at the Stock Exchange. His differences are upon near
half a million of Stock, which he had purchased at 67 and 68.
This failure is the commencement of exposing that destructive
system of gambling, called _continuations_. The Consols were done
yesterday at 59, for money."--(_Times, July 16, 1796._)
* * * * *
"Notwithstanding the enormous failures of two Stock brokers,
whose differences amount to full £100,000, the desperate game of
_Continuation_ still continues nearly as strong as ever. Bargains
for time, in Stock, were yesterday made for the next settling
day, at a rate of 20 per cent., Interest."--(_Times, July 20,
1796._)
* * * * *
"A very extraordinary fluctuation took place, yesterday, in the
Funds, which, after having fallen in the early part of the day,
to 53-1/4, rose, towards the close of the market, to 56-7/8 for
the October settling. The reason alleged, for this sudden rise,
was, that Mr. _Hammond_ having been unsuccessful at Berlin, had
gone from thence to Paris. Such was the report!"--(_Times, Sept.
7, 1798._)
* * * * *
"The Chancellor (Irish) has declared from the Bench, that, in the
present period of distress, no person shall be made a
Bankrupt."--(_Times, June 12, 1796._)
The following is but a foreshadowing of our Railway Mania:--
"_Canal Shares_, which at one time rose to £180, are now down to
£40. The _Mania_ is over; and this _earth-cutting_ business, in a
great measure, at a stand."--(_Times, Aug. 16, 1796._)
In 1796, there was an extraordinary scarcity of silver, which taxed
severely, the resources of the Government to meet. The difficulty was
met, to some extent, by the issue of Spanish Dollars, taken from
Prizes, and stamped at the Tower, where the Mint then was, with a
small head of the King.--These were issued at 4s. 9d. each--The same
scarcity arose in 1803-4, and the same expedient was resorted
to--only then the dollars were issued at a price over their value, so
as to offer no premium for their destruction.
"So great is the scarcity, and high price of silver, that the
silver smiths give 5s. 3d. for a crown piece, and a premium is
given for shillings."--(_Times, Jan. 7, 1796._)
* * * * *
"_Silver_ is so exceedingly scarce, that there is not a
sufficient quantity, for exchange, in the channels of business,
either good, or bad, and yet we are sorry to observe (which we
have repeatedly) the number of unfortunate victims who are, every
Session, brought to trial, for coining. Surely the wisdom of the
Legislature might prevent this evil, by issuing a sufficient
quantity for the purposes of circulation."--(_Times, Sept. 15,
1796._)
* * * * *
"The distress for want of Silver, is daily, more and more felt
among the trading parts of the Metropolis. These are put to the
greatest inconvenience, for want of a greater circulation; and,
we understand that those who have many men in their employ, are
obliged to give one per cent., to procure it. The many complaints
which are made, on this subject, induces us to hope that the
issue of a fresh coinage, from the Mint, will speedily take
place. The want of it has another bad effect, as it increases the
coining of base half-pence."--(_Times, Sept. 29, 1796._)
* * * * *
"Yesterday, the Committee of Bankers had another Meeting at Mr.
Pitt's, to request his interference in procuring them a certain
quantity of specie, for the demands of their business. The
Minister returned for answer, that he could only assist them, at
present, with 50,000 guineas: which, being divided among all the
Bankers, will not amount to 1000 guineas for each House.
"We hope that the Bank, instead of issuing dollars at 4s. 6d.,
will place a value of 5s. on them, in order that they may not
become an object of traffic: their intrinsic worth is above 4s.
6d., and they should, therefore, be issued at some higher price,
in order that they may not be hoarded.
