The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-01 00:00:00

PRISON DISCIPLINE (SCOTLAND).

The LORD ADVOCATE moved for leave to bring
in a Bill to amend the law with respect to prisons and
prison discipline
.in Scotland. He stated that previous
to 1839 the laws of Scotland relating to prisons and pri-
son discipline had been very unsatisfactory. The prisons
were not fit for the reception of any human beings, and
there was no sufficient security for the safe custody of the
prisoners. The expense, both of erecting and main-
taining the prisons, fell exclusively upon the Royal
burghs, and the consequence was that very inadequate
provision was made. In 1839, a statute passed, to im-
prove the then existing state of the law. .That statute
had been,in operation ever since, and it had caused a
great improvement in the discipline of prisons. There
was a general Board in Edinburgh, for
.the manage-
ment Of prisons, and 'they reported annually bn the
subject. Their reports were most valuable documents.
They showed that the new system had in general worked
admirably ; but, of course, some defects had been found
in it, and to remedy those defects was the object of the
Bill. The report of last year st-ted that the
system had been in operation four years, and that
experience had proved the soundness of the system upon
which it was founded, at the same time some imperfec-
tions might be pointed out. A Bill had been introduced
last session to remedy those inconveniences, and for af-
fording additional facilities for improving the manage-
ment of prisons. The measure which he was about to
propose was essentially similar to 'the measure of las:;
year, and its objects were to remedy those imperfec-
tions and to afford those facilities. He would not weary
the House with details, but would content himself with
alluding to two points. Since 1839 there had been a new
census, and as-the contribution of each district towards
the expense of maintaining these prisons was regulated
by the amount of population, it was necessary to have an
enactment authorising the authorities to take the last
census as the basis for the assessment. It was also ne-
cessary to reniedy some imperfections in the plan at pre-
sent used for the transmission of prisoners. The; Bill,
therefore, contained provisions for the better removal
of prisoners. The Bill was, in fact, the same as the Bill
of last year, with some few alterations. _ _

Mr. WA-LLACE would not propose the amendment
of which he bad given notice. He had now on the paper
a notice for the appointment of a Committee to inquire
into the subject, and he thought that would be a more
Convenient time for discussing the subject of prison dis-
cipline in Scotland than the present. He should not,
therefore, oppose the motion of the Learned Lord Advo-
cate. He believed the system of prison discipline had
been greatly improved in Scotland since 1839.
The motion was then agreed to, and the Bill was
brought in. and read a first time.
AGRICULTURAL' STATISTICS.

Mr. M. GIBSON postponed to that day fortnight the
Motion of which he had given notice for this evening on
the subject of agricultural statistics.

The remaining Orders of the Day were then disposed
of, and the House ad.ourned at a Quarter before Eleven
o'Clock.

