inward-bound, (not being in the King's Service,) shall not have landed his Gunpowder either before his arrival at Blackwall, or within twenty-four hours after he shall have come to an Anchor there, or at the place of her Unlading, you are also to lodge an information against the Offender or Offenders, that they may be dealt with according to Law. And further, if you discover any Gun-powder conveying upon the River Thames, (exceeding 100 pounds,) in any Barge, Boat, or other Vessel, (except in Vessels with Gun-powder imported from, or to be exported to any place beyond Sea or Coastwise,) the same may be seized, unless in Barrels of not more than 100 pounds in each, and hooped without any Iron about them; and also, unless such Powder is in close-decked Barges, Boats, or Vessels, and covered besides with Raw Hides or Tarpaulins, the Powder so seized in such cases, becomes on conviction, forfeited to the use of the person seizing the same.

And further, (if contrary to the said Act,) you shall discover that the Master or Commander of any Ship, (not being in the King's Service,) lying between London Bridge and Blackwall, shall permit any Gun to be fired before Sun-rising, or after Sun-setting, or where Guns are found to be Shotted on board of such Vessels in any part of the River Thames, you are in like manner to lodge an Information, that the Offenders may be dealt with according to Law.

And if you shall in like manner, discover (contrary to the said Act,) that any person or persons on board of any Ship or Vessel in the said River, between London Bridge and Blackwall, shall heat or melt, or cause or permit to be heated or melted by Fire, Loggerheat, Shot, or any other thing on board of such Ship or Vessel, any Pitch, Tar, Rosin, Grease, Tallow, Oil, or other such Combustible Matter or thing, you are also to lodge an Information, that the Offenders may be dealt with according to Law.

Article 4th. In your Perambulations within the limits assigned you, and particularly in the night time, you will be exceedingly

exceedingly watchful respecting Fires, both on board of Ships and on the Wharfs; and for this purpose, if your suspicion should be excited by any appearances indicating any evil designs upon the Shipping or Warehouses, by having Combustibles in their possession, or by any other act that may denote an intention to do mischief, you will carefully watch such persons, and when such intentions are clearly ascertained, you will prevent the evil by apprehending the Culprits before they have been able to carry their diabolical designs fully into execution, and convey them before the Magistrates.

:

Article 5th. In case of Fire or any appearance thereof in any Ship or Vessel on the River, you will instantly adopt the most effectual measures for extinguishing it, by giving notice to those who have the charge of the Engines upon the River, and by calling to your aid as many Officers as can be found in the Service of this Institution, and employing the whole of the Boats in whatever service may be necessary to remove Shipping and to prevent the extension of the danger.

Article 6th. In your daily and nightly Perambulations on the River, and particularly in gales of Wind or Snow-storms, if you at any time discover Ships, Vessels, or Craft, drifting, or in danger, you will consider it to be your indispensable duty to give your utmost assistance in securing them, by warning the persons on board of their danger, and aiding in securing their Vessels: and in all cases where Vessels or Craft, are drifting without any person on board, and particularly such Vessels as are laden, it is expected and required of you, that you will take charge of them and remove such Vessels or Craft to some place of safety, leaving a Guard upon the Property, until proper notice can be given to the Owners.

Article 7th. In your general Surveys on the River, you will keep a watchful eye upon Ships under discharge, particularly Vessels from the West-Indies, not placed by their Owners under the charge of the Institution, and not benefiting on this account by the Preventive System, which attaches to Ships

guarded by Police Officers under your controul.-Be particularly vigilant when the Lumpers and other Labourers leave these unprotected Ships, and where Sugars, or any other Article suspected to have been stolen from the Cargo, is found in their possession, or in the possession of Lumpers or others coming from any Ship or Vessel in the River, you are to do your duty as detailed from the words of the Act of Parliament in the Second Article of these Instructions.

