they are proceeding upon the detailed in- | vestigation of the various matters comprehended in the general object of their enquiry, and which embrace the whole of the financial and commercial as well as political concerns of the company. An examination into the civil and military establishments in India, will form a material branch of that enquiry; and your Committee are already impressed with the necessity of carrying into effect reductions in the amount of those establishments to a very considerable extent. Your Committee are happy to add, that this important subject has also engaged the serious attention of the court of directors, and of their governments abroad. FIRST REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE ON THE COMMITTEE appointed to enquire how far the Evils attending LOTTERIES have been remedied by the LAWS passed respecting the same; and to report their Observations thereupon, and upon such further Measures as may be necessary for Remedy thereof; and who were empowered to report their Opinion thereupon, from time to time, to the House ; deal in lottery tickets without a licence for that purpose from the commissioners of stamp duties, and that the provision to that effect, in the second section of 22 Geo. III. cap. 47, repealed in 1802, and not renewed in the late acts, should be re-enacted, with this addition, that every licensed lottery office keeper should be allowed to take out from the stamp office, in addition to his own licence, a limited number of licences for agents, with a stamp duty of about one-tenth of that paid by himself, in the proportion of two such agents licences, for every 150 tickets shared by him at the stamp office; and that all persons should be forbidden, under a heavy penalty, to act as agents for any lottery office keeper, or to deal in lottery tickets, except persons so licensed. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That in order to prevent persons setting up licensed lottery offices as a cloak for carrying on illegal insurances, the number of tickets réquired to be shared in each lottery, in order to entitle the parties to a licence, should be extended from thirty to one hundred and fifty; and that such licences should be renewed for every lottery, upon the parties continuing to share that number of tickets.-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the limitation of hours during which lottery offices be open for the transaction of busiHAVING been employed in collecting ness, viz. from 8 o'clock in the morning information, and examining witnesses on till 8 o'clock in the evening, enacted the matters referred to them; and having by 22 Geo. iii. cap. 47, and renewed in duly weighed and considered the same, the lottery acts of 1802, and the three folhave come to the following Resolutions: lowing years, but omitted in those of the -Resolved, That it is the opinion of this two last years, ought in future to be reCommittee, That (in case it shall be enacted, without the exception therein thought expedient to continue state lotte- made with respect to Saturday, when lottery ries) the number thereof in each year offices ought to be shut at as early an hour should be limited to two lotteries, of not as on other evenings.-Resolved, That it more than 30,000 tickets each; that the is the opinion of this Committee, That all number of days allowed for drawing, in-persons concerned in hawking about lottery stead of ten, the present number, should tickets and shares for sale, in distributing be brought back to eight for each lottery, hand-bills respecting lotteries otherwise the number fixed in 1802: that the num- than in the offices of licensed persons, in ber of tickets to be drawn each day should illuminating lottery offices for outside be uncertain, and left to the discretion of show, in exhibiting lottery schemes and the commissioners of stamp duties, and bills upon boards, carts, or carriages, in kept secret till the close of the drawing town or country, should be subjected, on each day, care being taken, as the lottery conviction before a magistrate, to a conproceeds, not to leave too great a number siderable penalty, and in default of payundrawn on the latter days of drawing, ment to imprisonment for a limited period. but that one moiety or upwards be drawn-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this on the four first days thereof.-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That no person should be allowed to may Committee, That the exemption of licensed lottery office keepers, from the jurisdiction of justices of the peace, and police magistrates, by inserting in sec. 34 of the last lottery act, the words, "if not licensed to divide tickets into shares in the manner aforesaid," is inexpedient, and ought to be discontinued; and that such lottery office keepers ought in future to be subjected in common with other persons to such jurisdiction. Your Committee are still engaged in collecting evidence on the subject of clandestine insurances and other illegal practices, which, notwithstanding the measures adopted at different times for their prevention, appear still to be carried on to a considerable extent; but not having finished their enquiries, they defer for the present making a final report on the matters referred to them. SECOND REPORT ON LOTTERIES. Ordered to be printed 24th June 1808. THE Committee, &c. HAVING made a report to the house, in the month of April last, at the conclusion of which they informed the house, that they were still engaged in collecting evidence on the subject of clandestine insurances and other illegal practices; which, notwithstanding the measures