rod 
€ 
{pite, however, ef thefe untoward cir- 
cumftances, in building the external walls 
of a fortification on this f{pot, were ex- 
pended the aforefaid twenty thoufand 
pounds. During the progrefs of the 
work, it was perceived, that this fort 
could not prevent a fleet of men of war 
from anchoring either at Dale, Angle, 
Hubberfton, or, indeed, in any part of 
the haven where it would be fafe for 
fhips of the line to lie. 
But it was alledged that government 
had it in contemp ation to conftruct dock- 
yards and arfenals, at Ney/and, where two 
74 gun fhips had been built fome time 
before. This fort, it was afferted, would 
both proteét thefe, and contribute to the 
internal fafety of the whole harbour. 
With this view, the walls were carried 
on, until all the money was fome how 
diipofed: of. But, unluckily.! before 
another application could be made to 
parliament, it was difcovered, that both 
this fort and the intended dock-yards 
were entirely commanded by the hills” 
that overhang them, on both fides of the 
water. It was, at laft, admitted that a 
féw men, landed any where below, might, 
by gaining thefe hills, take the fort, 
without any poffibility of refiftance. The 
works were inftantly abandoned. WNo- 
thing but the outer walls, which are 
very capital, have been finifhed.. No 
cannon were brought thither, nor is there 
one on /and near the harbour. ‘* Hear 
the conclufion of the whole matter :’’ we 
areas defencelefs as nature left us ! 
Your's, &c. 
Milford, Fan. 1797- DYFED. 
== 

To the Editor of ike Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
N times of public calamities, we mutt 
expect to hear public complaints ; and 
where numerous evils are known to 
exift, one complaint will be only intro- 
du€tory to another. [tis true, indeed, 
cautions and felf-interefted politicians, 
prudent and timid philanthropiits, will 
be forward in putting the queftion, 
Where will your reformation ftop? By 
this fingle queftion, they will confound 
themfelves, and perplex others: in the 
moment when talking of public exertion, 
they will fink into indolence and repofe ; 
and inftead of oppofing, will be borne 
down by the popular current. 
But corruption, no lefs than reforma- 
tion, 1s progreflive ; and may not the 
gueftion. be put in anotheyx form: Where 
State of Prifons. 
s 
[Feb. 
will your evils ftop? or, more properly 
fill, Where do they end? The latter, 
I confefs, is too ferious and fedate a 
queftion to receive an anfwer rapid and 
extemporaneous, I therefore agree to pafs 
it. 
‘¢ But we are prepared, at prefent, to 
meet all thefe queftions.” I rejoice to 
hear it. JI with we could meet them like 
men and philofophers ; like perfons de- 
termined to purfue the enquiry, and to 
obtain the right anfwer; to trace public 
calamities to their true fource, and to 
afcertain the proper remedy. But za- 
tonal evils do not float on a furface ; they 
ufually le deep ; and more patience is 
reguiced to fathom them than-may be at 
firit conceived. The fchemes of philan- 
thropifis are frequently feeble and infuf- 
ficient; thofe of politicians are fome- 
times evafive and ruinous: while the 
philofopher throws out his folitary truth, 
and, retiring, fighs, “ Alas! my coun- 
try.” 
T have juft been looking over the copy of 
Mr.P11TT’s Bill for the better Supportand 
Maintenance of the Poor, lately prefent- 
ed tothe Houfe of Commons. I intend 
making no remarks on it at prefent. 
During this feffion, alfo, Lord Morra, I 
underftand, defigns bringing forward the 
cafe of perfons confined for debt; this 
fubjeét alfo I fhall pafs without any re- 
marks: both will fhortly be made the 
fubjeét of parliamentary enquiry. May 
the diftrefles of the poor be ferioufly in- 
veftigated, and eifeétually relieved ! 
But is there not another clafs of evils 
equally entitled to parhamentary en- 
guiry ? I mean fuch as arife from THE 
PRESENT STATE OF OUR PRISONS. 
You perceive, fir, I here allude not to 
the perjons of debtors merely, the quef- 
tion embraces the adiwal prefent fiate of 
the prifons them/elves ; a fabjeét involving 
the condition of the buildings; the cir- 
cumftances and charaéters of the different 
claffes of prifoners; the mcde of their 
confinement ; the nature of their em- 
ployment; the tnavoidable evils, both in, 
regard to health and morals, to which 
thefe places of terrors-are left expofed, 
and in which, after all that has been at- 
tempted by individuals, and all that has 
been fanétioned by parliament, they are, 
even at prefent, almoft univerfally in- 
volved. 
Thefe evils have been hinted at, 
though bur flightly, in THE com- 
PLAINTS OF THE POOR PEOPLE OF 
EnGvuanpb. I have had a freth oppor- 
tunity of reviewing them; and from the 
terrors 