"There can be no doubt whatever, but that large sums of specie
have been drawn out of the Bank, and concealed in the houses, or
gardens, of private persons. As this stoppage of general
circulation is highly prejudicial to the Public Weal, we have
only to observe to such persons, that their extreme, and foolish
timidity, may produce, to themselves, the very consequences they
seek to avert: and that, instead of being richer, they may fall
the first victims of their alarms. Wherever large sums of money
are privately deposited, except it is with those whose occupation
it is to hold it, such persons are likely to be the first objects
of popular revenge. The Bank, or the houses of Bankers, are the
only secure places of deposits."--(_Times, March 3, 1797._)
* * * * *
"According to letters received, on Wednesday, in town, the Banks
at Norwich, and at Bath, have stopped payment in specie. Since
the news reached the country, of the Bank of England stopping
payment, not a guinea is to be had, in exchange for Bank-notes,
on any of the Public roads."--(_Times, March 3, 1797._)
* * * * *
"On Saturday, a small quantity of one, and two, Pound Notes were
issued from the Bank, principally for the use of the country. A
very large issue will be made in the course of this day, and
to-morrow."--(_Times, March 6, 1797._)
* * * * *
"This day, the Governors of the Bank will issue a quantity of
dollars, to which the Tower Stamp is affixed, in order to relieve
the present embarrassment arising from scarcity of
specie."--(_Times, March 6, 1797._)
* * * * *
"Sterling Silver was done, on Saturday, as high as 5s. 8d. per
ounce, and Gold at £4, 8s. The price of Silver, is 5d. per ounce,
above the rate at which coined silver passes, and the price of
Gold 10s. per ounce, above the current price of the
Guinea!"--(_Times, March 8, 1797._)
* * * * *
"Yesterday, the Bank began to issue Dollars at 4s. 9d. each.
There is the Mint Stamp affixed to each, which consists of the
King's Head, marked on the King of Spain's neck. We trust that
this issue of Dollars is intended to make room for a new
importation from some rich Spanish prizes, which we hope to see
in some of our ports."--(_Times, March 10, 1797._)
* * * * *
"Several German Hard Dollars, or four-gold-pieces, nominally
worth 4s. 8d. have been issued from the Bank, in the same manner
as the Spanish Dollar."--(_Times, March 27, 1797._)
* * * * *
"The Dollars now issuing at the _Bank_, are those which were
taken on board the _St. Jago_ prize ship."--(_Times, March 17,
1797._)
* * * * *
"A very serious inconvenience has occurred to many people, from
the multiplicity of forgeries in the stamps on the dollars,
which, from being issued by the Bank, at a price so far above
their real value, has tempted the coiners to forge the Mint
Stamp, which it is impossible for a common observer to detect.
Since their first issue, many chests of dollars have been
imported into this country, for the sole purpose of forging the
stamp. As they are circulated at 4s. 9d., and their value is only
4s. 2d., it has afforded too great a temptation to be resisted.
Besides the vast number of copper dollars coined, it is supposed
that more than half of those in circulation, are counterfeited in
the stamp, though the dollars are good. When taken to the Bank
they are refused, which has caused a deal of ill
humour."--(_Times, Sept. 4, 1797._)
* * * * *
"In consequence of the great quantity of bad Dollars, in
circulation, the Bank Directors gave notice, in the Gazette of
last night; that they mean to issue Gold coin, to the amount of
the Dollars now in circulation, and which have been stamped at
the Tower."--(_Times, Sept. 27, 1797._)
* * * * *
"The Dollars having been taken out of circulation, there is now
such a scarcity of silver, as to impede the ordinary negotiation
of business very materially. It would be a public convenience if
the new 7s. gold coin was put in circulation."--(_Times, Oct. 5,
1797._)
* * * * *
"The new gold coinage of seven shilling pieces is to be issued
from the Bank, this day."--(_Times, Dec. 1, 1797._)
Up to this time forgeries of Bank of England notes had been very rare.