LIVERPOOL GRAND STEEPLE
CHASE.
(FROM OUR TURF CORRESPONDENT.)
-WEDNESDAY NIGHT.—The disappearance of the frost,
and the favourable. state of the weather, this morning, suc-
ceeeding to several hours of heavy rain, removed all appre-
hensions of a postponement, and enables us to state, not only
that there was an excellent shoW of company, but that the
gratification afforded by two very sporting races was un-
alloyed by accident, wrangle, or mismanagement ; still, in
speaking of the numbers present, we are forced to admit
that the variable state of the weather in the early part
of the week prevented hundreds from the metropolis and
other distant localities from risking an expensive,' fatiguing,
and, it might be, bootless journey, and that the assemblage
in consequence was somewhat below the average. We men-
tion this with regret, from a knowledge that the lessee's
heavy responsibilities in the shape of rent, money given to be
run for, and incidentals, must of necessity make any falling off
a matter of serious anxiety. The start for the principal event
was fixed in the cards at two o'clock, but as the precision
observed at the legitimate races is not looked -for in sports of
this description, it was nearly three before the horses were
in the starting field. Until the stated period for starting
the weather had been favourable ; the sky then became over-
cast, and just before the race commenced the rain set in,
accompanied by a mist, that rendered it next to impossible
-to distinguish the colours of the riders a quarter of a mile
from the stand. -For this reason we shall make no apology
for confining ourselves to an official return of the starters
and. their riders, and a brief general " idea" of the manner
in which the race conunenced, progressed, and terminated.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 sovs. each, 10 ft, with 100 added,
the second Saves his stake. (41 subs., 19 declared.)
Mr. Quartermaine's Discount, 10st.121b (Crickmere 1
Mr. S. Crawfurd's The Returned, 12st (Scott 2
Sir T. H. GoOdrick nd Tom Tug, lOst 71b (Rockley 3
Lord Maidstone's Caesar, list 101 b • (Barker 4
The following also ran :—Mr. Ekins' Peter Simple,
12st 121 b (Frisby) ; 'Mr. Millbank's Robinson, 12st 7lb
(Parker) •, Lord Maidstone's Wiverton, 12st 41b (Oli-
ver) ; Mr. W. Scott's Heslington, • 12st. (Mr. W.
Benett) ; Lord E. Russell's Lather, I Ist 21b (Ball) ;
Sir J. Gerard's* Louis Philippe, 1 Ist (Cowell) ; W.
Hollinshead's Little Peter, lOst 121 b (Day) ; Mr. Moore's
Nimrod, lOst 101 b (A. M'llonough); Lord Sefton ad. Ma-
rengo, lOst 101 b (Brotherton) ; Mr. Kennedy's Teetotaller,
lOst 71b (Sharkey) ; Lord G. Bentinek ml. the Romp, lOst 71b1
(Byron); and Sir W. M. Stanley nd. Charity, lOst 71b:
(Powell).
Bettinn•--5 to 1 agst Marengo; 5 agst Discount, 8 to
1 agst Heslington, 8 to 1 apt Wiverton, 12 to 1 agst Charity,
14 to 1 agst Robinson,' 14 to-1 agat Nimrod, 15 to 1 agst The
Returned, 20 to 1 agst Louis Philippe, and 25 to 1 agst the.
Rorpp. _ _ _

No sooner were they all fairly off, than Tom Tug, emerging
. from the crowd, took the lead at a middling pace, attended
by, The Romp, The Returned, Lather, and, after the first
three or four fields, Discount, Heslington, Wiverton, Caesar,*
and a nick of horseslying up. Except that Peter Simple
found his way into a ditch, nothing occurred to give variety'
to the race until they reached the hurdle fence that inter-'
seeted the line a few strides below the artificial water jump.
It was taken first by Tom Tug, followed by The Romp, at'
the next moment by The Returned, and afterwards, in quick
succession, by Lather, Heslington, Discount, &c.; in nearly'
the same order was the water cleared, without a mistake,
except The Romp, who fell on her knees, but recovered her-
self in an instant, and without losing her place. Tom Tug
went on with the running to about the fourth fence, which
he refused, and The Returned was left in advance. Toni,
however, speedily resumed his position, and was first in the
throng up to the lane ; here he was joined by The Returned,
The Romp,. and Ciesar, and the four raced together nearly,
abreaSt along the lower end of the course. Discount, who
had waited on them, then drew upon them, and getting up
inside as they entered the straight running, passed them one by
one, was ahead at the distance, and, improving his advantage
every stride, passed the winning chair at least 20 lengths in ad-
vance. The Returned headed Tom Tug at the distance, and beat
him for second by about a length and a half. Caesar was six
.lengths behind, and was placed fourth ; Lather was fifth,
Marengo and The Romp next, but all beaten off a long way.
Most of the others were pulled up some distance from home.
Charity fell after jumping the water, and Lather broke down
near the end. These, and Peter Simple's mistake at the
ditch, were the only casualties. We should state, in conclu-
sion, that the ground, run over was precisely the same as last
year, with the exception of the walls, for which a hurdle
jump was substituted ; :and that the rain en Tuesday night:
had made it very heavy.
The_Champion Hurdle Race Sweepstakes of 10 sm. each

