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They have observed, that the number of criminals tried at the Old Bailey, and, consequently, previously committed to Newgate (which is the county gaol for Middlesex as well as London,) for offences committed in that county, were, in the last year, in the proportion of more than seven to one for those committed in the city of London :-That of these, a very large number, amounting to 1,200, in the last year, were for grand larcenies, not capital, which would, according to the general practice in other counties, have been tried at the quarter sessions. They have ascertained, from the best information, that if this class of prisoners were not committed to Newgate, which they need not be, if they remained for trial in the county where the offence was committed; and if the convicts under sentence of transportation were regularly removed, as has latterly been the case, before the next ensuing session; there would be ample room for all such classification of the remaining prisoners as could be required, by means of certain alterations of the interior of the present building, which have been suggested to them. They have been further assured, that such a regular removal of the transports, may in future be relied on, and they have therefore had the more satisfaction in endeavouring to find the means of removing the only other impediment to the execution of this important arrangement. They have further found, that no legal or even practical objection is raised to the trial of these prisoners at the Sessions House, Clerkenwell, further than what necessarily must arise from the time which it would occupy, and the additional accommodations which it might require; objects which, your committee trust, will not be found of sufficient weight to impede a measure of great importance to all parties concerned, They find, that prisoners of this description are usually tried at the Old Bailey, by the recorder, assisted, as his other occupations may require, by the common sergeant, and that many of these trials take place in the evening; a practice which has generally been found inconvenient in other criminal courts in the country, and conse quently abolished. As these sessions sometimes last for three weeks, and the time for trying the Middlesex grand larcenies, is precarious, it often happens that prosecutors, and witnesses, in such cases, are obliged to attend ten or twelve days; and as the expenses of these prosecutions are in general paid by the county of Middlesex (to the amount of 5,844/. in the last year) it is obvious that a very considerable reduction in this expence must take place, if the time of attendance was shortened, which must be the result, if any mode of separate trial of these offences was adopted: to which consideration must be added, a diminution in the expenses of the individuals concerned, beyond what is covered by the county allowance, as well as the prevention of much personal inconvenience,

and interruption of private business. Your committee have adverted to these circumstances, as obviating, in a considerable degree, any objections that might be urged against the adoption of the arrangement above suggested, from the expense which would be thrown on the county of Middlesex, by the support and maintenance of such prisoners during the whole time of their confinement, as well as by the accommodations which it might be necessary to provide for conducting these trials at Clerkenwell.

In the course of the inquiry on this subject, it had occurred to your committee, that as the time of the chairman of the quarter sessions for the county of Middlesex is so fully occupied, that this proposed addition of business must require the appointment of an additional chairman; and as this description of prisoners are at present usually tried by the recorder or common sergeant, whose official character would give them a weight and authority in discharging these functions, which might not be possessed by private individuals, it might be advisable to recommend the granting a special commission to these officers of the city, in conjunction with the magistrates of Middlesex, for trying such offenders in that county, as often as the sessions are usually held there; and, notwithstanding some objections which have been made to this part of the plan, and which they have not had the opportunity of fully examining, they still think it worthy of consideration.

A third mode has, however, been suggested to them, which, perhaps, on the whole, is the most simple, and has the advantage of producing the least change in existing establishments. It is proposed that the commission under which the gaol of Newgate is now cleared, should be extended, so as to comprise the prisoners committed for grand larceny in any prison in the county of Middlesex; and that the recorder, with the assistance of the common sergeant, should try such prisoners, (as they now usually do), but in a separate court, at the Old Bailey, during the time the other trials are going on before the judges. This would prevent the necessity of any such prisoners being originally committed to Newgate, or sent there immediately previous to the sessions, which would, therefore, equally tend to effectuate the great object which your committee have in view, of diminishing the numbers confined in that prison. It would only be necessary that a certain number, probably not more than twenty, should be daily sent up from Clerkenwell to the Old Bailey, who might possibly be accommodated for so short a time in Newgate, or if that was found inconvenient, in some place of temporary confinement to be provided for that purpose. The only other alteration which this plan requires, would be the erection of another court at the Old Bailey, which, if provided by the city, instead of the county of Middlesex,

as in the two former plans, would rather tend to equalize the respective burthens and alleviations produced by this arrangement.

As your committee see no occasion to submit any measure to the consideration of the house upon this subject, conceiving that an adequate remedy may be found in one or other of the modes suggested, under the authority of the crown and the directions of the magistracy, they have only to express their confident hope, that some such measure will, as early as possible, be adopted, as, on the whole, with a due attention to local circumstances and established usages, may be found best adapted to ensure so beneficial a result.

12th July, 1819.

OF THE

First Thirty Numbers

OF

THE PAMPHLETEER.

AGRICULTURE.

THE Speeches of Sir H. PARNELL, Bart. in the House of Commons, with Additional Observations, on the Corn Laws. No. 7.

