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The extent to which gambling has been carried on in the street by
boys was shown by the following summary laid before the Committee
of the House of Commons on Gaming； in 1844：
Boys apprehended for gaming in the streets
Convicted。 Discharged。
1841 。。 。。 305 。。 。。 68 。。 。。 237
1842 。。 。。 245 。。 。。 66 。。 。。 179
1813 。。 。。 329 。。 。。 114 。。 。。 185
879 278 601
Only recently has any effectual check been put to this pernicious
practice。 It is however enacted by the New Gaming Act； that
‘Every person playing or betting by way of wagering or
gaming in any street； road； highway； or other open and public
place to which the public have or are permitted to have access；
at or with any table or instrument of gaming； or any coin； card；
token； or other article used as an instrument of gaming or means
of such wagering or gaming； at any game or pretended game of
chance； shall be deemed a rogue and vagabond within the true
intent and meaning of the recited Act； and as such may be
punished under the provision of that Act。'
On this provision a daily paper justly remarks：‘A statute very
much needed has come into force。 Persons playing or betting in
the streets with coins or cards are now made amenable to the 5th
George IV。； c。 83； and may be committed to gaol as rogues and
vagabonds。 The statutes already in force against such rogues and
vagabonds subject them； we believe； not only to imprisonment with
hard labour； but also to corporal punishment。 In any case the
New Act should； if stringently administered； speedily put a stop
to the too common and quite intolerable nuisance of young men and
boys sprawling about the pavement； or in corners of the wharves
by the waterside； and playing at 〃pitch…and…toss；〃
〃shove…halfpenny；〃 〃Tommy Dodd；〃 〃coddams；〃 and other games
of chance。 Who has not seen that terrible etching in Hogarth's
〃Industry and Idleness；〃 where the idle apprentice； instead of
going devoutly to church and singing out of the same hymn…book
with his master's pretty daughter； is gambling on a tombstone
with a knot of dissolute boys？ A watchful beadle has espied the
youthful gamesters； and is preparing to administer a sounding
thwack with a cane on the shoulders of Thomas Idle。 But the race
of London beadles is now well…nigh extinct； and the few that
remain dare not use their switches on the small vagabonds； for
fear of being summoned for assault。 It is to be hoped that the
police will be instructed to put the Act sharply in force against
the pitch…and…toss players； and； in passing； we might express a
wish that they would also suppress the ragged urchins who turn
〃cart…wheels〃 in the mud； and the half…naked girls who haunt
the vicinity of railway stations and steamboat piers； pestering
passengers to buy cigar…lights。'
END OF VOL。 I。