The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-14 00:00:00

SOCIAL ECONOMY.

Sir B.l3uopfs, who has undertaken the presidency of
the sth department in the unavoidable absencelof Lord
Lyttelton, owing to a domestic sill dim), was nisi in-
troduced to the meeting. In bri7fly reviewing the re-
forms which it was necessary to undertake .ip order to
the advancement of the principles of social economy, he
urged the necessity of looking below the surfac3, and
taking a far more comprehensive view-of •these matters
than persons were usually apt to do. For example, in
considering the social evils to which the poorer portions
of the public were more particularly liable, it would not
be enough merely to endeavour to prevent drunkenness,
but to take into view the whole question of the effect of
drinking habits generally; they shOuH then go toe the
educational section and ask for infor►aatiou as to the
means provided for the intellectual iostruelion and
amusement of the poor, and thence they should proceed
to the sanitary section, and. ascertain what-_ n►easureo
were being adopted to secure the healthy and comfort-
able condition of the home of the working man. (Mir.)
Tile subjects which came within the purview. of the
social economy department were of a miscellaneous and
almost a beterogenous description, but having regard to
that economy of time which was essential; he left these
various subjects to be discussed more in detail in the '
section over which he was about to preside. Touching

upon the question of public charities, Sir Benjamin
observed that many of these institutions were open to
the serious charge of paralysing that spirit of independ-
ance and self-reliance which was more valuable to a
man than any amount of charity that could be given
them. As an instance of this he cited the case of a
London parish to which, within his, own knowledge,
persons removed for the express reason that large sums
of money were given away there ; while he knew
that in other cases the existence of almshouses at-
tracted to the parish numbers of the idle, dissolute,
and worthlese. He remarked, also, upon the large
amount of money which was expended by many pubic
charities in "establishment charges" before any of it was
distributed to deserving objects ; and in other cases upon
the cost which poor persons bad to incur before they
could avail themselves of the benefits which the charities
were calculated to confer. In conclusion Sir Benjamin
expressed a hope that the subject of our great public
charities would ere long engage the attention of those
who were competent to deal with them, and to propose
a remedy for the exiting evils.
PUNISHMENT AND REFORMATION.

