The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-08 00:00:00

GENERAL PENITENTIARIES.

In submitting our observations upon this most important
head, we have vouch satisfaction ih stating that the expe-
rience of the hot year has tended strongly to confirm us in
the favourable sentiments which we had always expressed
with respect to the Penitentiary system. Every feeling of
our mind would lead us to view with pleasure the success
of a system founded on principles of philanthropy, the ob-
ject of which is to substitute the reform for the banishment
of the offender against the laws of his country, and on
which rests the peace and safety of the community, not on
his removal, bat on the change produced in his character
by the certain influences of a well-administered system of
moral government, and on affording the means of future
industry by his instruction in a profitable trade.
We attach a peculiar value to the prospect of any sue-
zessful efforts in this country, from a consciousness that
the system has stood in need of such support. That a
cloud has passed upon the Penitentiary system, which has,
in the minds of too many, excited a distrust of its prin-
ciple, from the partial failure of Penitentiaries in America
and elsewhere; which failures it has been clearly shown,
however, are not fairly to be attributed to any want of
soundness in the principle, but can be wholly accounted
I for by other causes capable of effectual correction.
The further improvement which has taken place in the
Richmond General Penitentiary, since our favourable Re-
port of last year, confirms us in the most sanguine expecta-
tion that the success of that institution may lead to an ex-
tension of the principle in Ireland. The governor of this
institution has proposed to submit to the consideration of
Government a plait for the increase of the present houso,
with some additional buildings for tho accommodation of
females, which would not only extend the system to more
than double its present number of inmates, but would re-
duce the scale of expense per head for the numbers con-
fined to half its present amount, so far as the calculation
is founded upon the cost of building, and scale of the esta-
blishment of officers. This great increase of numbers
would, according to Mr. Rowan's intelligent statement, be_
accommodated by an expenditure of 15,000/. upon the esti-
mates for building, and by the addition of about 230/. per
annnm to the amount of salaries to the officers of the
establishment.

For our particular observations upon the state of this
prison we refer to our special Report thereon.

DONVICTS.

We had hoped that before the period of our pres?nt
Report the system with respect to convicts under the sen-
tence of transportrnon would have been completed by ;be
occupation of the bulk stationed at Kingstown. near Dub-
lin: by a delay, however, in the Works, stated to be con-

I The depot at Cork remains as a very sufficient prison
for the antommodation of the female convicts prior. to can-
hs-liatioat, together with such cases of males as may, by
infirmity, be rendered unable to sail with the convict
' ships, ,
This depot is well Conducted, and the female prisoners
instrueted and kept constantly saiplay,ol..
The great desideratum with rs.spett'ra ie Om convicts me
heard the hulksiis, that some' effectual means should be
devised' for these constant empleyMent,,(the present nu ars
being wholly inadequate) ; and it .appears to us that those
sceoeo,nrTlkiict:eedmoi)ociny
Ibteboibenagrkdneroothrvaethiwulboyrkkth‘w‘eiStsughho*d:riezriean,n't'dei. olatntolsde"l;:po(avuesbrion.cf
England) during thiday-time to assist as labourers in the
islands within the karboar in which pule* works are its
WIMP. . .• .. ...... _, ........ .
____ ~.., 1.,
_. _
I We pyre 0.. a tonne, occesien sul,inftlid iiitteettslois.
that ties. establislttnent of a pertlttvtisry on Spike Island,
would be found a measure calculated to protnote" the united.
object of forivarding the works in that fortress, and afford-
ing to the convicts present occupation- and the means of
earning a future livelihood ; and we had conceived that
persons antined for seven years might within that. period
have been sufficiteigli instructed to enable them snider good
superintenclentle:kf complete the .httildings on the island,
but should this plan'tiot bee considered expedient, the con-
-victs might be well eniployed, in leOelling-grounde and other
works requiringless fkill.
- . OFEJCESS 0F . GAQ,I.S.
We have, in all our Reports to Government, and on
every occasion when we have had an opportunity of ex-
pressing our opinion, urged upon the local authorities, in
whom the power of appointment is vested, the necessity 9f
attention to the qualifications of persons who are intrusted
with the whole practical part of a system on which go much.
public interest has hem bestosted, and so much public
money expended. And we are still obliged to bear an au-.
willing testimony, which an imperative sense of duty draws
from us,-that the talents and qualities of mind nevs3ary
in the officers of the higher, and the efficiency infli4oen-
sable in those of the lower classes, ate overlooked, and that
dunce; of the most arduOus kitid at,: intrusted to persons
wholly unsuitable to the task.
The salaries are, in many gaols, fully sufficient-to pro-
cure the services of the most highly qualified individuals.
The office of governor of a county gaol has befit long
rated much below its real importance and respectability.
To him is assigned a charge of a peculiar nature, in the
superintendence of complicated arrangements, and In the
moral government of the most unhappy of mankind ;
happily however the prejudices whicte we have lamented
'on this subject are gradually wearing artay, and we laic
-with sanguine hope to a period, not distant, when there
will Ws general assent to the opinion, -that in the dirt
classig county gaols the governor should be selected from
the clam of gentlemen of liberal education, of minds so
formed as to qualify them to act with a moral influtnco
upon the minds of others, and whose education and rank
in life are calculated to secure the respect and• obedience
of their inferiors. In the smaller counties (on lower scare
of salary) from persons of the strictest moral principlta
and experienced in business, capable of enforcing disciOre
and of watching over every part of the Interior economy of
the prisons committed to their charge.
• The turnkeys and keepers of bridewells should be meta
of strict moral character, active and intelligent, able to
read and write, and whose families are persons of decent
and cleanly habits. In situations so remote from cerulean
inspection, the smaller prisons will be found, with what-
ever accommodation or expense they may be erected, to
sink into scenes of filth and disorder, unless the keepers
are appointed with due attention to such qualifications.
It is a matter of no difficulty in this country to stippty
efficient public officers from among the pensioners of the
army, to whom the addition of a house and lot. a year af-
fords a comfortable provision ; and upon the selection of
such persons the whole success or failure of the EysteM
' depends. We do not hesitate to say, that a great pre-
portion of the present keepers of the bridewells are inca-
pable of understanding the " Extracts, the Prison Acts."
or the " Rules and Regulations of the Court of King's
Bench," which are posted iu the prisons for their guidane-
Upon this subject we feel a peculiar responsibility and,
interest, as our public duty has obliged us to urge upota,
the counties the expenditure of considerable sums, which.
lead to serjous advances from the public purse; and welt
are persuaded that such expenditure is waste of the publics
money, if the practical part of the system is left in the harder
in which it is now too much placed.

