men and women affemble at divine fervice. A better chapel is much wanted. The Old Gate Houfe, Westminster, (a prifon, the property of the dean and chapter,) having being taken down, another prifon is erected in Tothill-fields, joining to the Bridewell, firft inhabited in 1789. It is now entirely appro priated to the women, and has two fpacious airy courts, about nineteen yards by fourteen each, and three rooms for dreffing provifions, &c. about fifteen feet by ten. To thefe courts there are four free wards, near twenty feet fquare, with barrack-beds; and one blanket each is allowed during the winter. There are feveral charitable donations. HOUSE OF CORRECTION. This prison in Cold Bath-fields, is conftructed on the plan of the late Mr. Howard. It was opened in 1794, and at first defigned only as a kind of Bridewell, but having fuitable accommodations for various defcriptions of prisoners, it was applied to their different circumftances. This prifon is furrounded by a wall of moderate height. On entering it, after passing the first gate, is the governor's house on the right, which stands in the middle of a large yard; on the left are the work-fhops, where the prifoners are employed. The vifitor is here reminded of the character of this prifon, which is a house of induftry. Fur ther on is the office in which the bufinefs of the prison is transacted, and a committee room; and the beft chapel be longing to any prifon in the metropolis. The cells are two hundred and eighteen; each being eight feet three inches long, and fix feet three inches wide. Six yards, each having two rooms, of the fize of two cells, where two people are lodged. In the cells the penitentiary prifoners are confined till they have finished their tafks, when they are let into the yards at the back of their cells. The fituation and government of this prifon having been mifreprefented by the factious and malignant, and the oppro brious name of Baftile having been given to it, for the purpofe of inflaming the worst paffions of the vulgar, a more particular defcription of it may be allowed. It stands on a level with Swinton-ftreet and Gray's Inn-lane, and not more than fix feet lower than Meux's brewhoufe in Liquor-pondftreet; fcarcely lower than Guildford-street; on a level with the Spa-fields; and as high as the roofs of many boufes in the space between Gray's Inn-lane and Coppice-row; higher than Clerkenwell workhoufe, and the firft-floors of the houfes at Bagnigge Wells. From Pentonville it appears to be very low, and fo does the whole of London. The gaoler's falary falary is 400l. per annum ; but neither fees, nor what is termed garnifb is paid. There is a chaplain, whose salary is 50/; for which he reads prayers twice a week and preaches on Sundays. The furgeon receives 300l. per annum, for his attendance at the prison and the House of Correction. The prifoners are allowed a pound of bread and a pint of gruel daily, for breakfaft; and a quart of broth, of beef, with rice, oatmeal, celery, onions, leeks, pepper, and falt; and fix ounces of meat, alternately, for dinner. The bedsteads are of plank; the bed a ticking filled with ftraw; and the covering a blanket and rug. The county allows a peck of coals, per diem, to each prisoner. KING'S BENCH PRISON. The office of marshal of this prifon was formerly hereditary in a private family, by grant from the crown; but in the 27th Geo. II. it was fuggefted as improper for a private family to hold fuch an office; and that it would be the means of more effectually preventing extortion and impofitions on the prifoners, if the appointment were vested in the crown, fubject to removal for neglect of duty, non-refidence, or improper conduct. A bill therefore paffed to enable his Majefty to purchase the future appointment of the office of marshal of the King's Bench prison, and 10,500l. was voted for that purpose. By this act the king appoints the officer to hold his office quamdiu fe bene gefferit. Conftant refidence feems required, either within the walls or the rules. The marshal is to keep the prifon in repair, and pay his fervants out of the fees and emoluments. The power of continuance and removal is vefted in the chief justice, and the other three judges of the court of King's Bench. By the act 32 George II. the courts were required to meet, and to fettle a table of fees, &c. to be taken of all prifoners for debt, and the prifoners were protected by that act from the impofition and extortion of gaolers. The court of King's Bench fettled a table of fees, to be taken of all prifoners for debt, &c.; and by the said act they are directed to fend, at certain times in the year, to see that this table of fees, as well as a lift of all bequefts, are hung up, in fome confpicuous part of the prifon, and that the faid act is in every other respect complied with; and that eight days public notice fhould be given of this vifitation. Any violation of the claufes in this act fubjects gaolers and fervants to a penalty of 50%. The limits and boundaries, or as they are commonly called, "Rules" of the prifon, are very extensive, forming a circle of nearly three miles round the walls of the prifon. The purchase of these rules, is faid to be seven guineas guineas for the first hundred pounds every prifoner is charged with, and five pounds for every hundred afterwards; and fuch fecurity is given to the marshal as he approves of; but all taverns, ale-houses, and places of public amufement, are excluded. Day rules are allowed, to the number of three days in every term, unless the prifoner can fhew good cause to the court why a greater number of days should be granted him. Thofe in the rules who have given to the marshal two sufficient fecurities, pay for the first day-rule 45. 2d. and 35. 