The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-30 00:00:00

CONDITION OF THE METRO-
POLITAN PRISONS.
The governors of the metropolitan prisons have just
made their annual report, the details of which will be
found to offer many matters of great importance and
interest, inasmuch as they show the capacity of the
several prisons, the number of prisoners who have bean
committed to their walls, their diet, the mode of their
treatment, and a variety of other particulars, which can-
not fail to attract the attention of the public.
THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
This prison is capable of containing, in separate cells,
as many as 529, whilst the whole accommodation it
affoids is to the extent of 1,150 beyond that number.
These latter are compelled, however, to sleep more than
one in a cell. (The report is accompanied by a note to
the effect that 1,150 are returned, in order to show the
number for which proper accommodation can be found,
but as the numbers fluctuate, frequently exceeding 1,200,
and once having reached 1,350, the utmost capability of
the prison can hardly be defined, as room must, by some
arrangement, be found for that or even a greater number
if committed).
The number of prisoners who were in confinement in
this prison at the date of the report was 947, whilst at
the corresponding period in the last year the number
amounted to 1,068. Out of the present number of 947,
there were 364 males and 163 females, all of whom
bai been committed for felony. There were then 304
male and 116 female misdemeanants, The number of
prisoners who were committed for trial during the
twelve months was 7,293. The number of prisoners
who had been tried was—eaaies 48, females
188. The number of those 'who had not undergone
any trial, but who 'had been summarily convicted, was
250 males and 91 females. The number of prisoners
who were above sixteen years of age, was 632 males and
272 females, and the number who had not attained that
age was 36 males and 7 females. Out of the whole
number who had been sent to the House of Correction
during the last year, 1,336 had been committed to that
prison once previously, 636 twice, 226 three times, and
580 had been committed four times and upwards. With
regard 60 the nature of the employment the prisoners
were submitted to, it appears that 806 had been kept to
hard labour, 122 to occupations not falling within the
denomination of hard labour, and 19 had not been put
to any kind of employment. In the course of the
year .there had been as many as 907 cases of sick-
ness,- the greatest number who were ill at one and
the same time being 54. The deaths amounted to
5 during the year. The officers of the establishment
amounted to 96 men and 39 women. With respect to
the dietary, the report says, " All the prisoners who are
above 16 years of age, whose term of imprisonment ex-
ceed three months, have twenty ounces of bread daily,
one pint of gruel daily for breakfast, six ounces of meat
aed one pint of soup, alternately, excepting Monday,
when they have, in addition to the six ounces of meat,
half a pound of potatoes for dinner. Prisoners above
16 years of age, whose period does not exceed three
months, have twenty ounces of bread daily, one pint of
gruel for breakfast, six ounces of meat, and one pint of
soup each, twice a week, and one pint of gruel three
times a week for dinner. Prisoners under 16 years of age,
whose period exceed three months, have twenty ounces of
bread daily ; if less than three months, sixteen ounces of
bread daily, one pint ofgruel daily fur breakfast, six ounces
of meat on Thursdays, one pint of soup on Sundays,
one pint of gruel five times a week for dinner. Fe-
male prisoners of all ages, whose perio does not ex-
ceed three months, have sixteen ounces of bread daily.
All prisoners have half-a-pint of gruel as an extra
evening meal, and those who have been confined up-
wards of three months have six ounces of meat and
half a pound of potatoes on Monday for dinner. The
average cost per head is two shillings and a penny three
farthings. The employment and hard labour to which
the prisoners are subjected is the treadwheel, picking
oakum, painting, or whitewashing the prison, labour
in the grounds, mat, rug, and shoemaking, also such
other handicrafts as are necessary for the service of
the place ; needlework, knitting, and washing in the
female wards. The average hours of labour do not ex-
ceed eight hours daily. The chaplain reads prayers daily
in two chapels, accompanied by Scripture expositions :
and on the Sunday he performs two full services, and
delivers a sermon to the males and to the females, and
catechises the youthful prisoners every week in the
chapels. He also visits the prisoners in their cells. Books
and tracts are supplied to the prisoners at the expense
of the county, or of their respective friends, and are dis-
tributed under the superintendence of the chaplain, or in
some cases by the governor, or by the direction of the
visiting Justices. Bibles and prayer-books are likewise
distributed. Schools are also maintained for the juvenile
inmates of the prison : whilst in every case, where an
adult prisoner, who cannot read, intimates a desire to
learn, he or she is placed in the school, provided the
term of imprisonment be such as to render such instruc-
tion effectually beneficial." In concluding his report,
the Governor thus expresses himself, " Silence, day and
night, is itself ordered to be enforced, and all unautho
rieed communications between the prisoners, on being
reported, is visited with certain punishment. The total
number of commitments falls short of those of last year
by 1,453; and the total proportionate number of punish-
ments is less by 69. The same determination is still ob-
servable amongst low criminals wilfully to infringe the
rules, apparently by mutual compact out of doors, but
all are ultimately compelled to submit. The following
is a description of the punishments and their number
during the last year:—For neglect of work, 598; for
noise, talking, insolence, and bad language, 5,015 ;
various acts of disobedience or disorder, 3,880 ; total,
involving stoppage of food, 9,493 ; three-fourths of
which mainly consisted of the stoppage of a meal or part
thereof. During the past year 763 prisoners have been
put into cells without work ; 10,256, besides 33 whip-
pings (23 of which were with the birch rod, and aro
found effectual in repressing audacious and refractory
behaviour which other modes of punishment have failed
to oorrect), is the total punishments within the like
period. The daily average number of prisoners was
893, and the daily average of punishments was three and
one-eight per cent."
