Burglars are taking so kindly to the knife and the
revolver that even the Police are startled. Within the past fortnight, four or five cases have occurred in which interrupted burglars have endeavoured, like their American confreres, to avoid arrest by killing the police. It is proposed, therefore, to arm the police, and the twenty Superintendents of the Metropolis have met in council to consider the subject. They have decided that, on the whole, the proposal is inexpedient, and that the club is a much better weapon. They advise that in dangerous districts the patrols should be doubled, and they adopted a proposal to abandon rattles, and substitute a very piercing and peculiar whistle, to be fastened to the handle of the baton. Opinion is not, we believe, as yet matured enough to allow of the arming of the police, though they are armed both in France and America ; but we do not quite see why a few picked men should not be trusted with arms, and why the addition of a gendarmerie to the police should be considered so monstrous. We greatly doubt, whenever London is organised, and the suburbs are represented, whether they will long endure their chronic in- security. It is much better that policemen should carry revolvers than that irresponsible householders should.
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