THE NAVAL PRISON AT LEWES.

say; nor do I wish to hear one word of what it tells, unless you wish to speak it.'

That resolve was firm within her, and to it she elung; but the days crept miserably by, nevertheless, and the desolate watchful nights lagged wearily indeed. There is one misery, and perhaps only one in the long category of human ills, to which the mind cannot shape itself, or get accustomed, namely, the torture of suspense. What we know, and can see the end of, though that end be desolation and blank death-the loss of all (for it seems all) we love-can, in the end, be borne. Time, though we so passionately deny its power to do so, does heal that wound; the cure is slow perhaps; it may take years, and every year to us a century; and now and again the wound, touched by some thoughtless hand, or touched by none-the revisiting a once-loved scene, a sound remembered, the scent of a living flower, or the sight of a dead one-any one of these may cause it to bleed afresh, as on the first day of loss; yet the cure is certain. But for Suspense there is no cure, no intermission, no relief. The sense of loss, however great and overwhelming, is occasionally forgotten; the mind escapes from it, and wanders free, or sinks exhausted with its burden into slumber. Occupation is more or less possible to us; the voice of genius can pierce through the mists of time, and absorb us for a little in its magic words; if music cannot charm us from our melancholy, it can soften it, for it is the fountain of tears: but Suspense has no such assuagements. Books cannot rivet its eye, nor music its ear. It resents such would-be alleviations, as the sick babe in pain resents its nurse's lullabies. They hinder it from its one function and employment, which is to watch; to listen; to anticipate the evil that is about to fall, it knows not whence, and fulfil the haunting presage of Ruin.

It is scarcely too much to say that her missing husband was never out of Maggie's thoughts, since the very dreams from which she woke to a new day of miserable expectancy, were filled with him. Whatever she beheld, reminded her of him-as, indeed, well it might, for she persisted in remaining at Rosebank, despite the persuasions of her friends. Suppose he was to return, to-night, to-morrow, and find me gone-even but to my father's house,' was her feverish fear, 'and thereby miss his solace!' Nay, even the very words that others spoke to her, though studiously shaped to avoid it, would recall him to her memory. You will get quite gray, my darling, moping here alone,' her father had smilingly said to her on one occasion, striving to win her from her loneliness; but she only shook her head, and straightway pictured to herself her missing dear one, whose brown locks had indeed turned gray, and in whose heart, consumed she knew not by what anguish, youth had died out for ever!

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them, with gladsome expectation, nor even with expiring hope-for hope was dead; and it came, or seemed to come, a thousand times, to the cottage door, but never nearer, for it was but the wanton wind; and a thousand times his fingers tapped, or seemed to tap, at the closed panes, but it was but the pitiless snow and hail that mocked her; and a thousand times, at night, she heard, or seemed to hear, his breathing on the vacant pillow and so she passed her Christmas. Her father came, bringing little Willie with him; but even in that there was no comfort yet: her eyes would rest upon the kind old man, who was so good to her, and who had loved her all his life, and never more (she knew) than now; but her thoughts were far away in ainiless search of him she yearned for; or she would gaze upon the child at play, yet mark him not, or, if she marked him, lift her finger up for Silence. Silence for the step that never came.

At last the leaden-winged year drew to its close; and the morning of New Year's Eve broke in upon her loneliness in sheets of sleet and snow. She was sitting at her untasted breakfast, listening, as usual, to the stormful sounds without, when suddenly she heard the front door opened. Pale and trembling, she started to her feet, for the hour was too early for a visit from her father, and no one save himself and her husband was wont to enter the cottage without ringing. But the next moment she heard the stamping of feet and scraping of shoes, whereupon that little ray of hope, like all preceding rays, at once departed, and was quenched in darkness; for John would never have stopped in the lobby though snow environed him from head to heel, she knew, but would have come right on into her beloved presence. In this case, indeed, there was still more delay, for she heard Mrs Morden summoned, and their voices in hushed converse. The visitors, in fact, were her father and Mr Linch, and she had but to cast one look on their earnest faces as they entered the room, to know that they were the bearers of grave tidings. 'O father, you have news of John?' cried she.

