Part 21

In 1796, there was an extraordinary scarcity of silver, which taxed severely, the resources of the Government to meet. The difficulty was met, to some extent, by the issue of Spanish Dollars, taken from Prizes, and stamped at the Tower, where the Mint then was, with a small head of the King.--These were issued at 4s. 9d. each--The same scarcity arose in 1803-4, and the same expedient was resorted to--only then the dollars were issued at a price over their value, so as to offer no premium for their destruction.

"So great is the scarcity, and high price of silver, that the silver smiths give 5s. 3d. for a crown piece, and a premium is given for shillings."--(_Times, Jan. 7, 1796._)

* * * * *

"_Silver_ is so exceedingly scarce, that there is not a sufficient quantity, for exchange, in the channels of business, either good, or bad, and yet we are sorry to observe (which we have repeatedly) the number of unfortunate victims who are, every Session, brought to trial, for coining. Surely the wisdom of the Legislature might prevent this evil, by issuing a sufficient quantity for the purposes of circulation."--(_Times, Sept. 15, 1796._)

* * * * *

"The distress for want of Silver, is daily, more and more felt among the trading parts of the Metropolis. These are put to the greatest inconvenience, for want of a greater circulation; and, we understand that those who have many men in their employ, are obliged to give one per cent., to procure it. The many complaints which are made, on this subject, induces us to hope that the issue of a fresh coinage, from the Mint, will speedily take place. The want of it has another bad effect, as it increases the coining of base half-pence."--(_Times, Sept. 29, 1796._)

* * * * *

"Yesterday, the Committee of Bankers had another Meeting at Mr. Pitt's, to request his interference in procuring them a certain quantity of specie, for the demands of their business. The Minister returned for answer, that he could only assist them, at present, with 50,000 guineas: which, being divided among all the Bankers, will not amount to 1000 guineas for each House.

"We hope that the Bank, instead of issuing dollars at 4s. 6d., will place a value of 5s. on them, in order that they may not become an object of traffic: their intrinsic worth is above 4s. 6d., and they should, therefore, be issued at some higher price, in order that they may not be hoarded.

"There can be no doubt whatever, but that large sums of specie have been drawn out of the Bank, and concealed in the houses, or gardens, of private persons. As this stoppage of general circulation is highly prejudicial to the Public Weal, we have only to observe to such persons, that their extreme, and foolish timidity, may produce, to themselves, the very consequences they seek to avert: and that, instead of being richer, they may fall the first victims of their alarms. Wherever large sums of money are privately deposited, except it is with those whose occupation it is to hold it, such persons are likely to be the first objects of popular revenge. The Bank, or the houses of Bankers, are the only secure places of deposits."--(_Times, March 3, 1797._)

* * * * *

"According to letters received, on Wednesday, in town, the Banks at Norwich, and at Bath, have stopped payment in specie. Since the news reached the country, of the Bank of England stopping payment, not a guinea is to be had, in exchange for Bank-notes, on any of the Public roads."--(_Times, March 3, 1797._)

* * * * *

"On Saturday, a small quantity of one, and two, Pound Notes were issued from the Bank, principally for the use of the country. A very large issue will be made in the course of this day, and to-morrow."--(_Times, March 6, 1797._)

* * * * *

"This day, the Governors of the Bank will issue a quantity of dollars, to which the Tower Stamp is affixed, in order to relieve the present embarrassment arising from scarcity of specie."--(_Times, March 6, 1797._)

* * * * *

"Sterling Silver was done, on Saturday, as high as 5s. 8d. per ounce, and Gold at £4, 8s. The price of Silver, is 5d. per ounce, above the rate at which coined silver passes, and the price of Gold 10s. per ounce, above the current price of the Guinea!"--(_Times, March 8, 1797._)

* * * * *

"Yesterday, the Bank began to issue Dollars at 4s. 9d. each. There is the Mint Stamp affixed to each, which consists of the King's Head, marked on the King of Spain's neck. We trust that this issue of Dollars is intended to make room for a new importation from some rich Spanish prizes, which we hope to see in some of our ports."--(_Times, March 10, 1797._)

* * * * *

"Several German Hard Dollars, or four-gold-pieces, nominally worth 4s. 8d. have been issued from the Bank, in the same manner as the Spanish Dollar."--(_Times, March 27, 1797._)

* * * * *

"The Dollars now issuing at the _Bank_, are those which were taken on board the _St. Jago_ prize ship."--(_Times, March 17, 1797._)

* * * * *

"A very serious inconvenience has occurred to many people, from the multiplicity of forgeries in the stamps on the dollars, which, from being issued by the Bank, at a price so far above their real value, has tempted the coiners to forge the Mint Stamp, which it is impossible for a common observer to detect. Since their first issue, many chests of dollars have been imported into this country, for the sole purpose of forging the stamp. As they are circulated at 4s. 9d., and their value is only 4s. 2d., it has afforded too great a temptation to be resisted. Besides the vast number of copper dollars coined, it is supposed that more than half of those in circulation, are counterfeited in the stamp, though the dollars are good. When taken to the Bank they are refused, which has caused a deal of ill humour."--(_Times, Sept. 4, 1797._)