10d. for every other day. The expence attending an application for a greater number is about a guinea and a half. Those who are within the walls, and are too poor to purchase the rules, and unable, from the general defertion of their friends, to find fecurity, cannot obtain this indulgence of the day rules without paying a judge's tipftaff 10s. 6d. to attend him, and a further fum of 16s. 8d. to induce the tipftaff to become fecurity to the marshal in cafe of an escape. As the tipftaffs give to the marfhal fecurity to the amount of 500l. only, thofe who are charged with demands or debts for more than that fum can have no indulgence of this kind. The prifon is fituated at the top of Blackman-ftreet, in the borough of Southwark. The entrance to it from St. George's Fields, is by a handfome court yard, where there are three good houfes. The largest of them is the proper refidence of the marfhal; one for the clerk of the papers, with his office on the ground-floor; and the third is generally let to perfons of rank and fortune, who are committed by the court for challenges, libels or other misdemeanors. From this court-yard the afcent is by a few ftonefteps into a lobby, which has a good room on the right-hand, and over it several good apartments, which, it is faid, usually let at five guineas a week; alfo two rooms, called ftrong rooms, to fecure thofe who have attempted to escape. Thefe ftrong rooms are about twelve feet by eight: one of them has a flagged floor, and is occafionally used as a coal-hole; the other has a boarded floor. No fire-place in either; no cafements, or fhutters, to keep out the weather, From the lobby is a defcent by a few ftone-steps, into a fmall fquare yard, where there is a pair of great gates and a fmall door, with a lodge for the turnkeys, and a room over it, generally let at one guinea a week. On the right hand of this gate, on entering the inner part of the prison, there is a brick building, called the "State Houfe," containing eight large handfome rooms, let at two and fixpence each per week to thofe who have intereft to procure one. Oppofite to the ftate house is the tap-room, where from twelve to twenty-four butts of beer are drawn weekly. In this taproom is a bar; and on one fide is a very neat small parlour, belonging to the perfon who keeps the tap. On the other is a room on a larger scale, called the wine-room, where prisoners and their friends occafionally refort. The refidence of the prifoners is in a large brick building, about one hundred and twenty yards long, with a wing at each end, and a neat uniform chapel in the centre. There is a There is a space of ground in front of the building of about forty yards, including a parade of about three yards, paved with broad flag-ftones. In the space between the building and the wall are three pumps, well fupplied with spring and river water; also another pump, at the fide of the further wing, with a spring of very fine water. Part of the ground next the wall is appropriated for playing at rackets and fives; and there are alfo, in different parts, devices and contrivances for other amusements. The building is divided into fixteen ftaircafes, with stonefteps and iron-railings. The whole number of rooms, including the eight ftate rooms, is two hundred and twentyfour; the fize of them in general, is fifteen to fixteen feet by twelve or thirteen feet: fome few are on a little larger scale. In each room is a ftrong iron range, and on each fide a recefs, either for a bed or a cupboard. All the rooms that were deftroyed by the fire, fome years ago, are now arched with brick, to prevent in future any fire from extending beyond a fingle room. In the paffage from the entrance to the back of the building is a coffee-house,* where there was formerly an ordinary every day, at two fhillings per head, with a pint of porter included. The marshal, is faid to receive an annual rent of 105/. from the person who keeps it. Beyond the coffee-room is a bakehouse, which pays also a rent of thirty-fix guineas per annum. And on the oppo fite fide of the way is the public kitchen, where the prisoners may have their meat roafted and boiled gratis, before one o'clock. After that time the cook charges twopence or threepence for each joint, according to its fize. Between the coffee-house and the public kitchen, there are generally two or three butcher's ftalls, a green market, and perfons felling fish and in the further wing is a large tap-room, called the Brace, from its having once been kept by two brothers, whose * Here a prifoner may be accommodated with a bed by the night or week (as he can agree) till he gets chummage, or a room. name name was Partridge. Over this tap-room is another room of the fame fize, occupied by a prifoner, where the newspapers may be read, and tea, coffee, &c. may be had; but the man having been detected in felling fpirituous liquors, the marshal turned him out, and gave the room to another prifoner. The lower rooms on the parade are, many of them, converted into chandler's-fhops, kept by prifoners. The management and government of this prifon are in the hands of a marshal, who has under him a deputy marshal, a clerk of the papers, feveral clerks, three turnkeys, and their affiftants. As the marshal, deputy marshal, and clerk of the papers, can feldom come into the prifon, every complaint must be made by letter, or by a perfonal application at the office of the clerk of the papers. If it relates to any quarrel or disturbance, it is generally fettled in a fummary way. The marshal is a magiftrate, and alfo armed with a rule of court, authorizing him to commit any perfon to the new gaol, for riotous or diforderly conduct; one month for the first offence, and three months for a fecond. But the prifoner may appeal either to the court, or to a judge out of term. within the or children At half-paft No fpirituous liquors are allowed to be fold the prifon; and by a rule of court, no women ought to stay in the prifon after ten o'clock. nine, therefore, a man goes round with a bell, and at certain places calls out, "Strangers, women, and children, out!" The number of prisoners before the act of Infolvency of 1797 was upward of 600; about 200 of whom were excluded by the limitations of the fum, and time. After the act of 1801, about 150 were left in prifon; many of those who had been a great number of years confined were excluded from the benefit on account of the limitation of the fum; and others, who were not within the term specified by the act. Not more than three or four were remanded under the act, for fraud, &c. March 10, 1802, the numbers within the walls were 315, and 57 within the rules: January 13, 1804, within the walls and rules, 520. When a debtor is first committed to this prifon, he is entitled to what is called a chummage, as foon as he has paid his fees. This chummage is a ticket given him by the clerk of the papers, to go to fuch a room; and whether it be to a whole room, the half, or third of a room, muft-entirely depend upon the number of prifoners within the walls. But, as it is more convenient for perfons, when they firft come to this prifon, to hire a bed for a week or two, there are always a great number of diftreffed perfons willing to hire out their beds, on being paid two or three hillings per night. Others, |