The Duty

bles with

respect to

tofore happened, that Lightermen frequently lost the tide on purpose, and pretended to run athwart Hawse, merely to have an opportunity of plundering the Cargo,

and of concealing it in the Fore-Sheets, you must be of Consta- extremely vigilant and attentive not only while the Lighter is lading, to see that stolen Bags of Coffee Lighters Pimento, Ginger, Cotton, &c. are not hid in the Passage to Fore-Sheets, but also that the Lighterman does not the Quays lose the Tide, but uses every endeavour to get up as

during their

fast as possible; and particularly that no Person is permitted to come on board during her Passage to the Quays, especially in the Night; and, if they do, be watchful of their Conduct, as such visits are generally for some mischievous or bad purpose. And, above all, be careful that no lighter quits the Ship without having sufficient Tarpaulins to protect the Respecting Tarpaulins. Cargo from Rain. If this should ever be suffered, it will be your Duty to remonstrate with the Captain or Mate, and to shew them your instructions; and if, after this, no Attention is paid to the Safety of the Sugars, you will immediately send Notice to the Office, or report it to your Superior Officer.

XII. The Authority you are invested with, as a arms in River Officer, ought to be sufficient, if discreetly used, defence, but to enable you to execute your Duty with effect; but, in not other Case of Resistance, you are furnished with a Cutlass, which, however, is never to be shewn or used but in your Defence; and you ought to recollect, that a prudent Officer has seldom occasion, in the execution of his Duty, in seizing or apprehending Offenders, to have recourse to any thing but the Authority of the Law, manifested by shewing and exhibiting his Staff of Office. Arms, therefore, are only to be resorted to in the last extremity.

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XIII. It being the Practice of the Magistrates to Constables

examined

examine all Constables very strictly and minutely separately by Magiafter the Discharge of the Ship in which they are strates, as stationed, and also to call for their Check-Books, it to their con

duct while

will be creditable to you, and also a great recom-on Duty.
mendation to future Employment, if this Book shall
appear to be distinctly and accurately kept, and that
you shew your vigilance by noting down every Parti-
cular that occurs, and also every insult offered you by
Revenue-Officers or Mates, which will always be
properly noticed, and Redress given, provided it ap-
pears that such Insult was not provoked by any im-
proper conduct on your part.

XIV. If it is discovered that you quit your post,
'either in the Ship or Lighter, while property is under
your charge, without leave, or before another officer
takes your station, your wages will be forfeited, and
you will be instantly dismissed the service. If you are
moreover discovered to be asleep, or not upon Deck
in the Lighter, you will instantly lose your situation.
XV. Lastly, you will observe, that, in order to Rule esta-
establish a just Rule whereby those Constables onfull Pay and

blished for

Half-Pav to

board of Ships, which are quickly discharged, inay be Constables
upon an equal footing with others who remain for a

great length of time doing nothing, that it has been
settled by the Magistrates, that the following Rule
shall take place in future relative to the payments of
wages, namely,

That full pay, or 5s. a day, shall be paid to each Constable for the first seven days, and afterwards half-pay, unless on those days when the Vessel shall discharge any

part of her Cargo, amounting to a Lighterload. And when such discharge stops, then the Constables to be again reduced to halfpay, and so on to the end of the discharge; and such full days and half days to be certified by the visiting, Police-Surveyor.-As soon as the Ship is discharged in which you were last employed, you are to consider yourself as out of the service of the Institution, until again called upon and employed by the Magistrates.

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS.

Ist. In all cases where Felony or Larceny shall appear to have taken place on board of any Ship or Lighter, under your particular charge, the Magistrates reserve a power of declaring your Wages to be forfeited, in case it shall appear that such Felony or Larceny arose from any want of vigilance on your part; and you will moreover be dismissed the Service, and struck off the List of Occasional Officers.

2d. If any thing should come to your knowledge relative to any mal-practice, connivance, or improper conduct on the part of any Brother Officer, you are bound, by your oath of office, to state it immediately to the Magistrates, that the same may be examined, and the party accused acquitted or punished according to the nature of the case. If it shall appear that you omit or neglect to do your duty in this respect, your Wages due at the

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time will be forfeited, and you will be dismissed
the Service.

3d. If any Officer shall, after the solemn oath he has
taken, and in opposition to these Instructions,
prove so base and infamous as to be concerned
himself in stealing or pilfering any part of the
Cargo, Provisions, or Materia's of the Ship he
is appointed to Guard, however small or trifling
the same may be; or shall, by aiding and abetting
others, suffer such felonious practices to take place,
or shall enter into an agreement with Revenue
Officers, Mates, Lumpers, Watermen or others,
for the purpose of Plunder, such Officer shall,
on detection, be apprehended as a Felon, and pro-
ceeded against with the utmost rigour of the
Law, at the expence of the Institution.

FINALLY,

4th. As the whole success of the design depends on
the purity and integrity of the Officers employed,
and as it is the firm determination of the Magi-
strates to allow no act of delinquency to escape
their notice, and to use every means in their
power to detect and bring to light every evil prac-
tice, or gross neglect, on the part of the Officers
they employ, it is understood that a reward will
be given, wherever fair and proper information
is given, which shall ultimately lead to convic-
tion. At the same time let it also be understood,
that wherever an Officer is discovered to have
conducted himself meritoriously, and with ho-
nesty and fidelity, he will be ranked as a prefer-
able Officer, and will receive every possible en-
couragement from the Magistrates.

N. B. The Superintending Magistrate, on the a1rival of every Fleet, has been in the constant habit of assembling the whole of the Ship Constables on the Registers of the Institution for the time being, and of giving them a solemn charge, for the purpose of enforcing purity of conduct, vigilance and attention to their duty, and prudence and discretion in the execution thereof.

INSTRUCTIONS to Quay Guards in the Service of the Marine Police Institution.

You are ever to keep in your recollection, and let it make a deep impression on your mind, that you have taken a solemn oath, on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, " that you will

faithfully discharge your duty as a Guard upon the Quays, "Wharfs, and Lighters, on which you shall be stationed, in "the Port of London, for the protection of Commercial Pro

perty, during the time you shall be in the immediate service " of the Marine Police Institution, for the purpose of detect

ing Felonies, Larcenies, and Misdemeanors, which may be " committed on Goods and Merchandise, in Lighters lying at " or near the said Quays or Wharfs, or landed from the same. "And you further promise and swear, that you will faithfully execute the orders and instructions hereunto annexed, " and all other orders which you may receive from the Magi"strates at the Marine Police Office, or the Surveyors set over "you. That you will be vigilant and attentive in watching "the conduct of all persons upon the Wharfs, Quays, or " Lighters, who may be reasonably suspected of an intention

"to