ing away the Plunder from Ships and Vessels, under discharge, in the River Thames. This system however, extensive as it appears to have been, did not comprise the whole of the mischief; since it is known that the Cargo was no sooner removed into the Lighters, than it became a prey to a new class of River Plunderers, generally denominated

GAME LIGHTERMEN.

This class of aquatic labourers are stiled Journeymen. They comprise a very large body of men, part of whom, it is to be hoped, are not of the criminal fraternity.(d)

In addition to the Pillage which these Journeymen Lightermen were accustomed to obtain in the Lighters, in their passage from the Ships to the Quays, and afterwards while they lay for their turn to discharge, they were in the habit of acting as auxiliaries to the Mates, Lumpers, and others, by concealing in their Lockers, Sugar, Coffee, and other articles, comprising part of the general Pillage, which they conveyed on shore, in consequence of a previous agreement to receive a certain share of the booty.The capacity of the Lockers, which are generally about five feet long, and from three to four feet wide,

(d) The whole probable amount of their number, and the propor, tion of Delinquents among them is more fully stated, in the 8th Divi sion of the 4th Chapter,

and

and calculated to hold considerable quantities of goods, not only enables these Lightermen to remove bulky and valuable articles, whether stolen or smuggled, but also to conceal them instantly from public view; by which means whole bags of Coffee, Ginger, Pimento, and other articles, including large quantities of Sugar, have been frequently conveyed unnoticed from West-India Ships. The stolen property which was thus concealed and locked up, generally remained until the Lighter was discharged of her Cargo, and afterwards until removed to the usual station for empty Craft, off the Custom-house Quay. Suspicion being then at rest, means were found by the assistance of Skiffs to land the Goods, and convey them to the houses of the Receivers.

A respectable Officer of the Customs confirmed what is thus stated to have been the practice. In 1795, he seized 100lb. of Sugar and a bag of Coffee, in the act of being removed from a Lighter by means of a Skiff. In the same year he seized another bag of Coffee in a similar situation, weighing 78 lb. and a bag of Sugar, weighing 58 lb.

In addition however, to these Partnership Concerns, the Game Lightermen traded to a considerable extent on their own account, and seldom failed to avail themselves of every opportunity that offered, whereby they could abstract a part of the Cargo under their charge; for which purpose they resorted to those various devices in which the minds of men,

in a course of Criminal Turpitude, are but too fertile.

Among other contrivances when the Cargo in trust, and other circumstances (such as a good understanding with the Revenue Officer) offer a resource for Plunder, measures are taken for the purpose of losing the tide, that time may be given to effect the object in view. The Lighter is removed to a convenient situation. Casks and packages are opened, and a Skiff attends for the purpose of conveying on shore, in the night, the Plunder which is obtained.

A Lighter having taken on board a cargo of Oil from a Vessel, which had arrived from the British Colonies in America, the Lightermen who had her in charge, wilfully contrived to lose the tide in her way up the River. Having thus obtained time for the nefarious design which they had meditated, they employed it in turning all the Casks with the bungs downwards, with a view to profit by the Leakage which should run into the hold of the Lighter, and under the Cieling. Fortunately the Proprietor, who had suffered much by unaccountable deficiencies on former occasions, was upon his guard.-He attended upon the Quay, while the Lighter was discharged, and his suspicion being excited by the Casks appearing to have been removed from their original position, and discovering a deficiency, his attention was directed to the hold of the Lighter, where perceiving a vast leakage of Oil, he ordered a part of the Cieling to be taken up, and filled no less than 15 Casks

with the Oil which had thus been purposely abstracted. The Lightermen had the effrontery to claim it as their perquisite, and seemed highly offended at being deprived of it. This discovery however, clearly explained by what means he had been plundered on former occasions.(e)

When Sugars, Coffee, Pimento, and Ginger are thus circumstanced, not a few of the Casks and Packages are reduced considerably in their contents before they reach the Quay, where they are to be discharged. Of this species of Pillage many instances have occurred, and it has generally been felt as a very serious evil :-not confined to the WestIndia Trade alone, but pervading the whole Commerce of the River:---even Staves and Timber of different kinds have been purloined in this manner.

A case occurred about four years ago, where a quantity of American Staves were stolen from the Cargo of the Lighter, concealed in one of those Lockers, and afterwards disposed of clandestinely at an under price. Logwood and Fustic, and all Dye-woods, have been generally subject to excessive Plunder, both in the Lighters and on the Wharfs, from the ease with which they can be removed. It is not uncommon to throw Logwood and Fustic over board, for the purpose of picking it up when the tide ebbs.

The truth in fact, is, that nothing escapes the. (e) See Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis.

rapacious

rapacious grasp of these aquatic Carriers; and their ingenuity has ever been on the stretch to devise the means of converting Pillage into Perquisites.

In spite of the greatest attention on the part of the Master Lightermen, who are generally very respectable, it has been found impossible to control their Journeymen, or to keep them within the bounds of honesty.

While their Lighters are at the Quays, instances have occurred, where the Journeymen have entered into a conspiracy with the Watchman (who, on many occasions, in the throng of the Season, is said to be a man of their own appointment) to plunder their own Lighters for several nights successively, which is the more easily effected, as pretences can never be wanting to go on board at all hours of the night, without exciting the least suspicion, inasmuch as these men belong to the Lighter, and are supposed to be on board for a useful purpose, to watch the tides, when, in point of fact, these visits are actually to commit Depredations.

Having thus traced Commercial Property through all its stages of danger, while moving in transit on the River Thames, it remains now to follow it to the Landing Place: Here it is discovered to be again assailed by an assemblage of banditti who pass by the name of

X. SCUFFLE