The Voice Of Humanity

oUr best appreciation of all that is noble , and all that is beneficent , it is one , we take occasion to say , which none can afford boldly to criticize or perversely to disobey , for it sometimes rings truer than even the honied words of legislators , or the empirical debates of childish assemblies ,

and speaks home both to the individual and public conscience in language , if of the sternest , yet the most beneficial , which none can effect to Misinterpret , none can pretend to misconstrue . Surely it is a good thing for us all to keep before us that , doubt it as we may , call it sentimental

or term it visionary as we will , it will be heard , and will lift up a warning note , amid the shrieks of the d ying and the tortured , amid the foul orgies of rapine and the heartrending desolations of dishonour , ! amid all those various and all those fearful scenes

which war incites to , and which war is powerless to restrain . It is not without some natural if homely feelings of pride that we turn to-day from accounts teeming with savage ferocity , and all that degrades , all that stains , all that brutalises humanity , to a record of noble efforts in the great

and sacred cause of simple Humanity . We read of many funds collected for the suffering , the maimed , and the penniless in this Oriental war , and we note them with genuine satisfaction . Lady Burdett-Coutts , always benevolent and large-hearted , has set on foot a fund which has already reached noble proportions , sS 6 ooo having

been sent in a few days to our Ambassador at Constantinople for "Fugitive Women , Children , Non-combatants , Christians , Hebrews , Mahomedans , " whose destitution is dreadful , whose misery is extreme . We wish this goodly and p hilanthropic effort all the success it merits . We also read of similar funds on one side or the

other ; and to each and all , as offering the succours of Humanity , we bid God speed ! This is surely a more pleasant topic to think of than burning villages , massacred wounded soldiers , dishonoured helpless women , and executed Bulgarians . These are scenes from which humanity turns away in grief and detestation ,

Yet , the angel of Humanity seems as it were to lift its wings of peaceful protection over all those fiery combatants , and if it had its way , amid the wretchedness and hateful passions of war , it would say to these surging masses of deplorable conflicts , " Peace , be still . " We also gladly call attention to the Famine Fund for our afflicted

fellow citizens in Hindustan , and we trust that the Lord Mayor ' s kindly efforts may be fully rewarded by the warm-hearted " largesse " of a great people . As Freemasons , amid many regrettable events and mournful episodes , we still

venture to believe in that great voice of Humanity , which never spoke more seasonably than now , when offering to the helpless and innocent victims of a sanguinary war all that philanthropy can counsel , all that beneficence can supply .

The Metropolitan Police.

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE .

At a time when so maay discussions , and so many sensational statements are carried on and scattered about relative to this most meritorious bod y of men , it seems well to note and remem ber its hourly and daily services of remarkable

importance to that vast population which is agglomerated in our sweet " little village . " Colonel Henderson ' s report for * 18 / 6 , deserves careful perusal , not only for its own intrinsic value as a careful and authoritative record of

statistical weight , but also for the lucid manner in which the main points of detail and the chief facts of public interest are brought before us in a skilful and convenient grouping . The strength of the police on the 31 st of December , 1876 , was 10 , 268 , being an increase of three sergeants and

38 constables only , over 1875 . Special duties absorb the services of 4 superintendents , 53 inspectors , 146 sergeants , and 1054 constables 5 and of these 4 superintendants , 89 sergeants , and £ 36 constables constitute the dockyard service , the rest being employed by the

government , public offices , and private individuals . 21 superintendants , 224 inspectors , 907 sergeants , and 7859 constables are available for Police duty of various kinds in the metropolitan ^ 'stricts . It seems that no less than 226 new icV ? r ' * 3 new sc l uares have Deen opened in 7 < J and are now under the police

The Metropolitan Police.

arrangements ; they extend over 36 miles and 1074 yards . 12 , 93 8 new houses were built in 1876 , and 4151 were building , and building is still on the increase . Since 1850 , 12 47 miles of new streets have been opened in London , and so far the tide has not been turned , but

is moving on . Where it will end , who can say ? 76 , 214 persons were arrested by the police , during 1876 5 an increase of 3608 over 1875 , and 8511 over 1874 . This increase is due to the apprehension of drunken and dissolute persons , and females especially , we are sorry to note . The

arrests for drunkenness show a decrease of 208 , being 1 . 5 , 842 , against 16 , 050 in 18 75 , but drunk and disorderly show an increase of 15 60 over 1875 . We regret to add that the total arrests for drunkenness amount to 32 , 325 , while drunk and disorderly and bad characters , male and

females amount to 38 , 74 6 . We quite concur with Col . Henderson ' s remarks , that though the average during the last six years has been higher than that of the preceeding years , there does not appear to be any great increase of drunkenness among the population , and much of the apparent

increase of late years is due to the activity of the police . The convictions against " drink houses " have decreased from 1034 in 1868 , to 186 in 1876 , and if some apparent incongruity exists as to the large amount of drunkenness still

exhibited , and the conviction of " drink houses it is just possible that , like as with the first constitutional Texan judge , the action of the police in this respect may be "Justice modified by circumstances . " The number of indictable offences

were 13 , 990 in 1876 , as against 12 . 228 in 1875 , while the apprehensions were 4 ^ 34 as against 4018 , and convictions 2476 3 s against 2343 . 11 , 904 summonses were issued on the application of the police in 1876 , and which resulted in 10 , 971 convictions and 033 dismissals , a very striking

proportion indeed . 3203 persons suffering from street accidents were conveyed by the police to the hospitals ; 130 persons were killed and 274 ° were injured by cabs , omnibuses , light carts , & c . The irrepressible butcher boys and " cheeky hansoms" seem to be the principal delinquents .