adopted at different times for their prevention, appeared still to be carried on to a considerable extent. Having collected all the evidence which they have deemed material for the formation of a judgment upon the different points submitted to their consideration, have agreed upon the following Report. Your Committee beg to call your attention to the evidence contained in the appendix, and more particularly to that of Mr. Wood, an officer appointed and paid by government, under the title of "Inspector of Lotteries," from whom your Committee might have expected to derive the most material and satisfactory information upon all the matters referred to them; and more especially upon the steps he had lately taken in the execution of the duties of his office. It is manifest, however, that since the year 1802, when the scheme of the lottery was altered, the inspector of lotteries has performed no duties; and he has declared to your Committee that there do not appear to him to be any duties incumbent upon him to perform. Your Committee have been further informed by Mr. Wood, that he believes, by the regulations adopted since the year 1802, the evils arising from the | lottery have been done away, and illegal insurances suppressed. But the examination of many other witnesses has proved to your Committee that the information so given, by what your Committee had a right to rely on as the most competent authority, is unfortunately altogether erroneous; and your Committee have collected the reasons why information more to be depended upon has not been obtained from the source in question; for the details of which they refer you to the evidence itself.-Your Committee are compelled to state, that the evils of clandestine insurance appear to them to prevail to a much greater extent than they had reason to suspect when they made their first report in the month of April last; and it now appears fairly questionable whether the number of persons concerned in such practices has materially diminished, or the sums adventured have been at all decreased. The greater privacy with which the transactions are conducted of course makes every inquiry into their existence exceedingly difficult, whilst it produces combination, and renders the invention of any real remedy the more hopeless.-Your Committee have applied themselves with great assiduity to that part of their instructions by which they are directed to report upon such further measures as may be necessary for the remedy of the evils attending lotteries; and they submit to the house some account of the law, together with such observations and suggestions as have occurred to them thereupon. -An act was passed (22d Geo. iii. c. 47.) and was intituled, "An act for licensing lottery-office keepers, and regulating the sale of lottery tickets."-The breach of the law was punished by penalties, recoverable before two magistrates, "and the usual powers were given for the recovery of the same, in case of non-payment, by warrant of distress and sale, and for want of sufficient distress, the offender to be sent to the house of correction, for any time not exceeding six months nor less than three, unless the penalty should be sooner paid." A power of mitigation was given to the magistrates, and no penalty could be recovered, unless the offence had been committed within twelve months preceding the commencement of the prosecution -No alteration in the law, with respect to illegal insurance in lotteries, was made until the year 1787, when an act (27th Geo. iii. c. 1.) was passed, for rendering more effectual the laws now in being for suppressing unlawful lotteries. In months nor less than one month, and the preamble to the last-mentioned act, the until the final period of the drawing of 8th Geo. i. c. 2. the 12th Geo. ii. c. 28. the lottery, in respect whereof such of and the 22d Geo. iii. c. 47. are recited; fence should be committed; and that and it is further recited, "that great diffi- the proceeding should be without appeal, culties have arisen upon the methods of and not removeable by Certiorari, or otherconviction of offenders against the said wise into any court whatsoever."—No recited acts before justices of the peace, evidence has been given to the committee and many evasions of the said recited to show what were the difficulties which acts are daily put in practice;" and occurred in the conviction of offenders it was by the 2d sect. enacted, "That under the 22d Geo. iii. c. 47. and the acts from and after the passing of the said act, recited therein; but it appears from the no pecuniary penalties incurred by any preamble to the 27th Geo. iii. c. 1. that person concerned in lotteries should be difficulties had occurred, and that many recovered before any justice, but might be evasions of that act had been put in pracsued for by action in any of the courts at tice. It is therefore reasonable to presume Westminster, and one moiety of the penal- that the provisions of that act had been ties, when recovered, should be applied found insufficient to suppress the practice for the use of his majesty, and the other of insuring in the lottery. In the hope moiety to the person who should sue therefore of more effectually suppressing for the same; and power was given the evil, the 27th Geo. iii. c. 1. was passed; in every such action to hold the offend- but it appears from the evidence of Mr. ers to bail, for any sum not exceeding Estcourt, and more especially from the 500l."