TRADE.—The article of kelp, so product :o thee
t:liantry along the sea-coast, maintains a tolerable fair
price this season ; and we have not, for many preceding'
years, observed such a quantity as is at present landed en.
our quays. The quality is, in general, very excellent, the
method of manufacturing now being much improved. The
average price is from 41. ISs. to St. ISs. per ton.—
Connaught Journal.
RESPIRATION or THE SPIDER.—A house spider vas
placed by a gentleman on a small platform, in the middle
of a glass full of water, the platform being about half an
inch above the surface. It presently made its eseap-,as
might have been anticipated, by suffering a thread to be
wafted to the edge of the glass. The person who witneesi
this suspecting it might have been assisted by the water,
being so needy on the same level, poured some of the
water away, and placed the spider as before. It de-
scended by the stick that supported the platform tilt
ft reached the water, but finding no way to escape. it
returned to the platform, and for some time employe.t
itself in preparing a web, with which it loosely er.
velopcd the abdomen, by means of the hinder legs. It
now descended, without desitation, to the bottom of the
water, when the whole of the abdomen was covered with a
web, containing a bubble of air, probably intended for
respiration, as it evidently included the spiricles. The
spider, enveloped in this little diving-bell, endeavoured on
every side to make its escape, but in vain, on account of
the slipperiness of the glass; and after remaining at the
bottom for about thirteen minutes, it returned, appaien•ly
much exhausted, as it coiled itself close under the I.tt'e
platform, and remained afterwards without motion.

Funerals appear to be the Saturnalia of the Riissians.,—
" Asc.oon as the person has expired (says Mr. Holman,)
men are hired to read prayers continually over the
until the period of interment arrives, and for this poroeae
priests are not necessary ; cooks are also put into immeetato
requisition to prepare the funeral feast. When the rne:sn-
chuly -day arrives, the relatives and ftiends of the deees.ed,
attended by numerous priests, assemble in the room where
the body is laid, which is then, after a short prayer acema-
panied by the burning of incense, carried in procest;f:lll t'•
therhutch, where the funeral service is rrfornied. afkr
which it is conveyed to its last earthly abode. The ;•rtty
now return to the residence of the deceased. where, :IP. r
repetition of prayer and the burning of illt`ellse, they :.i t
downrartic utioarahs,lltivatettTiscadlinrn,enrilenfruoaru
flivtildenhunnitilynyttotfirth.7.n.
state of inebriation. This mournful festivity, however, is
not confined to the higher department of the family , the.
servants and poor are entertained with (Loner, spirits. tea,
&c. in the kitchen anti offices. and it is by tri tneans 117'.
usual, on the succeeding morning. to find a variety of nap-
kins. knives, spoons. or other snicks niissinp. On the
fourteenth. twentieth. and fortieth days from the dowse.
a similar dinner is given, and also at the mod of the siXeia and
twelfth month and if the friends are opuleot. Oloy arcex-
peoted to send donations of money to Aso stauveßt, a4l,
sy
pettwhiethcwhinveur:eli,eiansti:T.avoismPtn.dutv4htic;pacreePiTlLle'in:alittet stiktatiotr j)0 r(Z
.

