The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-08-02 00:00:00

STATI PRISON of cahorecn,:u.r.

" Oh entsfeetlett* •tt mama! hemmed amnia
" A ith w w, Ouch who that suitors w...0kl nut kneel
" Ana beg 6,r of the pay of death.'
Cot/rem.

Newgaro; which is the name of the State P. ison
of Connteticut. is situated in the parish of Tut key
Hills, in Granby. one mile and a half north west of
the Meeting House. 'lt stands on a rise of ground.
sloping to the west, on the west side of a consider-
ab e mountain. !she prosped from this eminence,
to the west, is very pleasant (being variegated with
numerous landscapes, in almost all their different
varieties) and considerably extensive. On the east,
the eye im nediately meets the monntain, and is pre-
sented with broken rock, and a barren soil The
soi!, however, in the wighbourhood of the prison is
g • ,J, and citisiv sted by enterprising and induarious
people. A house of a S surishis ; farmer stands
near the prism walls, and furnisi e. those who visit
this wretched abode a convenient r sti tg ptice, and
such ref/a-abrogates tbe'r :ircton. a cit. may require.
The walls which est irzle the 1 r on, and beyond
the I mite cf which n prisoner, at an/ tiro:., is per-
mitted to pass, r:. on an average, eleven and an
hal to twelve 6-et high, and two, or two and an
hal.. thi-k. On the top of the w,ll, is a cement of
pla.stet of Paris, a d in this are in-erted, as thick as
possible, broken 1 s b .rtes. to prevent the con-
victs from Puri g t':e walls, or to impede their
exertions, shou.si to y, in any other way, attempt
to pass them. The length of the wall from north
to south, is one hundred and eighty-four feet, and
frant east to west on • hundred and fifty-one feet ; it
is built of ha d hewscene recur..ly laid in lime.
the ground, :•n wh ch the wall stands, is a hard
grave., w ,e.e it is n n tn.ei r opted by solid stone.
Tl•e walls enclose t ree brick buildings, beside a
hilts and coal which are built of wood.
T ere is soon to be erefle s ano:' er brick building,
for he convenience rf storm., t'ie nails, the iron, and
the great variety of materials woich belong to the
pris n; th s, when ereaed, will be called the store-
house The buildings just mentioned consist of the
guard house, the nail house. and the work-shop.
ihe guard-house (in which the keeper and guards
reside) is one story high, forty feet in length, and
thirty in breadta ; furnished wills rooms convenient
for the purpose for which it is used. The nail-
house is also one story high, in length tnenty, and
in breadth sixte n feet. he workshop in which
the unhappy convicts perform their daily tasks, is
one story high, thirty-five feet wide, and eighty-
eight and an half feet long. Within this building,
on each side, are fire sires. with anvils, and all the
convet.iences to. making nails. Between these fires.
is a siace sufli:iently large for the guard to pass and
repas;. ~nd for those whl carry coal, and in other
respeet. wait upon those who are confined to making
nails.

Tae subterranean vault over which this place is
built, was wrought about the middle of the I 7th cen-
tury, for :lie purpose of okaini g copper ores it has,
however, 4:engem:rally tt• ough t th At the profits of the
ore. did rot compens:oe for tie expence and labour
of procuring it. The descent into this dark and
Liieety vault is ir. the northwest corner of the guard
Is its... l'he first dessent opens by a trap-door on
the floor of toe ;louse, into what is caned the north
ss ne-ruont, eight feet in brea.'l, fourteen feet in
I mr:th. and about seven feet in height. immedi-
ately upan desceriiag into this room, the trio-door
fails. a.. 1 Btruss, at once. to forisid escape. Direaly
from tins is another apartment, called the south-
panne-room. singer. long and fifteen broad : in
thi; room is a conven:cot Are place, and it assigned
for me u,e inv...l3s. In the ior of the north-
sr n is i•i.e 'zed another trap-door, which
opar i• • eo the cavern. I he descent is
oa a drier five and thirty feet in
•;1•., throuJh an itoing two feet and an half
• al fact bro ?. 1 he !swoon who Meer has
• ed ladde unavoidably shrinks from
• till, I,y •. sk:ol3. aid :!se assurance ca
. I•e zr,nvi I tliat there is no danger.
as well as the whole

