The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-29 00:00:00

State of Prisons.

The annual issue of the Reports of the Inspec.
tors of the County and Borough Prisons of Great
Britain has recently been completed for 1865. They
are reports on the gaols as they were. Many, at
least, are now in a state of transition, having to bo
brought into conformity with the requirements of
the statute of 1865 in order that they may not lose
the Government allowance. The inspectors have
to tell of a gaol in which- a bold prisoner sets the
governor at defiance with impunity ; of a gaol where
so far from communication between prisoners being
prevented, the governor's family are constantly dis-
gusted by their conversation ; gaols where the hard
labour "is only nominal," and " must be regarded
by the prisoners very much in the light of amuse-
ment." These matters, it may be expected, will
now be better regulated, and we may hope to learn
that cells are lighted, and prisoners not allowed,
as they were in 1865 in several prisons, to be in
bed in the winter for 13, 14, and even 15 hours a
day. There are several irregular practices which
ought not to exist, some of them leaning to the
side of unwarranted severity. The inspector found
in Hereford County Gaol a novel form of labour,
namely;forced marching in quick time 20 miles a
day round a yard. As may be supposed, the ex-
hausting effect of this makes itself very visible on
men beyond the vigour of youth. In Manchester
Gaol a practice has been adopted of gagging women
who have persisted in disturbing the prison by
shouting and screaming. This is a mode of punish-
ment unknown to the law. At Lewes the chapel
services, three in number, are described as occupy-
ing so much time as to make it impossible to exer-
cise all the prisoners ; there should be time for
mercy as well as for sacrifice. In a Scotch prison
the inspector found prisoners employed in doing
work for the Governor. So inadequate for its pur-
pose is Dover Town Gaol that on some cases of
small-pox occurring last year it was found neces-
sary to pardon and discharge 34 criminals to save
them from the contagion—a strange failure of jus-
tice. At Tiverton the weekly cost of food is stated
to be as high as 3s. 6d. per prisoner ; it is supplied
by contract, but the contractor is, or last year
was, the Governor himself. At Colchester the rate
is returned as still higher—namely, 4s. 4d. Here,
also, the gaoler himself supplies the food at
this charge. The new prison dietary is de-
clared by the surgeons to be not more than
sufficient to maintain health and strength. The
surgeon of Southwell House of Correction notices
symptoms of general debility, and in one case a com-
plete prostration of strength. On the inspection of
Chester Castle a prisoner complained that he had
been discharged from Congleton Union in a coarse
canvas suit marked all over with the words " Con-
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several instances, that alterations are made iu
beinrsgstate, in
inadequate gaols to bring them into conformity
with' the new Act; and some of the smaller prisons
ntight well be abandoned, and contracts made for
the reception of the prisoners in neighbouring
larger and well-appointed gaols. At Abingdon the
Inspector
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the supervision of an officer who would be almost
powerless to prevent it.

THE FRENCH EXHIBITION.—TiIe Moniteur an-
nounces that the Imperial Commissioners of the Exhibition
of 18G7 are prepared to receive tenders for the privilege of
opening a cafe comae in the grounds of the building.