of the inner walls, which divide the yards, have been very properly shortened, so as to be entirely detached from the outer boundary wall of the prison. The day-rooms and night-cells are well constructed, and they appeared to be generally in good order. Most of the yards are capable of inspection, from the windows of the rooms occupied by the keeper and his officers; some few of the yards are flagged, and it would be a great improvement if the whole were so, as it would prevent that dampness which is so apt to rise from the surface of the ground within the confined limits of a prison.

There were about 30 prisoners at this time in confinement, 19 of whom were for trial, 13 being males and six females; some of them are for serious offences; the calendar from this city, for the approaching assizes, is reported to be as heavy as that for the county. Employment for the labouring classes is here very precarious: probably the secluded construction of the public foot-passages of this ancient city, tends to the increase of depredations.

Two rooms, well laid out, are provided for the reception of night charges. Disorderly females are repeatedly brought in; and it is feared that this class of offenders is greatly on the increase in this city.

The chief source of employment for the prisoners is picking oakum; but a tread-mill is about to be erected, for which an adjoining piece of ground is intended to be taken in;—a measure that will also afford an opportunity for further improvement. The recent alterations in this prison reflect high credit upon the active magistrates of this city.

KNUTSFORD.

County House of Correction.

May 1824.

Ar this prison an hospital is erected, which will he occupied in the course of this summer. It is in contemplation to build additional day-rooms and work-rooms, in order to conform the classification to the new Act.

The prisoners are at present divided into six classes, (viz.) felons before conviction; felons after conviction; misdemeanants before conviction; misdemeanants after conviction; vagrants; females. The six airing-yards of these classes are under good inspection from the governor's house in the centre, from which the buildings radiate.

There is a school in the prison, for the instruction of those prisoners who cannot read. It appears that many boys have derived much profit from this school. Religious books are occasionally given. On Sundays there are prayers, and a sermon is preached morning and evening. On Tuesdays prayers are read, and on Thursdays there are prayers and a lecture. A testament and prayer book are placed in each cell.

The employments continue the same as before. The articles are sold to any who choose to purchase. The earnings are thus divided : to the prisoners, 10 per cent. to the governor, 5 per eent. to the task-naster, and the remainder to the county. The gross amount of earnings from 28th March 1823, to 28th March 1824, was £940. 15s. 3 d.

Since the last report, two tread-wheels have been erected, at which the prisoners sentenced to hard labour work in separate classes, under the inspection of a turnkey. Ten prisoners work on each wheel, while five are off for relief, (15 to each wheel.) Females do not work on the tread-wheel.

The duration of labour, apportioned to each prisoner working on the wheels, is four hours per day. The cost of the treadwheels was £450; no mill has yet been erected. The health of the prisoners has not been found in any degree to suffer from this species of labour, although the daily ration of food had not been increased when this report was made. The weekly cost of food is stated to be two shillings per head: the dietary is the same as in the last year. There are 128 separate sleeping-cells, but 213 persons were last year in confinement at one time.

The number of criminals committed, from January 1821 to January 1822, was 193 felons; from January 1822 to January 1823, 171 felons; and from January 1823 to January 1824,

180 felons.

From January 1823 to January 1824, the total number of commitments, was 892, of which the following are re-committals, (viz.) felons 19; misdemeanors 58; and vagrants 45. Crime is supposed to be rather on the advance, owing probably to the increase of population in the manufacturing districts.

Irons are never used in this prison.

The female prisoners are placed under the care of a matron and two assistants.

The number of inferior male officers employed in the prison, is five, (viz.) a task-master, two turnkeys, a porter, and a night

watchman.

It is very satisfactory to state, that a Committee of Ladies has for several months visited this prison, with the benevolent in

tention of assisting in the reformation of the female prisoners. These Ladies state that they have received every possible assistance from the magistrates; and to the judicious selection of a matron, of kind and firm manners, the improved conduct of the prisoners has been materially owing. From the nature and extent of the population in this manufacturing district, many of the women are of notoriously profligate character; yet scarcely an instance has occurred of insubordination or disrespect, but feelings of gratitude have been evinced by the prisoners for the instruction and attention bestowed upon them. Among the instances of those who have derived benefit from their labours, is that of a woman, of depraved habits, imprisoned for a felony, who has exhibited the strongest marks of contrition for her past crimes. She has been discharged nearly a year, and her subsequent good conduct has been testified by those who have witnessed a total change in her habits and character.

CORNWALL.

BODMIN.

County Gaol and House of Correction.

