'70 REPORT — 1861. 



well known in prison management), viz. the exhibition of the same food on 

 each day of tlie week. The plan of varying the food with the class is pur- 

 sued, but, with the exception of the third class, the food is not varied from 

 day to day. In the lowest class the food is simply eight ounces of bread at 

 each meal. In the second class one pint of gruel is added to the breakfast 

 and supper. In the third class eight ounces of potatoes are added daily, and 

 three ounces of meat twice in the week. In the fourth and fifth classes the 

 meat is given daily, and in the fifth clciss the potatoes are increased to one 

 pound. There is also another point worthy of notice which is peculiar to 

 these gaols and the Lincoln House of Correction, Spalding, viz. the admi- 

 nistration of meat on every day in the week to the two highest classes, apart 

 trom or to the exclusion of soup. There are thus two important circum- 

 stances redounding greatly to the credit of those who have the supervision 

 of these institutions in the county of Gloucester. 



The peculiarity of administering the same food on each day of the week 

 is also met with at the Cardiff, Flint, Sussex, and Wilts gaols. The poverty 

 of the Cardiff dietary has already been stated, and the Flint Prison dietary 

 is very far removed from liberality. Thus for fourteen days it affords simply 

 one pound of bread and four ounces and a half of oatmeal daily. For six 

 weeks, one pound and a quarter of bread, four ounces and a half of oatmeal, 

 and half a pint of milk daily, and for all periods beyond six weeks a quarter 

 of a pound of bread is added daily, and two pints of soup per week. 



The Sussex Prison at Lewes gives to all classes half a pound of bread and 

 one pint of gruel for breakfast and supper. For fourteen days the dinner is 

 eight ounces of bread only ; for six weeks one pint of soup is added on three 

 days per week ; for four months the soup is given daily ; and for all periods 

 beyond, one pound of potatoes is added daily. The dietary at Petworth is 

 more liberal. Thus, after one month the dinner consists of half a pound of 

 bread, four ounces of meat, and one pint of soup ; and after three months, 

 one pound of potatoes is added daily. The dinner at this prison is therefore 

 very excellent after the expiration of the first month. The two county gaols 

 in Wiltshire have the same dietary. All prisoners not sentenced to hard 

 labour receive one pound and a half of bread and one pint of gruel daily, and 

 after fourteen days have one pint of soup in addition. This is all the dietary 

 with hard labour from fourteen to forty -two daj's: viz., to fourteen daysAvith 

 hard labour the dietary is simply one pound and a half of bread and one pint 

 of gruel daily ; from six weeks to three months one pint of soup is added 

 daily from the commencement ; and when the term exceeds three months, one 

 pound of potatoes is given daily after three months. This scheme is not 

 equal to the Gf vernment allowance. 



The dietary in the Lancaster House of Correction at Preston varies chiefly, 

 but not exclusively, with age, viz. under set. thirteen, under set. seventeen, 

 and over set. seventeen. In these, the breakfast and supper consists of four 

 ounces of bread and one pint of gruel, six and two-thirds ounces of bread 

 and one pint of gruel, and six and two-thirds ounces of bread and two pints 

 of gruel respectively. 



The dinner of the first class is four ounces of bread and one pint of gruel 

 thrice; four ounces of bread, four ounces of meat, and one pint of soup 

 once; four ounces of meat and half a pound of potatoes once; four ounces 

 of bread and one pint of soup once ; and the singular combination of half a 

 pound of potatoes with one ounce of cheese once per week. In the second 

 class the scheme is varied simply by the administration of six and two-thirds 

 ounces of bread daily ; and the third differs from the second in doubling the 



