Report from the Select Committee on Contagious Diseases Acts, together with the proceedings of the committee, minutes of evidence, and appendix, 1882.

Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on the Contagious Diseases Acts.

Date:: 1882

Credit: Report from the Select Committee on Contagious Diseases Acts, together with the proceedings of the committee, minutes of evidence, and appendix, 1882. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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$10 March 1882.] Mr. Wkeford. [^Continued, Mr. JVilliam Fowler—continued, selves in tliem. As I said before, there is a military police and a naval police, and they ])re- vent a great deal of what formerly used to occur. 182. That is to say, a drunken soldier or sailor is immediately taken up ?—Yes. 183. Then have they not more amusements and reci-eations provided for them in the bar- racks ?—Yes, very much more ; by the autho- rities. 184. Is there not a change also with regard to the mode of jiayment?—Yes, they are not paid as they used to be. For instance, years ago, when i w-ent to Plymouth, when they paid otf a ship, the place would be all up in arms; but now ■when they are paid oif there is a steamer pro- vided, and they go to Portsmouth and other places, or they go to homes. I have known gailors paid off with 40 /. or 50 /. at a time, but DOW I think they are j)aid at different times on the voyage, and not in such large amounts. 185. 'Ihen the whole condition of the soldier or the sailor, when he is in Plymouth, is far more comfortable, is it not, than it formerly was?— Y'es. 186. And altogether he is in a better position since you can recollect ?—Yes, I should say so. 187. AVe had a statement made by Mr. Anniss, at Question 3299, where he is asked : I sup- pose from the facilities for seduction being diminished in that way you would infer that seduction itself has decreased ? And his answer is, '■ Yes ; 1 have not the slightest doubt that it has decreased very much. I get instances of it. Then he is asked, Could you support ■what you state by any particular instances ? And he replies, I know gentlemen have com- plained, ' \Ve cannot get a ])lace in Plymouth to go to.''' Then I myself asked this question, Under what law do you suppress them ? And his answer was, If I find a brothel is being conducted in that way, that is, taking in young girls and married women, and the police are prevented from cautioning them, 1 place a man in such a position as to shut them up. ( Q.) Under the ordinary law? {A.) Under a regulation for such cases. Do you understand how those men can shut up a hoiise ; under what law can they do it?—I do not know of any such law. 188. I tliink I have asked you sufficient ques- tions to l>ring out the fact that you differ from Mr. Anniss as regards the effect of the Contagious Diseases Acts police on the condition of the town of Plymouth, and that you attribute the change and improvement lliat has taken place as regards the oi-der and decency of the town, and as regards the shutting up of these houses, to the action of the ordinary law, which is independent of the Contagious Diseases Acts and not to these Acts at all ?—Yes. Dr. Farqnharson. 189. Have you any connection at all with the action of the Contagious Diseases Regulations in Plymouth and Devonport?—No. 190. Then what is your position exactly with reference to Mr. Anniss; are you entirely dis- tinct from him ?—Yes; entirely. 191. Y'ou are conducting your operations entirely separately ?—Yes. Dr. Farquharson—continued. 192. Mr. Anniss, in his evidence, talked of his reducing the number of brothels, and you say that you reduce them?—Certainly. 193. Mr. Anniss also claims the credit of having reduced them by his action?—He assumes 80. 194. For instance, at Question 3168, he is asked this: You visited the brothels for lour years before the Acts came into operation, but not having then the powers which were after- wards given to you by the Acts, you were unable to reduce tlie number of either ihe brothels or the common women ? You consider that Mr. Anniss's action has had nothing to do with the reduction of brothels in those places that you speak off—Not at all, or not directly ; I do not know what he may have done indirectly. 195. You having been connected with Ply- mouth and Devonjjort for 19 years, do you remember the condition of things before and after the Acts came into operation?—Yes; I know it from 1863. 196. Is there any difference in the condition of the town before and after the Acts came into operation?—Yes, there is not at all so much disorder now; it is very much more orderly, especially in certain parts of the town. 197. There is less molestation in the streets on the part of the prostitutes ?—Taking the numbers, I rather doubt that. There is less, certainly. 198. At all events the number of brothels has been largely diminished?—Yes. 199. And also the number of prostitutes?— Yes. 200. Then to what do you attribute the reduc- tion in the number of brothels and the number of prostitutes?—I attribute the reduction of brothels a great deal to the action we have taken. 201. Have you had any increased powers con- ferred upon you in conse([uence of the introduc- tion of the Contagious Diseases Act ?^No. 202. Then why is it that such a veiy sudden diminution of prostitution and of the number of brothels took place within the few years following the operation of the Acts?—In the first place the Plymouth j)olice was augmented, and there was some new blood brought in. There was a new superintendent and several new officers, and the watch conunittee took it upon them to have better order maintained in the streets, and that those places should be prosecuted under thisbye- law^ Previouslv to 1865 thai was never done. 203. Might you not have taken advantage of your undoubted power to check prostitution and brothels before 1865 ?—No, not at all. 204. Then you cannot explain why this sudden change took place coincident with the introduction of the Contagious Diseases Acts ?—I cannot. 205. AVould you admit that the Contagious Diseases Acts and the operation of the police, &c., have sti.nulated the ordinary machinery of the law into fresh activity?—Not that I am aware of. As far as I am personally concerned I know it has not; I have always carried out the duties straightforwardly. 206. You are quite unable to explain the ex- traordinary increase of activity on the part of the police at Plymouth and Devonport coincident with$