carry this Act into execution, it is believed to be a fact generally admitted, that, previous to 1798, the evil had been progressively increasing every year, and that if a true estimate could be formed of the extent of the annual loss to Ship-Owners, it would be found to exceed all credibility.(r) On a supposition that the pillage of Tackle, Apparel, Stores and Provisions, in the course of one voyage, averages only 31. a Ship, and that the pillage of the Owner's property, in Craft and Boats, in the course of a whole year, does not amount to more than 15s. the aggregate will be found to exceed Forty-five Thousand Pounds a year. It is not however, meant from this to insinuate, that each Vessel losses to this amount, since it is known, that while some Ships, from superior vigilance, and from peculiar circumstances, escape unhurt, others are plundered to an enormous extent. It is not in the nature of things, in so crowded a Port, and where, at all times, from 1000 to 1400 Ships and Vessels, besides about 7000 stationary Craft and Boats are collected together, under the eyes of so many delinquents, constantly moving in different directions, that depredations should not be committed, while no River Police existed to restrain them. But besides the more bulky and ponderous Materials, consisting of Cordage and large Iron Work, purloined by River Pirates and others in the night, the more portable articles of Metalic Stores, such as Copper, Brass, Lead, and Utensils of every description, have been an object of (r) Vide General View of the Trade, p. 23.

attention to Lumpers and others, who must necessarily be admitted on board of Ships for laborious purposes.

Vessels lying ungarded, after the delivery of their Cargoes, have often had the Running Rigging cut away, and the whole articles upon Deck, that were moveable, swept off in the course of a night.

The same system of pillage not only extends to Lighters, Barges, Punts, and smaller Craft, but even to the Wherries of the Watermen, from whence it is no uncommon thing to steal Tilts, Oars, Sculls, Benches and Backboards.

Nor are Ships, undergoing repairs in Docks, exempted from this universal system of depredation, particularly in cases where the operation of sheathing with Copper is going forward. This valuable article, consisting of light Sheets and Copper Nails, both equally portable, furnishes a prolific harvest for those who have been long in the habit of making Plunder a trade, and who seldom fail, on such occasions, to acquire a considerable booty. In consequence of the detection of a person, who was afterwards convicted, for stealing sheet Copper from a private Dockyard, at Wapping, application was made to the Magistrates of the Marine Police, requesting that a sworn Officer, properlyinstructed, and armed with the authority of the Laws, might be appointed to guard a West-India Ship, during the operation of sheathing her with Copper. The same number of Sheets and quantity of Nails were ordered, which had been found found necessary, and which had been exhausted, when the same Ship had been sheathed on a former occasion, namely 1600 Sheets of Copper, and ten Bags of Nails. The Police Officer acted with great vigilance, and attended minutely to his instructions, which certainly prevented the pillage, which must have taken place upon the former occasion, since a surplus appeared after the Ship was completely sheathed, of

113 Sheets of Copper, weighing 896 lb. at 14d. 3 Bags of Nails

£. s. d.

52 54

336 lb. at 14d.

19 12 0

Andthus, by the precaution of calling for the assistance, and protection of the Police, and thereby defeating the designs of these who are constantly on the watch to obtain Plunder, a considerable Property

was saved.

The Owners of Ships and Vessels fitting out for Voyages, also suffer considerably on many occasions in the transit of their Stores and Apparel ; and the pillage is often not discovered until the articles are wanted. The same system of Depredation is extended, even in a greater degree, to dismantled Ships, particularly Prize Vessels, which are always marked out as objects of plunder, under the idea that they are fair game, that there exists no means of detection; and, indeed, experience has shewn, that nothing but a well-regulated River Police, composed of a sufficient Civil

force to overawe delinquents, and to pervade the whole range of the Port, where Ships and Vessels are expossed to danger, can ever be effectual, in protecting the Owners of this species of property from the extensive and reiterated losses, to which they have been heretofore subjected.

DEPREDATIONS

ON THE

EAST-INDIA TRADE,

TO AND FROM THE PORT OF LONDON,

Notwithstanding the generally received opinion, that from the more accurate system of the East-India Company, their Cargoes are not subject to plunder; instances have occurred which sufficiently demonstrate, that this species of property, under all the guards which have been devised, is not exempted from the injuries which arise from the general delinquency so prevalent, wherever Merchandise, of any description, is in the operation of delivery from the Ships, or in a state of transit upon the River Thames.

The nature and value of many of the articles which are imported, render the possession of them peculiarly desirable; and numerous, indeed, are the devices to which men resort, who have such temptations before them, for the purpose of gratifying their covetous and criminal propensities,

Like the property of the State, the moral ture pitude of the offence does not operate as a restraint upon the mind, in the same degree as in cases which apply to individuals; and hence, the delinquency has a wider scope, and embraces in its operation classes of men, who would scarcely be disposed to yield to temptations differently circum

stanced.

The only consideration therefore, with such men, is to be secure against the risque of detection. This object once effected, every difficulty is removed.

Illicit Trade is a great object with the inferior Officers. To accomplish a measure, on the success of which, the profit of the voyage is supposed chiefly to depend, recourse must be had to the persons employed by the Revenue. The connivance, at least, of those who are in inferior situations, is the more easily purchased, as they look forward to a certain emolument as often as they have such stations assigned them, and would feel disappointed if it was not obtained.

It has appeared in evidence, upon oath, that one of the Officers of an East-India ship, discharged at Blackwall, in November 1796, on the Cargo of which considerable depredations were committed, happened to be in habits of intimacy with a Port Surveyor, who, although not superintendant of the Ship, interested himself very much in getting his friend's private adventure on shore. To effect this, a quantity of Shawls were packed in Casks, filled at each end with spun-yarn and oakum, and conveyed among