The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-05 00:00:00

THE COUNTY ythsoNs,

.....
The reports from the visiting justices of the prisons were
laid before the court. It appeared that the number of
prisoners in the House of Correction, Cold Bath Fields, was
1,178; in the Westminster Bridewell, 629; and in the
House of Detention, 198. The Cold Bath Fields report
stated that a great number of prisoners had been attacked
with diarrhoea since the 18th of August, but without any
fatal results, and at the date of the report there were but
two patients in the infirmary. From the report from West-
minster Bridewcll, it appeared that certain alterations
which were being carried out there, on the principle adopted
in the government establishment at Portland, had been
stopped by the government inspector, end the matter had
been laid before the Secretary of State. The general con-
dition of each of the establishments was spoken of as highly
satisfactoi y.
LIE LCNATIC ASYLUM AT COLNEY HAIM.

The committee of visitors of the Lunatic Asylum at
Colney Hatch brought up their report. It stated that since
the committee made their last report, they had opened the
asylum for the reception of patients. On the 17th of July
last, the first of the patients were received into the asylum,
andsince tliattime they have been coining in on every Tuesday
and Friday, the reception day,. Arrangements were first
made to receive from the private asylums the patients be-
longing to the parishes of the eastern division of the county
(for the accommoitition of which division the asylum was
placed in the locality it occupies), as patients in private
asylums necessarily caused greater expense to the parishes
than those kept in workhouses ; and application was at the
same time made to the committee of visitors of the Ilan-
well Asylum, to send to the Colney Hatch Asylum such
patients chargeable to parishes in the eastern division of
the county confined there, as their medical officers might
deem removable without detriment to their condition or
feeling, hoping thereby immediately to create the long-
debited vacancies in that establishment, which would admit
of recent and hopeful cases from the western district being
taken in. The county patients still remaining in licensed
houses next engaged the attention of the committee as an
expensive class whose maintenance at Colney Hatch would
fall lighter on the county than in private asylums, and the
committee trusted that the numbers which it was supposed
would he thus immediately secured would enable the com-
mittee to fix a moderate weekly rate to begin with. • • •
They have now in the asylum 179 male and 331 female pa-
tients, and when the Hanwell Asylum shall have furnished
the contingent which its medical officers have reported may
be removed, they have reason to believe that the tint rate
of nine shillings and eleven pence per week which they
have found it necessary to make (being considerably less
than what the parishes now pay at licensed houses), will be
sufficient for the present purposes of the asylum. • * • •
The committee find that there is no part of the acts of par-
liament for the regulation and management of county
pauper lunatic asylums which specifically provides
the pecuniary means fur meeting the expenditure
which must necessarily be incurred for the mainten-
ance and care of the patients on the first filling of the
asylum, and before a rate can be collected fur the purpose.
Under these very peculiar and difficult circumstance', the
committee hope the court will not object to authorise the
county treasurer to make, from time to time, such advances
fur th.., maintenance awl care of the patients, out of the
moneys borrowed fur the purposes of the asylum, as may be
necessary until the maintenance rates for the patients can
be collected from the different parishes ; such advancer to
be repaid to the county treasurer out of the maintenance
rates when collected.
This report was received and adopted • and on the mo-
tion of Mr. Itoreit, seconded by Mr. Joslett Witsos, it
was ordered that the county treasurer do make the advances
asked for by the committee.
A mortgage for 20,000/. on the county rates, for the pur-
poses of the asylum, pursuant to a resolution passed on the
last county day, was executed.
Mr. MAUDE laid before the court a return of all
monies paid by the county treasurer, on account of the
asylum, ordered on the last county day, upon the motion of
Mr. Armstrong. It appeared therefrom that the total cost
of the asylum, including the 20,0001. granted on the last
county day, and the sum of 21,0001. for which a motion
stood in the paper for to-day, was 272,400/.
Some discussion having taken place upon this return,
Mr. ARMSTRONG moved that the return be printed
and circulated amongst the magistrates and the parochial
officers of the county.
This having been seconded, a long discussion ensued, in
which the motion was opposed on the ground that the re-
turn was not prepared perfectly, and that it would not give
a correct notion of the expenditure of the money by the
committee. An amendment was proposed that it be not
printed, which amendment eventually was put as a sub-
stantive motion, and carried almost unanimously.
Mr. ItO'fCII then moved, pursuant to notice, " That the
sum of 21,0001., to be raised by way of mortgage on the
county rates, be granted by the court, for the payment of
the costs and expenses incurred and to be incurred by the
committee of visitors of the Lunatic Asylum at Colney
Hatch, and for the completion of the same." The hon.
magistrate catered into a detailed statement of the purposes
to which this sum was to he applied,
Mr. JOSIAH WILSON seconded the motion.
An amendment to this motion was put on the paper by
Colonel Wood, but Mr. Devon, whom Colonel Wood had
requested to move it, stated that he should exercise the dis-
.;retion the gallant colonel had given him, and not proceed
with the amendment.
The motion was then agreed to.
Mrs. Ann Wilson was appointed keeper of the Guild-
hall, Westminster, as successor to her late husband.
The Committee of Visiting Justices of the House of Cos,
rection at Coldbath-fields were authorised to expend a eau
not exceeding 1801. in erecting a new cooking-house at that
prison.
Mr. MAUDE laid before the court a letter from the
Home- sffice, approving of the appointments of Mr. White
and Ma . Jennings as surveyors of the north and south dis-
tricts of St. Mpylebone.
After some routine matters had been disposed of tin
court adjourned.