4152 persons have been apprehended as vagrants , and 18 , 881 stray dogs have been taken up and conveyed to the Dogs' Home , or otherwise disposed of . Since 1867 , 97 , 886 dogs have been removed from the streets . During 18 7 6 , 8530 windows and 16 , 767 doors were found open or

insufficiently fastened , so that out of 4834 felonious entries 351 E were through the doors and windows , and 239 into unprotected houses ; 477 into unfinished houses , being 4229 felonies the result of , more or less , of carelesness out of 4834 . During 1876 , 172 police officers have

been removed through misconduct , though from all causes the police lost 1122 . The conduct of the force , Colonel Henderson says , has been " exceedingly good . " The police attended 479 fires in 1876 . Assaults on the police seem to be on the increase , 2941 being reported in 1876 ,

many very aggravated . Would it not be possible in gross cases of assault to levy fines as well as imprisonment , or give an additional term of prison discip line ? During 1876 11 , 805 persons were reported as missing . Of these 853 1 were children under ten . 3128 children and 779

adults were found by the police and restore 4 to their friends , and all accounted for , except eig ht children and 140 adults , a very serious and even alarming proportion , suggesting many painful considerations . With respect to public carriages , Colonel

Henderson says : — " The inspection of public carriages and horses has been satisfactorily carried out by the inspectors specially appointed for that duty . During the year 3 86 horses and 343 1 public carriages were reported as unfit for public use , and notices not to use the same served

upon the proprietors . In most cases in which proceedings were taken before the magistrates convictions were obtained ; 95 omnibuses , 272 hansoms , and 363 four-wheeled cabs were rejected as unfit for public use . During the year 50 new omnibuses and 400 new cabs ( principally

hansoms ) were placed on the streets . No new style of Hackney carriage demanding special notice has been introduced . The following licenses were issued during the year : —Metropolitan stage carriages , 14 , 4 88 ; Hackney carriages , 8262 ; drivers of stage or Hackney

The Metropolitan Police.

carriages , 13 , 012 ; conductors , 3742 . I regret that I cannot report any diminution in the convictions for drunkenness and furious driving , there being a slight increase in both classes of offence . The regulations regarding property left in licensed carriages came into force in 1870 ,

and during the last seven years 83 , 393 articles have been found in public carriages and deposited at the Lost Property Office . In the year 1876 15 , 680 articles were deposited . Many valuable articles were deposited during the year , the principal of which were a bag of jewellery valued in

at £ 1000 , a case containing ^ IOOO Bank of England notes , a diamond necklet at £ 1000 . The driver was suitably rewarded in each case foe depositing the same . We have perhaps been a little prolix with this important report , but we wish , for obvious reasons to show the magnitude

of the work the Metropolitan Police dail y and hourly carry on , and how great and valuable are their services to property and order in our great metropolis . With regard to the detection of great offences especially large robberies of jewels

and the like , the difficulties of our police are many and serious . Uulike other count .-ies , the operations of a secret police are a good deal objected to in England , and our skilled detection in consequence hardly deserves that name , but is detection carried on under difficulties . That

many rascals and scoundrels trade on crimiuality , and live in riot and plunder of the goods of the public , is we fear the inevitable accompaniment of all large cities , and is too true as regards London especially , but let us hope that Colonel Henderson ' s next report may announce a larger and more satisfactory development of skilled and successful detection .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 1

NAMES OF NEW LODGES . To tlie Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sit and Brother , — I note an increasing tendency amongst us to call lodges by the names of living individuals , and as I doubt the policy and propriety of such a custom , Masonically speaking , I think it well to ventilate the matter in

your columns . I exclude from my remarks the names of various members of our Royal Family , because that may fairly be defended on the grounds of Masonic loyalty . Neither do I for one complain of the names of distinguished rulers of the Craft and worthy Masons , whose services to our Order are well known . But I do object to the use of names of persons of whom little is known , Masonically ,

and whose local reputation may perhaps depend on this or that political party , this or that section of society , this or that denomination . Several instances have of late occurred of such injudicious selection of names for lodges , and as your columns are always open to the complaints of Masons , I make mine to-day . Yours fraternally , Rouoii Asnun .

SOME CORRECTIONS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Let me call your attention to some needful corrections in my leader , "A Few Words to the Roman Catholic Authorities . " For instance , " foro conscientiae " should read , " to be binding foro conscientia :, or obligitory

on any one ; " a " caput mortium" should be " mortuum ; " and the reader must please insert " unless , inde : d , the personal , " before " infallibility , " & c . " This realms " should read " this realm , " and •' larty " " laity , " and your readers must strike out a very superfluous " that " before " we cannot expect them , " & c . Yours fraternally , THE WRITER OF THS ARTICLE .

GRAND LODGE OF CUBA . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I suppose you may have known , by the Chain * d ? Union de Paris , and the Monde Maconninue , that we have an Independent Grand Lodge of F . and A . M . at the Island of Cuba , whose official journal is mine ; La

poz de Hiram . Our new Grand Lodge has been highly greeted and successful in the United States and Europe . We have , besides the recognition and treaty of friendship , of the " Grand Orient of Spain , " the recognition of the Grand Lodges of Delaware , Pennsylvania , Marylahd and New York ; a number of triumphs , quite enough for the short

time of life we yet have reached . —from 1 st August , 1875 . I suppose you may occasionally have seen this news in the American Masonic papers , and in thc Grand Lodge Proceedings of the U . S . We have in due time requested the recognition of your three Grand Lodges ; but , as we sent the papers by Prov . Grand Master Burke , of Jamaica , I cannot be sure that they have been duly received ; and have not been able to