'Yes, Maggie,' answered the old man, in broken tones; there is news; and alas, bad news.'

THE NAVAL PRISON AT LEWES. A SHORT time ago we were permitted to visit the naval prison at Lewes, the county town of Sussex, which, we believe, is the only naval prison in the world. The building was originally the county jail of Sussex. It was bought by the government during the Crimean war, and served for a place of confinement for Russian prisoners; it was afterwards used as a barrack for marines; then as a convict hospital; and finally, in 1862, was handed over to the Admiralty, who instituted it as a naval prison for the incarceration of sailors and marines Thus six weeks or so of winter passed away-a guilty of naval offences. This course of proceedwinter so unusually severe that it froze the rapid ing arose from a very correct desire to save our river that ran by the town, yet could not numb her seamen from the contamination of prisoners in civil sense of loss, nor cool her fever of expectancy-jails. It is a melancholy sight to see a soldier and then came Christmas: the hallowed time of reconcilement and reunion; when home seems more like home than at other seasons, and wife and husband sit beside the hearth with a stronger sense than common of their unity. But it was not so with her. She listened, as did other wives, for her husband's footstep, but it was not, like

handcuffed and escorted into a common jail, for some military breach of discipline, and such a punishment is often the first step in a downward career. We have known a man go completely to the bad, after a very short sentence, who, till then, had always maintained a good character. The prevailing offence in the navy is absence without leave,

or overstaying leave. Insubordination is not a heavy percentage, but it may be considered an axiom that, whatever the offence, if searched to its origin, drunkenness will be found at the bottom of it. The naval prison will contain about one hundred and twenty men in solitary confinement; should there be more prisoners, the best behaved are associated,' and put together, but only then allowed to converse on ordinary subjects in the presence of a warder.

In going through the establishment, we are struck with the good order and dead silence that prevail, broken only by the monotonous voice of the warder conducting the shot-drill. There is an infirmary attached to the prison, but it is not in much requisition, and the deaths have only amounted to three cases during twelve years, out of over six thousand prisoners, which is about the number who have sojourned within the prison walls. This is an average of about five hundred a year. The number of tenants at one time depends very much on the presence or absence of the Channel Fleet and Flying Squadron. Either fleet returning home is sure to bring a cargo of delinquents for punishment. Every prisoner on admission is, according to the rules and regulations for naval prisons, strictly searched, in order that he may bring in nothing contraband; and whatever goods, whether money, pipes, tobacco, or anything he may have in his possession, are taken charge of and locked up in a depository for the purpose; and all such, together with his clothes, are entered regularly in a register, witnessed by the governor and a warder, and, on the man's discharge, are returned to him. Every prisoner is provided with prison clothing, which is more useful than ornamental, and marked with the distinguishing badge of the class into which he may be placed. He is also supplied with all other necessaries during his residence in the prison.

The prisoners are divided into three classes, and receive, according to their class, such small privileges as may be accorded thereto. All men on entry are placed in the third class, from which it rests with themselves to rise to the second or first. The first class is reserved for such prisoners as may appear to merit some relaxation of punishment, from their steady, orderly behaviour, and proper submission to the rules of the establishment. However, this knowledge of their characters can only be obtained from experience, and, in consequence, every prisoner must perforce remain a certain period in the third class. Of course, men so promoted to the higher classes require to maintain their character, or they will be again remitted to the third class as a punishment. The exceptions to the above rule are those cases where solitary confinement forms a portion of the sentence; but as solitary confinement is always broken by intervals of ordinary imprisonment, a prisoner may, on release from solitary confinement, be placed in the first class. Every prisoner has the rules, so far as he is concerned, read out to him, and a copy is placed in every room and cell. Reconvicted prisoners may be promoted only under special restrictions. Prisoners who enter with a record of previous convictions by court-martial are necessarily placed in the third class, and if convicted within six months of expiration of a former sentence, have to serve out three-fourths of their present sentence in the

