FORTROSE.-Burgh Gaol. THIS prison contains two rooms, each about thirteen feet square, and eight feet high. There is a lobby to the lower room: the entrance to the upper room is through the court-house. There is no yard. The number of commitments during the last year was fifteen; five of these were debtors. The greatest number in confinement at one time was six. This burgh is fifteen miles distant from Dingwall, where it is proposed to build a new gaol. STORNOWAY.-Burgh Gaol. THIS is the only prison for the island of Lewis, which contains a population of between twelve and thirteen thousand. It is very insecure, and consists of only one room or cell, nine feet square, and six feet nine inches high, without a fire-place or window. Prisoners are confined here until they can be conveyed to Dingwall or Tain gaol, by the packet, which sails weekly.* It is in contemplation to build a new prison and court-house, on a suitable site, and to render the gaol legal for the confinement of debtors and criminals. ROXBURGHSHIRE. JEDBURGH.-County and Burgh Gaol and House of Correction. January, 1830.. THIS prison was erected in 1822. The gaol and house of correction are separate buildings, but there is a communication between them on the upper story. The gaol department contains two day-rooms and eleven night-cells for male criminals; a day-room and four night-cells for female criminals; a day-room and four night-rooms for male debtors; and a room for female debtors. There is also a room for state prisoners. The day-rooms open into arcades, which communicate with the airing-courts. There are two courts for men, and one for women, in the gaol, and the same number in the house of correction. The prison grounds are inclosed with a high circular wall. The keeper has the custody of both prisons: and there is an under-gaoler, who resides therein. The house of correction contains sixteen rooms or cells, eight of which are used as day-cells for prisoners sentenced to hard labour. The number of prisoners committed to the gaol in 1827, was fifty-seven; and in 1828, fifty: of the latter number seventeen were debtors; four were females. The greatest number at one time in the last year was eleven criminals and three debtors. There are lock-up-houses, for the temporary confinement of offenders, at Kelso, Hawick, Melrose, and New Castleton. This voyage is both hazardous and expensive, and the subsequent journey by land is upwards of one hundred miles. P SELKIRKSHIRE. SELKIRK.-County and Burgh Gaol. January, 1830. THIS small prison was erected in 1804. It is situated in an open area, at some distance from the town, and inclosed with a wall fifteen feet high. The prison-building consists of two wings, divided by walls to separate the debtors' and criminals' departments, each of which has a distinct entrance. The criminals' gaol contains a day-room, with two sleeping-rooms, on the ground floor; and on the upper floor there are four sleeping-cells. The debtors' gaol contains a day-room on the ground-floor, and three sleeping-rooms over it. The general entrance to the prison is through the keeper's house, which forms part of the external boundary. The airing-ground is not divided, and prisoners are seldom allowed to walk in it, as it is not considered secure. The number of prisoners committed in 1828, was thirteen; three of these were debtors. The greatest number in confinement at one time was four, all of whom were for penalties under the Game Acts. STIRLINGSHIRE. STIRLING.-County and Burgh Gaol. January, 1830. There is no resinor any supply of THIS prison was erected in 1807. It receives all prisoners from the adjoining county of Clackmannan, by virtue of an act passed in 1815. dence for the keeper,* no airing-ground, no water-closet, water, but what is brought from a considerable distance. The building contains six rooms or cells on the ground-floor; but as these are considered less secure than the upper rooms, they are but seldom used. On the first floor there are four large rooms, usually occupied by debtors. The second floor also contains four rooms, which are occupied by criminals: the windows of these rooms open towards the public street. There are, besides, two large rooms in the attic story or roof, which are occupied by female prisoners. Prisoners under sentence of death are confined in a room in which they can be fastened to a thick and very strong bar of iron, which runs across the apartment. Debtors are frequently confined in the same room with persons imprisoned under criminal warrants, both prior to conviction and after it; and offenders prior to conviction are constantly to be found in the same room with those who have been convicted. The insecurity of the prison has been alleged by the gaoler as a reason for placing debtors with criminals, in order that the good may act as spies on the bad. The allowance for aliment to each criminal prisoner is sixpence daily. The allowance for the daily aliment of civil debtors is as follows; for unmarried men tenpence, and for married men one shilling; for unmarried women eightpence, and for married women tenpence. The number of commitments in 1827 was eighty debtors, one hundred and twenty-seven male criminals, and eight female criminals; total, two hundred • Two rooms on the ground-floor are used by the officers; but it is stated that the gaol is left unprotected thirteen hours out of the twenty-four, although there are two assistantkeepers. SUTHERLANDSHIRE.