The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-26 00:00:00

but help feeling that the gas companies had humbugged the
House of Commons in regard to ,the question of illumi-
nating power, or the powers at present possessed by them
in that respect would have never been sanctioned. He
trusted the subject would go to the committee, with full
power to consider it in all its bearings, so that an improve-
ment might be made for the future,
Dr LETREBY sail he had examined the gas supplied by
the Imperial Gas Company at Islington during the pas'
week, and he found it to be equal to 15.09 sperm candles.

Nr CHAPLIN briefly replied and the motion was ulti-
mately carried.

SANATORY CONDITION OF THE CITY.

Dr LETHEIIY, the medical officer of lacaltu, reported on
the state of 273 houes that had been inspected during the
eek, and h,, submitted a list of 53 places for sanatory im-
provement. He also submitted certificates of the overcrowded
states of four houses in the eastern division of the City, and
recommended that the necessary steps should be taken for
having them registered as common lodging houses.
The markets and slaughter houses had been dulyinspected,
and the officers had condemned 2,3711bs of meat as unfit for
human food. Most of it was diseased, and it consisted of 14
sheep, 28 pigs, and 12 quarters of beef.

There were registered in the week 52 births and 50 deaths,
the number being close to the average for the corresponding
week of the last nine years; 20 of the deaths were among
children less than five years of age, and 13 among persons
of 60 and upwards. There were six deaths from scarlet
fever during the week, but with this exception the returns
did not indicate an unsatisfactory condition of the public
health.

The Commissioners, after transacting some other buJi-
noes, adjourned.

Mr, M. D. Hill on the Treatment of

Criminals.

The General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for
the borough of Birmingham commenced on Monday
morning before Mr M. D. Hill, recorder.
The usual royal proclamation having been read,
the recorder proceeded to deliver his charge to the
grand jury. He said :—" Gentlemen of the Grand
Jury,—Since the last session the Legislature has
made important changes as regards the punishment
of felons, and the Executive Government, in har-
mony with the spirit which dictated those enact.
ments, has introduced improvements equally im-
portant in the regulations which govern the treat.
ment of criminals. The main features of these
alterations are set forth in the circular which I hold
in my hand. It is addressed to me as Recorder of
Birmingham, and bears the signature of Secretary
Sir George Grey, who, as you know, holds the seals
of the Home Department. Such a document must
of necessity have received my careful attention, and.
I think it will be profitable to invite yours, and,
indeed, that of all persons who, by their intelligence
and social position, exercise influence upon the ad-
ministration of the criminal law, to its contents.
"The principal change," writes Sir George, "in the
law which is affected by this statute is the abolition
of sentences of penal servitude of four and three
years, leaving the sentence of five years as the
shortest that can be passed in any case, and author
rising it in those cases where only sentence of four
or three years could have been passed before.
This will have the effect of increasing the severity
of the penal law, which, owing to the very frequent
use of the short sentences referred to, had, in the
opinion of the Royal Commissioners who lately in-
vestigated this subject, become too much relaxed.
With the same object another very important pro.
vision is added; that a person convicted of a crime,
punishable with penal servitude, after having been
previously convicted of felony, if the judge, in his
discretion, thinks that the punishment of penal ser-
vitude should be inflicted, shall not be so sentenced
for a shorter period than seven sears. It will be ob-
served that in all these cases the alternative sentence
of imprisonment is not interfered with. In that re-
spect the law continues as it at and
- • far the
larger portion of the act, refers to the granting to
convicts under this sentence licenses to be at large
before its expiration ; and introduces various regula-
tions for the purpose of preventing the misconduct of
such persons between the time of their release, and
that at which they would have been by law entitled
to their liberty. "I do not think it necessary," he
says, " to occupy your time with any observations on
this part of the subject, except to remark that,
amongst other safeguards of the public, it is enacted
that the conviction of a license-holder upon indict-
ment for any offence, involves not merely a revocation
of his license, but it remits him to his original sen-
tence as it stood when his license was granted, and
this in addition to any punishment to which he may
be sentenced upon such indictment. In accordance
with the strong recommendation of the Royal Com.
milssioners,,' Sir George Grey continues, "an impor-
tant notification is about to be introduced into the
convict system, in reference to the granting of res
missions. Instead of these being granted as a re-
ward of general good conduct, as heretofore, they
are now to be earned by industry alone. General
good conduct—such as implicit obedience to all
prison
rules—will be as indispensable as before, but
will of itself count as nothing towards the obtain-
ing a remission of a portion of the sentence. That
can only be gained by steady and laborious indus-
try, the degree of which will be measured and re-
corded every day by the assignment to each convict
of a certain number of marks. A maximum amount
of remission is fixed (as hereafter stated) as the ut-
most which can be attained by perfect industry,
and the number of marks is so regulated that a cons
vict must obtain the maximum number of marks
every day, without any deduction for misconduct,
in order to get the maximum remission. The sen-
tence therefore, is absolutely certain up to a cer-
tain point, but may possibly extend beyond that
point, and will inevitably do so unless the convict
persistently and strenuously exerts himself." The
principle adopted in the scale of remissions of in.
dustry and good conduct gives a maximum reduc.
tion of somewhat less than one-fourth part of the
sentences upon men, and one-third part of the sen.
tences upon women. Wholesome restrictions have
been introduced, it appears, in the quantity of food
allowed, and also in the amount of gratuities given
on their discharge to convicts adjudged to penal
servitude. Thus, gentlemen, you will perceive
that the new provisions are characterised
by augmented severity, and when you learn that
they are made in conformity with the views not
only of the Legislature and the Executive
Government, but that they echo as it were the opi-
nions of public bodies charged by authority, or who
had charged themselves with the duty of careful
investigation into the working of our criminal law,
I think you will agree with me that our new Penal
Servitude Act forms an epoch in our legislation.
Half a century ago the criminal code of England
was conspicuous among those of the civilised world
for its tremendous denunciations against crime. To
more than 150 different offences it attached the
punishment of death, and its minor inflictions were
of proportionable gravity. At last the public mind
revolted against these rigours, and a strong tide set
in, which, in the course of years, not only swept
away a multitude of severities, but brought the law
into a greater state of leniency than could be just
tified by a due regard to the general interests of the
community. And yet the law, mild as it became,
was outstripped by the laxity with which it was
administered. In this state of things it was to be
expected that the tide which had so long been
flowing should at last begin to ebb, and it appears
to me that the time has arrived when the reversal
of the current can no longer be doubted. Gentle-
men, 1 not augur from this change the loss of any
real benefit to criminals. The impulse which wrought
the mitigation of our criminal code was rather of
sentiment than of reflection. We revolted from the
pain inflicted on ourselves through the sufferings
of the criminal, and our own feelings once re-
lieved, we forgot to ask ourselves whether we

were treating the object of our sympathy so as
to promote his permanent advantage. We forgot
that to discharge him from prison while the coera
ciou of false principles and evil habits was to leave
him in a state of slavery more surely incompatible
with his welfare here and hereafter than any state