"Last week a man was apprehended at Manchester, on a charge of
forging Bank of England notes. On searching his house, was found
a plate, with a one pound note engraved, on one side of it, and a
two pound note, on the other; together with a number of notes
just struck off, but not filled up. On his examination he
confessed the fact, and thereby impeached his brother, who, he
said, was then in Yorkshire: and acknowledged that they had
practised it about six months, during which time they had
disposed of about 200."--(_Times, March 30, 1798._)
* * * * *
"A small delivery of Mr. Boulton's 2d. pieces, was, on Friday,
made at the Treasury; the likeness of the King is much better
executed than in the 1d. pieces: they are full twice their
thickness, weighing rather better than two ounces
each."--(_Times, Feby. 12, 1798._)
* * * * *
"The trade of counterfeit halfpence, though it got a temporary
check within the last five weeks, is again getting forward. The
turnpike men, coffee-house waiters, haberdashers' shops, fruit
women, and porter houses, are at their old work. The turnpike men
will give bad, but not take them at present. If the traveller
objects, he is abused and kept waiting, perhaps ten minutes, for
change of 6d.: the coffee-house waiters say they have no others,
and that they give and take; the haberdashers fold the change up
in a clean bit of paper, which when opened, contains the worst of
counterfeit halfpence: and the fruit women and porter houses say
'they give what they take.'"--(_Times, Oct. 2, 1794._)
* * * * *
"Bad shillings are sold to chandlers shops, turnpike men, and
waiters at coffee-houses and taverns, at the rate of _twenty
shillings_ for _five and sixpence_. No wonder they are in such
general circulation."--(_Times, Nov. 29, 1794._)
* * * * *
"At this season the Jew fruitmen should be particularly guarded
against. They care not at how small a price they sell, so the
quantum reaches to _silver_. In that case it is their custom 'to
hope you will give them good silver, as the gardeners are very
particular.' They then rub it with both thumbs, dexterously
contriving to fillip up your shilling, and drop down another,
which they beg you to change, protesting that they believed it
good but are not certain. Serving you the same a second or third
time, and you are induced through an appearance of great
civility, and apparent ignorance, to indulge them. The silver you
receive as your own is speciously good: but it changes black in a
few hours. The writer of this bought his experience at the price
of three succeeding shillings."--(_Times, July, 30, 1795._)
* * * * *
"BAD HALFPENCE.
"To the Master of the Mint--
"The Petition of more than Ten Millions of bad Halfpence,
"Most humbly showeth,
"That your Petitioners, for a number of years, have given bread
to thousands of his Majesty's subjects, called Coiners: and that
they have been long in uncontrouled circulation:
"That your Petitioners have enabled Waiters at Taverns, and other
houses, to wear hair-powder, to the manifest increase of his
Majesty's Stamp-duties.
"That your Petitioners have been the means of the Turnpike Tolls
increasing in value, on account of the Toll-takers being obliged
to put off a certain quantity of your Petitioners, each week, at
a stipulated price from the Renters.
"That your Petitioners have long been a fine _bonus_ to the
Paymaster Serjeants of the different Regiments, who bought your
Petitioners at the rate of 30s. for 20s., thereby making those
brave fellows to live more comfortably, than their regular pay
would allow them to do:
"That your Petitioners have, for a series of time, been of
infinite service to those industrious men, the Tribes of Levi,
and Manassa, who distributed your Petitioners, in the most
plentiful manner, to their own great advantage:
"That your Petitioners have, in some manner, been the means of
peopling Botany Bay, as numbers of persons, who were first in the
habit of forming your Petitioners, afterwards mounted to the
honour of making shillings, and sixpences:
"That your Petitioners, with great sorrow, perceive, by the
effect of a new coinage of Penny, and Twopenny Pieces, that their
existence is rapidly on the decline:
"Your Petitioners therefore pray that their grievances may be
taken into consideration: and they will, as in duty bound, ever
pray.
Bad Halfpence."
--(_Times, Aug. 17, 1795._)
* * * * *
"FALSE COINAGE.
"The numerous evils arising from the now general circulation of
Base Money, are too well known, to make it necessary that they
should be dwelt on by us. We have always considered the different
Administrations of this Country, as highly blameable for not
paying more attention, than they have done, to prevent the
nefarious practices which are introduced in the introduction of
almost every species of Counterfeit Coin into the circulation of
the country, because it certainly has the means in its own power,
of lessening the mischief, by issuing a new coinage, particularly
of Halfpence, which are, now, so generally bad, and so
profligately circulated, that scarce a good halfpenny is to be
seen.... The vast increase, and the extensive circulation, of
base Money, particularly of late years, ... almost exceeds
credibility, and the dexterity, and ingenuity, of these criminal
people have enabled them to finish the different kinds of
counterfeit Money, in so masterly a manner, that it has become
extremely difficult, for the common observer, to distinguish the
base Coin, now in circulation, from the worn out Silver, from the
Mint. And, so systematic has this nefarious traffic become, that
the great dealers, who in most instances are the employers of the
Coiners, execute orders for the Town, and Country, with the same
regularity as other manufacturers in fair branches of trade.
