The Express.
London, England, 1849-01-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 2, 1849.

pital gave relief already te atimail,oooeaideor petainelleposrly
and to between 2,000 end UM r. elfeb mlimalsers
would be now. he herd. inenemed. The quer
tion for receiving and edeptieg the repent wee then t aad
earned ; and on the iestles id Capt. Mande, eaMnded by Bir
W. Stirling, tart., an .1 the 111111 kW sad pur-
pose of he bequest from I Murray. Balding the l es-
lege fres the will bequest/deg tee mossy, was eedared to
be Amid ever the Oir Jahn Norm ward, sad to be inserted
in tin mdmieris of the liespliaL
Mr. W. Tooan ((the treesaree) mend the thanks of the
meeting to 11.R.111 the Date at Casakeiineire his kindness
In preisding that day and for his aathgraas generally to the
weekly board during the hareoveneride. The vote wee
tarried by acclamation.
His Royal Highness, in acknowledging this tribute of
respect, said it was always very flattering to him to ho in-
formed that he had been of say service to the cause of charity,
and fur the cordial manner in which they had accepted the
proposal just made to them in his favour he felt espe-
cially grateful. Of this pertienlar charity for a long
time he had had but little anowledge, but ever slum it had
been brought to his attention—by a circumstance which he
need not explain—he had taken a very great interest in its
welfare. He believed—thou:k he had not seen them him-
self—the the alterations, when th y came to be examined,
would meet the approval of the governors generally, and
fully justify the outlay which had been incurred, and that
the hospital, in point of eftl ieoqq in all re pests, might now
compete with any similar meat, ishaent in the metropolis.
It was with great pleasure that he attended there two.iy to
preside at the re-opening of ea institution which n.. one
could be more anxious to see prosper and tortes than he was.
(Cheers.)
His Royal Highness, the governors, and company present
than proceeded over the Luilding, to exen.ine the serious
alterations and improvements, with which they expressed
themselves much pleased; the system of ventilation. er..e.
chilly, as regards a simple contrivance for opening situate-
namely, and by one motion, the three sashes into which each
window is divided to as to admit cold air into the water, di-
recting the current to the ceiling, and away from the bids.
The arrangements for washing, warming, and t• c security
from Bre, were the subjects of general commendation. actor
this examination the hospital was thrown open for patients.

ARRIVAL 111 LONDON OP LOLA MONTES.,--This
celebrated individual attended ea Saturday at Nichelame'
Wharf the xamination of her baggage and eff.cts, which
had arrived by a steamer from Boulogne a day or two before.
She made a declaration before the authoriiies, in the long
room of the Custoru-honee, respecting them, which one at-
tested with the signature of ' Mane, Coun'tas of Lands-
felt."

CHOLERA. Yesterday, the Board of Health re-
ceived reports of the hllowing fresh eases: Chelsea, 3;
Wandswor.h, 1 ; Leamington, 7, 5 fatal; Chesham, from
Nuv. 26, to Dec 31,1848, 42, 20 fatal ; Belioburgh, 8 late ;
Glasgow 166, 72 fatal ; Dumfries and Maawelltown, 9,
3 fatal ; Bonness, 1; Greenock, 3 ; Larkhall, 2 ; Dumbirtun,
3 fatal; Old ?dockland, 21, 7 fatal; Rothee ey, 10, 6 total;
Neilston, 1. Total new cases, 267; 123 deaths.
CHEAP NEWoI'APERS.—The first number of a cheap
weekly newspaper he Mercury) made its appearance at
Birmingham, on Saturday. Ire poietical creed (eaye the
editor, en h.e addreal " rests on po;.ular righis." Tue ea
citement caused in tee town, as we learn front our corre-
spondent, was considerable. The publishing office was
thronged bum 2 o'clock in the afternoon, cud many went
away unable to obtain impressions. Though p 4itical opinion
In birmillhaut is esiei to tend towards the democratic shade,
there was not, until this pap. r started, a radical newspaper.
Tna COLCHESTER ELECTION oP 1837.-81r,—In
looking over the ankh. headed " Colchester" in your p-per
of this day, I obarrve a slight error which you might
wish to have corrected. The gentleman who " opposed the
sitting members in 1837," wan not Mr. Rundle Todd,a G mdon
solicitor, but Mr. Andean Todd, who represented lioniuni
Ice the first Reform Parliameut, and, who certainly, et Col-
cheeter, did not receive the support he was led to e ape et.—
A CONSTANT READSII.—Re loan Club, January 1, 1849.
_ _ _ _

