per ignes Dr. Neilson HANCOCK'S annual when he is treating of Irish social Suppositos cineri doloso. cence which has ratified the cool 2040 to 1722. It is more than proI judgments of his previous reports bable that the outbreak of agrarian may be expected, therefore, to stamp crime in 1869 was indirectly the rethis present one with general ap- sult of the treasonable agitation that proval , though even the most dis- broke out in 1866. It is satisfactory passionate of statisticians must feel to learn that, partly by the same In the same i Crminal and Judicial Statistics, 1870. Ireland: Dublin., Alexander Thom. means which have controlled the rian crime to the more general feaformer, the latter has been almost tures of the statistical record, we stamped out. In 1866, 535 treason have to remark, in the first place, able offences were reported; in 1867, that the number ofindictable offences 530; in 1868, 11; 1869, 47; and reported contrasts unfavourably with in 1870, 37. It is further gratifying the returns of the previous year. In to know that in tie last-mentioned 1870 the total number of indictable number no serious infractions of the offences not summarily disposed of law were included; there were 35 was 9517; in 1869 it was 9178; cases of seditious language and two similarly in 1870 the total number cases of defacing proclamations. of indictable offences summarily dis These important results have been posed of was 19,599; in 1869 it was attained rather by the menace of 19,421. On the other hand, offences stringent coercive measures than by (not indictable) disposed of sumtheir actual application. The powers marily were 224,406 in 1870, as of the Government, the magistracy, against 219,969 in the previous year. and the police have, indeed, been Crimes against human life appear at largely increased; but, notwithstand- first sight to be more numerous in ing, personal liberty in Ireland has 1870 than in 1869, but the returns suffered little practical abridgment. are on this point misleading--the The first portion of the Peace Pre- fact being that under this head are servation Act, which prohibits the now enumerated the offences prebearing of arms without a licence, viously unclassified, of “ endangerand imposes other similar restric- ing safety of passengers in railways," tions, is applied to the whole of Ire- and “unlawfully abandoning infant land, with the exception of part of children.” Riots, we find, have inUlster. All the counties of Ireland creased by 34 per cent., perjury by were proclaimed in 1870 under the more than 28 percent., and malicious Act, except Tyrone and some ba- offences against property by 9 per ronies of Antrim, Down, Donegal, cent. At the same time it should Fermanagh, and Londonderry ; 'all be observed that Ireland still mainthe cities and towns were so pro- tains its reputation for comparative claimed, with the single exception freedom from immoral and abominof Carrickiergus. The second por- able offences, from suicide, bigamy, tion of the Act, which authorises the and forgery ; under all these heads arrest of strangers and of persons the returns of 1870 show a diminufound in suspicious circumstances, tion. The decrease in minor offences the closing of public-houses, &c., is principally due to the falling off in was applied during 1870 to Mayo, prosecutions under the Ways Acts, Meath, and Westmeath, and to parts which, however, is almost balanced of Cavan, King's County, Longford, in prosecutions for drunkenness. Roscommon, Tipperary, and Sligo. Dr. Hancock calls attention to the Proceedings were taken under the fact that the increase in a single year Act in 801 cases, but the majority amounts to 75 per cent., indicating, of these were unimportant. Three he contends, ** the need of legislation persons were punished for refusing for dealing with habitual drunkards." to give evidence, and three warrants The distribution of crime throughwere issued against absconding wit out Ireland is a matter both of nesses ; 75 strangers were arrested, political and of statistical interest, but only 14, who were unable to and the recent Census has rendered give satisfactory explanations or se- it possible to exhibit the proportion curity, were detained in custody. of offences to population with the Turning from the details of this utmost exactitude. The average of struggle with treasonable and agra- of heinous crimes--.e, of offences offences against women and chil- the fishery Acts and similar statutes dren ; while, on the other hand, she are more stringently punished in compares unfavourably in cases of the sister kingdom. But nothing malicious destruction of property. can attenuate the significance of the Passing to offences of a minor order, three painful blots on Irish social an opposite result of the comparison life, pointed out by Dr. Hancockis to be noticed. The number of the prevalence of drunkenness, the charges summarily disposed of in frequency of common assaults, and England is in proportion little more the number of vagrant prostitutes. than half the number recorded in These account for the preponderIreland. Dr. Hancock, however, ance of minor offences in Ireland points out that the greater propor- as compared with England. In tion of police to population in Ire- England, however, offences against land tends to a more rigid enforce- the Factory Acts, the Revenue ment of “ statutes which are more a Laws, the Poor Laws, Game Laws, matter of discipline than of crime," and Vagrancy Laws were more such as Acts against Sunday trading. numerous, as might be expected In the same way offences against from our differing social conditions." TO THE HEART'S-EASE. Thou art the violet's sister, gentle flower, The elder and less timid plant, I ween ; Beneath the covert of a leafy screen. To thy contented, velvet-hooded faces; Though Pensée as an appellation graces Of courtly thought. Thus thou art found With “love” and “thought” the waste and garden ground; That I might love and think of Him who did thy tints combine. 1 Reproduced mainly from The Times. |