The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-17 00:00:00

405.

CONVICT PRISON AT PORTSMOUTH.

A large convict prison, designed as a substitute I
for the present mode of locating convicts on board hulks in ,
the harbour, is now being completed at Portsmouth. At its'
commencement, as was noticed at the time in the columns
of the E.tpress, the inhabitants of the borough mani-
fested much opposition and repugnance at the location of a
large number of convicts on shore, and in the midst of a
dense population, but this opposition has since sub-
' sided, although much of the repugnance remains,
and the Hume-office has proceeded with the rapid
erection of the building. The prison is situated at „
the south-cast boundary wall of the dockyard, with
which it will have means of egress and ingress fur the con- ,
'jets employed in that establishment: the site of the build-
ing
being that formerly occupied by tho Old L iboratory.
It is constructed to accommodate about 1,000 prisoners;
and the obji et of this substitution of a prison for hulks is
understood to be the necessity for exercising a larger
amount of discipline and authority over the convicts than is
rt:trble7oonnot preveinhtiPiommTuhneicaa communications beingts coanrrbinrodn thee-
tween the inmates of the different cells ; consequently very
serious or-anisations and ~aseures have frequently arisen,
and which required a strong military force to quell.
In the new prison each convict will be com-
pletely and effectually separated from all communication of
any kind with his fellow prisoners, whilst any one of them
inclined to be refractory will be under the 'consist. control
011ie oaken, awl se be sebeseted to lie sisibis perish-
mast without ltWranos or annoyance from others. The
cells being well ventilated, and every other regard being
paid to good sanitary arrangements, the prisoners will cer-
tainly be free from the unhealthy influences inseparable
from living on board confined and damp hulks. Thus it is
considered that while the necessity will be met of really
making the convicts term of imprisonment, what it is de-
signed to be—a punishment—by means of strict discipline
and full control on the part of the officers, on the other
hand he will be freed from the pernicious conditions in
which he is at present placed.
The above are the alleged reasons for this change in con-
vict location, but by some it is believed to be only the com-
mencement of a comprehensive plan for meeting the diffi-
culties arising from the objections of the colonists to con-
victs being sent amongst them, by establishing a series of
convict prisons or " homes," as they have been called
throughout this country, for retaining felons in.
The plan of the new building comprises an cast and west
wing, between which are situated kitchens, cooking, wash-
ing, and other domestic offices. To the north of these is a
„ chapel, and to the east the residences of the governor,
chaplain, and other officers. The whole of the buildings
' are of brick, and are surrounded by lofty walls. The walls of
each wing arc roofed over with slates, having a range of sky-
, lights on each side. Down the entire centre of each wing
is a spacious corridor, having the prisoners' cells on either
side and opening into it: the west wing is 292 feet long, the
east wing 236, both being 36 feet wide. There are four
tiers of cells, each cell 7 feet by t, and 7 feet in height, on
both aides of the corridor. All the cells are fitted with a
desk, for writing or reading, a seat, haluinock, and shelves.
The divisions between the cells arc of a very simple, and,
both as far as space and, cost arc concerned, of a very eco-
nomical character, being formed of plates of strong " cos-
,
regaled " iron. The ceiling of the under cell and the floor
of that above it are at once termed of a plate of stout slate.
The upper tiers of cells open on to light iron galleries,
reached by flights of stairs of the same material. Some
of the cells are supplied with light by glazed openings in
, the wall, whilst others derive it from the corridor.
Warm air is forced into the corridors from proper apps-
, rates, finding its way into the cells, and expelling any foul
• air that may be generated through apertures provided for
the purpose. In addition to these cells there arc 40 punish-
' ment cells in course of construction, each 10 feet by 6, and
0 feet in height. The contractors fur the entire building
are Messrs. Piper, of Gordon, and the work has been car-
ried on under the direction of Colonel Jebb, the Home-
. office Inspector ut Prisons. The immediate superintendence
of the building has been confided to Mr. C. J. Woolcutt.
• the government clerk of the works. It has been constructed
with great rapidity, nit haling been six months in course
- of erection ; and by the Ist of October it is expected that
the larger wing will be occupied by prisoners.

IRELAND.

Duncix.StrT. 16.

