The Sun.
London, England, 1826-03-24 00:00:00

NEW SOUTH WALES;

EXTRACT OF A.LETTEit FROM NVIF SODIU-WALEEi
DATED SYDNEY, JUNE 30,'1825.
The sudden death of a prisoner in our gaols has
awakened attention, and an inquiry into the state
of Sydney-Gaol has, in earnest been carried into
effect.• The result of the investigation,haabeen
submitted to the Governor ; and we doubt .not
an entiro change will very soon take place in the
interior of that wretched domicile. Any thing
like comfort in,a prison, with due diference to
those philanthropists who a few- years ago were
pushing their prison reformation to excess, ought
studiously to be avoided ; but common humanity
requires that that which is intended in most cases as
a place of security only, should not be converted
into, a gloomy,Bastilr, where life may linger out
its span in cheerless suspense, and uncertainty of
final doom. The death of the man was, no doubt,
accelerated, if not altogether occasioned by con-
finement in a cell. There is equally no doubt,•
that he ought not to have been so- con.-
fined ; it was an unfortunate though blame,
less mistake, which caused that protracted
confinement. But it has been
,suggested, that,-
as he ate half a loaf on the morning of • his' • -
death, and at the other half was, found in his hat,,
he did not die from a want of food, or want of
nourishment, if bread end water during nineteen•.
weeks be sufficient to supply nature; though
nourishing cheer, administered When be first se.-
riously complained of illness, which was two or
three days before he died,.-night perhaps have'
prevented the premature and consequently sus•
picious termination of existence. The Sheriff?
the Deputy' Commissary General, and the prin--
cipal Surgeon, formed the Commission. This,
whimsical selection of Commissioners was truly
ludicrous. The first bad the gaol in his keeping
second was the purveyor—and the third,
the medical attendant.' In
all probability the
investigation was conducted with the same de-
gree
_of liberality, truth, and justice, as if the
parties in their public dUties had been quite in-
dependent of this establishment. •If indeed the•
public may judge. from the: first mentioned Gen-
tleman, as a specimen of the whole, there can
be no doubt on the subject. General policy, how-
ever, requires that no innovation should be
made on thegenerul principles, and these should
not be sacrificed, because, there happens to .be
at the time no danger, and no hazard in so doing,
for a dangerous precedent is easily made, but not
easily got rid of. The Grand Jury again have ;,
made. their, report, and, have presented various
existing nuisances and suggested numerous mat-
ters requiring the prompt consideration of" the
A u illorities." We only wish they had been more
minute in their description of the gaol. They
have been materially deficient in the prosecution
of their labours in this department ; and -they
cannot he complimented OIL their statement re-
specting it, What signifies praising the relative
condition of the gaol, if its absolute condition be
not what it ought to be ? InStead of lauding the
healthy appearance of
_the men, passing enco-
miums on their belia‘iour, and extending their
approbation to the quality of the bread, 010'
ought to have shown that they had examined the
gaol, and haVe stated generally and particularly
its unfitness—if such were the case and the
reason of its unfitness as a place of confine-
ment for the crowded inmates it contained.
On the arrival of Dr. Douglas here, an eiutnina-
don is to take place Into certain transactions
which occurred some time ago in the ColOny,,und
created many misunderstandings. Tett points,
or ten questions,. are ,to undergo _consideration.
This is done tit the instance of Lord Bathurst.
The referees on the Occasion are, the Governor,
time Chief Justice, the Archdeacon, and the Cu
to Secretary. On the,result of this business
will probably hinge the tenability of time office of
Secretary to the Colonial Council. A horse pa-
trol is established with a view to suppress the
many daring robberies which have been recently_
committed on the roads leading from Sidney to
the interior of the Colony ; also one to afford
protection to persons travelling the roads, is in
contemplation. Chapman is expected to be con-
ductor of it.

A country paper states, that in a letter received'
from a convict in, New South wales, the price Of
wheat is stated
,to be 10s. and barley 4s. 6d. per
bushel ; potatoes, ss. per twt.; tea ss. and sugar
4s. per lb. ; spirits 14s. per gallon; and beer,
6d. per.pnt. • •
Mr. N'AnAm was last week appointed by tin,
trustees of the Bath -road, General Surveyor of
that district, for live Years oltainott a salary or
0001. per annum, with power to appoint deputes
and surveyors at discretion.
The new-rail-read conch between Stockton
and Darlington, with one horse and twenty pas"
sertgers, performs the journey, a distance of
eleven miles, in one hour and a quarter, the ink
side fare being a shilling, the outside nittepetree•
lt is calculated that both children and adults
are redered Mere liable to disease and mortality.
by the single circumstance of eating too much,.
titan by any other twenty causes put together.

BIRTHS. • •
On Tuesday, the 21st instant, at Wartnahpliouse, Melton.
Mowhray, the Hon: Mrs.l)avidsOn, of a daughter.
At Longworth Herefordshire, the lady of Sir Edwin Francis
Stanhope, Ban. of a son.

-Ai A It It IE D.
The Rev. Hobert Greenwood, Vicar of,Colatan-Rawleigh,
Devon, to Matilda, daughter of the late T. Vincent, Esq. Of
Caine, Wilts.
At Bath, by the 11ev..1. Wulff,Sir Richard llardinj.te,
to Caroline Munster, daOgliter of Major-General Wulff.

DIED.
On Thursday last, at Croydon, Mr. James nookham, wine
anti spirit-Merebant,,in the 46th year of his age.
On Alonday, the inst. 31r. Needle, of Portman-place,
Edgeware..road, in thel4th year of his age.
. On 'l' uestli:y, the :list inst. at Camberwell, ltobert Bolleston,
Esq., in the 79th year of his age.
At Thatelnor on the 19th inst. Thomas Hedges, Esq. aged
41 years.
At Brighton, on the 19th inst. Harriet Ann, daughter of the
late Stephen Haven, Esq.
On Friday, the FM* inst• at lila lodgings in Derby, Lieut.
Geo. Castle, IL N. lie served udder liord Nelson at the great
battle of Trafalgar, on board the Royal -Sovereign, Lord Col-
lingwood. .

Printed and PIAUI:It-ea fin the PROPRIETORS, at the Suxi.
Ovrict:, N 0.112, Strand, by J. B. 0.,,TA,„,,