cavern. is involved in tool dankness; cons;quently !
those who visit this subterranean region, must he
furnished with artificial lights. The guide usually
sfirst descends the ladder, carrying with him a can-
dle, and those who follow, carry with them a suffi-
cient number of candles, to render ;heir passage
plain and safe. From the foot of the ladder, the
passage F radually, though very variously, descends
and is of various dimensions ; sometimes very nar-
row and low, obliging the passenger to stoop, and
at other places large and spacious. Thirty feet
from the ladder, on the left, as passing into the Ca-
vern, stands the first cabin or sleeping room ; seven
feet fr m this, on the right side of the middle pas-
sage, stands the other cabin, each about fifteen feet
square. These are the only lodging places for the
prisoners, except on some particular occasion, in
which the sick or some privileged one is permitted
to lodge in the south-stone-room In each cabin
there is an alley passing through the middle, on each
side t which the prisoner sleeps. Their beds con-
sist of boards, raised above the bottom of the ca-
vein about one foot and a hal., with straw thrown
hthem, and in the cold season a few blankets;
ere u:sally supplied with froth Maw nape in
eight or ten 'days.
Direelly from the second cabin, a passage, with
va: ions windings and compressions. leads to the
well, which is 125 feet distant Enid] the foot of the
perpen.licular descent. The passage which ones
dire6ly between the cabins, and is gilled the middle
passage or shaft, leads to a spacious vault or open-
ing. called the sounding-room; which is supposed
to be twelve feet long and ten wide. This part of
the cavern is with propriety called the sounding-
room. 'fhe sound of the voice in common conver-
sation, is reverberated with peculiar majesty;-but
in singing, especially low bass, the voice re.
bounds, and undulates through the cavern
with astonishing grandeur. Direaly to the left of
the first cabin, a passage called the blind shaft,
leads to an opening of about five feet diameter, and
2, or 30in height, which reaches nearly to the sur-
face of the earth. The earth is prevented from falling
in, by a large bar of iron extended across the shaft.
Attempts have been made by the prisoners to efFea
their escape through this passage, by sawing off die
bar jist mentioned, though immediate death must
be the lot of those engaged in sawing it off.
The prison-well, which was just meati"ried, is
about 71. feet from the surface of the water ; the
water is usualiy about two feet deep. This well is
abundantly supplied with cool, sweet, refreshing
water, in the driest season. East from the sell,
and lower than the surface of the water in the well,
is a considzrably large pond ; its lengtb and breadth
have never yet been accurately ascertained; its depth
has never b:en fathomed. The water is clear, ssalt-
some, and refreshing. A stone, when thrown intAhis
pond,c ones a violent and terns lying noise.rolling and
rumbling like distant thunder. The sound continues
different lengths of time, and is very piercing, and
most deafening to those who stand near by it. The
whole of this cavetif, in the driest seasons, is damp,
the water constantly dropping from its walls ; in the
wet seasons, it is so filled with water, as to render it
impossible to explore all its parts. Nntwithstand-
mg this continual dampness in the air, the prisoners
receive no injury by sleeping in the cavern. at all
seasons. We will now quit this hollow, gloomy re-
cess, and review the prisoners as engaged in their
daily business.

They are taken two by two, from their nightly
lodging in the cavern, and condulted at the point of
the bayonet. to the work-shops, and find at their
respeeive places. 'fibs is usually done as soon as
day light appears in the morning. In this showings
they are kept. not being permitted to leave their
blocks on any pretence whatever, till sun-set; then
they are mon:Jutted in the same manner as they
were taken oot. to their lodgings in the cavern.
Their task is stated, and is the same for all. Each
prisoner is obliged to do so much; and if he ac-
complishes it in six hours or in two, he isnot com-
tlto ao more, but is permitted to sit by his
cellti, an idle spedator of his fellow convilts, who
are still sweating over their anvils. Their day's
work is now :east nine pounds of eightpenny nails,
eleven pounds of tenpenny, and fifteen pounds of
twentypenny nails. Nailing is the principal busi-
ness of the prison; though they repair their own
tools, and, as people call, d-s some country work.
The prisoners are not all of them confined to the
making of nails. Some are put to wait upon the
rest, to assist in cooking, to carry coal. water, &c.
3cc. But those who are enraged in this business
have some part of the guard following them in all
their directions. They are also shackled with a
chain fastened to the ancle, and mending t a
string or band, which is bound around their waists.
Their food, which is a certain allowance to cad, in-
dividual. is gi mu to them. all at one time, and they
are left to eat it in such a manner. and at such
time; as they choose. It is prepared in a wholesome
manner, and is thonght to be amply sufficient to
support them well. Some of the priomers are also
set to making shoes and boots, and to make and
mend clothes; but this is not the constant employ-
Swot of any.
The guard of the prison consists of the keeper.
and twelve privates. The keeper has the superin-
tendAnce of the whole. The guard are constantly
on duty, both d sy and night. In the night, bit
two ten:ries are upon patrole at a time, and they
are relieved ”;,en in an hour and an half. As is
usual in garrisons of this kind, the ccntry at stated
intervals cries 'd All is well.” Daring the day,
there are also two centric' a: a time, who guard the
door of the work-shop, and are relieved once in two
hours. But besides these, are some engaged in fol-
lowing than, who wait. Constant vigilance is ne-
cessary on the part of the centinels, as the cowries
are artfully watching every opportunity. to rise
upon the guard, and snake their escape.
Chose convicts who are cnravd in nail making,
are shackled a:4l chained to their blocks. A riag
or band of iron bound around eath ancle, with a