* * * * *

"In consequence of the great quantity of bad Dollars, in circulation, the Bank Directors gave notice, in the Gazette of last night; that they mean to issue Gold coin, to the amount of the Dollars now in circulation, and which have been stamped at the Tower."--(_Times, Sept. 27, 1797._)

* * * * *

"The Dollars having been taken out of circulation, there is now such a scarcity of silver, as to impede the ordinary negotiation of business very materially. It would be a public convenience if the new 7s. gold coin was put in circulation."--(_Times, Oct. 5, 1797._)

* * * * *

"The new gold coinage of seven shilling pieces is to be issued from the Bank, this day."--(_Times, Dec. 1, 1797._)

Up to this time forgeries of Bank of England notes had been very rare.

"Last week a man was apprehended at Manchester, on a charge of forging Bank of England notes. On searching his house, was found a plate, with a one pound note engraved, on one side of it, and a two pound note, on the other; together with a number of notes just struck off, but not filled up. On his examination he confessed the fact, and thereby impeached his brother, who, he said, was then in Yorkshire: and acknowledged that they had practised it about six months, during which time they had disposed of about 200."--(_Times, March 30, 1798._)

* * * * *

"A small delivery of Mr. Boulton's 2d. pieces, was, on Friday, made at the Treasury; the likeness of the King is much better executed than in the 1d. pieces: they are full twice their thickness, weighing rather better than two ounces each."--(_Times, Feby. 12, 1798._)

* * * * *

"The trade of counterfeit halfpence, though it got a temporary check within the last five weeks, is again getting forward. The turnpike men, coffee-house waiters, haberdashers' shops, fruit women, and porter houses, are at their old work. The turnpike men will give bad, but not take them at present. If the traveller objects, he is abused and kept waiting, perhaps ten minutes, for change of 6d.: the coffee-house waiters say they have no others, and that they give and take; the haberdashers fold the change up in a clean bit of paper, which when opened, contains the worst of counterfeit halfpence: and the fruit women and porter houses say 'they give what they take.'"--(_Times, Oct. 2, 1794._)

* * * * *

"Bad shillings are sold to chandlers shops, turnpike men, and waiters at coffee-houses and taverns, at the rate of _twenty shillings_ for _five and sixpence_. No wonder they are in such general circulation."--(_Times, Nov. 29, 1794._)

* * * * *

"At this season the Jew fruitmen should be particularly guarded against. They care not at how small a price they sell, so the quantum reaches to _silver_. In that case it is their custom 'to hope you will give them good silver, as the gardeners are very particular.' They then rub it with both thumbs, dexterously contriving to fillip up your shilling, and drop down another, which they beg you to change, protesting that they believed it good but are not certain. Serving you the same a second or third time, and you are induced through an appearance of great civility, and apparent ignorance, to indulge them. The silver you receive as your own is speciously good: but it changes black in a few hours. The writer of this bought his experience at the price of three succeeding shillings."--(_Times, July, 30, 1795._)

* * * * *

"BAD HALFPENCE.

"To the Master of the Mint--

"The Petition of more than Ten Millions of bad Halfpence,

"Most humbly showeth,

"That your Petitioners, for a number of years, have given bread to thousands of his Majesty's subjects, called Coiners: and that they have been long in uncontrouled circulation:

"That your Petitioners have enabled Waiters at Taverns, and other houses, to wear hair-powder, to the manifest increase of his Majesty's Stamp-duties.

"That your Petitioners have been the means of the Turnpike Tolls increasing in value, on account of the Toll-takers being obliged to put off a certain quantity of your Petitioners, each week, at a stipulated price from the Renters.

"That your Petitioners have long been a fine _bonus_ to the Paymaster Serjeants of the different Regiments, who bought your Petitioners at the rate of 30s. for 20s., thereby making those brave fellows to live more comfortably, than their regular pay would allow them to do:

"That your Petitioners have, for a series of time, been of infinite service to those industrious men, the Tribes of Levi, and Manassa, who distributed your Petitioners, in the most plentiful manner, to their own great advantage:

"That your Petitioners have, in some manner, been the means of peopling Botany Bay, as numbers of persons, who were first in the habit of forming your Petitioners, afterwards mounted to the honour of making shillings, and sixpences:

"That your Petitioners, with great sorrow, perceive, by the effect of a new coinage of Penny, and Twopenny Pieces, that their existence is rapidly on the decline:

"Your Petitioners therefore pray that their grievances may be taken into consideration: and they will, as in duty bound, ever pray.