rfticzb or BRITII3I
Rank .itnek
3 per Cent. Red.
3 per cent. ConnArl 1 880
Ileus Aut. i I
34 pert eat. 97
34 per Cent. Rd.
111. 4 per Cent.lol4 1031

STOCKS
I India Ba

'ERDA Y.
13 pm

Frit t'Es I IF VORRION
lawman Roads 97 I
Mao Ant. 974
leinaillao Bona. 73 61
Dina Acct. 734
Maio Scrip (1823)N e dla
DIM Am. tlt die
Masan fond. 234
Dim Acct. IS 4$ 54 3
Colombian Bonds
Ditto Aect.
Liao Rondo (1821) 77i 1 81
Atte Acct. 771 1 1 3 1 1
Danilb Bonds !We
• 3rae Are.

iAttt (1825)
ditto Acet. I di.
french Mamas SpetCt.lolf. 60e.
102 f.

Dttic; dart. -
Xichange hit 10c.

Long Ann
South ilea Stoat
Billi.l;d. LOOM !16 2 pm
Ditto, 680 l 36 pm
Ditto, Small 83 pm
Lottery Ticket., VA Ilk.

PRICES OF SfIARES YESTERDAI .
I Irian.
Share. PAM. Theraturn per lbws.
Ariatin-litel Iran 1100 90 60
An ulo. Chillan lOO 6 214
' Bolles? . 60 3 23i 23
1., . Igueeelloa. Espirito Santo Brazil 1110 SGI I I
Equitable 23 2 I
' likairal Mining Association lOO 6 4
' Ilaytien
. Pasco.Peruvian
100 5 74 8
Potosi. LII PM, and Peruvian 50 6 Si 4f431 4e
.. . _ ---
2 dm

•yalOraryalirlt.llin.A a.
1.71 ezican..... 4O 20
Ditto New 4O 10 21
Welsh Iron and Coal 23 1 3 tib
COUPAIgitI•
Al:lance British oad Foreign.— 100 10 14
311SCE1.1.•ItE017/.
DrifiOh Iron Company lOO 20 $ 4 dis
/Sri:ion Rock and Paint Salt 50 5 7
Dro:rwich Patent Salt 23 10 SI
Gwen' Seem Navigation...— lOO 6 1
:New Coen Exchange 5O S 1
Prelim-4d Hank of Ireland lOO 10 14
Rio de la PlataA gric. Company 100 6 24 dig
Thames& 31ply.Brick & Lime 25 1 NVI
West India Company.. lOO 6 14 die

ZrittOit WOO.

11,4Y21fARKET THEATRE.
Tine Ironing, THURSDAY, neptember S. will be performed
SIMPSON AND CO.
Mr. Wropenn. yr. W. Ferrer*: PD. Bromkw. Mr. Yining. Mrs.
Simpson, Mrs. Gbbs; Mrs. Bromley. Mrs. DaAson ; Mrs. Fltzallan,
111 s. C. ; Madam* La frappe. Mrs. C. Junes.

After which,
ROSES AND THORNSt
Or, TWO HOLSTS UNDER ONE ROOT.
To eoneltula with MIDAS.
Apollo, Madame %twirls I Midas, Mr. Ltsion.

ENGLISIr OPRRA HOUSE.
This Evening, THVIISTY IV. Sept. S. will be performed
THKeIIy:ER BOY.
The Characters by Miss Strain. Cooper. Baker, Bartley,
Keeley, W. Chapman; Mtn Gowan'.
Atter which.
THE STOUT ck:NTLENAN! _
. .

relnelpal charariera— sera t ears. Cooper, Keeley.
-
Slits Soden. Mrs. Tay tore. Mrs Brian.
To conclude with
HIT OR HISS!
.