THE FINANCIAL REFORM MOVEMENT.—Ye-terday
',marl a numerous meeting of the Westminster lteiorm
Society was held at the Toth Hotel, Upper Wellington-
street, Strand, f r the purpose of electing the a Seen of the
sueirty for the ensuing year. Mr. Get sin to the Opole. A
long discussion took place upon the receipt of a letter from
Mr. G. Pounci y,cffering his resignation as a member, wilich
took place in consequence rf a dispute at the previous meet-
ing, the result of which was that • deputation was tonal-
nated to wait upon him, in order to induce him to mush' in
the society, and on which euvount the election of the When
was not pre ceeded with. Mr. Haggett, the secretary, then
tall' d the attention of the society to the intended meeting,
at Manchester, and he appeuled to the society, to
know whether they would ts/ie any step. in sup-
port of the movement, which it was expected wield
be put in operation at that meeting. Mr. Great
observed, that he thought tne slop. ty ought at ease
to Ave its adhesion to the movement, notch tie (Gum& red
was one of the highest importance at the pees, nt crisis, and
that would be attended with the greatest advaotagel to all
elemes.—Mr. Bidgood tend that the spenditure of the
country was enormous, and he thought that they ought to
unite with that important body, which was el. rung itself
to reduce that expenditure. It they had a refer= of the
legislature, the time would soon come when they would base
a reduc.ion of the expenses of the country.—Atter • pr...-
tracted discussion, in the coutze of which sums r, ilutions
were proposed, i• was unanimeusly resolved, on the motion
of Mr. Mall wk, seconded by Mr. Lebram, " that in COWL-
9uenet of the meeting of reformers to be held, on Inc 10th
instant, at Manchester, to take into consideration the pre.eut
state PI political effairs in this country, tLis meeting is ad-
journed to Monday. the 15th, to imuuder the repo utionti
there adopted."—Thanks were voted to the chairman, and
the meeting separated.
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS.—At
quart- rly general court of the governors ard subeerioers of
this institution, held last night at Bloonisbury.plaw,lhomes
Waring, Esq., in the chair, the following boys were elected
to the 12 wcaneies, snaking up the full number of 70 who
receive the benefit of the charity:—W. J. Cueley, T.
McCandlish, G. Smith, W. Smith, H. Bonn, F. K-ney, 11.
Williams, B. Owen, R. Shackell, H. Vine, A. Honk',
and
H. D. Thiselten. There being no other hinnies-, the court
adjourned.
THE SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY AND PERIODICAL
PA:WINGER TICICITS.—We have been requested to pub i k
the folowing statement in reference to s. meeting of certain
regular passengers on this line : " Certain resolutions were
pared at a meeting of railway passengers on the 18'h Die.,
held at the Hero of Waterloo Tavern, the riurth of
which conveys the conclusion of those attending the meeting,
That they will support and adopt, as far as possible, other
modes of travelling, if • more reasonable dealing with the
public cannot be maintained.' It appears that the occasion
of the meeting in question is twofold, viz.—First. the adop-
tion by the London and South Western Railwey.of the ex-
periment of season tickets; secondly, the nosing of the
doable journey tickets. It appears that sewn tickets
are now issued fur the first time on this line, and
afford a person whose daily occupation leads him
to town the mesas of travelling by the ex-
press or any other mein in a first-class carriage, at
the rate of lel. per mile, if he take a yearly ticket, i:r
per mile if he take a quarterly ticket, instead of 2ld. per
mils, the ordinary first class fare, the express fares
being higher. In other words, a reduction is now
offered for the first time (to such of the public as choose to
avail themselves of the arrasthement) of 60 per cent. below
the ordinary fares. The complaint of the railway travellers
of the Hero of Waterloo appears to be that more is not
offered. The answer of the directors to this charge is, of
course, simply, that they consider this as large a reduction as
it is jud.cious to offer. On the second point : By taking e
double journey ticket at the rates raised as they, in Nome
instances, now are, a manger may still effect a saving
of from 10 to 16 per cent. upon the fazes authorised by
parliament and charged upon this line. The com-
plaint of the railway travellers in question is that a
greater drawback should be allowed, because it has
hitherto, in some eases, been allowed. The answer
of the directors, as in the season tickets, is that
they consider the present drawback as numb as it is judicious
to offer. It may be remarked that the effect of bolt the
arrangements cosorlained ot, via. (mason and double
journey tickets), Is greatly to reduce the rate of the
ordinary fares authorise.: by parliament, and charged
upon this line (which remain aa they were), and
eoneequently to give the public something beyond that
to which they are strictly entitled, and yet them *additional
inducements to travel are made the subject of a grave oem.
plaint, and the ocesa:on of an attempt at a public meet-
ing." It may be mentioned, in addition, that with a view to
public accommodation during this festive season, the di-
rectors have put on " theatre trains," which start from the
Waterloo station three times a week at midnight.

COLONELS, AND SOLDIY3B' CLOTBINCL—Sir,—The
colonels of regiments are indebted to the explanations put
forward is their behalf by Mitior-General Napier, who in de-
fending them is pleading his own canoe. The checks on the
quality of the soldiers' clothing, appear very. stringent, and
so they are on home service ; but in our colonies it frequently
happens that the non-arrival of the new clothing reduces the
soldier to every shift, until at last he is actually in rags. The
Commanding-officer has then no alternative but issuing the
clothing to the regiment, such es it is—good or bad, more fre-
quently the latter. General officers ought to be relieved
from this very discreditable mode of remuneration. There
can be but one feeling in the country, that the army hi s
strong claims on its gratitude ; and that its °Moen, after 30
or 40 years' service, are well entitled to those marks of dis.
tinction, and pecuniary reward, her Majesty is pleased to con-
fer on them. The manner however, in which those claims
are placed before her Majesty has created a feeling of dips-
tiefaction, as the public cannot see with indifference reward.
showered on men who, at moat perhaps, have not above 15
years' service to put forward as a claim, and have spent the
remainder of their tints, sines the Battle of Waterloo, in the
window of the United Service Club, or walking the strap's
in Bath or Cheltenhern.—AN OLD COLONEL.—Dec. 29,
1848.
TAW BEGGING " PROFESSION "—At a recent meet-
leg of the Wesleyan Mitsionary Society, the R v. ,Mr.
Branch said that a short time since he vl.ited a room in
Westminster, where he saw a woman with a dyi.4 child in
her arms. Commiserating the wretched creature's canattion
he inquired into her histeey, and her means of livelitto-d,
and, in answer to his questions, she replied, " Oh, Sir, my
sufferings are great, and so are those of my child; but when
my child is gone, I know not what to do." " Bat," oh
served ldr. Branch, " it will be a happy retries for you and
your child, as you can make no exertions while you are
burdened with her." " Oh dear, Sir," ejaculated the
mother, " when she is gone, I'll have to pay 91 a day for
another child, while she costs me nothing. U, t,sa I do so
I'il earn nothing by begging, for it is the children that excite
compassion." In another room in the non s Xr. Branch

