the ribs, and said quite quietly, and oh, so drily,
with a knowing wink,
"I've—got—THE RECEIPT."

THE BENGAL POLICE.

THE Bengal police has been in existence for
eighteen months; and, although its organisation
is materially the same as the constabulary
systems of Madras and the North-West Provinces—
is in fact identical with that of Ireland—there
are comparatively few in this country who are
aware of the field it opens out for young men.

The foundation of police reform in Bengal
is due to a minute by Sir J. P. Grant in
November, 1854. He contended for the severance
of the functions of criminal judge, from those of
thief-catcher and public prosecutor, then
combined in the office of magistrate; and he strongly
argued that government should "work out this
one sound improvement to the utmost" by sub-
dividing the districts, and having in each sub-
division an officer, whose sole duty should be
"to control the police of the sub-division, but
without any judicial power whatever."

Before the new force was established, there
were two kinds of police in Bengal;—the
military police, and the civil police. The former
were nothing more nor less than native
regiments, or, as they were designated,
"battalions," were under the charge of commandants
and adjutants, and were essentially military;
the latter were under the control of the
chief magistrate of the district, and in no way
interfered with the duties of the battalions.

The military police had an enormous and
very troublesome frontier to guard, Bengal
being more exposed to the depredations of semi-
savage tribes than any other government in
India. In the Coles, the Santhals, the Assamee,
the Kookies, and others, this presidency always
had an element of danger within its own
territory, while the frontier was exposed to the
depredations of the misgoverned Bootanese, and
innumerable uncivilised hill tribes. It was to
obviate the necessity of keeping up the two distinct
forces mentioned, that the present Bengal police
was organised.

They are not soldiers, but constables. They
have to undergo a certain amount of drill to
secure discipline and proper spirit. All are
taught the use of arms, which are a light
carbine and sword, in the proportion of one firearm
and sword to every two men. They never
carry arms except when employed on treasure
escort or jail duty, the bâton being the ordinary
and sufficient instrument of defence. They are
not required to observe the strict discipline
essential in a military body. The details of
police administration is in the hands of the
officers of the force, and the magistracy can in
no way interfere, although supposed to exercise
a general control. This control, however, is
confined to the chief magistrate of the district,
and does not extend to sub-divisional authorities.
Even his powers are of a most general description;
the police being, in fact, a departmentally
distinct body, sudordinate to its own officers only.

The various grades of officers, with the salary
attached to each, are as follows:

The deputy-inspectors-general are responsible
for the efficiency of the whole police in their
divisions, and are constantly moving about
from one district to another, keeping a watchful
eye on the general working of the police system.
The district superintendents and assistants have
by no means easy work, and if they conscientiously
perform their duties, have little leisure
time left them. Every offence, however small,
has to be thoroughly investigated before it is
sent up to the magistrate. If a murder be
committed miles away from a station, the moment
the news is brought in, an officer has to gallop
off to the locality and hold a kind of coroner's
inquest; and, when we consider that the scene of
the murder may be thirty or forty miles distant,
that turnpike roads are not so common in India
as they are in England, and that travelling is by
no means as pleasant, though possibly more
exciting, it will be allowed that the service is
no child's play or recreation, but downright
hard work. Every morning the men off duty
are paraded and drilled, then the daily reports
from each quarter of the districts are brought
in, the prisoners are examined, and the charges
made out. During Cutcherry—that is, while the
court is sitting—the officers of police are in
attendance, unless employed on any other special
duty. Disturbances are of the commonest
description, whether it be amongst the indigo