The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-08-24 00:00:00

COLD 114TH FIELDS PRISON.

Your Committee prowl, slrol lo tool the liossw of enrree-
ii .. in Ihe Cold Rost 14-tio 141%; and holy nog MOM 0000000 ed the dif-
ferent ollierr% of the eodablosolinsent bettor IhrHot ►uboot
llw Ilosew the re call 111,11. inquiries.
The Cnld I.loli-tields. House of Corns-lion wa% esialaliidoed
by Art of Parliametot 2fi Geo. 111. e. 25 and too sender Ilse
joiroolicieon of the Migootrates ul tlw county of ‘liddlerex
Vent. Cunittolltr rata to the K. port of the C 1.1111111,811.111 sil

l'enifeblinry Prionners.—There are three galleries in the
prissiti, each containing Iwcnly 11.1111, ten 011 cacti side, fur
Ilse purpose of confining penitentiary : they are
'divided into thrs r clarsro. Cud yl•ur Cunintittes are informed
them shiers are not antlered lo hold any conversation loge-
Ilwr a Plait period is. the thy is all/lard to each dabs to
walk in die yard below ; the res.t of their time id paned in
the reepective cells, where they ire rlopluy.d in the 'Oiling
of oakum, sot occupation that a neither late,ur to the body,
nor employment to the mind Religiose- hooks mil tracts
ere friatll to than. but your Committse fear, if is punish.
meld may be suffered, little ram tows is diluted by the
treatment whirls die priaiiiirrarcri ire its lido pail of the pi i-
tom ; and that as a peniteitiistry eitsibl.chisseist it has esstirely
Your Contutittee think these sells t be is ry cold
during the winter; and Hwy oliserrr, that the Art lOtts
Geo. 11l c. 74, a. 33, which iliierts the war g dose CC:IP,
bas not in this prison hewn complied wills.
Timr Committer trust, that the attention of the Magi-
strate* will be directed 133 this 'object, and that the prison
may be kept fur the oriental poupoar of its construction.
As • House or Cum ctions molts- proper onsinizenicid, it
may be the means of storkitic the reformation of the of-
fenders lodged within its walls; but the necese-ory police of
such a place of confinement iii unfitted for a prison to which
persons are cominitted before trial. f0ur(...... to sou
row with the Magistrates in their letter to the Hoke of Vui 1-
laud, in whielt they represent inch Miermixture pris ttttt
as a burden to which the persons lists toiled with the suawsge-
mess, of • lionise of ri ire inn do wit Wel I hi-omelet.* espied ;
much establishments !seism for the pus puss P of It gal putsish•
anent, tempered with hisissassity, and inAcorful '' tiuemcut
itl/4114111111111411Iirlit 1n the reformat inn of es 'words.
Aolaissisto n/ risaers —7 he regular vi•iting the
primness are front twelve so two tack day No cooriet
promoter can see his friesols without an ord. s from a Merits-
Irate ; hull the practice Is, lo admit all lo 11. e grnling be-
tween Ilse Inters above istiouil, and if 1111. 114,111 •
ihs-
finer, Wine additional lime is allows ; 110, WI( is, 1111Wrief.
stiffened to enter within the walla i.s tutu the yard, but
estranger, are admitted sill tote side sit the gi atilt( is 3113111118 e
principal gate of the prison, and Ilit pi,.ourra arc on the
opposite. a turnkey a rilksist: in the ,'.ire bet w,eu. The
male and female psis In sir PilloWell 10 WY their frirliel•
at sloe sale lints, n prnclers abide your mists* think
WOO, olojeClionnlols; and the evil can vastly be rumored by
awerimg .lifferrue hows for the two sexes ini•nrh day-
la'nesidneen.-11 he- mirdistien of She different ward. of the
prises are alsimat ell &Ions; they are selertrd by the Ge.
vernor, and appear 10 be chosen more in refrri.isee to their
enrol condor' within the walls of tbe prisms, than fruits any
consideration of their triage us puviuus character. They

