Mr. Secretary Rydersaid, that his hon. and learned friend (Sir S. Romilly) on a former evening (see p. 199) in stating the comparative increase of crimes in the metropolis, had inadvertently fallen into an error. His hon. and learned friend had said, that the increase from 1805 to 1810, amounted to 525 criminal cases. Now in the statement of the num-number of commitments in the year 1809, his hon. and learned friend had unintentionally, made it 1,342 instead of 1,242; and in the number committed in 1810, he had included those sent for trial to the sessions of the peace for the county of Middlesex, as well as to the Old Bailey. He allowed that an increase of 208 committals had taken place—not 525 as advanced by his hon. and learned friend. To place the fact in its true point of view, he should move," That there be laid before this House, a Return of the number of persons charged with criminal offences committed to the different gaols in the cities of London and Westminster, and county of Middlesex, for trial at the several Sessions held at the Old Bailey, in the years 1806,1807,1808, 1809, and 1810.
Sir S. Romillybegged to assure the right hon. Secretary, that the mistake was not made on his part, but must he with the right hon. Secretary himself. The numbers he had stated were taken from the returns on the table of the House; and he could certainly pledge himself to the accuracy of his statement. Although he had not those returns now before him, yet his memory was very tenacious on that point, and he would even from recollection state them to him again. In 1806 the number was 899; in 1807, 1,017; in 1808, 1,110; in 1809, 1,242; and in 1810, 1,424. It was true, that in some of the newspapers the right hon. gentleman might have found his statement misrepresented, but if he had been attended to himself, there would have been no cause for the present complaint of inaccuracy.
Mr. Secretary Ryderpersisted in his former assertion, and explained particularly that his hon. and learned friend had stated the increase on the whole of the years to be 525, when it was actually 208.
§ The Return moved for was ordered to be produced, and is as follows:
§ A RETURN OF THE NUMBER OF PERSONS
CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL OFFENCES, committed to the different gaols in the cities of London and Westminster, and county of Middlesex, for trial, at the several Sessions held at the old Bailey, in the years 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, and 1810.
| In the year 1806 | 899 |
| 1807 | 1017 |
| 1808 | 1110 |
| 1809 | 1242 |
| 1810 | 1207 |
| Whitehall, 22 January 1812. |
§ J. BECKETT.