THREE PERSONS BURIED IN A BURNING COAL
PlT.—Buissixe, SEPT. 4.—A dreadful accident has well
nigh occurred at Tingle-bridge colliery, the property of Earl
Fitswilliam, and situated at Hemingfield, in the parish of
Wombwell, about five miles south of Barnsley. Shortly
I after the men had commenced working on Tuesday morn-
' ing, one of the miners fired a shot for the purpose of felling
some coal. Soon afterwards the fallen coal, ignited. The
men endeavoured to extinguish the fire in their usual me-
thod, that is, by waffing " their caps and smocks, which
had the effect of driving the snlpburated air to the burning
masa, which soon increased the fury of the fire so much
that the men considered it dangerous to continue in the pit.
They therefore amended the shaft ; and shortly after they
arrived at the top the mass burned with such vehemence as
soon to blue and roar like a furnace. They then made a
stage at the mouth of the pit for tho purpose of extin-
plashing the fire, by preventing any air getting to it. I
This business occupied the men near an hour. While thus
meployed the signal-bell rang. This the men thought was °o-
utwitted by the material which they were putting down to
close the mouth of the pit having fallen against the bell-
wire, being confident no one was in the pit. They again
resumed their labours, and had been at them some
time when the bell again rang. They then looked
round the pit hill, and found that one man was
not amongst them. Some were positive they had
seen him on the hill with the rest of them ; others doubted
it. It was then agreed that a messenger should be sent to
his residence, to see if be was there. The man's residence
being a mile and a quarter from the pit some time elapsed
ere the messenger returned, during which time the men
stopped putting more material down the shaft. However,
the bell rang more violently than before, and by the advice
of the engine-tenter the covering was taken up again and a
corve put into the chair, end lowered to the bottom of the
shaft, and when drawn up again it was found to contain the
missing man and two beys, who had been buried In the
burning pit above an hour, and brought out unhurt. Two
horses and an ass perished. It appears the man and bon
although present when the others were endeavouring to ex-
tinguish the fire, thought there was no danger, they there-
fore went to their work in another pert of the mine, end
time.
THE HOPE IN HEREPORDSITIRE.—HOppiCking is ex-
pderne
ththeenecedpseitiaie,emintnitirdthurgeot foundnt,kilantho'derwaillr bat
et .th
dosed eAthk7 errr, o'clockwhad
general in this county in less than a fort-
night.Theto become
ov dd t end rainkb during
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last week kn e gos:amdeemnig hantsdaildewdeoyas
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sleecimlarge'avri7Ofni t the t most
o°psfl tahn;ta yards.
b lookingu
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sv he
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annthwdevhcroce"alPthvwyeillribeficannea
be desired. The present weather is exceedingly favourable.
—Hertford Journal.