[Footnote 141: An enormous expence has been incurred in building Penitentiary-Houses in various Counties, and many philanthropic individuals have exerted their best endeavours to carry this Act into execution; but it is to be lamented, that crimes have been by no means diminished. The fact is, that the System is erroneous--Responsibility is no where established.--No uniformity of System prevails, and no general superintendance or center point exists.--Like the Poor Laws, the only part of the Act which is rigidly carried into execution is raising a fund, which, without imputing blame to Magistrates (for the error is in the System), has increased the expence of this branch of the Police of the Country very far beyond what could have been conceived--and it now becomes a heavy burden upon many of the Counties.--The reform began at the wrong end.--The same expence applied in establishing a System of Preventive Police, ought to render numerous penitentiary houses in a great measure unnecessary.] The first was to erect, in some convenient common or waste ground, in either of the counties of _Middlesex_, _Essex_, _Kent_, or _Surry_, _Two large Penitentiary Houses_, the one to hold 600 _male_, and the other 300 _female Convicts_, with proper _storehouses_, _workhouses_, and _lodging-rooms_; an _infirmary_, _chapel_, and _burying-ground_; a _prison_, _kitchen_, _garden_, and _air-grounds_: with proper _offices_, and other _necessary apartments_. The expence of these grounds and erections was to be paid out of the treasury; and his Majesty was empowered to appoint three persons as a Committee of Management for regulating the Establishment; under the controul of the Justices of the Peace of the County, and Judges of Assize, with power to appoint a _clerk_, _governor_, _chaplain_, _surgeon_, or _apothecary_, _store-keepers_, and _task-masters_; and also a _matron_ for the females;--and to allow salaries to each, which were to be paid out of the profits of the work, to be performed by the Convicts. As soon as the buildings should be completed, the Court, before whom any person was convicted for a transportable offence, might, in lieu thereof, order the prisoner to be punished by confinement, in any of these Penitentiary Houses, there to be kept to hard labour in the proportion of 5 _years_ instead of 7 _years' transportation_, and not exceeding 7 years in lieu of 14 _years' transportation_; limiting at the same time the number of Convicts to be sent annually from the Circuits in the Country, and from the different Sessions in the Metropolis. This Act lays down various specific rules for the government of the Establishment, and for the employment of the Prisoners; and the following works, as being of the most servile kind and least liable to be spoiled by ignorance, neglect, or obstinacy, are selected, namely--