§ LORD EUSTACE CECILsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department, Whether he has any objection to state, for the information of the House, the number of burglaries that have taken place in the 735 parishes of St. George Hanover Square, St. James, Chelsea, Kensington, Marylebone, and Paddington, as well as the number of persons that have been apprehended or convicted for such offences since the 1st of November last; and, whether he contemplates any addition to or reorganization of the Detective Police Force of the Metropolis, with a view to the better protection of property?
MR. BRUCESir, the number of burglaries committed in the parishes mentioned by my noble Friend amounts to 14, and in connection with these four persons were apprehended, three were committed for trial, and two were convicted. Of these burglaries, four were committed in St. George's, Hanover Square, and one person was apprehended, but sufficient evidence could not be procured to insure his conviction. In St. James's parish there was no case of burglary. I may here remark that this Return relates to the period between the 1st of November last and the 14th of May. In Chelsea there were no burglaries. In Kensington there were eight burglaries, and one person was apprehended, who is now on his trial. In Marylebone there was one burglary committed, and one person was apprehended and convicted; and in Paddington, where one burglary was committed, one person was also apprehended and convicted. But this statement, I understand, taken by itself, would convey a very inadequate and erroneous impression of the exertions of the police. Since the 27th of February, when there was a special outbreak of this class of crime in the West-end of London, a body of detectives, under an Inspector, has been told off for the purpose of watching the neighbourhood; and no less than 12 persons have been apprehended and convicted of loitering for the purpose of committing a burglary. In these instances, therefore, at least 12 cases of burglary have been prevented, independently of other cases in which the presence of the detectives probably prevented the perpetration of offences which would otherwise have been committed. I may state one circumstance connected with these robberies which will show how difficult it is to procure evidence of such a character as to secure conviction. The House has heard that in Kensington 736 eight burglaries were committed, and that only one person was convicted. In one of those burglaries two persons were engaged. The servant-maid in the house heard a noise, and entered the room. The two men jumped out of the window, and the girl fled in a different direction for the purpose of giving an alarm. She did not see enough of the burglars to enable her to identify them; but her description put the police on the track of a couple of men who were known to belong to a certain gang. For some time the police could gain no intelligence of the men; but at last the detectives, by following a woman who was known to be connected with them, discovered them both in St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where they had been taken in consequence of the severe injuries they had received—they having, in jumping from the window, fallen on the spikes below. The police found the cabman who had conveyed them to the hospital; but, in consequence of the servant being unable to identify them, the magistrate did not consider the evidence sufficient to convict, and discharged them. With reference to the second part of my noble Friend's Question, I may state that from the first moment that I accepted the Office I now hold this matter has received my special attention. In 1842, when the detective force was first formed, the total number of detectives connected with Scotland Yard was 8; in 1856, there were 10; in 1859, 9; in 1864, 11; and in 1867, 12. Early in 1869 they were increased to 26; and in July, 1869, when the force was completely reorganized, in addition to the 26 attached to Scotland Yard, who were frequently employed outside the metropolis, 20 sergeants and 160 men, carefully selected, were distributed among the different metropolitan divisions. It is obvious that a large and effective force of this nature cannot be formed very rapidly. The very object of their duties, and the fact that much supervision of their proceedings is impossible, make it necessary that the characters as well as the fitness of the men should be well and carefully considered. Still the House will see that within a short time the number has been increased from 26 to 206. Although I am fully prepared to admit the ill effects which ensue from the committal of crimes of the magnitude alluded to by my noble Friend 737 where conviction of the offenders does not follow, I must, at the same time, remind the House that the effect produced by this increase of the detective force has been considerable. The House would be misled if it allowed its attention to be exclusively directed to such of these larger offences as remain unpunished. I stated the other day that since the employment of these detectives the number of the graver offences had diminished by one-tenth, a considerable reduction, when it is borne in mind that that reduction has been effected upon 7,000 offences. If, however, we limit the inquiry to burglaries and cases of housebreaking within certain hours of darkness, we shall find that a comparison with the previous six months shows a reduction of one-fifth, and that reduction has been accomplished by a force which is still in its infancy. I have no doubt myself that a force which has already done so much will still do more. It may from time to time be necessary to increase its numbers; but, as we are now trying an experiment, I do not think that any great addition can be made until, at all events, we have had an opportunity of thoroughly testing its success.