Scarce a waggon, or coach, departs from the metropolis, that does
not carry boxes, and parcels, of base coin, to the camps,
seaports, and manufacturing towns, insomuch, that the country is
deluged with counterfeit Money. In London, regular markets, in
various public, and private, houses, are held by the principal
Dealers, where Hawkers, Pedlars, fraudulent Horse-dealers,
Unlicensed Lottery Office Keepers, Gamblers at Fairs, Itinerant
Jews, Irish Labourers, Servants of Toll Gatherers, and
Hackney-Coach Owners, fraudulent Publicans, Market Women, Rabbit
Sellers, Fish Cryers, Barrow Women, and many who would not be
suspected, are regularly supplied with counterfeit Copper, and
Silver, with the advantages of nearly 100 per cent. in their
favour: and thus it happens, that through these various channels,
immense quantities of base Money get into circulation, while an
evident diminution of the Mint Coinage, is apparent to every
common observer.... Discoveries have been recently made, of no
less than 120 persons, in the metropolis, and the country, who
are employed, principally, in coining, and selling, Base Money:
and this, independent of the numerous horde of utterers, who
chiefly support themselves by passing it at its full value.
"It will scarcely be credited, that of these criminal people who
have either been detected, prosecuted, or convicted, within the
last seven years, there stand upon the register of the Solicitor
of the Mint, no less than 608 names! and yet the evil increases
rapidly. And when it is known, that two persons can finish from
£200, to £300, in base silver, _in six days_, and that three
people, within the same period will stamp the like amount, in
Copper, and when the number of known coiners are taken into the
calculation, the aggregate in the course of the year must be
immense!"--(_Times, Oct. 5, 1796._)
LAW AND POLICE.
In treating the above heading, I have no wish to introduce the
"Newgate Calendar" element into this book. Let those who like such
literature, consult that work--and, doubtless, they will be rewarded
for their pains; but, in going through these old papers, much that is
curious is met with, which throws light on the manners, and customs,
of our forefathers.
Of Police, as we understand the word, there was none--and the
parochial Constables, and watchmen, who were supposed to guard the
premises of the rate payers, and to keep the peace, were veritably of
the Dogberry and Verges type--utterly useless for the detection, or
suppression, of crime, and only fit to "comprehend all vagrom man," or
lead some roysterer home.
All day long they were not; but, at night, they came out with the
bats, and owls, armed with a long staff, and a lantern, periodically
droning out the hour of the night, and the state of the weather. This
was done with the laudable intention of shewing their vigilance, but
it must equally have acted in an opposite direction, for every thief
must have had due warning of the watchman's whereabouts. They had
temporary shelters, larger than the Military Sentry box, and the wild
spirits of those days delighted to catch a watchman napping, and
overturn his box, thus temporarily incapacitating him from giving an
alarm, or following their flight. For the former purpose they used
huge rattles, smaller specimens of which were carried, for the same
purpose, by our own Metropolitan Police, until 1884.
Each parish looked after its own interests, had its own watch and
ward, and was mightily jealous of interference from another parish--an
arrangement evidently very much to the advantage of a thief. People
were always grumbling--but the state of things was never altered. Hear
what they said about it in 1788:--
"The Decrepid old Dotards, to whose vigilance the different
Vestries have confined their fellow Citizens, are likely to
profit from the order of nature being reversed by the life of our
modern nobility, who, rising at _two_, dining at _eight_, and
paying afternoon visits at _midnight_, have superseded the
necessity of having watchmen, and are, in fact, with their
servants, a much better patrole than any of the Bow Street
Justices could furnish."--(_Morning Post, April 21, 1788._)
There were amateur thief catchers like Jonathan Wild, men who would be
the companions, and confederates, of Highwaymen, Housebreakers, and
Thieves, drawing Money from them until they were sucked dry, and then
sacrifice them without an atom of remorse.
And there were the detectives of that time, the Bow Street Runners, or
Robin Red breasts as they were called, from their wearing red
waistcoats. Peter Pindar sang of them, especially of the three that
were detailed for the protection of the Royal family at the time of
the French Revolution.
". . . . . . . . . . . .
What a bright thought in George and Charlotte,
Who to escape each wicked Varlet,
And disappoint Tom Paine's disloyal crew,
Fixed on _Macmanus_, _Townsend_, _Jealous_,
Delightful company, delicious fellows,
To point out, every minute, who is who!
To hustle from before their noble graces,
Rascals with ill looks, designing faces,
Where treason, murder, and sedition dwell;
To give the life of every Newgate wretch,
To say who next the fatal cord shall stretch,
The sweet historian of the pensive cell."
