ulo ba port, and aided by a vigorous and united administration, formed on the most liberal basis, I shall look with additional confidence to a prosperous issue of the most arduous contest in which Great Britain was ever engaged. You are authorised to communicate these sentiments to Lord Grey, who, I have no doubt, will make them known to Lord Grenville.

I am always, dearest Frederick, your affectionate brother,

(Signed) GEORGE P. R. Carlton-house, Feb. 13, 1812.

P. S. I shall send a copy of this letter immediately to Mr. Perceval.

Letter from Lords Grey and
Grenville.

February 15, 1812. Sir,-We beg leave most humbly to express to your Royal Highness our dutiful acknowledgements for the gracious and condescending manner in which you have had the goodness to communicate to us the letter of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, on the subject of the arrangements to be now made for the future administration of the public affairs; and we take the liberty of availing ourselves of your gracious permission to address to your Royal Highness in this form what has occurred to us in consequence of that communication.

The Prince Regent, after expressing to your Royal Highness in that letter his sentiments on various public matters, bas, in the concluding paragraph, condescended to intimate his wish that "some of those persons with whom the early habits of his public life were formed would strengthen his Royal Highness's hands, and constitute a part of his government;" and his

Royal Highness is pleased to add, "that with such support, aided by,, a vigorous and united administration, formed on the most liberal basis, he would look with additional confidence to a prosperous issue of the most arduous contest. in which Great Britain has ever been engaged."

On the other parts of his Royal Highness's letter we do not presume to offer any observations; but on the concluding paragraph, in so far as we may venture to suppose ourselves included in the gracious wish which it expresses, we owe it, in obedience and duty to his Royal Highness, to explain ourselves with frankness and sincerity.

We beg leave most earnestly to assure his Royal Highness, that no sacrifices, except those of honour and duty, could appear to us too great to be made, for the purpose of healing the divisions of our country, and uniting both its government and its people. All per sonal exclusion we entirely disclaim: we rest on public measures; and it is on this ground alone that we must express, without reserve, the impossibility of our uniting with the present government. Our differences of opinion are too many and too important to admit of such an union. His Royal Highness will, we are confident, do us the justice to remember, that we have twice already acted on this impression; in 1809, on the proposition then made to us under his Majesty's authority; and last year, when his Royal Highness was pleased to require our advice respecting the for mation of a new government. The reasons which we then humbly submitted to him are strengthened by the increasing dangers of the times; nor has there, down to this moment,

aforesaid, as may be thought most

effectual for the benefit of General the Earl of Wellington, and his family.

"G. P. R."

Message from the Prince Regent respecting the Princesses, March

20.

GEORGE P. R.

His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, thinks it necessary to acquaint the House of Commons, that, în pursuance of the powers vested in his Majesty by two acts passed in the 18th and 30th years of his present Majesty's reign, his Majesty was graciously pleased, by letters patent, bearing date February 2, 1812, to grant to their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia, an annuity of 30001. agreeably to the provisions and subject to the limitation of the said acts, which grant was to take effect from the demise of his Majesty; and his Royal Highness being desirous, in the present situation of the royal family, to be enabled to provide for the establishment of their Royal Highnesses the Princesses, by an immediate grant, recommends to the House of Commous to take the subject into its con sideration, and to enable his Royal Highness to make such provision for their Royal Highnesses the Princesses, as in the liberality of parliament may be thought suitable to the actual situation of the Princesses, and to the circumstances of the present time.

Report on the Nightly Watch and Police of the Metropolis.

The report of the committee ap pointed to examine into the state of the nightly watch in the metropolis and the parishes adjacent, and further into the state of the police, and who were empowered to report their observations, from time to time, to the house, is printed.

The committee observe, that they first directed their inquiries to the state of the nightly watch. Had they found the defects in this part of the system of our police to have been such, at this moment, as to have demanded the immediate interposition of the legislature, they would have made an early report; but they had the satisfaction of observing, that the apprehensions which had been excited, had produced such a degree of activity and vigilance in many parishes and districts, and such a conviction that the former means of security were insufficient, that all immediate alarms on this head had been in a great measure removed.

In some parishes, indeed, the zeal and energy of the inhabitants appears to have been the most exemplary and meritorious; they have agreed to take upon themselves, in rotation, the duties of superintendants of the nightly watch, to visit and inspect the watch-houses, the constables, beadles, patroles, and stationary watchmen; and a system of the nightly watch, thus introduced by voluntary exertions of the householders, has been so effectual, that your committee think it necessary only to recommend such measures to be enforced

enforced by legislative enactment, as would give an uniformity and permanency to such a system. The metropolis is considered as divided into three parts:

"The city of London, properly so called, and the liberties thereof; the city of Westminster, and the liberties thereof; the several parishes which are neither within the city of London and its liberties, or the city of Westminster and its liberties."

