II. To authorise the Special Justices, nominated by His Majesty, to appoint and dismiss Office-Constables, RiverSurveyors and their Watermen, Ship-Constables and QuayGuards; and also to empower the Lord Mayor of London, and the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Trinity Corporation, to dismiss any of these Officers on any wellgrounded charge of Misbehaviour. Their authority to act as Constables, to be limited to the jurisdiction of the Special Justices, and in no case to extend to the City of London. III. To give power to Commissioners, chosen by and representing twenty-eight different Trading Bodies in the Port of London, to lay a limited Assessment on Trade, to be denominated The Thames Police Guard Fund, to be raised by Tonnage duties, (k) the amount of which is at no time to exceed Ten Thousand Pounds a year; and which may be reduced at the discretion of the Commissioners, according to the exigencies of the case. -The Commissioners to fill up Vacancies in their own Body; to appoint a Collector, Treasurer, Cashier, and Auditors, &c. -To regulate the dresses of Lumpers, by prohibiting habiliments contrived (as at present) for secreting Plunder, and to make regulations for the government of Lumpers. To appoint Ship Inspectors at the instance of Owners and Consignees, for saving Spillings, Sweepings, and Drainings, &c. -To appoint Wharf Inspectors with the power of Constables; also, Warehouse Inspectors at the instance of the Owners and Consignees. To devise Tickets, without which Lighters navigating in the night may be stopped as suspicious; with General Powers to make regulations relative to the Shipping, Unlading, Landing, Warehousing, and Sampling Goods, for the prevention of Waste, Accident, and Depredation; (k) See the Table of Tonnage Dues, &c. Chap. VIII. page 269. but but with power to the King in Council at the instance of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, the Treasury Board, or the Board of Customs, to annul such regulations. IV. To give power, to the Thames-Police Commissioners, and the Special Justices, to grant an annual Licence at their discretion, as in the case of Ale-houses, to Master Lumpers, without which they cannot exercise their profession as Contractors, for Lading or Discharging Vessels in the River Thames: (1) Licence duty to be £. 10 a year, and to make a part of the Office Fund. V. To (1) The proposed measure of allowing no person to lade or discharge Vessels, who has not been previously licensed and approved by the Commissioners and Magistrates, is a most useful regulation, which cannot fail to operate powerfully in reforming the criminal habits, both of the Master Lumpers and the men they employ. This important trust will be committed only to men of approved characters, who will feel a certain responsibility; and the fear of losing their Licence in consequence of complaints, on account of inattention or neglect, will render them infinitely more alert, cautious, and attentive, than they have heretofore been. Under this regulation the best men will be selected, who will subject themselves to certain rules beneficial to the Trade, and to the security of Ships' Stores and Cargoes against Plunder. When the War is over, it will be a suitable provision for Masters, Mates, and other Officers, who have fought and bled in the service of their Country. At present there are about 120 Master Lumpers in the West-India and other Trades, Of these, some are very exceptionable characters, and not a few of them are Publicans, who have little or no knowledge them. V. To empower Thames-Police Justices to require Working Lumpers to register their names at the Public Office, before they can be authorised to work under Master Lumpers, in lading or discharging Ships in the River Thames. The Fee of Register to be limited to 6d. each, and no more: and a small Penalty to be imposed on those who work without having first procured a Certificate. (m) Power also, to require the Names and Places of Abode of Lumpers, Coopers, Watermen, and Lightermen, employed in Ships under discharge. To station Ship Constables on certain Terms, at the instance of the Owners or Consignees, for the Protection of the Cargo. To register the Contracts made with Master Lumpers and Working Lumpers, for the purpose of ascertaining the conditions of the Engagements, and thereby preventing Disputes. To appoint any fit person recommended by a Ship's Husband, to be a Ship's Constable,-And those only to be charged for, who are sworn Officers. VI. To empower Thames-Police Surveyors to visit Ships, to direct Ship Constables :-To inspect the conduct of Lun selves of Nautical Officers, and trust to men called Foremen of Gangs, who with some few exceptions, have been no less criminal than the Common Lumpers. The power of selecting and controling this class of men therefore, becomes an object of the greatest importance in rendering the Preventive System complete. (m) This Regulation is expected to be of the greatest use in controling and overawing this turbulent and depraved Class of Men, and of course restraining them from committing acts of Pillage on the Cargo, Stores, or Materials of the Ships on which they are employed. It has already been seen, that they are extremely nưmerous, and that their Morals are exceedingly relaxed. Whereever Regulations can be devised, whereby they can be prevented from committing Crimes, a service is done to themselves and the Community, while it becomes a great act of humanity to their families. pers, pers, Coopers, &c. -To search Lighters navigating at unseasonable hours, and under suspicious circumstances. VII. A Power to Thames-Police Constables (similar to what is given by the Bumboat Act, &c.) of Seizure and Arrest on view, in respect of Goods clandestinely taken from Ships, Boats, Landing-places, and Warehouses, VIII. Ship-masters to keep fastened up all the avenues to the Hold of the Ship but one, and that too when Goods are not discharging:-Power to search Working Lumpers. IX. Master Lumpers bound under a Penalty to search Work- To inflict slight Penalties by summary Procedure on circumstantial Evidence, aided by the Examination of the Delinquent, (as under the Bumboat Act, and stolen-metal act where, on regular Proof, it would be Felony ;) -and to attach upon the Practice of Depredation, in such stages of its progress as are previous, or subsequent to the Felonious Act :-To grant Warrants to search, on Oath of Suspicion, at supposed Receivers, and in Default of regular Proof, the Offence punishable as a Misdemeanor:-To trace suspected Goods through any number of Hands:-The Penal Offences cognizable in a summary way are these following 1st. Lumpers convicted of quitting Work unlawfully may be punished as other Labourers under the Act 6 Geo. III. cap. 25. 2d. Lumpers convicted of neglecting to register their Names. 3d. Master Lumpers convicted of neglecting to search Working Lumpers. 4th. Labourers 4th. Labourers and others convicted of wilfully injuring Packages, and letting out their Contents, for the purpose of profiting by the Waste. 5th. Persons convicted of having Jiggers, Bladders with nozles, &c. concealed for the purpose of drawing off Liquors. 6th. Persons convicted of throwing Goods overboard when pursued, for the purpose of preventing discovery. 7th. Persons convicted of fabricating false Bills of Parcels to cover suspected Goods. 8th. Persons convicted of not stopping suspected Goods and the Offenders, when offered for Sale. 9th. Persons convicted of having Goods in their possession, suspected to compose part of the Cargo or Materials of any Ship or Vessel in the River Thames, and not giving an account to the satisfaction of the Justice, how they were obtained. 10th. Persons convicted of carrying, or suffering to be carried, Coals from Ships, &c. otherwise than in the regular course of Trade. 11th. Persons convicted of refusing to assist Thames Police Constables, in the execution of their duty. 12th. Persons convicted of obstructing the execution of this Act. 13th. Persons convicted of suppressing Evidence, with a view to defeat Justice. 14th. Persons convicted of injuring, damaging, or destroying the Thames Police Guard-Boats, XI. The Act of the 2d Geo. III. cap. 28. (Bumboat Act) amended, with respect to the Procedure under Search Warrants, and the Power of tracing suspected Goods through any number of Hands. Also with regard to Offences against that Act, punishable either as such, or as against this Act, according to the nature of the Case. Boats which are peremptorily ordered to be burned, may be either destroyed or sold. -Misdemeanors |