found forty beggars, and rogues, male and tamale,
young, old, lams, sad round • Are, all ridat-
Mg their exploits, end ke their next alias upon
the 'public, In a war wareress, la Wuluistw,lhe saw
exhibited for hire sad saes every variety dermas% Mabsding
widows' weeds and tattered rags, shabby genteel costumes,
clerical salts, site., adapted to the different plats of mendi-
cant operations pursued by the several parties who Winstead
this exuraordinary bazaar, and who suds begging • " pro.
usion."
FIRES IN LONDON DURING 11348.—Yesterday Mr.
Braidwood, the superintendent of the London firiHentrine
establishment, made his annual :stun of the fires whiohked
occurred during the past year in the metropolitan district.
The return includes every disaster that bad taken plane
by fire up to 12 o'clock on Sunday nithB. from which it rip-
peers that the premises totally destroyed and considerably
damaged were 296. The number ot baling. slightly da•
waged by fire, water, Re., were 609, nuking a tonal num-
ber of fires of 805. The false alarms to which the engines
and firemen baa been called were 120. There had been 86
chimneys on fire' to which the firemen had given their
attendance. This total number of calls for mentance was
1,011 There hs.ffbeen 10 fatal fires,and the number of livesloot
were 2 firemen and 12 private individuals The most disastrous
fires were those at New-crane, Shadwell, where Piercy and
Hancock, two of the-hrigade from Welleloee.square station,
were ertehed to death by the falling of the floors et • steam
corn mill, owing to the great weight of the machinery in the
upper then; that which recently occurred in Gray'oinm
lane, where a husband and wife perished, the one in the
Whitecbspel•road, where two paeans were bused to death ;
and the extensive chicoory mill, fa Mary-street, Whitechapel,
when a man was killed by one of the walls falling upon
him. The explosion in Albany-street, Regent's Park, is
especially allude d to in the return, the different buildings
damaged on that occasion beig upwards of 100. The yearly
average of fires in the metro is for the last 16 yeah ts thus
given, which shows a large increase in their number. Pre-
mises totally de4reyed, and considerably damaged 216.
Slightly damaged, The total was, therefore, 644 fires ;
75 false shunt, 93 chimneys; and the total of calls for fires
and alarms 814, showing an increase of 197 this year
over the average at former years. Daring the same period
seven firemen had loot their lives in the execution of thdir
duty, and 239 private incividnals had been burned to death.
Thu; return it.es net include the number of children who
annually perish through their clothes taking tire, but merely
those who have been known to be burned in the fires
attended by the brigade.
GUlloT, YEITERDAY.— FIRES ARISING FROM
CASSIAS:sr:rail me ECILDINO.—Seto,, Mr. W. Payne, at
the Cross Heys, W ood-s. rut, Camptide, relative to the
e Aloe of a fire which occurred on Friday last, in Cleat nt's-
court. The cent query( a of the fire were unimportant, the
damage having been but tr.fling. It was, however, elicited
in the emit of the inquiry that the fire arose from the way
in which of rtain repairs had been made to the house of Mr.
James Rehefi•dcl, Mauer seer warehouseman, and that a
great many recent fins had originated in a similar cause.
It appeared that the house was tree property of Mr. Brass,
who at the time of the lire tans completing some repairs and
alterations in it. One of the alterations wu that of making
an additional chimney, an 1 laying down a hearth in
communication with it. No examination had been made
of the wall sgaiust which the chimney was built to
use*. tai,, if mere were any timber in or near the flue, and
on Friday last, shortly atter one of the workmen had
kindled a fire on the hearth, a fire wu discovered in the
well at the bark of the chimney. The beat from the hearth
hal ignited the wood, which was separated flout the hearth
by only ti inches of brick ark. It was stated by Mr.
Braidwood, of the London Fire Brigade, that builders
trequ •nily erected chimneys against old walls without
taking the troubl- to see if there were any timber near, and
that OPT, than • hundred fires had, to his knowledge,
occurred from that cause. The jure return- d a vtrdiv,
"Tout the arc eriginatiod In the ignitiOn of a certain portion
of timinr in an old p -rty wall, art:inst which a fire-place aid
flue Imd been recently erected ; that it appears that all the
usual precautions were adopted by the builuer ; but it is the
ii;o doe of the jury that morn stringent regulations are
required in simile', cases."

