February 1786

The Clerk Reported that the Counsels Opinion had not yet been
returned on the Case submitted to him relative to the Powers granted to the
Magistrates for borrowing Money for the purchase of Land by the 24th.
George 3d. It Was therefore Resolved without further delay to
proceed in the Business and to open inspect and consider the Plans All
which having been severally examined It Was Resolved that the
Plan marked No.1 and distinguished by the Motto Custodia Salusque
should be made the Basis of the intended Plan; subject nevertheless to such
alterations as to this Committee should appear to be most adviseable in order
fully to answer the purpose of establishing a proper commodious and
beneficial House of Correction.

The Committee keeping constantly in their View the Sentiments
and Wishes of this Court as expressed in their Order of referrence considered
that the Principal Objects before them were The Security; The Health, The
Correction and the Reformation of the Prisoners - Whatever building
could be so contrived and executed as to answer these important purposes the
Committee conceived would best answer the Expectations of the Community at large
and of the County of Middlesex in particular

1st

For the Security of the Prisoners the Boundary or External Wall
recommended by this Court although not to be erected without a very considerable
expence was judged to be a necessary part of the Plan the Committee conceiving
it to have been the Opinion of the Court (in which they could not but concur)
that the Walls of the Prison itself in this Case would not need to be constructed to
any extraordinary Thickness and would therefore be raised at a much easier
Expence provided the Inclosure were circumscribed by a Wall of such an Height
as to frustrate the Prisoners Endeavours to Escape even supposing the Vigilance
of his Keeper to have been Eluded or his Cell to have been broken through - In the
construction of this Wall the Committee have proposed that the Plan of that Wall
which surrounds the Kings Bench Prison in St George's fields should be adopted
together with the Wooden Chevaux defrize thereon in preference to the Iron
Chevaux defrize with other Contrivances of an expensive nature suggested by
the Plan No.1

2nd

The Health of the Prisoners became the next Object of this Committees
Consideration as being dictated equally by Policy and Humanity In order to
which it was Resolved that the Ground Floor should be on such a Level as
may best answer the purpose of keeping this Floor perfectly dry. No Cellars
nor any Subterraneous Buildings being within the intended Plan.