Bad Halfpence."

--(_Times, Aug. 17, 1795._)

* * * * *

"FALSE COINAGE.

"The numerous evils arising from the now general circulation of Base Money, are too well known, to make it necessary that they should be dwelt on by us. We have always considered the different Administrations of this Country, as highly blameable for not paying more attention, than they have done, to prevent the nefarious practices which are introduced in the introduction of almost every species of Counterfeit Coin into the circulation of the country, because it certainly has the means in its own power, of lessening the mischief, by issuing a new coinage, particularly of Halfpence, which are, now, so generally bad, and so profligately circulated, that scarce a good halfpenny is to be seen.... The vast increase, and the extensive circulation, of base Money, particularly of late years, ... almost exceeds credibility, and the dexterity, and ingenuity, of these criminal people have enabled them to finish the different kinds of counterfeit Money, in so masterly a manner, that it has become extremely difficult, for the common observer, to distinguish the base Coin, now in circulation, from the worn out Silver, from the Mint. And, so systematic has this nefarious traffic become, that the great dealers, who in most instances are the employers of the Coiners, execute orders for the Town, and Country, with the same regularity as other manufacturers in fair branches of trade. Scarce a waggon, or coach, departs from the metropolis, that does not carry boxes, and parcels, of base coin, to the camps, seaports, and manufacturing towns, insomuch, that the country is deluged with counterfeit Money. In London, regular markets, in various public, and private, houses, are held by the principal Dealers, where Hawkers, Pedlars, fraudulent Horse-dealers, Unlicensed Lottery Office Keepers, Gamblers at Fairs, Itinerant Jews, Irish Labourers, Servants of Toll Gatherers, and Hackney-Coach Owners, fraudulent Publicans, Market Women, Rabbit Sellers, Fish Cryers, Barrow Women, and many who would not be suspected, are regularly supplied with counterfeit Copper, and Silver, with the advantages of nearly 100 per cent. in their favour: and thus it happens, that through these various channels, immense quantities of base Money get into circulation, while an evident diminution of the Mint Coinage, is apparent to every common observer.... Discoveries have been recently made, of no less than 120 persons, in the metropolis, and the country, who are employed, principally, in coining, and selling, Base Money: and this, independent of the numerous horde of utterers, who chiefly support themselves by passing it at its full value.

"It will scarcely be credited, that of these criminal people who have either been detected, prosecuted, or convicted, within the last seven years, there stand upon the register of the Solicitor of the Mint, no less than 608 names! and yet the evil increases rapidly. And when it is known, that two persons can finish from £200, to £300, in base silver, _in six days_, and that three people, within the same period will stamp the like amount, in Copper, and when the number of known coiners are taken into the calculation, the aggregate in the course of the year must be immense!"--(_Times, Oct. 5, 1796._)

LAW AND POLICE.

In treating the above heading, I have no wish to introduce the "Newgate Calendar" element into this book. Let those who like such literature, consult that work--and, doubtless, they will be rewarded for their pains; but, in going through these old papers, much that is curious is met with, which throws light on the manners, and customs, of our forefathers.

Of Police, as we understand the word, there was none--and the parochial Constables, and watchmen, who were supposed to guard the premises of the rate payers, and to keep the peace, were veritably of the Dogberry and Verges type--utterly useless for the detection, or suppression, of crime, and only fit to "comprehend all vagrom man," or lead some roysterer home.

All day long they were not; but, at night, they came out with the bats, and owls, armed with a long staff, and a lantern, periodically droning out the hour of the night, and the state of the weather. This was done with the laudable intention of shewing their vigilance, but it must equally have acted in an opposite direction, for every thief must have had due warning of the watchman's whereabouts. They had temporary shelters, larger than the Military Sentry box, and the wild spirits of those days delighted to catch a watchman napping, and overturn his box, thus temporarily incapacitating him from giving an alarm, or following their flight. For the former purpose they used huge rattles, smaller specimens of which were carried, for the same purpose, by our own Metropolitan Police, until 1884.

Each parish looked after its own interests, had its own watch and ward, and was mightily jealous of interference from another parish--an arrangement evidently very much to the advantage of a thief. People were always grumbling--but the state of things was never altered. Hear what they said about it in 1788:--

"The Decrepid old Dotards, to whose vigilance the different Vestries have confined their fellow Citizens, are likely to profit from the order of nature being reversed by the life of our modern nobility, who, rising at _two_, dining at _eight_, and paying afternoon visits at _midnight_, have superseded the necessity of having watchmen, and are, in fact, with their servants, a much better patrole than any of the Bow Street Justices could furnish."--(_Morning Post, April 21, 1788._)

There were amateur thief catchers like Jonathan Wild, men who would be the companions, and confederates, of Highwaymen, Housebreakers, and Thieves, drawing Money from them until they were sucked dry, and then sacrifice them without an atom of remorse.

