formed, by dividing the Highlands into two districts. Five members of the department have died during the year; thirteen have resigned, and six have been discharged; and fifty-five new appointments have been made, so that the force at the present time consists of four hundred and fortythree men.

The increase of territory consequent on the admission of Dorchester as a part of our municipality will require an addition of several more men. In view of new arrangements in consequence of this increase of domain, and for the better management of a widely extended district, I would recommend that wards thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen, which include the Highlands and Dorchester, should be divided as soon as practicable into three police districts, and that a new station-house for the Ninth district should be built near the corner of Cottage and Dudley streets; that until this division can be made, temporary places be assigned in Dorchester as sub-stations, to be under the charge of Sergeants, who shall be required to report twice every day for the present, to the Captain of the ninth district, who in turn will report daily to the central office at City Hall. One of these sub-stations can be at, or near, Harrison

square or Field's corner; another at Mattapan; and the third at Town Hall, with a Sergeant and six men at each of these. To meet this and other demands, I would suggest the additional appointment of three Sergeants and about thirty men, who for the present shall be attached to the Ninth district at the Highlands. There is at present a lockup at the Dorchester poor-house, which would answer the purposes of one of the sub-districts; another at the Lower Mills that will do for that neighborhood; and with a little expense a third could be made at the Town Hall, which is near the geographical centre of the new territory. There remains an unexpended amount of the appropriation for the Police Department which will be sufficient for the present financial year, if these suggestions should meet your approbation, and be carried out. In view of the long distances required to be travelled by the policemen, it is worthy of consideration whether properly mounted patrolmen should not be established for parts of the Highland and Dorchester police districts.

It would conduce much to the good of the department if a surgeon were to be attached to it; and it is believed that the establishment of such an officer would save the officers much expense,

and prevent a large part of the imposition that sometimes occurs.

Those who have been conversant with the department are painfully aware aware of the fact, that something ought to be done towards establishing means for the relief of decayed and superannuated policemen, who have faithfully discharged their duties to the city and their fellow-citizens; and more especially should provision be made for those who have been injured or incapacitated during city service from earning a subsistence. These classes of officers are by no means small, and yet are not so large but that some suitable and unoppressive plan may be devised for their relief.

There are those who believe that the establishment of a secret service fund for detective purposes would be relief in cases, where expenses are absolutely required for the recovery of property and detection of criminals, that cannot be reached by the ordinary means of the department. This is a subject well worth your consideration and should, at your convenience, receive your attention.

It is my duty again to call the attention of the city council to the necessity of procuring a steam tug for the harbor police department. As our

water border has much increased by the process of annexation, this necessity becomes more apparent. Our shipping must have the advantage which a good tug, with water engines, can afford in case of fire. The department must have something more reliable than a sailing vessel in case of mutiny when tides and wind are unfavorable. A proper steam vessel, with suitable pumps and engines, will serve a good purpose, and amply repay the expense necessary for its purchase, by the protection it will give to our shipping, and the greater facilities it will afford in enforcing the laws and ordinances, and in advancing the interests of our citizens engaged in commercial pursuits.

It is with much regret that I feel obliged to urge again a change in the apparatus in the several station-houses for communicating with the central office. The simplicity of the dial telegraph is such that it can be managed with ease, intelligence and despatch by the merest tyro in such business, and yet be of incalculable benefit to the department.

I am happy in stating that one of the greatest embarrassments that has heretofore existed in the city, that of impediments to travel by the continuous streams of vehicles interruptedly con

nected, has been by a wise and generous provision of the the legislature very much abated. An enforcement of the orders already established by the city, although in some cases it may produce individual annoyance, must be kindly submitted to, as affording a great benefit to the mass of people travelling and doing business near the public street crossings. The order will be most strenuously enforced by the proper city officers, and yet it is hoped the public will also join in promoting this desirable accomplishment. Much inconvenience exists in our crowded business streets in consequence of the unnecessary embarrassments caused by the useless delays of carriages, express wagons, and pleasure vehicles, whereby they block up the way and render travel almost impossible. Could a proper regard be given to the rights of all, such hindrances would not occur, and the constant requests for street widenings and the opening of new avenues and the extension of old ones would be considerably reduced.

The number of arrests during the past year has amounted to about twenty-one thousand nine hundred, and stolen property to the amount of about one-hundred and eighty-nine thousand and