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of such a height as to intercept the communication betweenthe rows, when the prisoners are standing up, and yet notso high as to conceal them from the observation of the prison-officers when sitting down. A double passage is made downthe centre of the chapel, opening into and communicatingwith the gallery surrounding the central hall, and thusaffording two points of access to it. A staircase leads fromthe gallery to a door on a convenient level for entering, nearthe upper row of seats, from whence a succession of steps,arranged in pairs, communicate downwards with each rowin front.. The ceiling of the chapel is coved, and ventilatorsare introduced into it; the roof and the bearers supportingthe seats, being made of iron. For the ventilation of thecells, an apparatus is placed in the centre of the basement-story of each wing, the object of which is to secure a morecomplete ventilation than could be obtained, if the systemhad been extended from either extremity. The apparatusconsists of a proportion of large tubes or pipes for hot water,and in connection with it there is a large cold-air flue com-municating with a shaft out of doors, which serves for twowings. The fresh air introduced through the flue, is broughtin contact with and passes through the tubes of the apparatus,and may therefore be warmed or left at its natural tempera-ture, as may be desirable. The air thus brought from with-out, then passes to the right and left along the flue whichruns horizontally under the floor of the corridor, fromwhence a communication is established by lateral smallflues, separately with each cell, both on the lower andupper floors.

The means whereby foul air is extracted from the fluesare these : a grating is placed close to the door of each cell,on the side next to the outer wall, and diagonally opposite towhere the fresh air is introduced. This grate opens into aflue which passes down the outer wall, and communicateswith a main foul-air flue placed under the floor of the base-ment. These main foul-air flues terminate in a chimney-shaft rising above the top of the building. With a view toobstruct the transmission of sound, and prevent that com-munication which might be attempted by means of the flues,the main foul-air flues are divided into three compartments,one for each range of cells. By means of the system of flueswhich has been described, a communication is established—first, from the outer air, and then from the floor of each cellback again through the extracting or foul-air flues or chim-ney into the outer air. In order to regulate the quantity ofair admitted into each cell, which, with apertures of equalsize, would differ in proportion to the distance from theapparatus, a valve or damper may be placed in the extractingflues, close to the outer door of each cell in the corridor, soconstructed as not to close it up entirely, but to leave suffi-cient range to operate upon the circulation; the damper beingat the command of the superintending officer, he is enabledto regulate the quantity according to circumstances. By theapplication of this system of ventilation, it has been foundthat a circulation of air of from six to eight cubic feet perminute, may be kept up through all the cells, at all times ofthe year, and under all possible circumstances, when thedoors and windows of each are perfectly closed .—FourthReport of the Inspectors of Prisons.

In September, 1847, a number of gentlemen taking anactive part in the management of prisons, assembled atBrussels under the title of a “ Penitentiary Congress forthe purpose of discussing various questions connected withprison discipline. In this “ Congress,” colonel Jebb com-missioned by the secretary of state (for England), Mr. B.Rotch (the Middlesex magistrate), and Mr. Charles Pearson,took a distinguished part.

“ Foremost amongst the subjects of debate was * # tt efof constructing cellular prisons; and, as this iswhich greatly concerns architects and others of ourwe deem it right to record the results. n jjid'

“ Colonel Jebb rightly remarked, that there wa ^j gC ipli nemate connection between the construction and the j ia vin?of a prison. He was impressed with the necessity othe various departments and the various offices of * 1 # c ofl'lishment kept quite distinct one from the other, wi ^ >v nSvenient mode of access to the centre and the cells- Jl0 t l' ,ealso essential that the families of the officers . S !‘,?pir emP l0 Xin the prisons; that the latter should come to 1 ieir j ter na te ^ment at a certain hour during the day, and attend a tin 1 *'at night. He saw by a paragraph in the progra®^ (hr® 6it was proposed not to construct prisons with more . v eve r -

thought,

stories, including the ground-floor. Hewhen the number of prisoners amounted towould be more convenient to have fourIon.

a mode existed in Pentonville and other .all the prisoners might proceed separately to tl>

chapel, and hear and see the person officiating, ”‘' ccU pie°seen by any one, except by him. The time

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tive establishment, different wings and s . ectl ° g . 1'l‘ e

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parted off for the different categories of P r, ®°" q'he t jicsexes at any rate must be kept distinct. °r j nC lud‘ |l ^ t j ( ,edof stories should not be more than three, ,,y ffes

- -

C omp le ‘fJ^eiiU 9

C ZtoZ' 7 he ’ >tm °

111 Such a manner^rT ‘ heir serlfer| ces,

V day as weTaTb*’ a,Jo - of «open-air exercise A,- !” ' f ’ 2flJ > to give them tUe ‘T lv e h‘Ployed, to receive in 3 , ’ t .° em ‘ ble them to be s“ ,tab Lic<>and religious exerriv ruc f Ion > at> d to assist at divine gr #'tion. 4 tj, i rp wnI, out infringing the rule o . t j Ig

Prisoners, and off ' &te ^‘ e m °de of superintendence

The followin j t requent communication with them. _

“ Central were read and discusse

should be connect^T ** 0 ^—The various parts of the ^ ol „

which the J lea d oAt ™ 1 * a central P oint of ! asp& fVitb 0atb o>ng under the ne* ■ estahh shment may mspec ’ c hes

°f the service p cess,t y °f moving all the essential . bir

Ce ' Re ^rd must be had to the internal

■

of the g*

in

tion of the localities, to the arrangement ct j 0 r>,to the choice of the materials of cons lls pecti oII \ e c ell 9 ’that no material obstacle may thwart tha j"£ nt 0 f * fh e“ Cells .—In the disposition and arrang - . ng

regard must be had to the following co j go ner® g piic®cells must be large enough to allow of g uffi c ‘ e sh°°! eexercise, carrying on trades, and en J°y 1 , the s l ,i j C oll ld ®and air for the preservation of their hea qjjgy s

vary from 28 to 35 cubic metres.

700

- — .- ... stories, tla ^lap-

wings. With respect to the attending of divine

places, iff j, 0 rP

withou 1 .^

- - - * - w» s 96 \u.

proceeding to and departing from divine service, ^ c6 im

minutes respectively. With respect to the size o ^ut \he thought that, as a general rule, they should ® c oU>' s6 /[feet long, 7 broad, and from 8 to 9 feet high. ^ gpe# 1 'would be necessary sometimes to make larger celpurposes.” . wllic h ' v ’ e

The following are some of the propositions,agreed to nem. con.

Ihe buildings and exercise-ground should > ^. oJO ras to receive the rays of the sun, and be sheltereand the north wind. 2nd. The destination of a r jt isin some sort determine its internal arrangemen ^ glioul^gbe a penal prison, none but convicts of one se gUJ .pass ^placed in each, and the number should nevei ^ °P’^* p-maximum of 500, although the congref 3 .' ver p e a P r ^'Vthat a less number would be better. If R sl>°,

per