And there were the detectives of that time, the Bow Street Runners, or Robin Red breasts as they were called, from their wearing red waistcoats. Peter Pindar sang of them, especially of the three that were detailed for the protection of the Royal family at the time of the French Revolution.

". . . . . . . . . . . . What a bright thought in George and Charlotte, Who to escape each wicked Varlet, And disappoint Tom Paine's disloyal crew, Fixed on _Macmanus_, _Townsend_, _Jealous_, Delightful company, delicious fellows, To point out, every minute, who is who! To hustle from before their noble graces, Rascals with ill looks, designing faces, Where treason, murder, and sedition dwell; To give the life of every Newgate wretch, To say who next the fatal cord shall stretch, The sweet historian of the pensive cell."

Townsend, was undoubtedly the sharpest of the three, but he was a pushing, boastful fellow, and never hid his light under a bushel. He was, however, courageous, and never heeded where he went, or what odds were opposed to him; so that the criminal classes began to respect him, and, at last, never thought of opposing him. He was extremely natty in his dress, and his flaxen wig was as well known, as his short stout figure, and his red face--

"Of all the wigs in Brighton Town, The black, the gray, the red, the brown, So firmly glued upon the crown, There's none like Johnny Townsend's; It's silken hair, and flaxen hue, It is a scratch, and not a queue, When e'er it pops upon the view, Is known for Johnny Townsend's."

It was by his means, that the famous pickpocket, Barrington, was convicted, and transported, a fact which was very much to Barrington's advantage, for he helped to put down a mutiny on board, whilst on his passage out, for which he was well rewarded, and, by his good conduct, he rose from step to step, always in the Colonial police--until he died Chief of the Constabulary in New South Wales.

The laws were then frightfully severe in their punishments, but this severity did not act as a deterrent to crime. The punishment of death, (and hanging was the punishment for many trivial crimes) seems to have had no terror--for we read in the _Morning Post_, July 11th 1788, "The number of Capital Convicts at present in Newgate is eighty-one!" Of course, these were not all executed, some having their sentences commuted to transportation for life. Let us take a few cases from one Newspaper only, the _Morning Post_, September 11, 1788. It was the Sessions at the Old Bailey, 9th September:--

"_John Dancer_, was put to the bar, and tried before Judge Grose, for a burglary, and robbery, in the empty dwelling-house of Daniel Dancer,[15] a farmer, near Uxbridge. This offence is made capital by the 39th Elizabeth. The jury brought in a verdict, _guilty_, of the value of £5.--_Death._

[Footnote 15: The celebrated Miser. During the last 20 years of his life, his house is said to have been entered, by thieves, no less than fourteen times--and the amount of his losses, is calculated at £2,500.]

"_John Crawford_, for a burglary in the house of Francis Bias. The crime being fully proved.--_Guilty_--_Death_.

"_William Johnson_, for a burglary and robbery of poultry, in the dwelling house of Margaret Allen, at Hampstead.--_Guilty_--_Death_.

"_Thomas Jones_, for a highway robbery of a watch &c. He was taken in the _manier_--_i.e._ with the watch upon him.--_Guilty_--_Death_.

"Several other prisoners were tried and acquitted for various offences, particularly one for a rape--_his crime was only_ Seduction!"

* * * * *

"Monday evening, as a lady was passing along Long-Acre, she was jostled into a Court by a number of those abandoned wretches, who to the disgrace of our police and magistrates, infest every corner of the Metropolis, where they stripped her of her cloak, bonnet, and of almost everything she had on, besides grossly insulting her. The Public Offices of Justice are every morning full of these women of the town, who have been taken up for their disorderly behaviour. But, while the connection between them and the Watchmen subsists, the evil must still remain. It is an evil of the most serious and alarming nature, and peculiarly calls for the interposition of the Legislature."--(_Morning Post, Sept. 26, 1788._)

* * * * *

"There are at this time, in Newgate, upwards of Seven Hundred prisoners, the greatest number ever known to be in that place of confinement, at the same time."--(_Morning Post, Dec. 5, 1788._)

* * * * *

"Kelly who was pilloried at Reading, brings actions against those who pelted him. This is a new cause of trial, but clearly a legal one."--(_Morning Post, Dec. 23, 1789._)

Here, they evidently "caught a Tartar." The pelting could have been no part of the man's sentence--but what was the issue of his appeal to law, I know not.

About the year 1790, occurs a most singular police episode, so singular, and so comparatively unknown, that I cannot refrain from somewhat enlarging upon it.

In the early spring of 1790, murmurs began to be heard of ladies being attacked, and stabbed, by a monster in human form. The murmurs were low at first, and "monster" was printed with a small "m;" but, very shortly, they grew into a roar, and no capitals were found too large for THE MONSTER.