Star.
London, England, 1819-03-23 00:00:00

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

In the Committee of Supply various Resolutions
were agreed to, on the motion of Mr. ARBUTH-
NOT, for making good deficiencies in the rants of
last y ear for the offices of Secretary of the State, the
Privy Council, &c. . •
Mr.ARBUTHNOT then moved a grant of 60,0001.
for the Penitentiary at Millbank.
Mr. Alderman WOOD expressed his surprise at
the expense which this building had cost ; and con-
demned the erection in it of a steam engine.
Mr. LONG replied, that that plan had been adop-
ted which seemed, in all respects, to be the most eli-
gible for the attainment of health, security, separa-
tion, and inspection ; and that all circumstances con-
sidered, it was impossible to erect the building at a
less expense. The object of the steam-engine was
to grind corn and raise water for the convicts, they
being employed in such a way as would enable them
to be useful to themsehTs and to the public on their
being liberated.
Mr. Alderman WOOD, while he admitted the pro-
pricty of the mode of employment adverted to by
the Right Hon. Gentleman, observed that the water
might have been raised, and the corn ground (as he
had seen in a prison in Paris), by the labour of a very
small portion of the prisoners.
Mr. lIENNET observed, that a prison capable of
containing the same number of felons, might bave
been built at one half less expense, he might almost
say one-third. There were carpenters, shoe-makers,
and other trades at work in the Penitentiary. Indeed
no one could go there without seeing a great many:
persons hard at work.
Mr. Alderman WOOD said, his Honourable Friend
(Mr. Bennet) had misunderstood him ! he had not
said that no labour was performed in the prison, he
had only -said that the amount of the labour was very
small. He should like to know what kind of labour
the prisoners were employed in? When it was pro-
posed in 1792 to build a Penitentiary, it was under-
stood that L'200,000 would build one on as good a
plan as the present.
Mr. HOLFORI) said, the estimate of 1792 was
£210,000. Some of the county jails had cost in
building nearly £4OO a mane The sort of work car.
tied on in the Penitentiary was principally that of
tailors, shoemakers, and the Ulm •,)

Lord NUGENT stated, thar a vertical 'wheat hail
been constructed in the prison at Aylesbury, for raid,'
in water to supply the prim end the town. Tie',
height to which the water was 'raised was 70 few',
eight men were employed- at a desekiaad they we"
relieved every hour. aat • • I
Mr. BROUGHAKwhlodlWkilliWitettraitivalart
of the sum now asked ibr. s • • ••, •

• Mr. LONG! observed, that a steam-engine was
snore scoaomical than such a wheel as had been de-
scribed by Lord Nugent. •
Mr. HUME objected to the voting money for a
steam-engine. If they were to credit the Newspa-
pers, disturbances of a serious nature sometimes took
place in the Penitentiary, and, in his opinion, pump-
ing water, grinding corn, and other severe labour,
would be a proper punishment for the refractory.
Lord NUGENT said, forty persons by their labour
in Aylesbury prison, supplied a population of be-
tween four and five thousand with water. He thought
there must at least be forty persons in the Peniten-
tiary, whose labour could not he more beneficially
employed than in raising water in the same manner.
Mr. 110LFORD observed, that the statement of
disturbances in the Penitentiary was greatly exagge-
rated. There would be an end to the plan of sepa-
rating the prisoners, if they were to be employed in
raising water, for that would necessarily bring a
number of them together.
Mr. Alderman WOOD said, one of Bramah's
pumps would not cost more than Ll5O.
Mr. HOLFORD contended, that the bringing of
the prisoners together would be contrary to the di-
rections of the Act of Parliament.

Mr. Alderman WOOD moved as an amendment,
that the sum of C 40,000 only be granted.
After some farther observations from Mr. Sruaors
BOURNE, Mr. LONG, Lord NUGENT, Mr. Wsa.SMITU,
and Mr. Alderman WOOD, the amendment was with-
' drawn, and a Resolution granting 1,000 agreed to.
The sum of £20,000 was then voted for the Ex-
penses of the Penitentiary, from the 24th of April,
1819, to the 24th of April, 1820.