CONVEYANCE OF THE MAILS AND PAS-
SENGERS DETWEEN LONDON AND PARIS.
Sir,—l addressed you a few observations some days
face, rating Out the inconvenience the public interests
wend t suffer, if the quick mails tptween London arid Paris
were agniu a niveyed by way of Calsis. I find, front official
information, that the distance from Paris to B tulognet by
railway, ie 169 miles, and to Calais 2351. As the passives
to and fun 1) ever and those ports are practically equal in
I netts, and the line from Dover to Loudon is common to
bath route., It appears that the route from London to Perin,
professed to te. t hen by the quick mail after Jan, 15, 1849,
Is 661 tail's longer than that now adopted via Boulugoe.
After these (hares, any comments on the delays that
w add necessarily ensue, if the route by Calais is again
taken, are um et eta .ry . It may, however, be observed,
that if the northern company are ready to take the
mail from Paris to C dais by expos train, if
that route he adopted ; the Boulogne Company are, on the
otter hams, wiling to convey the mail to Boulogne in from
five hours to five hours and a had, it indemnified for the ts-
ponse such an arrangement would put them to ; for it ap-
pears they lose largely by their present contract for convey-
tng the snails between Paris and Boulogne. If the mail
were co:ailed from Faris to Bout tgue in five hours, and the
tnstante trunt Dover to London continued to be accomplished
in two-anti-a-half, as at present, the present time allowed for
the transit between London and Paris of fourteen hours and
three-quarters, might. be reduced an hour, and yet so much
tim-, for the passage between Dover and Boulogne that
the recurrence of delays (ruin bad weather, the dtelleulfiee
occasiotally ezptrirnud in 1 endtng or shipping the mail-
bags at low-water, &t, would be nearly obviated ; awl, in
addition to the 'feeder 'peed attained, the possibilit
of partly varying the departures of the mail-
-tremens with the tide, would ensure an almost
uniform regularity. If the present arrangements are
at ail to be tut did: il, such a change would indeed be enter
able to one increasing the time of transit to such an extent
that the English lentos, mow delivered in Paris before the
opening of the Bourse, would only he delivered afterwards ;
and parties able to pay for expresses, and telegraphic men 1
cafes, would once more le gain an undue advantace over the'
masa of the public. But it is said that the port of Bouleigne
is km accessible than that of C dais. Hem I will again reply
be fatter. In the pest year 36J mail packets left England for
Boulogne, and 365 for Cal tie. The Calais mails commanded 1
ny captains wort have psewd all their lives on the station,
and almost always airwieg by daylight, we too late for
the mail train 37 non.; toe Boulogne commanded by
capture who had never be en on the station before, always
arriving between one and three in the morning, and expe- I
riencing great difficulty from landing the mail page at low
water, fom the absent.e of proper boats for the service,
landed them too late tor the train 46 times. These facts are,
I think an undeniable prool that the two ports are practically
equal as the excess of mm • delays in delivering the mail
against Boulogne may be fairly set off against the extra
ffitticuaies of the night service. This being the case, I can.
not see why the English mail steamers should not et "Ti-
tian' to undertake the Boulogne station, as at present, and
leave the Calais statioa to the French packets. As they
would have the night service, and convey four letters out of
every five between England and France, they ought to be
paid more then half the amount of poetsge on all letters
chargeable to freight across the Channel—or, Intl better, re-
ceive the whole** it on letters conveyed by them, and let
the French government receive the whole for letters
conveyed by their steamers. Bat if, objecting to
this arrangement, the French government should de-
sire to adopt Lord Clanriearde's first proposal to divide
both services equally, let them build steamers fit for night
servi.e, if these they now possess ere unequal to it ; and in
the ineanwhite contract with parties hero or in France to
undertake for them that part of their service their own boats
are not competent to perform. Such
.packets as those now
rooning between Folkestone and Bouiogae, often at night,
could easily do it. The conclusion I arrive at is this, sir,
that the mercantile public here being much interested to
prevent the removal of the mails from Boulogne to Calais,
should exert themselves to have the present arrthgenit at
continued, until one can be substituted for it, st II turther
satisfying the interests of all parties, somewhat on the basis
I have jest pointed oat.—H.
OVERCHARGES.—Sir —A correspondent complains
in your number of the 27th, of the recent increase of charge
arbitrarily imposed upon second cabin passengers, be her Ma-
jesty's mail packets bet ween Dover and Oasis. Upon the
principle of striking while the iron is hot, allow me to ask
the favour of a short spies in your columns to state a griev-
ance of another sort to which passengers by the British mail-
packets between B Julep* and Dover are needlessly sub-
jected. Arriving tram rub at Boulogne, at half-past two,
on the morning of Saturday last, the 23rd Met, I desired to
proceed to Dover by the mail-packet, sailing at four o'clock
the same morning. She was lying in the bay, half a mile
Pram the pier-bead, of which, seeing that high and low water
are uncontrollable facts, I make no complaint. But I do
make complaint that her passengers were left without the as-
sistance of any functionary connected with the packet or the
French government, to convey themselves and their baggage
in the dark, from the distant railway station, across the
ha-
boar, and down to the pier head (catching permits of ember-
cation as well as they could en route), there to see to their
trunks and carpet-bags being lowered In a scrambling fashion
to the sanda—theruselves to scamper across the beach to the
water's edge, and, after bargaining in the midst of a crowd
of fishermen and port rs for baggage lowering, guidance,
&c., to be at the mercy of extortioners, whose shoulden
ware to bear them through shallow water to the boats, end
finally, on boarding the steamer, to be still most utterly at
the mercy of equally extortionate boatmen, as to the price of
the passage. An appeal to the steward to know the proper
fare was useless—'e They may charge what they like, sir.',
And there, on the deck of a Britisa government vessel, were
these Boulogne boatmen permitted to storm and gabble, and
insult the pesseugers and to dictate their own terms. The
master, whom I believe to have been an officer in the royal
navy, stood quietly aloof, and witnessed the scene, and it
was with difficulty that we induced him to do us at any rate
the justice to desire oar baggage to be planed on **deck be-
fore we paid the fares demanded, that we might be
satisfied they had been duly earned. He was evidently de-
termined to interfere as little as possible and, but for an
energetic remonstrance, would have permitted his passengers
to be bullied to any extent. Surely an arrangement is ob-
vious by which tie mid-packet passengers and their goads
might have been, without hurry, anxiety, confusion, and ex-
tortion, conveyed on board the steamer, and charged for the
service in tote amount of their farm, by en increase on them,
which would have been willingly paid. The inconvenience
and annoyance of the shipment were great, and the scene on
leased, in which the deck was taken P011•111a1011 of by French
boatmen dictating their ewe terms to passengers, under the
v if nose of the master, was humiliating and disgraceful.
I enclose my name sod adores. in obedience to your rule.—
OMB who atinAZD.—Dao. 28, 180.