The city of London is governed by various ancient charters and statutes. The statute of the 13th of Edward I. (Statutum Civitatis London,) is one of the most ancient; but the principal act which at this time regulates the nightly - watch of the city of London, is the 10 Geo. II. c. 22. by which the :. Lord Mayor, aldermen, and comtamon council, are directed yearly to + make regulations on this subject, and the aldermen and common councilmen in each ward are to carry these regulations into effect, and make such minor regulations as to details, as they may judge necessary. The act specifies the duties of the constables and watchmen, and prescribes the mode in which they are to be punished for misconduct or neglect.

The city of London, from the nature of its magistracy, the description of its various public offieers, the gradation and subordination of their various classes, the r.division and subdivision of its local e-limits, affords an example of that -unity, and of that dependance of parts on each other, without which no well constructed and efficient resystem of police can ever be expected. If such a system could be successfully imitated in Westmine 2 ster and its liberties, and within the

other adjacent parishes, considera ble benefit might be expected; for your committee are disposed to concur with several witnesses, that a well arranged system of superintendance, vigilance, and controul, would tend more to the prevention of crimes, than any degree of activity in the pursuit and conviction of criminals: however, the two systems are not only not incompatible, but would afford mutual aid and assistance to each other.

This system of watch and ward, adapted by the legislature to the city of London, is not a dead letter, but is kept alive and in action by the constant superintendance of the marshals of the city, with their assistants, who every night visit the different wards and precincts, and take care that the constables, beadles, and watchmen of all descriptions, are alert and do their duty. Morning reports are made to the Lord Mayor; deficiencies are noticed, as well as any disorders or irregularities, or other occurrences.

The city of Westminster, having never been incorporated, is not provided with the same means, and the same gradations of its public officers, to insure the unity and efficiency of its exertions for the prevention of crimes.

By the statute of the 27th of Elizabeth, presiding and subordi nate officers are appointed, and powers given to the dean and chapter, and to the high steward, and others, to make regulations for the good government of Westminster. Lord Burleigh was the first high steward, and a code of regulations was introduced by him, and a division of its local limits into 12 wards. This statute-is specially referred to, and its powers enlarged,

enlarged, by the 29 Geo. II. c. 25. and by the 31 Geo. II. c. 17. and an unity and gradation of authority are endeavoured to be established; and the high constable is directed to obey the orders of the high steward, and the petty constables to obey the high steward.

The duties and superintendance of the high steward have fallen into great disuse, although very important duties are imposed on him. It appears, however, that on great occasions of ceremony, he has from time to time personally interfered, and put himself at the head of the whole civil force of the city of Westminster, marshalling and arranging the subordinate officers. The present high steward, the Marquis of Buckingham, is stated to have so interfered at the funeral of Lord Nelson and Mr. Pitt.

The statute of 14 Geo. III. c. 90. seems to have superseded this sys tem. It is a local act applicable to the city and liberties of Westminster, and certain other parishes therein named; and prescribes the duties of constables, beadles, paharoles, and watchmen. It is not founded upon the principle of 10 Geo. Il ca 22 which relates to the : city of London, but it limits the discretionary powers of the different parochial authorities, and prescribes the exact manner in which the various descriptions of persons employed must discharge their duties, and defines the smallest number which each parish is to employ, and the lowest amount of wages to be paid. It details the manner in which misconduct and neglect is to be punished, and meritorious exertions rewarded. It observable, that both these sta

tutes refer to the ancient statute of watch and ward, the 13th Edw. I. and recognize the principle, that the protection of every district is a compulsory duty incumbent on the inhabitants; and, therefore, an express clause is inserted in each of these acts, to discharge from this duty such inhabitanes as shall contribute to the rate for defraying the expense of such ward and watch. Other parishes or hamlets are governed by particular acts of parliament, authorising the raising of rates for watching and lighting; but, in many cases, the execution of the law is extremely defective, and in some cases the power of raising money is inadequate. In other parishes there is no legíslative provision; and neither the magistracy or the government have at present any connection whatever with the state of the watch, and no controul or superintendance

over it.

Your committee feel that much would be done by merely extending the provisions of the 14 Geo. III. to the adjacent parishes in and near the metropolis, provided it were duly executed; but they are convinced that it may receive very beneficial amendments, for the details of which they would refer to the appendix, stating here only, that in raany instances it may be absolutely necessary to give powers for levying a higher rate than is now allowed, in order to defray the expense arising from an increase of the numbers or wages of the persons employed in different capacities in the nightly watch; your committee being strongly impressed with the opinion of the expediency, if not necessity, of relieving the watch once