In 1833, with an estimated population of 1,579,525 there were 29,880 apprehensions for drunkenness, or 18.917 per 1000. In 1834, with an estimated population of 1,607,350 there were only 19,779 apprehensions, or 12.305 per 1000. In 1876, with an estimated population of 4,211,607 there were 32,328 apprehensions, or 7.676 per 1000. First, it appears there was a falling off in the arrests to the extent of over 10,000 between the years 1833 and 1834; and then a gradual diminution from nearly 30 per mille in 1833 to 7.6 per mille in 1876. Surely these figures would indicate not an increase but a remarkable diminution of drunkenness. But, on inquiry as to the cause of the sudden decrease, the author received the following information:—“In 1831, ’32, and ’33, three-fourths of the persons arrested, _or rather taken care of_, by the police were discharged by the superintendents without being taken before a magistrate. This practice was discontinued by the Metropolitan Police in 1834, and the arrests decreased by 10,000.” In 1840 the arrests had, however, fallen to about 8 per mille, and from that time to the present they have fluctuated between that figure and about 5 per mille; consequently, whilst it would be very unsafe, after the above explanation, to base any estimate upon the figures, yet, if they mean anything at all, there must have been a diminution of drunkenness in one of our most important centres of civilisation.[302] Now let us turn to Liverpool:— In the year 1857, with an estimated population of 416,119, the number of persons proceeded against for 11,439, or 2.75 drunkenness was per 100. In the year 1877, with an estimated population of 519,505 the number proceeded against for drunkenness was 15,736, or 3.02 per 100.