1799
be General order
vol 13. 1799.

The following Letter was sent by me to my Mother, on the 20th of January, 1797, and after-
wards appeared in the London Corresponding Society's Magazine of February, 1797.

An Extract of a Letter written by a person confined in thus prison in Cold-Bath fields

" IT is divided into separate yards; in each of these yards are a number of cells about six feet wide
with stone floors unplaistered walls, and no windows, only a hole [..] with [..]
door to admit the air the place on which the bed lies is formed by three planks fixed against the
wall, and in damp weather is covered with wet the bed which is allowed the prisoners, is a straw
mat with one blanket and a rug. Thanks to your kindness for sending me my own, or I must
have died with cold; as it is, I lie very warm, except that in rainy weather weather my cell is like the
street, and the rug which covers the bed is just as if it had lain out all night on the grass and
had imbibed the morning dew; but this is not the whole of the inconveniences I suffer, for next
to the distress of not seeing my friends, is the scanty manner in which the prisoners live.it is
thus:

"On Monday morning, a loaf that should weigh a pound in served out with a pint bowl [mark] of what
is called broth, with four ounces of half-stewed meat. At twelve o'clock this meat is cut into small
pieces, and put into as many bowls so there are prisoners, to serve about two hours before the broth
is distributed, which prevents the meat from being half stewed.

"None of the prisoners are permitted to have a knife ; if they have one on entering the pri-
son, it is taken away by the Turnkeys.

"On Tuesday, bread and water only. Redford
"On Wednesday, bread, water and broth, with four ounces of meat.
"Thursday, the same.
"Friday, bread and water only.
"Saturday bread water and with four ounces of meat
"Sunday. O Lord! bread and water only, no beer being allowed not even small beer!

"Let your imagination picture of yourself my conditiona cell without a fire-place, locked up
at half past four, without a light until seven in the morning, and to arise without any thing to
recruit my strength, but a little bread which I am afraid to eat, left it should not last the day
then you will judge the necessity I have of summoning all the fortitude I posses to enable me to
support myself from sinking into absolute despair.

N.B. John Smith< no role > was not sentenced until 10th of February, 1797 when he entered this abode
of solitude, starvation, and slavery,

This was afterwards altered by the Committee to tin pots.

It is impossible
such circumstances
can occur

Not true
[..] ves were wished
the presence of
the prisrs. and found
to be full weight

Quart bowl always
filled

7 or 8 of will
stewed Meat
& Broth or before