May 1824. IN the female department of this prison, additional wards have been completed, which admit of a separation between the young and old female prisoners. The present buildings are very defective in inspection, and inadequate to the classification of the new Act. It is in contemplation to erect an additional ward, with an airing-yard for the debtors, the present being very confined and inconvenient. There are 71 separate sleeping-cells in the prison: 158 prisoners were in the last year in confinement at one time. The following is a description of the several apartments, yards, &c. which this prison contains:

1. For male debtors, a court-yard 54 feet by 20 feet, two day-rooms, two bed-rooms, and ten sleeping-cells.

2. For female debtors, a court-yard 23 feet by 11 feet, a dayroom, and two bed-rooms.-Owing to the want of room, male and female debtors are sometimes placed in the same apartments.

3. For male felons, a court-yard 62 feet by 45 feet, two dayrooms and 16 sleeping-cells.

4. For female felons, a court-yard 49 feet by 18 feet, a day-room, work-shop, and seven sleeping-cells.

5. For males in the bridewell, a court-yard 45 feet by 25 feet, two day-rooms, a receiving-room, four bed-rooms, and 16 sleeping-cells.

6. For females in the bridewell, a court-yard 40 feet by 18 feet, a day-room, work-shop, and seven sleeping-cells.

7. For male juvenile offenders, a court-yard 44 feet by 33 feet, a day-room, work-shop, and six sleeping-rooms.

8. For female juvenile offenders, a court-yard 34 feet by 14 feet, a day-room, a work-shop, and two sleeping-rooms.

There are two separate rooms in the infirmary, three cells for condemned prisoners, and one cell for solitary confinement: the chapel is about 28 feet by 20 feet; the ground-floor is for male prisoners in the gaol and bridewell, divided by a rail; a part is divided off for females: the keeper and debtors are seated in the upper floor.

A chaplain reads prayers and preaches a sermon twice every Sunday; he also reads prayers every morning in the week. In the intervals between the hours of service on Sundays, the juvenile prisoners are instructed in reading, by a competent person appointed by the keeper. A room is allotted to the chaplain for giving private instruction to the prisoners, to whom he distributes tracts, and they are also supplied with bibles.

The women are employed in spinning wool and flax, knitting stockings, making, mending, and washing for the use of the prison: the men are employed in sawing and polishing stone, and grinding corn. The keeper disposes of the produce; the polished stone is sold for mantle-pieces, &c.: one half of the earnings is given to the prisoners, and the other to the keeper, in addition to his salary.

There is a hand-mill for the labour of eight men, at which all the wheat for the use of the prison is ground. There is also a tread-wheel, used for the punishment of male prisoners, only: whilst the prisoners are on the wheel, they are under the inspection of the keeper or his assistant; sixteen are employed in rotation, viz. twelve on at one time, and four off: they work eight hours in the day. The cost of the mill was about £200. The surgeon and keeper both concur in the opinion, that the health of the prisoners has not suffered in the least from this species of punishment. The effects of the treadwheel have been so salutary, that no instance of recommitment has occurred, of persons who have been thus punished.

The good effects of employment are apparent in the orderly conduct of those prisoners who are sentenced to hard labour, compared with that of others, the nature of whose offence does not admit of their being so employed.

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The daily ration of food has not been increased, but the keeper is authorised to make an addition if he considers it necessary : the weekly cost per head, is 28. 4d.

The cases of recommitments for the last year, were 64, and the whole number of commitments 497: the average is the heaviest in cases of bastardy.

Irons are not used, except in flagrant cases of disorderly conduct, and such have not occurred for a considerable time. There is a solitary cell, which has been used in a few instances, by way of punishing disorderly conduct, with good effect.

Although the number of commitments has increased, yet the average number of criminals, in prison at the same time, appears (from the daily account kept by the gaoler) to have been less in the last year than in either of the two preceding years; a circumstance arising from the commitments having been for minor offences, and the term of imprisonment having been consequently short; crimes of a serious nature may therefore be considered as decreasing, and the cause to which it may be attributed is the regular employment of the labouring classes.

A matron has the superintendence of the female prisoners. Female convicted felons are now confined in Launceston gaol; and males convicted of offences and sentenced to imprisonment without labour, are sent to Launceston.

New regulations, agreeably to the Act 4 Geo. 4, were printed by order of the court of quarter sessions, in October 1823.

The inferior male officers are two turnkeys, one baker, and two assistants.

Two insane male prisoners were in confinement in October last, one of whom had been committed three times; the last offence being for an assault.

THE only classification observed in this prison is the separation of male and female prisoners, who have distinct day-rooms and airing-yards, but are not under inspection. There are ten sleeping-cells: six was the greatest number of prisoners at one time during the last year, and the whole number of commitments in the year amounted only to 16. The male prisoners sometimes work in the keeper's garden; the females make, mend, and wash clothes.