The Recorder of BIRMINGHAM having been called upon
by Lor,t Brougham to address the meeting as President
of this department, stated that being mush interested iu
what be had heard of the manner in which reformatory
treatment of adult convicts is being carried on iu
he recently repaired thither, where the fullest facilities
wore afforded him of examining the government prisons
in which are confined- persons sentenced to transporta-
tion and penal servitude. These prisons, which contain-
between two and three thousand prisoneresare governed
by a board of directors, appointed by the Lord Lieu-
tenant, Convicts enter these prisons soon after convic-
tion: Those sentenced to traneportation.rentamn until
their sentence has expired, unless earlier liberated on a
ticket-of-leave, to which it is considered they are enti-
tled if they behave-well. The prisoners eentenceitto penal
servitude, on the other hand, are nut, under the reeula-
tions of the Ilome-office, eutitled to any mitigation of
their sentence, however good may be their behaviour.
This remark, however, does not apply since the passing
of the act of last session (20 and 21 Vic., e. 3), This
last and most signal improvement (lie intermediate pH-
eons) has only been in existence since January, 1356, yet
it has already proved eminently successful. The men
work hard and well. They are gradually inured to
freedom by being allowed to go ab.att the neighbour-
hood on errands, and to providence, by
,being per-
mitted to spend or save 61 a week out of the-prtion
of their earnings which is set aside for theMselves, the
remainder of which is put by for their use alter leaving
the establishment. In practice it is found that most
of this Gd. is saved. The education which was carried
en in the former prisons is continued and extended ;
lectures on interesting moral practical subjects being
given by the schoolmaster, and a sort of competitive
inter-examination being carried on by the men them-
selves. The Recorder stated, from his objervatinn;that
-thelappearanee and manners of these men was mitsixtnols
inferior to that-of freemen of their cl see. When rowed
in a boat from island to island by thern,'hefelt as safe as
in the hands of Thames watertnen. (Hess, hear.) At
Lusk, about 20 miles from Dublin, a number of inter-
mediate prisoners are engaged in beginning to erect a
building for a boys' reformatory. These men dwell in
a portable iron building, and are, as far as bolts and
bars go, at liberty, yet no desertions take place. This
concern is self-supporting, and the' plan might be ex-
tended with great benefit to our public works generally.
Prisoners in this stage have a right to have their cases
investigated for a discharge on a ticket-of-leave, sup-
posing the requisite portion of their period has arrived.
If one is considered to have sufficient self-control to be
trusted at large, a situation with an eligible master is
sought for him, and when it is found a ticket-of-leave is
granted to him. A prisoner is never liberated until
employment is provided. A supervision is still kept up
over him ; he has to report himself to the police of his
district monthly, and a sort of correspondence is ke;nt
up with him by the schoolmaster of the institution. On
a relea-ed prisoner being found without visible means of
subsistence, associating with bad characters, or other-
wise appearing to be relapsing into his former habits,
the iicket-of-leave ie withdrawn, and he is remitted to
prison to recommence the course of reformation. This
has been done in several instances. So far for the men.
Thera is as yet no reformatory for the boys ; but they
are well taught in the prisons by Mr. IVlSGeuran anti
Mr. Dwyer, on a plan much like that of the men.
The female convicts prisons are mutatis mutandis con-
ducted like the male ones. NVheu ripe for the inter-
mediate stage, the Roman Catholic women are sent
to the Reformatory at Golden Bridge, near Dublin,
conducted by the Sisters of Mercy. Here they are
employed in housework, in laundry
.work (the
washing for many establishments in Dublin being done),
and in cultivating a kitchen garden. The ladies, emne
of whom, as also the female governors of the prisons, aro
of high stud even noble rank, exercise a most potent and
salutary influence over their cLarges. The women, when
thought sufficiently advanced to be teleased, are sent to
service, places being found for them. They usually
evince great desiri to go to service ; and when there are
found to keep their places well. Ooe poor woman even
submitted to grossly cruel treatment from her employers,
and refused to return when kindly invited by the nun.,
because she was determined to have it in her power to
say that she had stayed twelve months in her place. A
supervision is kept. over the released women, even more
perfect than it has been found practicable to maintain
with the men. 'rho inmates of Golden Bridge are not
in confinement, but the license in time ticket-of-leave is
confirmed to that establishment. A breach of time condi-
tion would be followed by a re-creninittal to gaol. There
are now about fifty women in Golden Bridse.who are
managed by two of the ladies. The resul,s of the
system above described are as follows :—Virst, the
health of the prisoners is greatly improved and their
mortality diminished (varying from 8 to 2 per cent, per
annual). Secondly, the quantity of work performed by
the prisoners is increased to about threefeld. Thirdly,
the moral character of the prisoner, has much improved ;
indeed, the improvement in their health can only be
attributed to this source ; the buildings remain as
before ; the number of punishments has much dun'.
niched. Fourthly, the demand by empleyers for the
services of discharged prisoners now exceeds the supply.
(Cheers.) The Recorder concluded by expressing his
belief that the vast majority of all who enter the prisons
as criminals can be sent back into the world, after no
unreasonable term of probation, honest men and useful
citizsns. Let the small minority remain, and if death
arrive before reformation, let them remain for life.
(Loud cheers.)
Inth ecpornesseiciduenet's speechf
neeo
been mado with the papers of the various departments.
Tuev will be proceeded with on Wednesday morning.
the
concluded,
little which
progresst he delivery
ofhas
There is a soiree at the Tows-hall, and Lord
Brougham's inaugural address at the Midland Institute
this evening.

CAPTAIN TUDOR, R.N.—We (says the Jam o'Groat
Journal) understand that Captain Tudor, R.N., agent
for the British Fisheries Society at Pulteneytown,
received a communication from the Secretary to th,
Board of Trade, intimating that the board have awarded
their medal to himself and to each of the other fifteen
volunteers who manned the life-boat in Wick Bay on
the evening of the 9th of September. The board have
also awarded a gratuity of 2/. to each of the men in
the boat, and to the widow of the man Bain, who lost
his life by being wa-bed overboard.
DICATH of MR. CRAWFORD, THE SCULPTOR.—We regret
to learn the death on Saturday last, in the metropolis,
of the American sculptor, Mr. Thomas Crawford. The
deceased artist was born at New York in 1814, but
since 1834 resided at Rome. His "Orpheus," pro-
duced in 1839, after studying under Thorwaldsen, in-
troduced him to general notice. His later achieve-
d3ents have been noticed from time to time in the
letters of our correspondent at Rome. One of his most
celebrated works is the Babes in the Wood." Two
of his specimens, figures of children, are in the Crystal
Palace, "Flora," and the " Dancers."
CRYSTAL PALACE.—One Shilling Day, Oct. 13.
Admissions on paymont, 2,395 ; do. by season tickets,
'278 ; total, 2,673.

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Thureflarand-F-rifitty-144—ta-tecdYo._._the • annual .
boon , they volunteered, to proceefi on any sexifea--
her Majesty might-re,quit.e._ Ilie regiment is coin-
plete .and
awaits thooriler for re-pnibali-
anent.:- anxiodsly
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The Royal Denbigh Rifle Militia are complete
►n numbers (465), and are (laicals of-being eth:,

Four-Sergeants proceeded on the llth inst. to
Barnet as drill instructors •tti the 2d Middlesex ;
another sergeant. has been at Bury for some time
assisting the 7rli Lancashire Militia.
The Oxfordshire Militia, under the command of
Colonel Bowles, .marched into Woolwich garrison
on Monday evening.

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