-All persons engaged in illegal in- letter from the under-sheriffs of Middlesex, surance might also, under the authority of addressed to him, and contained in his the 3d sec. of the last-mentioned act, be evidence, that the provisions of that act had deemed rogues and vagabonds, under the been perverted to the purposes of extor17th Geo. ii. c. 5.; and power was given tion, and had been productive of very seto the magistrates before whom any per- rious evil.-In order to counteract this son should be prosecuted as a rogue or new evil, the 30th Geo. iii. c. 62. sect. 38. vagabond, to commit the person so pro- was passed, directing that no action should secuted to the house of correction, there be commenced or prosecuted, except in to remain until the next general quarter the name of the attorney general.—In consessions; and the justices are then to in- sequence of the limitation, prescribing vestigate the merits of the case, and to that all actions shall be commenced and proceed according to the provisions con- prosecuted in the name of the attorney tained in the 17th Geo. iii. In conse- general, very few actions have, as appears quence of the representations which were from the evidence given to the commitmade, of the extent to which common in- tee, been commenced since the passing of formers, aided by attornies, had abused the the last-mentioned act, although there is powers given by the 2d sect. of the 27th no doubt that insurance in the lottery is Geo. iii. c. 1. it was enacted, by an act still carried on to a great extent. The passed in the 33d Geo. iii. c. 62. sect. 38. evidence which has been given with re"That from and after the commencement spect to the practical inconveniencies reof the said act, it should not be lawful for sulting from the provisions of the 27th any person to commence or prosecute any Geo. iii. proves, that it would be impolitic action for the recovery of penalties in- again to have recourse to the provisions of flicted by any of the laws touching or that act, and yet it is very difficult to sugconcerning lotteries, unless the same should gest any middle course between limiting be commenced in the name of his majes- the power of commencing actions to the ty's attorney general." And by sect. 40 attorney general, and giving that power to of the same act, it was enacted, "That if common informers. In the one case, there any person should be brought before two will probably be reason to complain of magistrates, and should be convicted of inactivity in enforcing the law, and in the any offence against the statute of the 27th other, of a corrupt and mischievous perverGeo. iii, whereby he should be adjudged a sion of it. It might perhaps be proper to rogue and vagabond, the said magistrates authorize the police magistrates, and the should commit such offender to the house magistrates of the city, to direct actions of correction, there to remain for any to be commenced, when evidence to warspace of time not exceeding six calendarrant that direction shall have been given VOL. XI. Appendix. a upon oath before them. This however | any want of attention to the subject, or would he a novel and perhaps an improvi- zeal in the execution of their dutydent power to grant, and considerable diffi- In truth, the foundation of the lottery is culty would occur in carrying the prin- so radically vicious, that your Committee ciple into effect.—By the 27th Geo. iii . all feel convinced that, under no system of persons engaged in illegal insurance might regulations which can be devised, will it ! be treated as rogues and vagabonds, under be possible for parliament to adopt it as the 17th Geo. ii. c. 5. and the magistrates an efficient source of revenue, and at tbe had the power of committing them to the same time divest it of all the evils and house of correction until the next general calamities of which it has hitherto proved quarter sessions. It appears from the so baneful a source.—A spirit of adventure evidence given to the committee, that in must be excited amongst the community, the interval between the commitment and in order that government may derive froin the trial, the witnesses were generally it a pecuniary resource. That spirit is to tampered with or removed, and conviction be checked at a certain given point, in became impossible. In order to obviate order that no evils may attend it—the this difficulty, a power was given by 33 latter object has not hitherto been attained Geo. iii. to two magistrates, to commit with all the pains which have been besuch persons to the house of correction for stowed upon it . Your Committee are of any period not exceeding six months nor opinion, that its attainment is impossible.less than one, and until the end of the draw- The ingenuity of persons interested in ing of the lottery, in respect of which the breaking the law, is always upon the offence had been committed; and the pro- watch for its new enactments, and has ceeding was without appeal, and not re- hitherto always bafled the sagacity of the movable by Certiorari or otherwise into legislature. Added to which, there can any other court. From this enactment, it be no hope of greater purity amongst the appears that the legislature has been under persons employed to detect and bring the nocessity of granting very large and offenders to punishment than has been extraordinary powers to magistrates, in hitherto experienced, or than now exists. order to diminish the evil arising from in- The statute book is burthened with regusurance in lotteries, and the circumstances lations entirely repugnant to the spirit of which gave rise to it shew that no pecuni- the constitution, rigorous and oppressive ary means are wanting to enable those in the extreme, which, if they are ever who are engaged in this practice to evade executed, fall only upon the ignorant and the punishment of the law.