REPORTS ON TREAD-MILL LABOUR.

DIETARIES in use with the Tread-mill Labour, and Observations on the Health of Prisoners thus employed, with other details respecting the Management of Treadmills.

N.B. For the particulars of labour at each Prison in succession, also for the date of each return, &c. see the Table.

BEDFORD. County House of Correction.-DIETARY. One pound fourteen ounces of good bread per day, with a quart of soup on the six working days. This soup costs the county about a penny to three halfpence a quart.

The health of the prisoners, so far from being injured by tread-mill labour, is benefited by its regular and wholesome exercise.

No female has ever been employed at the tread-mill in Bedfordshire, nor is such discipline contemplated.

When the prison is full, the tread-wheels are manned with their full complement of twenty-four men, to whom a relay of twelve men is appointed, being in the proportion of 2-3rds on the wheel, and 1-3rd off. But when the number of prisoners to be employed at the mill is diminished, by which the velocity of the wheels is also lessened, the proportion of working and resting men is judiciously altered. Thus, on a reduction of prisoners, the smallest number employed to work the wheels is reported to be ten men, to whom a relay of only two is appointed, being in the proportion of 5-6ths on the wheels; this short number is found to lower the velocity of the wheels to 40 steps per minute. In this case, the proportion being 5-6ths on, the amount of individual labour in a day of eight hours will be found to be 10,200 feet; while, in the former instance, when the proportion of working men was 2-3rds on, the amount as represented in the table is 9600 feet, being a difference of only 600 feet. Thus the rate of labour, notwithstanding the altered state of the prison as to numbers, is rendered tolerably uniform.

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BEDFORD. Old House of Correction.-DIETARY. Two pounds of bread (of second flour) every morning, and a quart of soup at dinner, daily.

The rate of labour at this wheel is subject to much irregularity, in consequence of the variable velocity given by different numbers of men upon it, and which is not guarded against by a fly-regulator.

Thus the velocity is found to vary from 20 to even 60 steps per minute; in the latter case it will be necessary to adopt a corresponding change in the proportions of men of the class to be on the wheel, so as to allow of an increased number of relays, as described in the preceding account. The nearer the velocity can be brought to 48 steps, by a regulator, the better.

BERKS: READING. County Gaol.-DIETARY. One pound and a half of bread and a pound of bacon every other day.

The compartments or rooms, containing the tread-wheels, although furnished with open windows and railed gates, would be more effectually ventilated by having vent-holes or windows as near to the ceilings as can be contrived, by which means the warm air and exhalations (which naturally ascend) would more readily escape.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE: CAMBRIDGE. County Gaol.-Dietary. Three pounds of bread and one pint of small beer. The ration is thus distributed ;-one pound of bread for breakfast; one pound of bread, with half a pint of beer, for dinner; one pound of bread, with half a pint of beer, for supper. This mill has been in operation one whole year: when it was first erected 56 men were placed at work; since that time the number has been gradually decreasing, and there are now only 18 prisoners available for this purpose. The tread-wheels are, however, constantly kept at work, notwithstanding the reduced number of prisoners, as the miller regulates the quantity of labour to be performed accordingly.

It will be observed by the Table, that the degree of labour at this mill varies from 8900 feet in winter, to 12,725 feet in summer: the governor states, that the amount appears to be well calculated for the purpose, and is not attended with any injurious effects He has now and then remarked a weak man unable to perform a day's work, and in such cases he has been worked only half a day.

The difference in the amount of a day's work in summer and in winter, at this mill, is very considerable. A greater uniformity in the amount of the individual labour for the year, might with propriety and facility be adopted, and the subject claims consideration. By adopting a heavier proportion of a class on the wheel in winter, and a lighter one in summer, the object would be very nearly accomplished, without any change in the velocity of the wheels.

The prisoners are not allowed to speak while on the wheels. A small window is placed on each side of the wheel-room, having a shutter to it, by moving which the miller can quietly inspect the men on the wheel; they are, besides, under inspection from the governor's house.

CHESHIRE: KNUTSFORD. County House of Correction. DIETARY. One pound of bread; four ounces of meal made into gruel, with half an ounce of salt and a pound and a half of potatoes per day; half a pound of beef twice a week, viz. on Sundays and Wednesdays.

The Surgeon to the prison certifies as follows:

This is to certify, that from the experience I have had of the tread-wheel in this prison, I consider it conducive to the general health of the prisoners; nor have I found its employment productive of any local affection whatever in the lower extremities. (Signed) "JAMES POTTER, Surgeon." The governor states that it has already proved a means of deterring some of his prisoners from returning a second and a third time to prison.