THE GREAT PRISONS OF LONDON.
THE QUEEN'S PRISON.
Who ham not heard of Queen's Bench prison?
Who, that has come to years of dieerstioe, and, like Bassi
Pessaibreker. become endowed with the di whim pri-
vilege of manbood--the right of going to gaol for his owe
debts—has sot more than heard of it ? What lounger in
Pell-ma, what saunterer in Regent-street, has not had a
friend then at am time or another? Who has not known men
Fobs it to Emma, Baden-Baden, or Vienna? In fast, what
stateassea.pset, artist, noble, wit, politician, or philosopher,
has mot paid a visit to its secluded courts—taken momentary
shelter from the storms of life within its peaceful haven—and
gathered there new strength to combat with the world?
Queen's Bench ! why the very word sounds like an oracle,
and stirs the depths of mummy as • dream. There is a his-
tory and • romance in its sound. Beton the mind's eye flit&
a grand procession of glorious and spectral forms—authors,
heroes, artists, who for a time have hell ,wed with their life,
and thought, and Modes, a soil which is no longer "ruler.'
Queen's Bench ! Thee, vulgar, indeed ! No, ro! ileums
has been too much :,bout thy paths foe that. The muse has
sung and art embodied thee in immortal tones and shapes.
In prose an 'rhyme, in sound and tint, thy votaries have
made thee like a household thing in English hons• ti. No
one, indeed, but knows thee well—perhaps too well ; for
thou art truly not so bright, curious, picturesque, as the
imagination paints thee. The pencil of Hs don and the
pen of Fielding have shed a glory round thee which
is not thy own. In truth, genius has dealt with
the too graciously. So many rays from the
ereat luminous track of our country's literature have fallen
on thy threatening walls, and sombre* nooks and courts, we
hardly think of thee as the dark and loathsome thing thou
art. The foreign splendours rut upon thee as a veil: but
in truth it is the veil of a Mokannall—hiding a very hideout'
thing beneath.
We speak of the Queen's Bench. We must correct the
term. The Queen's Bench belongs to history. It is no
more. The site remains : the old walls are there still : the
buildings are the same : bat in truth it is a different place.
All is changed within the last few years. The charm is
gone. There is not much of the b .ffoonery, scoandrelbea,
riot, contusion, which formerly made It picturesque—striking
to the artistic sys—euggeetive to the poetic mind. There
is littlo now to court the brush, or to reward
the pen. The surface at least has grown comma-
place and prosaic to a et gree of repulsion. One sees
more now of the tragic aspect of the place—less of the
rumour, the society, and the character. There is, of course,
interest in this—a deeper interest than in the externals at
any time, however grotesque ; but such interest is not for
the stranger. Not a man here but has a tale of sorrow and
distress—some of which, could you believe them literally
true, would make the heart bleed—tad is only too willing to
tell it it he can procure • listener. It is one of the cure:shim
of the prison world that it relaxes and breaks down the
mind. Men who, in the world, would be clew, prudent,
disposed to keep their own counsel, alter going through a
course of idleness end maudlin thought, will decline into
mere drivellers and gossips. Their minds become relaxed—
loom, weals, childish. This effect of idleness and seclusion is
not equally apparent in all persons; some minds will of
course bear up against more dissolving force than others'
but the tendencj is general. Idleness always weakens and
vitiate, ; if combined with personal restraint the evil work is
so much the more rapidly done.
What was iormerly the Qicen's Bench—and is still pope-
larly known as such—is now called the Queen's Prison. The
change of risme wee mule • few years ago, when town]
radical alterations were introduced into its plan and govern-
ment. The famous Fleet Prison was pulled down about the
same time, and the great prison of the Marshalsea was given
up, as d the three amalgamated into one. Toe whole of the
prison is now within the walls. There are no liberties, as
formerly, outside—a manifest improvement. At one time
neariy half the south-side of Laudon was within the rules ;
and, in the ordinary course of things, all the metropolis
would can have become one extended prison, had
not a change been made. Prisoners living within the ales,
by exercising a little lire, could go pretty nearly where
they wished. The governor was, of course, always bound to
produce their bidies when required ; bat the errangementa
were such as to allow • large margin fur the derenu's plea-
mare and convenience. Evidence came before the old paella-
&watery commission (1727-29), showing that the ward rs
were in the regular habit of selling the right of escape to
such as could all ,rd their exorbitant terms. Many persons in-
debted to the crown fur very large sums got sway beyond the
seas in this manner . • and so carelessly were things couduct d
he the officials—who, it should be raid, in extenuation of
their guilt, boa„ ht their situ:items for considerable amounts
of motley, and 1 oked up-in the business simply as a trade
speculation—that no account wile ever taken of the date of
escape or the n u me of the person, ru uch less any attempt m,.de
to r. cover the fumigate. The officers bought their places and
made the most ut them. Universal corruption reigned—and,
with more or less intensity, continued in all three— Queen'.
Murstialsta, and Fleet, until the recent bream up of
the old system. Money, powerful everywhere, was orampo.
tent in these prisons. Eti rything could be done with it—
without it, nothing. Toe hair stands on mid at the relation
of some of the barbarities practised to extort money. When
the Commons' cen.mission began its inquiries, it was so
h, -reified at the disclosures made, it could not go on, hut
instantly went to the housoand reported a few of the first
facet which came to light. The Commons received the
report with indienation and horror, and instantly passed a
resolution ordering the arrest of all the functionaries, and
urging the governintat to prosecute them without delay.
The category of their crimes included beating,
ironing, torturing, and murdering the poor debtors who
