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 Marcli 1882.] Mr. Lynn. \_Continued, Dr. Cameron—continued, solicitation in Devonport, because a complaint 3oon reaches me. If a gentleman is solicited he complains of it, and our watch committee meets every Thursday night, and if any of their friends have been solicited I hear of it at once; and I usually put a man in plain clothes to pre- vent it. 464. Are you aware of any cases in .which proceedings have been instituted before the magistrates in Devonport by the Contagious Diseases Acts' police for the suppression of jirostitution in connection with disorderly con- duct?—Never. 465. There is some case which you wish to mention which occurred in 1870, is there not, in which Inspector Anniss instituted proceedings before the magistrates?—There were two women brought up then for not complying with the Act. One of them was discharged, and the other was ordered to submit to examination. I think those are the only two cases that have occurred in Devonport under the Act. Anniss or his men have not been in the police court there for many years. Dr. Farquharson. 466. I understand that jovl challenge Mr. Anniss's statistics about the reduction of prosti- tution in Devonport ?—I challenge many of his answers as being not quite accurate. 467. You challenge his figures as regards the reduction of prostitution in Devonport?—Not his figures only. I think his figures were much too high in 1866, more than the actual number ; but afterwards, in 1867,1868, •and 1869, his figures and mine were almost identical. Mr. Osborne Morgan. 468. I think it is common ground both to you and .Mr. Anniss that prostitution has very much decreased since 1866 in Devonport; you admit that the streets have been better, and that bro- thels have decreased?—Brothels have decreased, but the decrease has only been recently, and not through my action, or anyone else's. 469. I only want to get the fact. Mr. Wre- ford, speaking of Plymouth, admitted, and I pre- sume you will admit too, that there has been a steady diminution in the number of brothels and in the number of prostitutes, and a steady im- provement in the condition of the streets, which I suppose would be the natural result of a diminu- tion of prostitution, since 1864 or 1865; is not that so?—No, I do not admit that there has been a steady decrease, 470. There has been a decrease, at any rate ? —Yes. Sir Henry Wolff. 471. You stated, did you not, that in 1866 there were in Devonport 152 prostitutes ?—In 1866 I think I have said that there were 152. 472. And you acknowledge that Mr. Anniss was right about 1881 when he takes the number as 82 ?—Yes, he is not far wrong. 473. Therefore there has been a diminution of nearly one-half?—Yes. Sir Henry ffolff—continued. 474. Has the po|)uhition of Devonport increased meanwiiilc ?—No. 475. Has it been stationary since 1866?—It has not increaicd much. 476. It has not diminished by half?—No. 477. Thcrcfoie you must acknowledge that, even taking your numbers, there is a diminution from 152 to 82?—This pulling down of these brothels had commenced in 1881, when Mr. Anniss gave this evidence. Mr. Osliorne Mortjnn. 478. But 3'ou admit the fact that there has been a diminution, and that, putting it generally, the town of Devonport is more outwardly moral and more orderly than it was in 1864 ; is not that so ?—Yes. Dr. Farquharson. 479. But you do not allow that this diminution is at all due to the Contagious Diseases Acts ?— I cannot tell. I have no evidence in my own mind of anything that they have done that would cause tiiat reduction. 480. But you tliink it is due to the increased activity of the police, and this activity is due to the Licensing Acts ?—Much of it is due to the Licensing Acts. 481. \Vhat is the improved condition of society to which you refer?—There is Miss Weston's establishment, and the two men who have been her managers have left her, and each of them opened similar establishments. There was only the old Sailors' Home before that, and now these are places of attraction to sailors, and they go there. Those are the kind of people who used to keep up tiie brothels in the old days; sailors coming home with money, and sailors having leave from their ships at night, used to go to brothels, but they do not do that now. 482. And that improvement has been intro- duced since the Contagious Diseases Acts came into operation ?—Yes, in the last five or six years. 483. Has the improvement in the condition of the soldiers to which you refer also been intro- duced since the Contagious Diseases Acts came into operation ?—Yes, very much of it. 484. To what particular improvements do you refer?—To the games in the bari-acks. They have a canteen, and they are allowed to play at cards, and billiards, and bagatelle, and all sorts of things. 485. Do you really think that that would make a diiference ?—Yes, many of them do not go out at night. 486. Do you think that would make any diiference in the fact of a man going out and having connection with a woman?—They do not go and get drunk, and that is how they used to get into brothels. 487. Is there any evidence that they get drunk less than they used to?—Yes, there is less trouble, A soldier now seldom comes before the magis- trate, and is seldom locked up. 488. Are there fewer in the public-houses ?— There are fewer in the public-houses in Devon- port, certainly. 489. You$