The height of the step is given at 8 inches: which, if correctly measured, is three-quarters of an inch greater than the general height of the tread steps. This should be taken into consideration in regulating the amount of labour to be imposed, since the difference occasioned in the comparative rate (in the 6th column of the Table) is 1000 feet more per day than would be the case if the steps had been eight inches only, and 750 feet per day more in the actual amount in summer (vide the 10th column,) As the mill was not completed last winter, the hours of labour for that season have not yet been fixed. Care should also, for the same reason, be taken, that the velocity of the wheel does not, for want of work, exceed the rate stated, viz. 48 steps; at all events the velocity should be strictly noticed; a fly-regulator would also be a very useful addition.

CORNWALL: BODMIN. County Gaol.-DIETARY. Two pounds of bread, composed of wheat and barley flour, in equal parts; twelve ounces of meat on Sundays, and sixpence per week to purchase vegetables, milk, &c. No extra food is allowed to those employed at the mill.

This wheel has been in use eight months, and has had a good effect on many prisoners who have worked at it three months. It has not produced any injurious effects on the health or limbs of any prisoner; neither has any one been recommitted who has worked on it; but before its erection many persons for bastardy cases, and vagrants, were recommitted, in some cases, three or four times.

The motion of this tread-wheel is regulated by friction onlya very uncertain method. The wheel is made of wood, and from its rough manufacture, revolves very unsteadily. The steps are high, viz. nine inches. The successful experiment of a tread-wheel, even of this rude structure, will probably lead to the erection of a more complete set of wheels; the power of which might be very advantageously applied to the mill machinery, at present turned by the capstern: or the ingenuity of the governor may probably contrive some means of connecting the marble manufacture with the same power, by which the operations of sawing and polishing might be performed.

DEVON: EXETER. County House of Correction. — DIETARY. Twenty-two ounces of the best wheaten bread per day; one pound six ounces of bacon, and half a peck of potatoes per week.

The prisoners who have worked at the tread-wheels have been remarkably healthy: the governor states that he has met with but one accident; a man fell off the wheel in a fit, but, on inquiry, it was found that he had been subject to fits for many years; a circumstance not known on his admission, or he would not have been put to the tread-wheel labour. A liability to the same occurrence existed with the former kinds of hard labour carried on in this prison, which have been particularly described in the Appendix to the Society's Third Report.

The tread-wheels are erected in open sheds, at the end of the yards, which radiate from the governor's house; they are therefore under his inspection, and they have no want whatever of ventilation.

When the tread-wheels have been in full work (which has

not always been the case), the number of prisoners is found to have decreased. Recently, the supply of corn has been slack, which made it necessary, in the present state of the machinery, to reduce the number of prisoners on the wheels: this occasioned an alteration in the proportion of working and resting men, and of course affected the rate of labour to each man; since which it has happened that several prisoners who have lately been discharged, have been recommitted. A fly-regulator is however to be ordered, at the approaching sessions.

The wheel grinds corn at two-pence per bushel, which barely pays the prisoners a halfpenny per day; this they receive by order of the magistrates, at their discharge, so that the county receives no profit from the mill.

EXETER. City Gaol and Bridewell.-DIETARY. Twenty-two ounces of good bread per day, ten pounds of potatoes per week; and to those working at the mill sheeps-heads, &c. are delivered in addition, once a week.

The health of the prisoners employed at this machine is not impaired. Only three females have ever been put to this work, and they were very bad characters, but since the 26th July not any have been so employed.

The power of this tread-mill is applied to beating hemp, by the usual mode of large wooden hammers. The velocity of the tread-wheels is restrained to 52 steps per minute, by means of a regulator. When the supply of hemp falls short, the hammers are worked upon a small quantity of straw, in order to keep the tread-wheels in activity, without injury to the machinery.

The governor states, that "the prisoners who have been discharged since the mill has been in use, have declared they will take care not to offend the laws again."

DORSETSHIRE: DORCHESTER. County Gaol.-DIETARY. Three quarts of broth per day, with a pound and a half of bread; the broth is made of grey peas and barley, dressed each alternate day with two legs or shins of beef stewed down in it, and seasoned with pepper and salt. A slight alteration has recently been adopted, instead of the broth being allowed every day, grey peas soup is given one day, barley flour soup the second, and oatmeal soup the third day, and so on alternately.

The tread-wheels are erected in sheds in the airing-yards; two wheels are worked by men, and one by women, in their re