Various rumours arc Oust which would leadone
to believe that the Treasury will deal more leniently
with the distressed Irish unions thun was expeetea.
The Clare journal of yesterday says:

We have reason to hopo that the strong remonstrance
made by this country against levying the consolidated
annuities at present will not he in vain. We have been
given to understand that the annuity will not be added to
the pentlin; rata. We arc not aware, however, that th•..
re-ponsiliiiity Las been withdrawn from the union treasnrcrs
of impounding a portion of tile rites to meet this claim.
hut of course this order must b, withdrawn, as otherwi,e
the fact of the annuity nut being included in the rate would
only tend still further to enharo.s the unions, there being
no guarantee that the monies collected fur support of the
poor may not be abstracted by government, thus renihrhig
it imperative on the boards of guarliaas to strike other rates
" ' • ' • "

much ember than would otherwise be required, or leave
their !simpers to starve.
The following correspondence, which appears in
the L'aniny 'rail, will be read with some interest :
GALWAY, SLI.T. 13.—There has been splendid harvest
weather wherever I have been daring this week, and
speaking generally I may say the crops arc safe in the
greater part of the counties of Cork and Limerick, and
along the coast from the latter city to this town. The oats
arc universally good, and a good crop, us are also the tur-
nips. Potatoes also, as tar 39 I could see or learn, are bat
little injured. Their tops generally look better than they
do in the eastern counties, although they are somewhat
prematurely withered. The only district in which I
heard complaints was about Ennistymon, and even there
they were neither loud nor deep. The potatoes I have seen
at table have been generally remarkably good. A good
deal of change iv observable ia one respect, which would
not strike a stranger so much as a person who was timiliar
with the appearance of the south and west of Ireland a
few years aince-1 allude to the almost total disappearance
of She potato gardens. There are large betas, but
no cottiers' patches to be seen ; and, indeed,
much fewer cottiers' cabins. But where those lat-
ter arc visible, their gardens are usually stocked
with cabbages, turnips, or parsnips, or even beans,
but no potatoes. A great improvement in the appearance
and mode of culture of the fields is also manifest, although
muck still remain to be done in that direction. About this
town there are marked signs of revivification, although it
is impossible to look at the great capabilities of the locality
without feeling deep regret at their neglect, and still more,
at the irregular and ill-directed attempts in course of being
made for their development. I crossed the noble bay yes-
terday, but, with the exception of a few Connemara turf-
boats and the revenue cruises, not a sail was to be seen.
On the other hand, the streets are torn up and the bridges
dilapidated by the labours of the Board of Works, who
have been attempting for several years to form a canal
from Lough Corrib to the sea, and who have succeeded in'
bringing their work to a most strange stage of imperfection.
After the canal was made. it was discovered that it was not
deep enough ; and now the whole operation is in course of
being gone over again in such a manner as will ensure a
very governmental condition of frailty to the structure.
There is much disappointment felt here at the cushioning
of the transatlantic packet question by the Mansion-house
committee, for that they do mean to cushion it is the
prevalent opinion. Lord Campbel has become the pea
pricier of the estate of the late Master A. 11. Lynch, near
this town. His lordship was a large incumbrancer on rho
property.

A CRIMINAL'S LtPL—The Court of Assizes of tho
Ariege tried a few days ago a band of thirteen persons fur
coming and passing false money. The money was made by
part of the hand at Carla do Roquefort, and was put into
circulation by the others who were engaged is different
branches of business. The pieces manufactured were those
of lfr., 2fr., and str. of France, and 20 fr. and 40fr. of Sar-
dinia. All were executed with great skill. Six of the ac-
cused were acquitted ; five of the others were condemned
to from six to twenty years hard labour at the hulks, and •
two to six and eight years' imprisonment with hard labour.
The chief of the band, Bedrede Titi, who was sentenced toy
twenty years hard labour at the hulks, has had a life full of
adventure .—ln 1831 he entered a regiment of dragoons;
though without any schooling he managed to pick up a
tolerable knowledge of scientific matters. Having become
disgusted with the service he deserted, but was arrested
and condemned by a court martial to three years' imprison-
ment with hard labour. After serving half the time, be
was pardoned, and sent to a regiment in Africa. He
was shipwrecked on the coast of Corsica, and de-
serted again. lie went disguised into Spain, and
there started with an Englishman a paper for incul-
cating the art of cutting coats on a new plan. Ho nest set
ea foot a scheme for establishing a pAalanster• on a gigantic
stale, but it failed. He then went to Madrid, and lived
some time by giving legions. Returned to France, he
passed himselfoff as a grandee of Spain, forced to seek a
refuge in exile for political motives. Ho was discovered
and fearing a very severe condemnation for having twice
deserted, caused himself to be arrested as a rogue and raga.
bond. On his was found a false passport and some skeleter
keys. Hs wee sentenced to Ave years imprisonment, an,
beams theseby incapable of swing in the army. h.
qthe he years in the psi as Nimes. Shortly after
aleand he
.wes again sendassed for having illegals
had lie ion ems and annaanition. He took pas
in the Tees of ISA in Peak and afterwards in the
asterans. at Lye . Hs then Decease an agent
of mess* mistime, sad set up disturbance' at Mar-
see*. Zs afterwetde sasmenesi asking; cad it was
Is• who asheled sit hit 111111Mpikle, sad pee instructions
I. ma.