Therewere5000public-houses，and50，000womensupported，whollyorpartly，byprostitution。Therevenuesraisedbycrimeamounted，ashecalculates，toanannualsumof£；2，000，000。Therewerewholeclassesofprofessionalthieves，moreorlessorganisedingangs，whichactedinsupportofeachother。Thereweregangsontheriver，whoboardedshipsatnight，orlayinwaitroundthewarehouses。Thegovernmentdockyardsweresystematicallyplundered，andthesamearticleoftensoldfourtimesovertotheofficials。
TheabsenceofpatrolsgaveamplechancetothehighwaymenthenpeculiartoEngland。Theircareers，commemoratedintheNewgateCalendar，hadacertainflavourofRobinHoodromance，andtheirrankswererecruitedfromdissipatedapprenticesandtradesmenindifficulty。ThefieldsroundLondonweresoconstantlyplunderedthattherentwasmateriallylowered。Halfthehackneycoachmen，hesays，29*wereinleaguewiththieves。Thenumberofreceivinghousesforstolengoodshadincreasedintwentyyearsfrom300to3000。30*
Coiningwasaflourishingtrade，andaccordingtoColquhounemployedseveralthousandpersons。31*Gamblinghadtakenafreshstartabout1777and1778；32*
andthekeepersoftableshadalwaysmoneyenoughatcommandtomakeconvictionsalmostimpossible。Frenchrefugeesattherevolutionhadintroducedrougeetnoir；andColquhounestimatesthesumsyearlylostingambling-housesatover£；7，000，000。ThegamblersmightperhapsappealnotonlytothepracticesoftheirbettersinthedaysofFox，buttothepubliclotteries。
Colquhounhadvariouscorrespondents，whodonotventuretoproposetheabolitionofasystemwhichsanctionedthepractice，butwhohopetodiminishthefacilityforsupplementarybettingontheresultsoftheofficialdrawing。