third class, one-half if convicted within twelve months of their last sentence, and one-fourth if within eighteen months thereof. Over this latter period, the governor-with whom, subject to the above restrictions, rests the classification of prisoners-may promote any prisoner to the first class. The prison is moreover supervised by a Board of visitors, consisting of the naval commander-inchief at Portsmouth, his flag-captain, two of the chief magistrates of Lewes, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and one or two more. These have power to award punishment, and also to recommend a relaxation of punishment in the cases of deserving characters.

The first class of prisoners perform the same number of hours of labour, drill, and duties as do the second class, but the work is of a lighter and pleasanter description. Another advantage of being in the first class is, that although portions of the sentence may be solitary confinement, the usual Sunday dinners are nevertheless allowed. After six P.M. and during meals, all prisoners who may for good conduct be associated are permitted to converse among themselves, under the supervision of a warder. Second-class prisoners have their full turn of hard labour, as shewn in the foregoing detail of time. Like the others, they are under the strictest surveillance, and are not allowed to exchange one word with another prisoner. The rule of silence is also imposed on the warders, except for the necessary orders and directions they may have to give. After the day's work is done, this class is permitted to read or receive instruction till bedtime, but still in silence. Prisoners of the third class perform all the usual prison labour; but after six P.M. instead of relaxation, they are employed till eight P.M. in picking oakum and such light employment. Picking oakum, by the way, is, however, no small punishment, and, to unaccustomed hands, a very painful one.

All prisoners on admission have to sleep on bare boards, as a soldier does on guard, for one week, after which third-class men sleep as on guard every other night, and second-class men every third night; the prisoners of the first class, after completing the first week, have the regular prison bed and bedding. A luxury is allowed in very cold weather, if recommended by the surgeonnamely, a rug or blanket, or both. Prisoners shave daily, razors being served out for the purpose, and collected again by the warders. A part of the system which affects the smart-looking men most is the rule under which the hair of all prisoners is cut close to the head every fortnight. Prisoners of the first class may grow their hair for the last month of their sentence. All hands are served out with change of linen twice during the week. The amount of work done by the inmates of the naval prison amounts in value to about one thousand pounds per annum; and seeing that during the period of their incarceration, all pay, rations, and allowances are forfeited by the men, and credited to the Admiralty, it may be safely estimated that the extra cost of maintaining discipline, so far as this establishment is concerned, does not amount to much more than one thousand pounds annually.

On Sundays, necessary cleaning-up is all that is required. Prisoners rise at 6.30, and at 10.30 and 3 P.M. attend chapel (there is a chapel in the main

THE OLD COPPER TOKENS.

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observe, that every man is weighed on entry and release, and that short-sentence prisoners are invariably lighter on exit, from unaccustomed food and labour, while long-sentence men increase in weight, from having got used to the work and the regularity of hours and diet.

The prison has been, since its establishment, entirely under the superintendence of its present governor, who is, of course, a naval officer of rank, and to whose judicious firmness, and method of carrying out the discipline prescribed, is due the fact, which is an important one, that very few men return a second time within its walls. Many doubtless keep steady from dislike of punishment, but very many also, who have entered indifferent characters, return to their ships thoroughly reformed. The royal navy and marine forces number sixty thousand men, and out of this number, as we have said, five hundred annually are committed to the naval prison.

