The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-23 00:00:00

One prisoner said that he would rather be in the Edin-
burgh Bridewell eighteen months than be in the Glas-
gow Bridewell six months ; and another that he would
rather be transported for fourteen years than be in the
Glasgow Bridewell one year."
CALTON GAOL.—Within the last six months, work
to some extent has been introduced for some of the
male criminals ; but in other respi cts the gaol rerndns
s much the same state as at my last visit. At that
time I made various recommendations for its improve-
ment, but few of them have been carried into operation.
How much these and other reforms are required in
this prison, the evidence annexed will show. By that
evidence it will appear that young and old, tried and
untried—thieves, deserters, and persons convicted of
petty assaults only—have baen placed together, and have
passed most of their time secure from observation ;
that gambling, swearing, obscene language, smuggling
forbidden articles, drinking and smoking, cheating and
stealing have been of common occurrence ; that there
have occasionally been serious acts of insubordination,
and that robberies have been planned, to be executed
after the offenders had left prison ; that there has been
much drunkenness among the debtors, and that there
have been occasional gross irregularities among some of
the officers of the prison."
Mr. Dick, late clerk and assistant in the gaol,says :
" Acted as clerk and assistant officer in the Calton
Gaol about five years. Left about 16 months ago
With rare exceptions the prisoners were quite idle.
They chiefly occupied their time in gambling, obscene
language, singing bawdy song.s, recounting their adven-
tures, smoking, quarrelling, and fighting. Smoking was
regularly permitted until about the time of the appoint-
ment of the Inspector of Prisons; indeed a halfpenny per
day was allowed to each prisoner out of the gaol funds to
purchase tobacco with. When an officer suddenly en-
tered a day-room, he almost invariably found these things
going on. From the construction of the prison, how-
ever, it was difficult for the officers to enter the day-rooms
without being perceived. Scouts were generally sta-
tioned by the prisoners to give notice of an approach.
Every prisoner was examined at entrance, chiefly to see
whether he was clean, whether he had the itch, or
whether he had any weapons about him. At this time
any money beyond a small sum was taken from him,
lest he should be robbed of it by his companions. He
was allowed to have this money again, as he required
it, to purchase extra food, &c. Extra articles of food,
such as bread, coffee, tea, sugar, and ale, were sold by
a person appointed by the Governor, who was called
the sutler or grocer. The ale and porter were supplied
by contract, the grocer getting a profit of a halfpenny
per bottle. Very little profit arose from this contract.
Whisky was introduced in various ways ; it was smug-
gled in food, and it was brought in bladders concealed
about the person."
" Expense of the prison during the year ending 31s1
December, 1838, 2,7491. 14s. 3d.

.E s. d. Xs. d

Of this there was paid by the
burgh
By the police
By the county 475 3 10
For deserters

For convicts in transit

2,749 14 3

Gross average cost of each criminal prisoner
during the year (exclusive of alterations
in the building) about ll 0 0
Average daily cost of the food of each crimi-
minal prisoner, including cost of cooking,
about .