THE WESTMINSTER BRIDEWELL.
The governor of this prison, in his report, states that
the number of prisoners which were in the Westminster
Bridewell, was 564; whilst the number at the corre-
sponding period last year was 440. Of this number,
167 were males, and 32 female felons. The number of
misdemeanants was 236 males, and 129 females. The
number of prisoners who had been committed to that
gaol during the last twelve months was 7,374. The
number who had been tried was 189 males and 34 fe-
males; whilst the number that had not been tried was 214
males and 127 females. The number of prisoners who
were above sixteen years of age was 486, of whom 342
were males and 144 were females. The number of pri-
soners who had not arrived at that age was 78; namely,
61 males and 17 females. The greatest number of pri-
soners who had been in the prison at any one period
was 621. The number of prisoners who had been com-
mitted before was-1,159 once, 520 twice, 210 three
times, and 12,841 four times and upwards. Under the
head of employment and hard labour, it is stated that
359 had been kept at hard labour, 106 were not
put to hard labour, whilst there were as many
as 99 who had not been placed to any kind of
employment. In the course of the year there had
been as many as 3,829 cases of casual sickness, and
104 cases for the infirmary, making a total of 5,933 cases
durieg the year. The greatest number of sick at any
one .time had been 12, whilst the total number of
deaths in the year was 7. The punishments for this
period bad been—whippings, 4; in irons and handcuffs,
18; in solitary confinement 560 ; and other
punishments 11,322. The report then went
on to say that this prison now a house of cor-
rection, but that a portion of it is appropriated to the
purposes of a common gaol for the county, pending the
demolition and rebuilding of the New Prison at Clerken-
well. With respect to the diet in this prison, the report
contains three tables, each respectively applicable to the
three different classes of prisoners. The prisoners in
this as in the House of Correction, Cold Bathfields, are
subjected to useful, as well as furnishing, employment.
The males are put on the treadwheel, to picking
oakum and coir, and to repairing what are termed county
shoes and clothing, to gardening, and various other
works in the prison. The females are made to pick
oakum and coir, to knit, to wash, and to repair and
make the county clothing. The hours of labour are in
the summer from half-past six in the morning until half-
past-five in the afternoon, which period is diminished as
the winter approaches and advances. The maximum
of labour, including the time allowed for attend.
ance in chapel, at meals, and for exercise, is about
eightsand-a-half hours per diem. The duties of the
chaplain aro nearly the same in this as in the House
of Correction, of which a description has been given
above. The punishments in this prison are separate
confinement, with bread and water diet, for several
Periods not exceeding three days. Occasionally hand-
cuffing and placing in a dark cell; extra work, and in
extreme cases, flogging. Punishment is administered
for breaches of silence and the prison rules, neglect of
wog(' dirty conduct, damaging the clothing or other
county property, theft, profane and indecent language,
'tad general refractory and violent conduct. The re-
port then goes on to say, " that the discipline of the
peisow as a House of Correction is, as far as is prac-
tieable, strictly enforced. The convict prisoners are at all
times commanded to observe the strictest silence, and to
be obedient and respectful to the officers over them.
The punishment for any breach of these rules is con-
formable to the Act of Parliament. The boys under
examination and bail have occasionally a small portion
of oakum to pick, rather than they should be continued
in idleness."—N.B. This prison affords ample accom-
modation, with alterations, for a much larger number
than is shown by the first.

THE NEW PRISON. CLERRENWELL.
This prison, as must be well known, has been pulled
down for the purpose of erecting one which shall
be really available, and supply the actual re-
quirements of the county. It has hitherto been
applied to the object of constituting a gaol,
to which untried prisoners are sent for safe custody.
The prison, however, was not razod until the 12th of Sep-
tember last, and therefore it fairly comes within the scope
of.this notice. The prison contained 165 separate sleeping
cells, and would accommodate 313 prisoners when more
than one slept in one cell. The number of prisoners
wht had been committed to this prison in the
twelve months, ending the 13th of September, was
4;646, whilst the greatest number of prisoners that had
been in confinement within its walls at one period had
been 262. Of the number of prisoners who had been
!waived into this gaol during the time specified,
`3llB bad been previously committed once, 122 twice,
43 tbsye times, and 72 four times. The increase
of 376 in the number committed, and of ninety..
four disobliged at the gaol deliveries in the year
oal Michaelmas, 1844), was accounted for by the
aosomitme,nt of 1;835 prisoners for trial for larceny,
under the operation of the Act of 7th and Bth Vic.,
a. 11, for the better administration of criminal justice in
the county of Middlesex. The prison having been duly
presented in 1844 u insufficient for the purposes re-