:

III. A Department for employing Lumpers for the purpose of discharging Ships, as a further means of preventing Plunder. Also under the particular control of the superintending and resident Magistrate, to which the following Officers are attached:

3d.

1 Assistant Clerk in the Office for Lumpers. 4th. 80 Master Lumpers, sworn and instructed. 5th. 820 Working Lumpers, controled by the Police, and more or less employed as occasion requires: (average number.)

Total about 900

The plan upon which the Lumping System is conducted, is detailed in the Minutes of the WestIndia Committee in the Appendix V. and the Rules explanatory of the expence, in Appendix IV.

IV. A General Department for the Accounts and other purposes-Under the direction of the Magis

trates.

1st. A Cashier, collecting Clerk and other Clerks, already

mentioned.

2d. A Solicitor under the direction of the Commercial body, so far as relates to the prosecution of Offenders.

3d. A House-keeper and Office-keeper.

4th. A House-watchman.

The total number of persons composing the whole

Establishment, who are remunerated for their ser

1

vices from Funds issued by Government, and from Contributions by the West-India Planters and Merchants, may be arranged according to the following

RECAPITULATION.

Ist. The Judicial Department.

Superintending Magistrate-No Renumeration.

Total expence on the present Scale

£.5,000 0 0

House, Taxes, Law Charges, Stationary, Coals, Candles, Boat expences, premiums for Services, and contingent Charges, &c. &c.

The number of persons who are remunerated for their labour and services by Ship-Owners, have been already stated, to include the Ship-Constables and the Lumpers, viz.

Ist. 1220 Ship Constables paid as Watchmen only, when employed.

t

2d. 900 Lumpers who receive the usual Wages, en called to perform the labour of

As this, however, is no new expence, it is unnecessary, and even impossible to state the annual amount, as it varies according to the Calls which are made upon the Institution for this additional means of security; to promote which, it certainly operates very powerfully; and it is only to be lamented, that those whose duty it is to avail themselves of this singular advantage, in favour of the Freighters and Proprietors of Cargoes, are so backward in their applications, since no expence is thereby incurred which they did not, or ought not, to have disbursed for Watchmen and Lumpers previous to the establishment of the Marine Police. (g)

(8) See Appendix III. IV. V.

RECAPITULATION

RECAPITULATION

Of the whole Civil Force of the Marine Police, permanent and occasional as now systematized.

1st. Judicial Department

Permanent

2d. Marine Police Department

Establishment. 3d. Department for Lumpers

4th. General Department

Such is the Civil force (permanent and occasional) which has been opposed to the phalanx of Delinquents, who have assumed so formidable an aspect, as appears from the detail of the whole of their proceedings which has been brought under the review of the Reader in this Chapter.

Previous to the adoption of this plan, the River Thames was without a single Police Guard-boat, and no antidote existed against the dangers to be apprehended from River Pirates, Night Plunderers, or general conflagration arising from the diabolical designs of incendiaries.

The various classes of offenders had reigned long undisturbed

undisturbed; their plans of Depredation had been completely systematized, as has been already shown; and they had become exceedingly bold and auda

cious.

In attempting therefore, to resist such a numerous and powerful confederacy, it became indispensably necessary to understand their various modes of proceeding, and to adapt the system of prevention to the peculiar circumstances of the case.

The object in view was to eradicate the mischief so far as related to West-India Property, more by measures of prudence, and precautions of a preventive nature than by force, violence and severityThe task was arduous-But as resolution and attention were to be opposed to long habits of turpitude, the difficulties were to be overcome by establishing an accurate system, and by following it up with vigour and perseverance.

The first step therefore, was to discipline and instruct the subordinate Officers in all their respective departments, and to impress upon their minds the nature and importance of the duty assigned them.

With this immediate view, instructions were drawn up for the House Constables-Ship Surveyors and Perambulatory Surveyors and their Watermen, on the River, for the Superintendant of Lumpers, the Master Lumpers, and Ship Constables: and likewise for the Surveyors upon the Quays, and the Guards under their direction; together with a solemn oath of Office, applicable to the situation and functions of