Secret Service or, Recollections of a City Detective

Secret Service; or, Recollections of a City Detective

By ANDREW FORRESTER, JUN. AUTHOR OF THE PRIVATE DETECTIVE NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED LONDON W A R D A N D L O C K 158 FLEET STREET MDCCCLXIV [All Rights are reserved] LONDON: ROBSON AND LEVEY, PRINTERS, GREAT NEW STREET, FETTER LANE. ABOUT twelve years ago there was an election anticipated in the Borough of N. It was a notorious place for bribery, as I, who have been professionally concerned in many elections, perfectly well knew. It was an extraordinary town. It had once been a very flourishing place. A staple trade had been carried on there, and almost nowhere else; but an evil spirit of gentility pervaded its corporation in those days. The genius of two or three well-known men would have taken advantage of the neutral position and prospects of that spot and its neighbourhood to found there a new industry, and give employment to an immense population of skilled artisans. The labour of these people, however, could only be set to work and supplemented by smoke. The mayor and town-council of N, acting in the supposed interest of its inhabitants, determined they would have no smoky chimneys within their town. An Act of Parliament had been obtained sanctioning such municipal regulations as enabled these wiseacres to keep out the threatened innovation of gold-producing smoke. The new industry had, therefore, to settle down in the neighbourhood beyond municipal control. After this achievement had been successful, the surrounding district went on rapidly increasing in prosperity until it reached its present exalted position in that respect, and the trade of N went on diminishing to its present abject or exhausted condition. Meanwhile, also, the stage-coaches, which ran continuously through its streetsfor N was on the great northern line of turnpike-roaddropping in their course a modicum of wealth for the inhabitants, were themselves put down by the unequal competition of a trunk railway; so that N became in course of time what it now isa clean, shabby, pretentious, and poverty-stricken place. Stagnation amid activity distinguishes it. The grass grows in its High Street and Market-place. The remnant of independent peoplethat is, people who have a pecuniary independenceshow airs, and walk about the neighbourhood under the belief that they are thought to be and are superior beings. The inhabitants who are not in this sense independent are craven, humiliated, impoverished, and corrupt. Yet N is a parliamentary borough; and, consequently, its present dilapidated, forlorn position supplies a fine opportunity for adventurous politicianswhether with or without brains, no matterwho have heavy purses, skilful agents, and good machinery at their command. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 46520
Author: Forrester, Andrew
Release Date: Aug 6, 2014
Format: eBook
Language: English