[Illustration: Seen home by the Watch.--1792.]
Townsend, was undoubtedly the sharpest of the three, but he was a
pushing, boastful fellow, and never hid his light under a bushel. He
was, however, courageous, and never heeded where he went, or what odds
were opposed to him; so that the criminal classes began to respect
him, and, at last, never thought of opposing him. He was extremely
natty in his dress, and his flaxen wig was as well known, as his short
stout figure, and his red face--
"Of all the wigs in Brighton Town,
The black, the gray, the red, the brown,
So firmly glued upon the crown,
There's none like Johnny Townsend's;
It's silken hair, and flaxen hue,
It is a scratch, and not a queue,
When e'er it pops upon the view,
Is known for Johnny Townsend's."
It was by his means, that the famous pickpocket, Barrington, was
convicted, and transported, a fact which was very much to Barrington's
advantage, for he helped to put down a mutiny on board, whilst on his
passage out, for which he was well rewarded, and, by his good conduct,
he rose from step to step, always in the Colonial police--until he
died Chief of the Constabulary in New South Wales.
The laws were then frightfully severe in their punishments, but this
severity did not act as a deterrent to crime. The punishment of death,
(and hanging was the punishment for many trivial crimes) seems to have
had no terror--for we read in the _Morning Post_, July 11th 1788, "The
number of Capital Convicts at present in Newgate is eighty-one!" Of
course, these were not all executed, some having their sentences
commuted to transportation for life. Let us take a few cases from one
Newspaper only, the _Morning Post_, September 11, 1788. It was the
Sessions at the Old Bailey, 9th September:--
"_John Dancer_, was put to the bar, and tried before Judge Grose,
for a burglary, and robbery, in the empty dwelling-house of
Daniel Dancer,[15] a farmer, near Uxbridge. This offence is made
capital by the 39th Elizabeth. The jury brought in a verdict,
_guilty_, of the value of £5.--_Death._
[Footnote 15: The celebrated Miser. During the last 20 years
of his life, his house is said to have been entered, by
thieves, no less than fourteen times--and the amount of his
losses, is calculated at £2,500.]
"_John Crawford_, for a burglary in the house of Francis Bias.
The crime being fully proved.--_Guilty_--_Death_.
"_William Johnson_, for a burglary and robbery of poultry, in the
dwelling house of Margaret Allen, at
Hampstead.--_Guilty_--_Death_.
"_Thomas Jones_, for a highway robbery of a watch &c. He was
taken in the _manier_--_i.e._ with the watch upon
him.--_Guilty_--_Death_.
"Several other prisoners were tried and acquitted for various
offences, particularly one for a rape--_his crime was only_
Seduction!"
* * * * *
"Monday evening, as a lady was passing along Long-Acre, she was
jostled into a Court by a number of those abandoned wretches, who
to the disgrace of our police and magistrates, infest every
corner of the Metropolis, where they stripped her of her cloak,
bonnet, and of almost everything she had on, besides grossly
insulting her. The Public Offices of Justice are every morning
full of these women of the town, who have been taken up for their
disorderly behaviour. But, while the connection between them and
the Watchmen subsists, the evil must still remain. It is an evil
of the most serious and alarming nature, and peculiarly calls for
the interposition of the Legislature."--(_Morning Post, Sept. 26,
1788._)
* * * * *
"There are at this time, in Newgate, upwards of Seven Hundred
prisoners, the greatest number ever known to be in that place of
confinement, at the same time."--(_Morning Post, Dec. 5, 1788._)
* * * * *
"Kelly who was pilloried at Reading, brings actions against those
who pelted him. This is a new cause of trial, but clearly a legal
one."--(_Morning Post, Dec. 23, 1789._)
Here, they evidently "caught a Tartar." The pelting could have been no
part of the man's sentence--but what was the issue of his appeal to
law, I know not.
About the year 1790, occurs a most singular police episode, so
singular, and so comparatively unknown, that I cannot refrain from
somewhat enlarging upon it.
In the early spring of 1790, murmurs began to be heard of ladies being
attacked, and stabbed, by a monster in human form. The murmurs were
low at first, and "monster" was printed with a small "m;" but, very
shortly, they grew into a roar, and no capitals were found too large
for THE MONSTER.