correspondents may be interested in it; and also may be able to append
farther information.

DAVID STEVENS.

_Warning to Watchmen._--The following _Warning_, addressed to the
Watchmen of London on the occasion of a great fire, which destroyed
nearly 100 houses in the neighbourhood of Exchange Alley, Birchin Lane,
the back of George Yard, &c., among which were Garraway's, The Jerusalem
Coffee House, George and Vulture, Tom's, &c. &c., is extracted from the
_London Magazine_ for 1748, and is very characteristic of the then state
of the police of the metropolis:--

"Mr. Touchit's _Warning to the Watchmen of London_. From the
_Westminster Journal_, April 2nd, No. 331. (1748).

"Whereas it has been represented to me, _Thomas Touchit_, Watchman
Extraordinary of the City of _Westminster_, that the Watchmen of
_London_ were very remiss during the dreadful Fire on _Friday_
morning, _March_ 25, in not giving timely Notice of that Calamity
over their several _Beats_, whereby the Friends of many of the
unhappy Sufferers, who would have flown to their Assistance, were
ignorant of their Distress till it was too late to do them Service;
and also that most of the said Watchmen, on other Occasions, are
very negligent, whence it happens that many Robberies, Burglaries,
and other Offences, which their Care might prevent, are committed;
and that even some of them are in Fee with common Harlots and
Streetwalkers, whom they suffer at unseasonable Hours, unmolested
to prey on the Virtue, Health and Property of His Majesty's Liege
Subjects: Be it known to the said Watchmen, and their Masters,