PENITENTIARY. Extract from the Report of the Committee of the« 1825. 66 now prevails in the schools, which are held "twice a week; and the prison in general is in a very high state of order and discipline. The committee have also under their consideration certain other suggestions contained "in the report mentioned above, particularly "In the last report of this committee, dated on one for permitting some of the prisoners to "the 6th March, 1824, it was mentioned, that "have lights in their cells during a part of the "the convicts under their care had been all re- "long winter evenings; and of allowing the "moved from the penitentiary at Milbank, in" use of books of amusement, in addition to 66 consequence of the sickness which had pre- “ those of a graver character, which latter in"vailed there; and were at that time confined" dulgence has always prevailed to a certain 66 on board hulks fitted up for their reception "extent in the penitentiary. In fixing the 66 at Woolwich. Between that time and the new dietary, the committee have, by the ad"11th April, all the male convicts, 440 in num"vice of eminent medical men, and in con"ber, were transferred under act of parliament "formity to what appeared to be the weight of 66 to the regular hulk establishment; and before" authority in the examination which took 66 66 “ the 19th day of June in the same year, the “ place before the committee of the house of "females, amounting to 165, were discharged by his majesty's most gracious pardon, in" consequence of the degree in which the sickness still continued to affect those on board" "the vessels in which they had been placed at "Woolwich. Of these, by far the greater "number were restored to their friends, who 66 66 66 ، commons in 1823, reverted in substance to their old dietary (under which the prisoners were uniformly healthy for six years after the prison opened), with some slight variation "suggested by those whom they consulted upon "this occasion. They have the great satis "faction to be able to state, that the prison is now, and has been since it has been re"opened, very healthy." TREAD-WHEEL. Abstract of the Result of Inquiries made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, as to the Effect of the Tread-wheel in the Prisons where it has been established. 66 were willing to receive them; a few, who had 66 no friends, were taken into the families of "other prisoners, through gratitude for the "kindness they had themselves experienced; "and two were admitted into that excellent "charitable establishment, the Refuge for the "Destitute.' No individual was discharged "without some place to go to, in the first in، stance, and some means of immediate support. | Or thirty-two communications from the various "After the improvements suggested for the counties of England and Wales, and from Scot"better ventilation of the prison, by sir Hum- land, above four-fifths were in favour of the "phrey Davy, and alluded to in the last report tread-wheel, the greater number stating that the "of the committee of the house of commons exercise had proved salutary to the prisoners. "which sat upon the subject of the penitentiary, In the remaining communications several acci"had been completed, and the necessary ar- dents and inconveniences were described; bat 66 rangements had been made for the reception none of them of a serious nature, except in the "of prisoners, the penitentiary was re-opened instance of the house of correction at Shepton on the 9th of August last, and the number of | Mallet, in Somersetshire, Mr. Burroughs, the "convicts has been gradually increasing from surgeon of which, detailed eight cases of rupture, “ that time to the present; there being now resulting, in his opinion, from the labour of the ، within the prison 115 males, and 32 females. tread-wheel. Thereupon, W. Norris, esq. Pre"It was recommended by the report of the sident of the college of surgeons, and sir W. "committee of the house of commons above Blizard and H. Cline, esq. members of the court "mentioned, that the schools in which the of examiners of the same college, were required "prisoners were instructed should be held by the secretary of state for the home depart “after the hours of labour; the passages of the ment to repair to Shepton Mallet, and investi"prison being lighted up for that purpose. gate the circumstances of those cases; which "This had originally been the practice of the they did, and reported it as their opinion, that "prison, but had been discontinued in conse- only two of the ruptures alleged to have been 66 quence of the inconvenience and irregulari- caused by the tread-wheel were in any degree "ties which had resulted from it. The prac-attributable to it, and that even with regard "tice has, however, now been revived, with to those two, the surgeon had not ascertained "better means of lighting the passages, the that the afflicted persons were free from rupture “portable gas being employed for that purpose before they were put upon the wheel. They “instead of candles, and under arrangements added their unanimous declaration, that it did "which, together with the increased respecta- not appear to them that the exercise of the treadbility and efficiency of our present officers, wheel, at a velocity of forty-eight steps in a "Have prevented the recurrence of the evils minute, could be prejudicial to the health of any formerly experienced. The greatest decorum person equal to common labour. 66 66 |