An Inquiry into the Policy, Efficiency, and Consistency, of the Alterations in our Corn Laws, in a Letter to Sir II. Parnell, Bart. No. 7. On the Corn Laws, &c. A Compendious or Briefe Examination of certayne ordinary Complaints of diuers of our Countrymen, in these our Dayes: which although they are in some part vniust and friuolous, yet are they all by way of Dialogues throughly discussed. 1581. By W. S. Gentleman. Communicated to the Ed. by H. Wrottesley, Esq. M.P. No.9. A short Account of the Cause of the Disease in Corn, called by Farmers the Blight, the Mildew, and the Rust. By Sir JOSEPH BANKS, Bart. And a Letter to Sir J. Banks on the Origin of the Blight, and on the Means of raising late Crops of Garden Peas. By T. A. KNIGHT, Esq. No. 12. The Speech of C. C. WESTERN, Esq. M. P. on moving that the House should resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House to take into Consideration the distressed State of the Agriculture of the United Kingdom, March 7, 1816. No. 14.

Some Remarks on the Mildew of Wheat, and the choice of Seed Corn, particularly in reference to an hypothesis of Sir Joseph Banks. No. 15.7 Letters on the Present State of the Agricultural Interest, addressed to Charles Forbes, Esq. M.P. By Dr. CROMBIE. No. 15.

Simple Measures, by which the Recurrence of Famines may be prevented, and the Pressure of the Poor Laws greatly abated, by a slight and partial change in our common Agricultural Practice. By the Rev, Dr. RICHARDSON. No. 15.

An Inquiry into the Causes of Agricultural Distress. By W. JACOB, Esq. F.R.S. No. 20.

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A Dissertation on the State of the Nation, respecting its Agriculture: 1817.

7

[Original] No. 21.

Holkham, its Agriculture, &c. By EDWARD RIGBY, Esq. M,D. Third Ed. considerably enlarged. No. 26.

Complete Refutation of the Arguments used on the subject of the Agricultural Petition. [Original.] No. 27.

BIOGRAPHY.

The Life of Henri Masers de Latude, who was imprisoned 35 years. To which is added some account of the Bastille. [Never published in this country. No. 5. Narrative of the Crucifixion of Matthew Lovat, executed by his own hands, at Venice, July, 1805. [Now first translated into English, with a wood

cut.] No. 6.

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VOL. XV.

Pam.

NO. XXX.

2Q

Narrative of the Journey and Imprisonment of Pius VII. after his Departure from Rome, until his Return to that City. No. 7.

The History of Toussaint Louverture. No. 8.

History of James Mitchell, a Boy born Blind and Deaf; with an Account of the Operation performed for the Recovery of his Sight. By J. WARDROP, Esq. No. 12.

DIVINITY.

Dr. HERBERT MARSH'S Sermon on the Bible Society. No. 1.

Dr. HERBERT MARSH's Address to the University of Cambridge. No. 1. Mr. VANSITTART's first and second Letters to Dr. Marsh. No. 1.

Dr. MARSH's Inquiry into the Consequences of neglecting to give the PrayerBook with the Bible, &c. &c. No. 1.

The Rev. P. GANDOLPHY'S Congratulatory Letter to the Author on the same. [With an Engraving of Pope Pius VII.] No. 2.

Mr. VANSITTART'S Letter to Mr. Coker. No. 1.

Dr. MARSH'S Answer to the Second Letter of the Right Hon. N. Vansittart, No. 2.

The Bishop of Lincoln's Charge to the Clergy of his Diocese. No. 2.

An Examination of Mr. Cobbett's Objections to the Bill for the Relief of the Unitarians. [Original.] No. 3.

Substance of a Discourse, giving a Churchman's Reasons for declining a connection with the Bible Society; by the Rev. Archdeacon DAUBENY. No. 9.

An Abridged Statement of the Leading Transactions of the British and Foreign Bible Society; with a Digest of the Views of the Society, and a Notice of its chief Patrons. No. 11.

EAST-INDIA AFFAIRS.

Dr. MACLEAN on the Consequences of laying open the Trade to India, &c. &c. No. 1.

A Letter to the Earl of Buckinghamshire, on the subject of an Open Trade to India. By Fabius. No. 2.

The Letters of Gracchus. No. 2.

Letters of Probus in answer to Gracchus. No. 2.

Report of the Committee of Correspondence of the East-India Company, on the Claims of the Out-ports, with a Letter from the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to the Earl of Buckinghamshire. No. 3.

Hints on the Present State of the Question between His Majesty's Ministers and the Court of Directors, relative to the Renewal of the Charter. No. 3.

Speech of J. BRUCE, Esq. in a Committee of the House, on the Resolutions respecting India Affairs. No. 4.

Remarks on the Evidence delivered before both IIouses on the same. By Dr. MACLEAN. No. 4.

Speech of C. MARSH, Esq. in a Committee of the House, in support of Sir T. Sutton's Amendment on the Clause in the East India Bill "Enacting further facilities to persons to go out to India for religious purposes." No. 4.

Speeches of W. WILBERFORCE, Esq. on the Clause in the East India Bill, for promoting the Religious Instruction, &c. of the Natives in British India. No. 5.

Statements respecting the East India College, with an Appeal to Facts, in Refutation of the Charges lately brought against it in the Court of Proprietors. Second Ed. with alterations. By the Rev. T. R. MALTHUS. No. 18.

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