llorpilats —There are I hospitals in this prison,
and they appear to he elem, welt veutileted, and wooer me-
conimotlatiois provided for the sick.
On the female division of OP prison, • wooden seal !
has been made on the outride, by a hiels means all coition,-
titration is closed, and the 'target's, expresses n hope. 1,1
which y:inr Committee join, that if prattorable, a sinvitar
arrangement may take place in the infirm', Icahn- the mat, a.
Your Committee wish to remark here, that list re is no rt
ceiving place in the prison, Se which a prisoner tin his suivs!,
can be placed before he is examined by the surgriiii. At
present the fines from Newgate are, on their c 1111111 l itineat,
put in a yard with tither prisoners; a practice which, in for
opinion of your Committee, is highly object ionahle. In the
first place, it is contrary to law ; as in all homiest of cotter_
lon a reeeiving room or yard is expressly co:lmam:est by
the 17 Geo .3. C. 74, s 37 : and seuundly, the stale in a hint.
prisoners are committed from Newgate, renders them liable
to introduce disease into the prison. The allegro,' %aye.
" they are generally in a filthy state; indeed 101 l mini. ae,
that their flesh is so much granted in with filth, that we toe
under the necessity of putting them into a hot bath or slip,
nod having them washed all over, otherwise it winittl lie iin •
possible to discover whether they had the itch, LII all Jill: r
diseave upon them."
Your Committee hove been informed, that the nurse in
each hospital is a poisoner, who lei. ea Ikemederi,.s
are prescribed one of these, a convict, 143irit. lit:ot ill his
bands are left dings, which, to say the least, ate umst
gsrdons to be ao intrusted to an icons ant luau Mlle
acid aila opium !wing certainly meilicinis which pet owns
who are not medical praeliti•iiires, are sti.qual:ti.st to pre-
scribe. On the female side of the prison, your Cunt wale*
think a matron ought to be •ppointed, who would be s
fitter persist to direct the fadministratioo of the is:catchier'
than a female convict.

Feel and Liglas.—Tlz allowance of coals is stated by the
keeper to your Committee, to be ample; nu reeulor ipso-
lily is apportioned to each fire, but the prisoners Lame as
much as they can burn; at the same time your Cuinnsitte a
think it their duty to slate they heard from the prisoners
complaint. of the want of fuel, and that they moire rail
',steely from colt prisoners are shot tap in ilk it ra-
✓pective cello, in the winter. ■t four o'clock, and sit Ili
summer, at richt o'clock it. the eveteitn7 ; they are not per •
milled to have the ease of cluelles in their cells ; none in,
furnished, and they have no liberty to buy any; the lielo
are nll put out, except dole to the infirmaries awl Ali
officers roams, as soon as the prisoteir se are shut op.
Ckinliness —The general appearance of the prison is re
clean, the miles tor well ventilated. 'lle sins!
1111 l oilier of sick, and the little too. ta:ity, demons! r.ete tb
healthiness of glee situaltnu ; ILe good dim spline of ale a se,
hiishment ; aid the result as highly creditable to the medic
treatment of the house.

Co:kini —The convict pri4nners are all clotlie.l at the
ex foliar of the cumin.; the males hate a jukrt, hitt elle.,
shoe., stuckiiir, and 1111 i ; lll' 131 kcs, Wee pet Stoat
outside, fl and penicoat 111114:11111111, iii cc, at. IL Wits, 11111.
shut. The linen 11 111.1111rell wt tkly. This tOlai more if
t 'Lolling is given to all to owners who time lib fur more Ilia,
7 or I$ : if those alto are thus cautioned, tam 1.1111.
the conviei., bate good clop hi tit mid limn, ih.y has,
to wear limns, sod their hum is wabbid for
itt the proorti.
run, —N,,ne are ironed except those who are contoittr(
AM' Itl,ll/.lllllllli uu cspdal charges : your Curtaili.
xiSjed to this poictice of putting con in nun,

sic i

it •
t •
II!
IV*
L¢
re-
. r
1.
,
h.
1
.hi
Ml
si
wt.
; 4,[
rd
id
• •
•
.);41
I•