stiff bar about sixteen inches in lengths and a chain
passing from this bar to the block, form the manner
in which they are generally confided. Some; how-
ever, here a chain passing from this bar, to *band
or suing around their bodies ; and those wisp are
the most refratory, have an additional hand übmit
their necks, with a chain passing from this and
fastened to a beans six or eight feet above them.: In
such a situation, they are obliged to perfnrrn their
daily tasks, without the least proped of their being
lessened, or in any reaped of their situation being
bettered till their time of condemnation be expired.
The number of convids now in prison is thirty-
eight. Four of this number are put in prison for
life; the rest for periods of different leugtlis. rhe
time of a for will soon expire. ; others hare several
year' to drag out in this " conifoitless" mosie of
eristence ; but four, as observed above, must spend
the remainder of their days their souls most take
their flight to eternity, while confined to this dreary
abode, this emblem of the region of the deal. No
person of feeling can visit this prisvn, without the
strongest emotions of pity, sympathy, sorrow, and.
regret. On Approaching the prison walls, the sound
ref their hammess in the work-shop, cormedado
with the idea that it is the abode of erimitsals,;
excites emotions of terror. On entering within.
the walls, and passing to the door of the work-
shops, the eye is fir%t presented with the ceetinels,
who pass and repass each other in the distance of
about twelve feet, diredly before the door. The next
objea is the unhappy prisoners, sweating over their
fires. Some decently clad, some with their clothes
tatteredana torn, and others half naked, With the
living sparks of their nailrods lodging and hissing
upon their naked bodies.
There is a very great diversity in the appearance-
of the prisoner,. in the countenances of some may
he read almost all the malignant passions, bearing
in their front the ferocity and malice of fiends.
They appear ready to execute any purpose, ever so
horrid and triust.—Hut there are others who wear
a very p4tsant countenance, appeariug to possess
very amiable dispositions. I cannot but believe
that there are many now in this prison who possess
such a disixsition, but have been duped std led
astray by the intriguing.
Many have doubted the expediency of ssich pri-
sons. It is granted that there are few instances in
which risoners have been reformed by such cootine-
ments : but it keeps them from committing delve-
datons upon society while they are confined.; sod
they serve as pu'olic examples to deter others from
the commission of the like crimes.

"the prisoners confined in Nlwgate. I apprehend.
are not treated more severely than their crusts de.
scree; but it might answer a benevolent purpo4;
should the state furnish them with religious instrnc-
tions on the Sabbath Toni M. Chron. JIM' 14.)

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

PARIS, JULY en.

Monnier, the admini!trater of one of the Theatre&
at Paris, and who, in an inconceivable da Of frenzy,
attempted to destroy himself in the horse-market,
died the day before yesterday, in consequence of his
wounds, after an agony of fifty-four bouts: His
death has caused great regret to an persons with
whom he was acquainted. A letter, insetted in a
Journal;aftributes his suicide to the pleadings of his
opponents in a law-suit, in which lie was engaged.
The following note was found upon h:s writing-
desk, hi the middle of the papers ri hit Itw suit :
,4 Adieu, my dear, tender, arid respeftable wife !
Adieu, my children; adieu, try father; adieu, my
friends, my proteaors, and my comrades ! lam
much to blame towards you; but I am net to blame
in this unfortunate affair."

The Hamburgh police, in the hands of its sol-
diers, is the most brutal in Europe ; and it it a see.
rice done not only to Frenchmen, but to travellers
of all nations, to oblige its senators and syndics to
aa with more liberality, or at least justice and cir-
cumspeftion, towards foreigners. At Hamburg/a,
where the populace are more Insolent than even in
England, a Frenchman, an Italian, a Russian, an
Englishman, or persons of any nation, whose ac-
cents discover them not to be Germans, are always
ill-treated, and beaten with Ic-Res poles by the Ham-
burgh soldiers, if they happen to have any disagree-
ment with the inhabi ants ; and, if they afterwards
complain to the Syndics, they are otien fined into
the bargain. Their prejudices again s foreiguers
are excessive and ungenerous.
According to the last news from St. Do.
mingo, Denalines has no more - than t), or to
the utmost 45,000 men able to carry arms. He
has very few means to keep them up, and to
procure them subsistence; they are therefore
wretchedly fed, and worse cloathed. An herring
and half a pound of bread, are the,r only nourish.
ment ; they obtain no pay. The plantations do not
furnish great succours. Most of them have berm
laid waste, and are deserted. Dessalines is in
expeaation that the French will attempt to recon-
quer St. Domingo, and it is on this supposition that
he destroys all the fortifications, and on the ap-
proach of the French, he intends with his negrues to
retreat to the most inaccessible pans, carrying with
them there, after burning all the towns and places
they have evacuated, the most part cf their pre-
petty and valnables.-••( joasmal dc Ccrowyrcr.)

Af'-.NNI

lINGLAND AND RUSSIA

mum enact or Aft •LLIAMCC serwm