bed not the wherewithal to satiety their masters' cupidity.
Such a demoniacal stele of this gs is not afterwards met with
it Is true: hut these debtor prisons were the disgraceful
scene of drunkenness, prefligecy, and riot, in the days of
Goosed, and, indeed, sontinued es to the end of their sepa.
rate x jet.- lice. More stringent regulations are now en-
forced; and whatever the Lulu may be which an expe-
rienced eye can still dettot, dusipatiou and disorder are nut
amongst the number.
The Queen's Prison is at present the receptacle of
persons committed by the Court of Queen's Bench, by
the Court of Exchequer, by the Court of Common
Pleas, and by the Courts of Equity. It is, in fact, a
national prison. Formerly it was under tbe jurisdiction of
the bench ; it is now under the contra of the Secretary of
Sta•e for the Home Departms nt, to whom an annual report
is rendered. Practically, the Kiev is divided into date
portions, which are thus appropriated : let. To persons who
are remanded for fraud and defiance of credits, s. This is the
least pleasant part of the establishment—but it is not half
penal enough. Seco .d—To ordinary debtors, not known to
be fraudulent, who cannot maintain themselves. Third—To
ordinary debtors who can maintain themselves in prison.
The Kest class is again divided into ; (I), those who can
maintain themselves ; (2), those oho need the county allow-
ance. Generally speaking. the third cline is the most nume-
rous—that is, of persons who can and do keep themselves.
For these the state finds nothing but a small room or cell and
safe custody. Whatever else he may need, the prisoner
must procure at his own expellee : for instance, furniture,
service, bedding, coals, &c. Many of the cell ere beautifully
fitted up ; carpets, books, lectures, and luxuries of all kinds
abound. From nine in the morning till seven at night the
doors ere open to visitors. Dinners and maids are cooked
inside the walls; and there is only this restriction on the
individual's taste or appetite, that the allowance of wine is
restricted to a pint a day, and for melt liquor to a quart.
At Whitecrom-street, as we have seen, a person may diet
to diet himself, or accept the county allowance. Hero he
has no such choice. If he is able to pay his own expenses
he must. Before:he can claim the prison diet he must make
oath that he is not worth 101. in all the world, and cannot
subsist himself without assistance; persons making Woe
subs in this respect are liable to all the pains and penalties
denounced by the law against wilful and corrupt perjures..
This is a severe, but wholesome regulation, and prevents
both fraud and idleness. To meet the dietary and other ox-
of the Queen's Prison the whole of the Welsh and
tetTrllish acetifies are taxed according to the provisions of
63 Geo. 111., c. 113, to the rue of 1,6001. a year—the
unient levied upon each separate county lot this purpose
being regulated by the numbers of the population. The
London districts, of course, pay a very large por-
tion of the whole. Formerly no allowance was made
at all. The poorer class of debtors starved on the pro-
' ceeds of a few inadequate charities, and in severe winters
hundreds of persons have died of cold and want in the
Queen's Bench and the Marshals's. The proceeds of these
ancient bequests are now distributed at the discretion of the
governor. About 1201. per annum in the relief of prisoners,
and about 1101. in their release. It is, however, a standing
rule not to pay more than 171. for the clearance of any one
prisoner. If his debt be lees than that—a rare case in the
I Queen's Prison—the whole may be discharged; if more, the
1 creditors will sometimes compound, and take the 171. as a
final dividend. There is also a charitable society for the re-
lie. of debtors in the Strand, the directors of which do mush
good it • quiet way, without going to the prison at all.
Bury inmate has the liberty, at hie discretion, of writing to
the society to draw attention to his case.
The vitality of one's impression, after a careful inspection
of every part of the Queen's Prison, is that of pun and
melancholy. Dirt and idleness, with all their attendant
vices, meat you at every turn. Is it absolutely impossible to
'hue work and cleanliness in a debtor's gaol ? Are discipline
and instruction more difficult thaa in a house of correction or
hulk ? We fancy not. Newgate was once no worse than
Coldhath-fields in thews respects ; but even in Newgate some
improvements have been introduced. Its governor, in the
days of Elisabeth Fry, thought it impossible to introduce
any kind of industrial occupation—as the governor of the
Queen!' Priem believes of his establishment now. But time
explodes such errors. We see no reason why fraudulent
debtors should be supported in idleness at the expe:oe of the
state. Compulsory labour—a sterner discipline—would
instantly make several people honest who know not how
to be so now. One man is shown to the visitor who has
been in the prison seven and-twenty years. He won't
go out. His liberty has been all the while in his ewe
hands. By filing a schedule of his property he might get
out at any time. He won't do It. He likes the idleness, dim
excitement, and the profit, of • prison life. Some minds are
so sordid as to feel intense pleasure in the knowledge that
they live at the expense of others. There are many such in
this prison. They make no attempt to obtain their release.
The place suits their habits and fancies. Their only object is
to inapt ove their condition as macho possible in it—to make
their cells and diet agreeable. With this ideals their heads,
they are always grumbling ; pestering the offi:ers to do
something for them, or complaining at the Home-office.
Sometime s these complaints corns into the courts of law.
We have used the term " profits of • prison life." This
requires explanation. Many persons in the Queen's Prison,
it should be known, make a trede of begging, and a very
Inerative trade it is In the hands of clever rogues. One man
is pointed out who sends out and receives almost as many let-
ters as the famous Joseph Ady. " The Queen's Prison" is a
capital address fora begging impostor. The word is sugges-
tive of misfortune; but the munificent should remember-that
the really deserving are not the persons likely to adopt such