-Your Com- destitute, whilst the wealthy and more mittee have to lament that it is not in their profiigate hold them in utter contempt: power to furnish to the house any more and this unseemly state of things is allowed satisfactory result of this part of their la- to continue, in order that the state may bours: but when it was recollected that derive a certain annual sum from the parfor many years past the attention of the tial encouragement of a vice, which it is most acute and ingenious persons, well the object of the law, in all other cases, acquainted with the whole of the lottery and at all other times, most diligently to system, both legal and fraudulent, under repress.- In the mean time, your Comthe auspices of successive ministers, have mittee find, that by the effects of the lotbeen directed to this object without suc- tery, even under its present restrictions, cess; that it has been represented to your idleness, dissipation and poverty are inCommittee, that the lottery and illegal in- creased, the most sacred and confidential surances are inseparable; that the former trusts are betrayed, domestic comfort is cannot exist without the latter for its sup- destroyed, madness often created, crimes, port; that a system of connivance in those subjecting the perpetrators of them to the acts which the law prohibits pervades all punishment of death, are committed, and ranks concerned, from the persons contract- even suicide itself is produced, as will fully ing with government under the law, down appear by the evidence submitted to the to the meanest wretch employed in the vio- house. Such have been the constant and lation of the law, and its most ordinary vic- fatal attendants upon State Lotteries, and tim: your Committee did not enter upon such your Committee have too good this matter with much prospect of success, ground to fear will be their invariable and do not therefore feel any very great attendants so long as they are suffered, disappointment at the issue. They are under whatever checks or regulations, to persuaded the house will not impute to them exist. The question naturally occurs to : themselves with so much industry and so little success to the same subject, and to whom the public are indebted for their attempt to correct the evils, which, in the opinion of your Committee, can only be done away by the suppression of the cause from which they are derived. THIRD REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE ON your Committee, whether any pecuniary | rally end in abject poverty and complete advantage, however large or convenient, ruin. If after all that has been stated, can compensate to a state for the amount and a perusal of the evidence, the house of vice and misery thus necessarily pro- shall think proper to sanction the adoption duced by the levy of it.-The answer to of the lottery in any future session of parthis question is submitted to your wisdom liament, your Committee recommend to and deliberation. But in order that the your consideration the various suggestions house may come to a decision, in every contained in their two Reports for the view so important to the interests and alteration of the law, from which they are happiness of the community, without pre- willing to hope, at least, that some benefijudice, your Committee cannot conclude cial selection may be made. But they without expressing a decided opinion, cannot flatter themselves with the expectathat the pecuniary advantage derived from tion that they have been much more fortua state lottery, is much greater in appear-nate than the able persons who have applied ance than in reality. When we take into consideration the increase of poor's rates arising from the number of families driven by speculations in the lottery, whether fortunate or otherwise, to seek parochial relief, the diminished consumption of exciseable articles during the drawings, and other circumstances deducible from the evidence, they may well be considered to operate as a large deduction from the gross sums paid into the Exchequer by the contractors. On the other hand, the sum raised upon the people is much greater in proportion to the amount received by the State, than in any other branch of revenue. -No mode of raising money appears to your Committee so burthensome, so pernicious, and so unproductive; no species of adventure is known, where the chances are so great against the adventurer; none where the infatuation is more powerful, lasting, and destructive. In the lower classes of society the persons engaged, whether successful or unfortunate, are, generally speaking, either immediately or ultimately tempted to their ruin; and there is scarcely any condition of life so destitute and abandoned, that its distresses have not been aggravated by this allurement to gaming, held forth by the state. Your Committee are conscious that they are far from having exhausted all the grounds upon which it might be urged, that the lottery ought not to be resorted to as a financial resource. The reasoning upon them appears to your Committee to apply with peculiar force to the situation, the habits, and all the circumstances of a great manufacturing and commercial nation, in which it must be dangerous, in the highest degree, to diffuse a spirit of speculation, whereby the mind is misled from those habits of continued industry which insure the acquisition of comfort and independence, to delusive dreams of sudden and enormous wealth, which most gene Third Report from the Committee, ap- THE House having, by an instruction of * The First and Second Reports of the Committee of Finance will be found in the Appendix to vol. ix. |