The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-23 00:00:00

COURT OF ALDERMEN.

THE CITY PRISONS.
The report of the annual return to the Secretary of
State respecting the City prisons having been brought up,
Alderman SIDNEY took occasion to allude again to the
condition of Giltspur-street Prison, which was be-
coming more and more densely crowded in consequence
of the order of the City Commissioner of Police to his
force to take into custody all persons found begging. He
-described the state of the prison as most deplorable,
and said that if the cholera appeared amongst its in-
mates the most terrible ravages might be expected
within the Kalis. He called the attention of the Court
to the original institution of Bridewell Hospital, which
bad, he contended, been departed from altogether of
late years, and which he hoped to see once more regu-
lated by the manifest intention of the founders; and he
:stated that if that hospital were again properly and
judic'ously appropriated, a vast amount of the misery
and destitution which hourly invaded the streets of
London would be removed. Ho concluded by moving
that a committee be appointed to inquire into the state
of Giltspur street Compter and Bridewell Hospital.
Alderman FAREBROTHER would second the motion,
there being no possible objection to the inquiry ; at the
:same time, he must allow it was not likely to render any
benefit in the way anticipated by Alderman Sidney ; for
they must consider that the public had become very large
contributors to the fund, and it was not probable that the
goy rnors would consent to its appropriation to the pur-
pose of naain'aining a host of vagrants who inundated the
city of London. He would advise Alderman Sidney
to go to Bridewell Hospital on the next day of meeting
and speak to the Governors upon the subject, and he
took occasion to allude to the false compassion prevalent
upon the appearance of some heinous murderer, and to
contrast that feeling with the cruel neglect which existed
in the thousands of cases of deserving poor.—(Hear.)
Alderman SALOMONS admitted that Giltspur-street
prison was much crowed, but it was to be considered
that one part of that gaol was under repair, and that the
population of the other part became necessarily more
dense. All the gaols in the City, as was stated by the
tmelical authorities, were in a perfectly healthy condition.
Alderman SIDNEY said tho part of the prison stated to
be under repair was as full of prisoners as any other
part of it.
Alderman LkWRENCE said, it would really appear
from the speech of Alderman Sidney as if the Members
of the Court knew nothing at all about Giltspur-street
prison. Why, they all knew that that gaol was crowded,
and that most of the inmates were never in a more
coutf2rt tble place or in better condition.—(clear, hear.)
Alderman Sidney seemed to intimate that all the Alder-
men but himself neglected their duty as regarded the
prisons ; but he would find that on Saturday last they
had been engaged about the internal management of the
City prisons, and had ordered more strict attention upon
the part of the medical attendants, in conformity with
the suggestions received by the visiting magistrates, and
that everything else contained in those suggestions had
been directed to be carried into effect without delay or
relaxation of vigour.—(Hear.) He found that Alderman
Sidney had got hold of the bugbear of the cholera. Why,
there was no cholera in London.—(Hear.) London was
never in better health, notwithstanding all the absurd
stories about the inutility of the City sewers, which were
pronounced by the three greatest engineers in the
ceovue..ntry to be the nearest to perfection of any they had
whichseen.--(Cheers ) He hoped the cholera panic,
spremlinrage,diwcaolulceinic3n. themselves had some motive for
inhegallowed to drop into the obscurity
it, and
to which the exist'
to consign state of health seemed determined
other 'did that vagrants, vregretted as deeply as Alderman
found such comfortable asylums
and thieves of all kinds,
yfoums as the smashing of win-
dows was sure to procure S m.—(Cheers).
The following is the communication to which Alder-
man Ilwrence referred in the course of his speech :
" Whitehall, Nov., 1848.
scholiera in this
" Gentlemen, The appearance of
all,
of
country, though hitherto confined to a
cases and a few localities, renders it expedient mea-
thine matter under
sures of precaution should be taken
respect to this epidemic. I am therefore directed
Secretary Sir George Grey to bring
your notice, and to request that the attention of the
medical officers of the prison may be specially directed
to the subject, and that such measures as appear best
calculated for the purpose may be adopted for preserv-
ing the health of the prisoners.
" The medical treatment of the disease, if i
be t should
appear among the prisoners, must of course
deter-
mined by the medical officers of the prison, aided by any
additional medical advice which circumstances may ren-
der it necessary to provide.
" But there are some measures of a general nature an
attention to which may be of great importance.
" These measures are of two kinds—those having a
tendency to diminish the force and intensity of the epi-
demic influence, and those calculated to render the
body less susceptible to such influence.
" Under the former head the following appear to be
the means most likely to be efficacious:—Efficient drain-
age of the prison yards and buildings in general; in-
creased attention to the drainage and cleansing of pri-
vies and water-closets in particular ; the introduction
into the cells and passages of artificial warmth and im-
proved ventilation,- with the object of removing damp-

Bess.
Want of cleanliness in the walls of cells and pas-
sages in prisons is now so rare a defect that it would be
superfluoss to allude to the necessity of its observance ;
but it should be mentioned that the fresh lime whiting
of the walls, provided the locality be such as to insure
their speedy drying, is considered to have a powerful
direQ; effect of a salutary kind. In order to avoid damp,
..2,:msrliaiby rubbing of the cells is, as far as possible, to be
e dto washing.
''.most important of the measures of the other
.7..„"9c•figely, such as are directed to fortifying the
_i th of prisoners against the approaches of the
flak e the following:—a careful attention to diet,
Ile'ol ing, abstinence from over-exertion, and fre-
-14011 by the surgeon. A tempQrary increase

