SEVERAL COUNTIES OF IRELAND, ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS OF 1821; 1813 and 1821; and of the Proportions of Houses and Inhabitants to the Acre and the Square Mile in each County. Average Number of Acres to an Inhabitant. Average Number of Square Mile. 367 (a) The contents of each county in acres and square miles have been taken from Beaufort's Memoir of a Map of Ireland, as being (though not perfectly accurate) the latest and best account that pervades the whole island. (b) The letter d attached to the figures of a county in this column, denotes a deficiency of some of the returns of that county; no estimate, therefore, could be given of the increase or diminution of houses and inhabitants in these cases. (c) The contents, and relative proportions of houses, &c. of Drogheda town are included in Louth county; those of Carrickfergus town in Antrim county; and those of the other counties of cities and counties of towns in the counties at large of the same name with themselves. (d) This total is exclusive of Lough Neagh, the contents of which could not be included in the above table, as not being entirely within the limits of any one county; it is computed by Beaufort to contain 58,200 acres, which, being added to the preceding total, will make the superficies of Ireland to contain 12,001,200 Irish acres. Observations. PRISONS. Act under which a Commission was appointed, "For the general control, &c. and for direct. "ing the erection, establishment, and regu Substance of the Report of the Inspectors Gene-lation of Asylums for the Lunatic Poor in ral, on the general State of the Gaols, &c. of Ireland," a certain number of counties were enabled to join in the expense of establishing an Ireland. THE Inspectors General divide their Report Asylum for the reception of lunatics. This had into various heads: County Gaols. They state that in the greater number of instantes the plans which had been decided upon for completing additional works in the prisons of this class, had been actively pursued; and that several of the county gaols, which they formerly reported as wholly inadequate to the classification required by law, now afforded reasonable accommodation. They regret, however, to observe, that in some counties differences of opinion had retarded the operation of Grand Juries, and postponed the completion of some essential works; but they entertain the most sanguine hope, that in another year all these difficulties will be removed. The interior management of the county gaols had undergone a very decided change for the better since their last tour. been advantageously effected at Armagh, and in Limerick; and the Inspectors strongly recom mended other counties, particularly the counties in the province of Connaught, also to avail themselves of the advantages of the Act. Convicts. Owing to a delay in the works, the hulk stationed at Kingstown, near Dublin, had not yet been occupied; and the hulk "Surprise," at the Cove of Cork, continued to receive the convicts from all the gaols. The dépôt at Cork (which was well conducted) remained a sufficient prison for the accommodation of the female convicts prior to embarkation. The great desideratum with respect to the convicts on board the hulks was, that some effectual means should be devised for their constant employment. The Inspectors renew their former recommendation to establish a Penitentiary on Spike Island, as calculated to promote the united object of for. Had as yet been established in but two coun- warding the works in that fortress, and affordties, in the towns of Baltinglass and Parsons-ing to the convicts present occupation, and the town. Two more, in Dungarvan and Dun- means of earning a future livelihood. gannon, were in contemplation. District Bridewells Smaller Bridewells. The great difficulty which lay in the way of improvement in this branch of the department was, the total inadequacy of the present buildings. The county of Cork, however, had set an example in this respect, which the Inspectors trusted would be generally followed. Manor Prisons. Boards of Superintendence. The boards of superintendence in Ireland occupy the place of the visiting justices in England. The Inspectors attach great importance to the services of these boards, and point out, under seven distinct heads, the objects which ought principally to engage their attention. Officers of Gaols. An imperative sense of public duty compels No improvement had taken place since the the Inspectors to say, that the talents and qualast inspection of these prisons. General Penitentiaries. The experience of the last year had tended strongly to confirm the Inspectors in the favourable sentiments which they always expressed with respect to the penitentiary system. The further improvement which had taken place in the Richmond General Penitentiary confirmed them in the most sanguine expectation that the success of that institution would lead to an extension of the principle in Ireland. Lunatic Asylums. The principal large establishments in Ireland, for the care of the lunatic poor, were,— The Richmond Lunatic Asylum, lities of mind necessary in the officers of the higher, and the efficiency indispensable in the officers of the lower, classes, are overlooked in Ireland; and that duties of the most arduous kind are entrusted to persons wholly unsuitable to the task. Schools and Employment. There remain very few instances in the county gaols of Ireland in which a schoolmaster has not been appointed, and a school regularly established. The result had been on the whole satisfactory. Difficulties had impeded the introduction of productive labour; but the treadwheel was becoming very general, and had been decidedly beneficial. The Inspectors say that Dublin, containing beds for 236 patients. they cannot conclude their observations on the House of Industry Cork Lunatic Asylum 465 But those institutions afforded very insufficient accommodation for the number of applicants for admission. The smaller Lunatic and Idiot Asylums in county towns presented a most distressing picture; being wholly inadequate to the wants of the different counties. By the present state of schools and labour, without noticing the valuable accession to this means of ameliorating the condition of the prisoners in their gaols, in the establishment of ladies' committees. It had been productive of the happiest consequences. It had also led to a benevolent establishment for the reception of females when discharged from prison. An establishment for the reception of juvenile male offenders, on 46 66 66 66 66 66 66 "and these evils are with peculiar effect met "and counteracted by a system of instruction "in the gaols. The author of the publication "in question will admit that his arguments ter, in which the principle is advocated that" entirely rest upon the assumed fact that punishment should be the sole character of" punitive labour is likely to succeed in its obprison labour; that to schools and houses of "ject, while the system of instruction and reindustry should be left the task of instruction;" formation is likely to fail. Now the experi"the object of imprisonment being to correct ence of this country clearly warrants a differ“and to punish. This principle runs through" ent conclusion, and affords every year ad"the whole of the publication in question; and "ditional proof that the latter are the reme"the respectable author of the pamphlet ex- "dies precisely applicable to the case of our presses infinite satisfaction in the idea that" prisoners; that instruction is received with "such principles are daily gaining ground." eagerness and with gratitude, and attended "We have formed a different opinion as to the "with the most beneficial effects; and that the nature and principle of the employment of" instances of improved character, in those "prisoners; but without entering into the" who have been discharged after their period "subject as affecting the cause of prison disci-" of imprisonment, have been so numerous and pline in England, we are so persuaded of the" satisfactory, as to afford conclusive arguments " evil effects which would follow, in this coun- "in favour of a perseverance in the endeavour "try, from any ground being gained in intro-" to use the opportunity which that imprisonducing the principle to which we object, that "ment affords, to reform the unhappy inmates "we are bound by an imperative sense of duty" of our gaols, and to turn them from the evil “to express our dissent from it. The spread" of their ways." “of such a principle would rob us of the most "effectual means of rendering imprisonment an "instrument in the hands of the magistracy of "Ireland conducive to the diminution of crime. "In Ireland, the principal causes of crime are "to be found in the ignorance and want of "education of the lower orders, and in the "baneful effect of evil instruction from the ill-prison in Ireland. "disposed, to which they are so much exposed; 66 Dublin Prisons, and Debtors' Prisons. The Appendix to the foregoing Report contains separate and detailed observations on every |