•• • .
Diet Cypher. Mr. Matiewsi— Jerry Binemom. Mr. Reyna% lire.
Au ca Carel Ins Ileneymetab. Mrs. Grove.

it
SADLER'S WELLS.
This THURSD tY, September Sorill be performed the
THE N' frD GIRDLES:
Or, WINICI THE WITCH ,LAND THE LADIES OF SAMAECLND.
After which
THE LAWYER, THE JEW, AND THY YoRKSHIRIMAN.
To emvinde with
FAIRY BLUE AND FAIRY RED:
Or, HARLEQUIN AND THE MARBLE ROCK.

The CRITIIII Passe commenced publishing ynhoday morning
at •quatter pest five o'clock.

LONDON, THURSDAY, S►r7srses 8, 1828.

The daily contradictions in the yews from Greece in the
Continental Papers render die information they give us of
little value. What they contain one day they deny the
next. In the French Papers, received yesterday, the af-
fairs of the Patriots are represented to be in the most
ruinous condition. lesantat PACIIA is said to be pro-
eecding steadily with the conquest of the Mora, and the
dissentions of the Greek Chieftains to be higher than at
any former period. We observe, however, that these
statements are loose and indefinite. No places are men-
tioned of which the Egyptians had obtained possession
since they left Tripolis:a. We are not disposed, there-
' fore, to place any reliance on these vague reports.
Spain the Government is busy arresting the sus-
pected confederates of Bessie es,. These persons are
mostly ecclesiastics, and some Noblemen of high rank.
The Minister CALON•RDE is about to be prosecuted for
lair connexion with the Carlist conspiracy. While Fra-
in ti AND is thus guarding against the dangers with which
his late royalist friends threaten him, he relaxes not from
the work of destruction against the Constitutionalists.
Nat only has the gallant EXTZCIN•DO been put to death,
in violation of the capitulation on which he surrendered,
but two others have since suffered in like manner, at the very
tune when pursuit was making after the Royalist rebels.
These two individuals, who were executed on the 24th ult.
were named lor.r SIAS and SANTOS. They were residing
at Tarifa. when that town was taken by the Constitution-
alists, and as they remained there until it was re-taken by
the French, they were arrested and condemned to death for
high treason. They met their fate with admirable heroism,
especially Int.rstss, whose conduct made a deep impres-
sion on the people of Madrid. These spectacles are not
calculated to fix more firmly the tottering throne of
FEADINAND VII.

V

The Etak contradicts, in the most positive terms, the
report that a Fr,:nch fleet had sailed to take possession of
Cuba. The squadron • whose movements have excited
alarm in the West Indies, was, it is stated, to proceed in
tl e direction of the Azores, for the purpose of tuanceuv-
Flog, previously to its return to France.
From the DAL- dated Taeatlay.l

CONSTANT INOCLE, Al,lO. 10.

Neva very favourable to the Porte, with respect to the events in
th- Morea, continue to be spread here ; it seems, however, that
they are a little exaggerated. It is pretended that Ibrahim Paella
has not Gni,: cnrqucrcd almost the whole of the Peninsula, but that
in the put wltkii is not conquered. Colocotroni and Pietro Bey
art at open variance with each other. The Greeks of Constanti-
nople, however, refuse to give any credit whatever to these ac-
counts, and do not seem to have lost the hope, that the present
campaign will end to the advantage of their countrymen.—eings-
lt se g/i Gazette.

The corps of Albanians ender Hussein Bey is said to haresuffered
II considerable loss in its march from Naysr;no to Tripoli= ; it is
reported that between Niti and I.rontlari it WWI surprised by the
Creeks, who had surrounded it en all sides ; that it succeeded in
Inshing its way and jninirg Ihraiiim Psalm, Lot only at the ex.
pease of great sacrifices. and the loss or all its baggage. The
Egyrtian evt has P !I c d for Nararino to fetch troops, artillery, and
ammunition from Alexandria. isrg Co, lrspondort.
111..rtnito Aro. 211.

The death of Paui Iglesias has produced among the people of
Al sdrid opposite sensations. It hen they saw 'mire, drawn on a
Lucille., ■ man whom they had known as one of the most flourishing
citir,trit. of the capital, a general sentiment of pity was manifested.
II .r Iglesias mounted the scaffold, and having already the cord
inured his neck, asked to speak. " Spanlarda, my brothers," said
•• I have been devoted to liberty ; I die like a Christian ; I
flee recei the aide of TTEgion ; pray fur me. I die for my coon.
tr;. kr you all; learn from me to die with courage." flay the
threw himself off with him. and Iglealas, already sus-
pended, cried with a loud voice tt Liberty or Death." At this
unlspected incident eri.•a of " Loog live the King" burst from all
parts. Is the midst of these shunts as ozdatarion of an opposi:s