The same authority enables you to detect all classes of Lumpers or others from Ships in general; also River Pirates.Night Plunderers.-River Thieves, who are in the practice of stealing Goods from outward-bound Ships. -Stealers of Goods from Craft.-Thieves in the practice of stealing Coals and Timber.And other Acts authorise you to detect Delinquents damaging Cordage, Cables, Buoy-Ropes, &c. -Receivers, and others landing Goods from his Majesty's Ships, and Ships and Vessels not in the King's Service, having on board any Cordage, Blocks, Metals, Stores, or Materials with the King's mark thereon. Or persons committing Misdemeanors with respect to Gunpowder, Guns shotted, heating Pitch, Tar, and other Combustible Matter, or lading or discharging Ballast contrary to the Laws herein before mentioned.*

Article 8th.-Wherever information is received, or suspicion is excited of any evil practice being in contemplation in any Ship, Vessel, or Craft, or in or about any Wharf, Landing Place, or Slip, on the banks of the River, the utmost exertions are to be used in watching those points of danger, for the purpose of either preventing the mischief, or of detecting and bringing the Offenders to Justice.

Article 9th. In the execution of these important Trusts, which are thus assigned you, it is expected and required that you shall conduct yourselves with the utmost attention to propriety. That you will spurn with indignation every attempt

* For further information on this subject, you are referred to the Rules and Regulations of the Port of London...

to

to corrupt your integrity or to withdraw you from the strict line of your duty, in the execution of which, the utmost zeal, vigilance, prudence, discretion and sobriety, must on every occasion be manifested, never resorting to acts of severity or harshness when it can be avoided, and on no account using Arms but in your defence.-In your intercourse with the Revenue Officers, you will conduct yourself with the utmost civility and propriety, and render them every assistance in your power.

Article 10th. You are to insert in your Diary all the occurrences of the day and night while you have been on duty, and report the same to the Magistrates every morning: and you are also to collect in a General Report, to be delivered once every Quarter on the day your Salaries are paid, a detailed account of the Specific Services you have performed during the preceding three months, under the following heads, viz.-Ist. The evils you have prevented.-2nd. The number of Offenders you have detected, and of these the number convicted.-3d. The Ships, Vessels, and Craft, which by your vigilance, have been preserved when drifting in the River.-4th. The general state of the River with respect to security, and every other information which may be connected with your Official Duties, that nothing may be withheld from the Magistrates, leaving them to act upon such information as they shall judge proper.

PARTICULAR INSTRUCTIONS to Marine Police Surveyors, to whom is assigned the duty of visiting Ships where the Owners or Consignees thereof have requested Ship-Constables to be stationed, or who have applied for Lumpers to discharge the Cargo.

Article 1st. In all instances where Ships discharging Cargoes under the cognizance of this Institution, are placed under your particular charge, with Marine Police Officers on board for the protection of the Cargo, you are required to visit such Ships at least once every day, and also once during the night, noting down in the Officers' Book the hour you visited the Ship,

and

and taking down in your own Book such occurrences as may be proper to convey to the Magistrates, whether they relate to any matter applicable to the conduct of the Officers under your controul, or the Lumpers employed in the discharge of the Cargo. Although this Institution can take no responsibility upon itself relative to such Cargo, yet it is your duty to see that the directions of the Magistrates for the purpose of preventing Plunder, are strictly carried into effect. In particular, you will enforce the following Regulations :

1st.-That the Printed Caution against Pillage and Plunder, is fixed on the Mast of each Ship placed under your charge.

2nd. That the Caution against insulting Police Officers, is fixed up in a conspicuous part of the Ship. 3d.-That the Advertisement forbidding the appropriation of Sweepings and Scrapings, is also generally made known.

4th. That the Constables in each Ship belonging to your division, are furnished with Printed Instructions, and a sufficient number of the Weekly Bills of Discharge, and also the Lighter Pass-Bills.

It will be your particular duty to furnish yourself with a Copy of the Book of Instructions for Regulating the Conduct of Ship Constables, and to see that the various duties assigned them are punctually performed, and regularly to report to the Magistrates every instance where they appear remiss, careless or incapable; at the same time bringing under their review, the conduct of such Officers as are vigilant, active, prudent, and discreet, in the execution of their duty. You will regularly examine the Books kept by these Officers; and where they are new in Office and ignorant of the importance of the duties assigned them, you will in such cases admonish and instruct them.

Article 2nd. As often as you visit Ships in the day time during their Discharge, you will afford every assistance in point

of