Star.
London, England, 1827-09-28 00:00:00

LAUNCESTONCOUNTY GAOL.-JUN* 1825.

The situation of this prison is healthy, and the build-
ing is neat. It is now used as a house of correction, for
receiving prisoners from Bodmin at the Lent assizes
which are held at this place.
No alteration has taken place since the last Report.
There are only ten sleeping cells: During the last Lent
assizes there were 32 prisoners brought here from Bod-
min, and the year before the number was more than 50:
on such occasions some of them are sent to the prison in
the borough, which is in a •ery defective state. There
were at this time in confinement,
1 Insane female convicted of murder.
S Females convicted of felony.
1 Male mi%demeananr.
There is no regular work provided, but the men are
occasionally employed in the gaoler's garden. The
women are occupied in sewing and mending linen.
The diet is the same as that allowed at Bodmin gaol.
LAUNCISTON *GROWN GAOL, JUNE 1825.

This prison is situated over an old gateway. which
forms one of the entrances into the town. The interior'
is of the very worst description. It contains, on the
first fl ,or, one room with two small divisions, or closets,'
taken off for the prisoners to sleep in; there are no bed-
steads ; no bedding is allowed, but straw is furnished
for the prisoners to lie upon, which is changed when a
new pi isoner is put in. There is one window, booking
east, but which will not open to admit air; there ap-
pears to have been formerly another window, to the
west, but this is now sopped up, with the exception of
a small loop-hole, through which air is admitted ; as
the opening is not glazed the room may be too cold in
winter, if the wind should be in that quarter, and it is
very inadequate for proper ventilation in the summer.
There is no yard for exercise, and no privy; as a sub-
stitute for the latter, a tub is placed in the room. On
the next floor is another room on a similar plan, but
rather better and more airy. Debtors are confined here ;
but the keeper said that such persons would submit to
almost anything before they would enter this filthy
place: for this season, the magistrates take bail when-
ever they can, or rather very small bail, before they %ill
subject a man to the punishmeut of being confined in
this prison, which is in every respect discreditable to
the local authorities.

Prisoners for trial are committed for i ffences vsg-
nizable at the Sessions, which are held here only twice
in the year.
It was stated that it had been in the contemplation
of the Borough Magi.trates, to make an arrangement
with the Olunty, in order that the prisoners within the
local jurisdiction might be committed to Bildmin Gaol.
When there happens to be both male and female pri-
soners committed for trial, at the time that the upper
room is occupied by debtors, the sexes mu t be kept
together, and this is also the case when male and fe-
male debtors a:e confined at the same time. At the pc-

rind of this visit there was only one prisoner in con-
finement...A vagrant.
FALMOUTH,— BOROUGH 0 AOL:,•—JUStE 1825.
This prison remains in the state described in the last
I Report. It contains only two cells, about ten feet square
Blankets and straw are allowed for Sleeping on t there
is no yard to which the prisoners can have access, and
no privy. The entrance to the second cell is thrdugh
the first ceU; and when there are both male and fema!*
prisoners, the women are placed in the inner one, being
separated only by a door from the other cell, which
does not prevent the utmost facility of conversation.—.-
There were seven women here at one period during
the last year, but they had the use of both cells, as at
that time there were no men in confinement. One
female was kept seventeen weeks in thii filthy place t
she was then removed to the infirmary, in the work-
houses having a typus4ever. There is a chain to fasten
prisoners to the floor, in the outer cell, but the visitor
was told that it had not been used of late years, except
in the case of a lunatic a short time since. No debtors
are confined in this prison. The prisoners have food
supplied from the workhouse. There were no persons
in confinement at this time. The state of this prison is
disgraceful to the town of Falmouth.
PleN11114.•••••11911OUGH GAOLo—.4l.lltll, 1825.
Tfiis prison contains bnly two cells; there are no day
rooms, and no yard. When any person is confined
here, the keeper walks with him occasionally np and
down a long passage in the town hall, of which this
little prison forms a part. Debtors are not committed
here, but only prisoners for trial at the borough sessions.
The allowance of food is about one pound three
quarters of bread per day.
There have seldom been confined more than four
persons at one time.
The prison is very dark and dirty, but the cells ap-
peared dry, and they have boarded flours. Straw only
is allowed-for the prisoners to lie upon.
TRIJROe—..IIOROUGIi 0A0L..-.4UNIC, 1825.

Debtors are not confined in this prison, and it is
usual only to keep prisoners here for further examina-
tion ; or deserters, for a short time, until they are for-
warded to their place of destination. When fully com-
mitted, prisoners are sent to the county gaol at Bodmin,
at which place or at Launceston they are tried, except
at the Michaelmas sessions, which are held at this
place; . wlin there are sometimes more than forty pri-
soners confined foe some days in this prison, which
con-
sists of only four rooms. It is a miserable place, and
appears to be very insecure, as a proof of which, two
nights previous to this visit, three deserters made their
escafe.