• trade. He wow. aerially counsel kvtry uue to makings
mquiry before sending muney to peranns confined in the
Queen's bison, however plausible the isle of their chart=
may eters. The officers sea usually give the isforraetiot
that is desired.

THE COST OF UNEMPLOYED MILITARY
OFFICERS.
The Liverpool financial reformers have issued ano-
ther of their perry, in which they refer to the retired pap
and allowances 'n the army department of the war eatablialt•
mead, in four classes.
First Class.—For the pay of general officers not perform-
ing any duty, and not holding the clothing and benedealing
offices as head colonels of Term .nth, their pay, according to
the particulars given below, 70,0001.
Second Clars.—For full pay to officers who have been in-
duced to retire from the army and waive their claims to
future promotion to make room for ether officers, their pay,
distributed according to the particulars given below, 57,0001.
Third mask—Allowances and rewards to officers and
others for aistineuisnesi services, sea for aopointments in
garrisons to which no miatary duty attaches, hut which
have been con•erred oa eft-ie.-re as rewards, in addition to
rt tired lull pay, or hal' put. tlistrihuted according to the
particulars stated below, 16,5071.
Fourth clue —For pay and allowances to commissioned
and non-commissioned officers appoiuteu to vontatteer corp.,
and for contingent all..anc,a to those volunteer corps, in.
cludisg the t :pewee of field °filet:rant tb army who may be
appointed to inspect these corps, and fir the pay mat other
expenses of clerks to the lord-lieutenants of counties occa-
sioned by those corps of vulanteers, I tat not including the
coat of their arm., accoutrements, and ammunition, which is
charged to the account of ordnance rotes, 80,3081. 10s.
There is to official statem- at of par iculare of this 'urn yet
obtainable, as several of those volunteer corps have only been
formed during the preaeut Lear, and others., like that of Sir
John Gerard, called the t' ancuhire Rumen," arc only in
process of formation.
Referring back to tr e particulars of the first class we find
them to he as follows: Fee =ram-
-10 untmployea general., at 11. 12a. 6d. per
day
16 unemployed generals, at 11. 5.. per day
25 unemployed lieutenant-generals, at 11.6
per day
69 unemployed major gt u, rf:lt, at 255. per day 31,481 6 0
And, t• For additional allowenc. ato such of
the above general oak: r" as orere reduced
in 1814 from comnes-ions in the Foot
Cteards as field-mitt:tee at, ,',stain. en
complete their pay to the following ratio,"
(being curium speciuteus rat retreitchue et)
one unemployed general, 'Gravely third
major in il.e Guartit, his pay being 7 01.
ye. r annum, and the er'inary pay, 4561.6 a.,
the difference to place him in the coat no-
'llion as it he had uLtaint ti all his promo-
tion in the Foot Guards,
2 unemployed genera', fermi, g eve es
of companies in the Foot Chards, to make
their pay of 4561. ss. each up to DWI, taxa 175 0 0
For the charge of general lacers r. moved f. rem their
regimental commissions in the Foot Guards in 1621, 1826,
1830, 1841, and 1846, and wt.o receive pay am:l.:leg to the
rank Gil now hold. as if •hey had aratinued in the Guard/
and mewed their promotion tnero:

343 13 0

3 unemployed lieuttment.geseraiet one at
9001 per annum, ore ut 5501, and one
at 5001. ....... . 1,950 0 0
2um rop:.,yed r-cenwr a' 6001 . colt 1,200 0 0
For U.e charge of 42 other unemployed =for-
generals, at 4001. per aramen c,ecu 16,800 0 0
For the charge of 5 other unemployed gent alieent
who receive more than 40W. per annum each, nam4c.,41y,17
.11
1 unemployed lieutenant g. tars), at
11. be. 7d. per day ...
I unemployed major-general, at 11.9 a. 2d 132 1 0
3 unemployed major-generals, at 23a per
d'iy each
Maki, st a total et pay t.,r en. mplo7cd gene-
ral ottiesere, and frr all-vreec,s to make the
pay of those removed from the Foot
Guards, to reduce the burdens of the

4:ennui, the same u if they had not ben
remov, d ; in otherlewd... to ,ift

burden off one shoulder to the other under

pretence of removing st 74,000 0 0
The particulars tit the second class, name:), for r tired
field offictm and captains of the army who hare been in-
duced to retire on tulbpay, waiving their claims for promo-
tion, by which pri.mution is f ,and for a new ret f officers,
and the marl-gate cost at the whole is augmented by the
min of 67,60‘4 , this tieing occasioned by an arrangement
made in 1840, under prete..m of retrenchment Those per-
tieulan are for
92 lieutenant-colonels at 17s. each per day 6,203 0 0
20 majors, at 16. meg wt. day
eapt3ins, haldiint bay. t rank aa field odi-
cars, which brevet rant wis roolerred OA

them and others in honour of tile Q ecn's
martinet., and souls of the royal births.
adds 2s. per day to their p...) for life; 42 a%
13s. 7d. per day each 11,166 6 3
captains, without Ore rank et brevet field-
officers, at 11.. 7d. a day