-WIGTOWNSHIRE. 107 and fifteen. In 1828, the number of commitments was eighty-four debtors, one hundred and twenty-one male criminals, and eight female criminals; total, two hundred and thirteen. The greatest number of prisoners in confinement in 1827, was forty; and in 1828, forty-three. There is a small prison, for temporary confinement, at Falkirk, which consists of two rooms in the steeple, without fire-places; each room is about fourteen feet square; the lower room is up thirty-six steps, and the other is over it, A small barony prison, for the burgh of Kilsyth, was fitted up in 1827. It consists of two arched rooms, communicating together, which are down a flight of stairs; each room is about seventeen feet by fifteen feet; one is without a fireplace. This prison is used for offenders committed under criminal warrants, During the last year eight prisoners were committed, two of whom were females. A more suitable building, having two rooms on the ground floor, is about to be substituted for this prison. SUTHERLANDSHIRE. DORNOCK.-County and Burgh Gaol. January, 1830. THIS prison is very insufficient in point of size, accommodation, and security. It consists of two apartments, being the upper stories of an old tower, formerly part of the palace of the Bishops of Caithness. Each of these is subdivided by wooden partitions, so as to form a day-room and two sleeping-cells on each floor. The day-rooms have fire-places, and are each eighteen feet and a half by nine feet and a half. The lower floor is generally appropriated for debtors, but such prisoners have occasionally been placed with criminals. There is no yard, and no residence for the keeper. The number of commitments during the last two years was eighty; viz. sixteen male debtors; twenty-three males and eleven females for excise delinquencies; twenty-four males and six females on criminal warrants. The greatest number in confinement at one time was eighteen; two of these were debtors. WIGTOWNSHIRE. WIGTOWN.-County and Burgh Gaol. January, 1830. This prison was erected in 1777. It consists of three rooms for debtors, which have fire-places; and three arched cells for criminals, which have no windows. There is no yard, and no rooms for the keeper. The number of prisoners committed in the last two years was fifty-five; five of whom were females; twentytwo were debtors, and the remainder on criminal warrants. The greatest number at one time during the same period was ten; of these four were debtors. The circuit court for the trial of criminals, is held at Ayr, in the neighbouring county. Prisoners for serious offences are not confined here after conviction. The longest time of a prisoner's being confined, in the above period, was 240 days; viz. from 28th October, 1828, to 25th June, 1829; this prisoner was a debtor. Another prisoner, for an assault, was confined 231 days; but the sentence was only for six months after conviction. Criminal prisoners are subsisted at the rate of sixpence cach daily. STANRAER.-Burgh Gaol. THIS burgh is twenty-six miles distant from the county town. The prison is comprised in the two upper stories of an ancient building. It consists of four rooms, all of which have fire-places. Two of these are occupied by debtors. There is another room without a fire-place, and a black-hole, which are used for the confinement of disorderly persons and vagrants. There is no yard, nor court; but the platform on the roof may be converted into an airing-place. The keeper does not reside at the gaol. The number of commitments in 1829 was forty-three; of these thirteen were debtors; four of the criminal prisoners were females. The greatest number in confinement at one time was nine; two of these were debtors. WHITHORN.-Burgh Gaol. THIS prison was built in 1814. It consists of three rooms for debtors, and two cells for criminals, six feet and a half high, without windows. There is no yard, and no resident keeper. Prisoners are not confined here longer than fourteen days. The county gaol is about twelve miles distant. The number of commitments during the last year was ten; four of these were females. There were only two debtors. The greatest number of prisoners at one time was three. Sixpence per day is allowed for the aliment of each prisoner. ZETLAND. LERWICK GAOL. January, 1850. THIS is the only prison for the Zetland islands; and it is stated to be insufficient, in point of security, as well as accommodation. It consists of three flats or stories, one of which is sunk below the surface: this contains two cells for criminals, each nine feet by seven feet, and seven feet high, without windows. The upper flats contain two rooms, each fourteen feet and a half by nine feet, and eight feet and a half high: these were intended for debtors, but as the lower cells are insecure, the upper rooms are generally used for the reception of all prisoners. There is no residence for the keeper, and no yard, nor court. The number of prisoners committed in 1828 was eight; none of these were debtors; four were males, and four were females. The greatest number at one time was four. SCOTLAND.-Statement of the number of Criminal Offenders committed for trial, in each County, during the last seven years; also the numbers Convicted, Acquitted, Liberated, and remaining for trial. *These numbers are exclusive of summary convictions before magistrates, |