with 50 added; the second saved his stake. Two miles.
(11 subs.)
Mr. Raworth's Chance, aged (Bradley) 1.
Mr. W. Scott's Heslington, 6 vrs ,(Oliver).
Mr. Milbank's Robinson, aged (Parker) 3.,
The following were not placed :—Mr. Dauber na Baronet;
5 yrs (Thomas) •, Mr. Skins' Peter Simple, aged (Frisby) ;,
and Mr. J. G. Watson's Mudlark (Brotherton). Betting—
Even on.• Chance; 5 to 2 agst Heslington; and 4 to 1 agst
Robinson. Peter Simple made all the running to the last,_
hurdle but one, at which he wasp passed by Heslington and
Chance, the horse leading; the mare,. however, was well
hand, collared him at the last jump, made him safe at. th
Stand, and won cleverly. Baronet and Mudlark were beaten.,
off several lengths,
Match, 300, h ft, Lord Maidstone's Wiverton received 1204
from Hon. S.. Herbert's Arctic. • •

Amongst the company present were the Earl and Countess
of Sefton, Lord De Tably, Earl and Countess 'of Eglintoun,
Lord and Lady Craven, Lady C. Townley, Lord Curzon,
"Lords Macdonald, Maidstone, Cosmo Russell; Sir G. Hong'.
ton; Honourables Stanley' Fitzroy, F. Craven,' Captain 'Stan-
; Sir W. M. Stanley,'Sir.'R. Brooke,'Sir H. Brownrigg,
Sir F. Bathurst ; Messrs.' Payne, Errington' J. Stanley, Mill-
banke, F. A. Millbanke; Range, A. Graham, J. Bell, J.
'White, Mare, Heywood, Blackburn, Ste. &c.
The 'Waterloo and most of the principal hotels are full ;
but time will not admit of our giving-it list of their visitors.

BEr4NG AT THE TALBOT.
CHESTER CUP.

10 to 1 apt Sir Robert
14 to 1 agst The Prior
15 to 1 agst Cattonite,
20 to 1 agst Pharaoh
20 to 1 :agst Freedom

20 to 1 agst Tacita'—taken
30 to 1 agst What
40 to 1 agst Arnagill-taken_
'27 to 1 agst Alice Irlaw.thorrr
50 to 1 agstirikeel=ltaken.

DERBY.

13 to 2 agst Uglyßuck—t.
20 to 1 agst Forth's lot, bar

Leander—t.

33 to. 1 agst Lord Exeter's
lot—taken

40 to 1 agst Saddlebow—t.
50 to 1 agst Theseus—t.

TUE CURRENTS AT CAPE, ,AGULEAS.—,-A ~bottle,
containing the following, was picked up near the mouth of
the Kaffer Kin! River, , Cape of Good Hope, .a short time
since :—" Barque Maria, Sproule, from Batavia to Cowes,
thrtowri overboard 20th kruly, 1843, lat. 35. 23. S., lon. 20.54.
E. Should this be picked up by: any one, for the exten-
sion of our knowledge of the currents :of. the ocean, they will
please to make it known." A difference of opinion exists
amongst nautical men, trading to the eastward, regarding the
current abreast of Cape Aulhas, but it has been ascertained
from captains Who have long traded on the eastern coast, and
who have had very frequent occasions to notice the current,
that it generally runs westward on the edge of the bank all
the way from Port Natal round the Cape. Close to the
shore there is often a reaction, and there are also eddies
formed, which are apt to mislead strange vessels in coining
too near in. • • -

• NARROW ESCAPE: Last week, as a commercial.
traveller was proceeding in a .gig from Dunkeld to Blair-
gowrie, when about. half-way, he discovered, through the
twilight= a woman sitting at the roadside, partly enveloped in
the.kapidly Ailing snow. On speaking to her, and receiving
-answer; he alighted, and found she was senseless thrpugh
the extremity of the cold. He humanely lifted her into the
gig, and took her to the nearest public-house, where the usual
restqative.s iii such cases were used, happily with effect. On
recovering, it was ascertained that she had been round the
neighbouring country, selling small wares, &c., and being
fatigued, had sat down to rest herself, when a stupor, as often
happens in similar cases, ,c
ame over her, whiCh would most
prohably have ended. . sleep of death, had she not been
Otis providentially cbscovered.—.Peillt Journal.

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