Making £37,10S 0 6
From this charge h to d. 'need • sum
which, through ("Tidal nisst, ry, or the
financial disorder 01 nll the army sec .ulits,
is introduesd in this txcount without tit-
planation

6,062 2 6

Aud there remains
Add for retired full-pay sub—lierna, ac.,
82 Lieutenants, at 7.. 01. eac.i per day
13 Lieuteuauta, at 6s. 61. each per du'
1 Stab Lieutenant, at lls. 104. per day
20 Ensi.ns, nt 6.. 3d. each per day
1 Ensign, at 4s. 84. per dal
3 Paymasters, at 16s. each per day B2l 6 0
5 Adjutants, at Bs. 64. each pit day
16 Quarterm .stem, at Gs. 64. Pavia per day 1,898 0 0
7 Quarterrnarers, at 6 . each per day
1 Surgeon, at 14s. 14. per day
2 Assistant Surgeons, a, 76.6 d. raeh per day 273 16 0
Allowance to ono of the abovo facers who
formerly held companies iu the lralides

£67,863 8 4
863 8 4

Deduct probable saving by casualties
And there remains to he paid this year for
officers who beve been induced to retire on
full pay to mske room for new officers, as
arranged by the government in 1840, in
shape of a measure of economy, but which
is, in reality, an addition to the wasteful
expenditure of the taxes I aid by a people
whose burdens are crushing them to com-
mercial death, namely £57,000 0 0
The third clam of military costs to be particularised in this
section is one amounting to 15,6971. ; of that sum
8,2961. 15.. ld. is paid to officers as additions to full or half-
pay, in name of rewards for distinguished services. The
aomiaal list of those officers is too long to be repeated here.
Some of them, as Meyer-General W. F. I'. Napier, thz
military historian, who has 2001. per annum under this head,
are, doubtless, officers of distinction ; but most of them hold
a plurality of offices,—some being regimental clothiers and
horse-dealers, drawing pay and profit as such, and at the
I same time pay se sinecure governors of garrisons ; whilst
others, though frreproaehable as officers, have been put
upon the list in consequence of political rather than military
services of distinction. It is n let twelve months since a
member of parliament, eminent as an economist, drew
upon himself the severe animadversion of naval and mili-
tary officers and of their political connexions, by declar-
ing the army and navy to be trading profession', and
that they were unnecessarily large and expensive. Of those
who were the sharpest in rebuking this economist was a
military member of parliament, elected by a popular metro-
politan constituency. It was a service of consequence to that
government, which was adding to the numbers and expen-
siveness of the army and navy, to hear from the representa-
tive of a large and popular constituency that the army and
navy. were not too large, and that they were not more ex-
pensive than was requisite, and that they were not trading
professions. It v.ay, or it may not, have been for this timely
political service, it may have been for some previous military
distinction, that this military member of parliament was
placed on the list of those teeming the rewards now under
elimination by the Financial Reform Association; but, if
so, it is remarkable that his vindication of an extravagant
military expenditure emu his reward came together.
Besides those officers who have rewards in money without
any office being attached to the reward (about 60 in number,
absorbing the sum of 8,2901. 15s. Id., as already stated),
there are the following who have the pay of offioes, to
which, using the language of the official estimates, " no duty
is attached." But it is to be remarked that the sums set
against each office do not express the actual expense to the
public. A sinecure governor has an actual estakishment
under him in the place where he is governor, who also re-
ceive pay. And to pay and manage the department of the
Army-office, through which their pay and allowances paw,
a set of expensive clerks is required ; while to pay and
manage other portions of the sinecure pay and allowances,
another set of expensive clerks is required in the Ordnance-
office. Taking the governorship and lieutenant-governorship
of Edinburgh Castle as an instance, the sinecure
pay of the governor is charged in the shape of
sundry allowances, under the head of home-staff. But there
is also • lieutenant-governor, whose emoluments come
through the department of military rewards, now nide&
ernmthation. lie receives 1731. 75. 6d. of pay, and 2001. es
an allowance for t‘ fire and candles." The pay department
requires a staff of clerks, and the fire and candle depart-
ment a staff of clerks—the latter making out balance,
with the commissariat, who should bane the fire and candles;
and a third set of clerks in the commissariat is employed in
striking balances with them about transactions which have
no real existence; while, again, the ordnance department
incurs a similar expense for the inferior offices in the Castle
which those airwaves call into existence.

The list of rewards to army officers,in shape of sinecure
garrison appointments, stands thus :-Alderney, town major
611. 19s. 2d.; Belfast, town major, 631. 13s. Bd.; Ditto,
lodging allowance, 251. 41. ; Berwick, governor, Sir J.
Bathurst, 5681. 16s. 108. ; Dartmouth, fort major,
691. 19e. 2d. ; Dungannon Port, fort major, 631. 13s. fid. ;
Edinburgh Castle, lieutenant governor, 1731. 7s. 6d. ; ditto,
fire arid candle, 2001. ; Gravesend, lieutenant-governor,
1731. 7e. 68.; Hull, lieutenant-governor, 1731. 71. 644
Malta, garrison quartermaster, 1361. 17s. 63. ; New Geneve,
fort major, 1591. 4a.; Portsmouth, physician, 731. 7s. 6d. ;
Quebec, governor, 3461. 13s. • ditto, fire and candle,
9SI. 17e. lel. ' • 81. Maws., captain or keeper, 1041. 18s. 9d. ;
Scarborough, governor, 151. 4s. 21. • Sheerness, go-
vernor, 2841. 71. 11d.• Tynensouth, lieutenanSgovernor,
1731. 7a. 64.; Isle of Wight, captain of Sandown Fort,