_
ot'

A Court was held on Tuesday, at which much public
business was transacted.
The LORD MAYOR said, on taking his seat for the first
time in that court as Lord Mayor, he trusted that his
brother magistrates would believe that hp was not in-
fluenced by mere form and ceremony when he said he
should firmly rely upon their assistance, not only in the
performance of his duties in the Court of Aldermen, but
in the performance of all the public duties of the
mayoralty. It was most gratifying to him that the tran-
quillity of the eity had been preserved to the admiration
of all parts of the country. To his excellent predecessor
they were much indebted for the perfect security which
bad been established, and he trusted that at the conclu-
sion of his mayoralty he should resign his office into the
bands of his successor without injury to its character for
loyalty and zeal.—(Cheers.)
THE THANKS OF THE COURT TO THE LATE LORD MAYOR.
Sir P. LAURIE rose to move the thanks of the Court to
Alderman Hooper, the late. Lord Mayor. He had had, he
said, the honour of proposing the thanks to chief magis-
trates of the City of London upon their retirement from
office and never had any occasion occurred on which he
felt higher gratification than the present. The duties of
the officehad been really performed with remarkable judg-
ment, temper, and ability. In his capacity as an acting
anagistrate the late Lord Mayor had particularly distin-
guished himself by sending for trial from a vast number
of cases merely those the conviction and punishment of
whom were likely to be beneficial to the community. In
matters of trivial import he showed as much judgment
by adjudicating mildly as he manifested determination
in grappling with serious offenders.—(Cheers.) The
Court well knew the late Lord Mayor's humanity and
kindness of disposition. They saw how he had acted
in receiving the unfortunate workmen who had been
suddenly obliged to leave the continent, and who had
arrived in London in a state of complete destitution.
They also knew that the Lord Mayor had kept up the
hospitality of the mayoralty with extraordinary spirit,
not only by entertaining in a magnificent style his fellow-
citizens, but distinguished men from all countries, with-
out looking to parties, or politics, or sects.—(Cheers.)
th Of
all the general transactions of the late mayoralty, e pub.
lie most warmly approved, but it was to the 10th of
.April
be particularly drew the attention of the Court as forming a
sort of era in the mayoralty of Alderman Hooper.—
(Loud cheers.) It was well known that a disturbance of
the peace to a very serious extent had been contemplated
won that occasion. It was also well known that the
City authorities, with the late Lord Mayor at their
bead, had quietly assembled and acted in concert for the
1* reservation of order, and that the day had concluded as
:honourably to Alderman Hooper as to the mass of his
fellow-citizens, who had risen as one man to support him
in his enterprise.—(Cheers.) The proceedings of that
day were calculated to operate as an example to all
Europe. It was, in fact, an European question; and the
late Lord Mayor, in performing the high duties annexed
Ito his office on such an occasion, attentively listened to
she suggestions of his brother magistrates, without being
apparently influenced by any, and decided with a firm-
Mile and judgment which at once testified to his merit as
es magistrate adapted to so serious an emergency.—
(Cheers.) The peace of the City was not preserved by
the interference of the military, for not a soldier was to
be seen on that day amongst the citizens, who came
forward so loyally and zealously to act under the able
authority of their chief magistrate.—(Cheers.) Sir
Teter Laurie concluded by moving a vote of thanks to
the late Lord Mayor.
Alderman FAREBROTHER, in seconding the motion of
Sir Peter Laurie, said, it would perhaps be more judi-
cious in him to be silent on a subject upon which Sir
Peter Laurie had so well expressed his sentiments ; but
he could not help coining forward to bear testimony to
the ability, zeal, judgment, mildness, sagacity, and gene-
nal conduct of the late excellent chief magistrate.—
(Cheers.) He could not help bearing testimony to the
fact that, in a year in which great difficulty might well
Lave been apprehended, the conduct of the late Lord
Mayor, in connexion with with the Government, effectu-
ally prevented a catastrophe which was reasonably ap•
prehended by many of this great community. It was with
peculiar gratification he stated that during the period of
dangerous excitement alluded to by Sir Peter Laurie,
the Into Lord Mayor had been engaged in constant in-
tercourse with the Secretary of State, and that all his
Lordship's plans and suggestions had been approved by
the flight Honourable Gentleman at the head of that de-
partment.—(Cheers.) Ile had himself had the opportu-
nity of witnessing the regret with which many of the
misguith d persons who on the 10th of April had as-
sembled at Kennington under such dangerous circum-
stances contemplated the folly they had committed, and
expressed their shame at having been the dupes of so
cesit(- rnptible an imposter as the person by whom they
been invited and deceived.—(Cheers.) Alderman
Yelebrother concluded by again expressing his warmest
approbation of the conduct of a man who at a time so
pregearit with difficulty distinguished himself in such a
=eerier as was calculated to draw down upon him, in a
peculiar manner, the favour of the Sovereign and the
country.—(Loud cheers.)
The veto of thanks was carried amidst loud acclama-
tions, and a copy of it was ordered to be transmitted to
Alderman Hooper.