building), the families of officials and visitors being allowed in the gallery, from which they, however, can only see a series of close-cropped heads below. The men sing with considerable unction, and with remarkably good effect. There are found generally among seamen those who can sing, and the best are arranged in a choir, and are accompanied by a harmonium. The weekly silence has at least one effect that many a clergyman asks for in vain from his own congregation-the responses are given with an unexampled fervour, and the confession of sins, if not heartfelt, is at least loud in expression. Temporary seclusion from the world in this retreat has also the effect of interrupting epistolary correspondence with one's friends, for a prisoner with a sentence not exceeding three months is neither permitted to write home, receive letters, nor see visitors. Those in for a longer period may, after expiration of three months, if the governor approves, write one letter, receive one letter, and see one visitor per month, in presence of a warder. All letters sent and received are inspected by the governor. THE OLD COPPER TOKENS. All prisoners in solitary confinement are allowed a seat in their cells, and every cell communicates PLENTY of books have first and last been written with a gong in the corridor by means of a bell-on coins issued by royal and competent authority, handle in the cell. In order to know who has pulled the bell, both to attend to the prisoner's wants, and to secure against pulling it needlessly, the act of ringing turns a small ticket at right angles outwards; this has the number of the cell printed on it, and the prisoner cannot replace the same himself. The warder in the corrider can at once see who has rung. Of the eighteen warders, all are on duty every day, and three or four every night, so that it will be seen their place, irksome as it must otherwise be, is no sinecure in point of rest. The warder on night-duty has to patrol all the corridors. We were amused at seeing a specimen of his daily report-namely: I patrolled the corridors of the prison from o'clock A.M. till o'clock this morning, "pegging the tell-tale clock" every half-hour during that time.' As many of our readers may not know what 'pegging a telltale clock' is, we will explain it.

An ordinary clock-case contains clock-work which moves a dial-plate marked with the hours as usual from one to twelve: each hour is subdivided into four, thus shewing the quarters. This dial has no hands, but round the circumference are arranged forty-eight pegs, radiating outwards. Each peg moves in or out of a hole opposite each hour and quarter. The case is locked at night with all the pegs out; a handle from without being pulled, exactly at any quarter, causes a hammer to strike on the corresponding peg, and drives it in, where it remains till next day. Now, in order to be sure that the warder has done his duty, and kept awake, he is ordered to peg the tell-tale clock every hour, half-hour, or quarter, as may be determined. In order to do so, he must present himself at the clock-face exactly at the quarter, and pull the handle. Should he be a minute late, he may know what to expect, for, like time and tide, telltale clocks wait for no man, and dereliction of duty is necessarily visited with severe punishment in such an establishment. Every prisoner in solitary confinement is employed suitably, and receives moral and religious instruction, has suitable books given him to read, and is allowed as much openair exercise as is good for his health. The fare is much the same as in other prisons; but we may

but little has ever been said regarding tokens, or pledges for small payments, resembling our present copper money. We shall endeavour to give some account of these tokens, which as lately as the reign of James I. were usually nothing else than bits of lead struck with a die. A project for a copper currency was attempted in Elizabeth's reign, but after pattern-pieces had been arranged for, the plan was abandoned. The corporation of Bristol were, however, authorised by the queen to issue and circulate a farthing token.

James I. in the eleventh year of his reign delegated his rights to coin copper money to Lord Harrington for a monetary consideration, the patent being, however, for farthings only. This patent was renewed by Charles I. on his accession to the throne; but the privilege was grossly abused by the patentees, as they issued the farthings in immense numbers of a merely nominal value, the coins weighing six grains only. They encouraged their circulation by selling twenty-one shillingsworth for one pound in silver; by this artifice, numbers of unprincipled persons were induced to buy them, and force them upon their customers at the rate of five, ten, and twenty shillings-worth at one time. The consequence was, that, in a short time, both in the metropolis and the adjacent counties, there was a great scarcity of gold and silver, their place being supplied by legions of these almost worthless pieces. This accumulation of patent farthings in the hands of the petty tradesmen caused the latter no small annoyance and loss, from the refusal of the unprincipled patentees to change them. The clamour became so great, that the outcry reached the ears of the House of Commons, and caused them to be suppressed in 1644 by a decision of that body; and the farthings were re-changed with money raised from the estates of the unprincipled patentees.

An authorised currency was intended to have been then struck, but owing to the Civil War, which

ADVENTURE OF A DIGGER IN COLORADO.