During many years following its inauguration, the "Ladies' Association" continued their benevolent exertions with marked and well-deserved success. They did not confine their labours to Newgate, but were equally active in the other metropolitan prisons. They also made the female transports their peculiar charge, and obtained many reforms and ameliorations in the arrangement of the convict ships, and the provision for the women on landing at the Antipodes. That the first brilliant successes should be long and continuously maintained could hardly be expected. As time passed and improvements were introduced, there was not the same room for active intervention, and it was difficult to keep alive the early fire. The energy of the Ladies' Committee might not exactly flag, but it came later on to be occasionally misapplied. And it will be found in a later chapter, that the inspectors of prisons were not altogether satisfied with the ground taken up by the association. CHAPTER IV. THE BEGINNINGS OF PRISON REFORM. Prison reform generally taken up--Mr. Neild's visitation--Howard's great work repeated--Neglect of prisons not the fault of the legislature--Numerous gaol Acts passed, but not carried out by local authorities--Prison Discipline Society formed in 1817--Its distinguished members--Mr. Buxton a leading spirit--His views and arguments for insisting on prison reform--Idea of classification first given in gaol Act of 1784, but never carried out--The society animadverts upon condition of various prisons--The Borough compter--Guildford--Irons--Their weight--Overcrowding--Underground dungeons--"The pit"--A few brilliant exceptions--Bury St. Edmunds--Ilchester--Newgate compared badly with last-named, but diet improved, and irons removed from untried--Complete reform still indispensable for real improvement--Prisoners committed to Newgate taken through the streets in gangs, chained--Opponents of reform--Sydney Smith laughs at efforts of Prison Discipline Society--It continues to work undeterred--Gives attention to tread-wheels--Also to plans for prison construction--Faulty prison architecture--Society rewarded by new legislation, and devotes itself to seeing that new Acts are observed--Borough prisons the worst--Acts did not apply to them--Great diversity of practice and discipline prevail--Various hours of labour--Borough gaols continue bad because municipalities beyond reach of the law--Description of worst borough gaols--Newgate continues a bye-word--Its shortcomings--Further legislation--Report of Lords' Committee in 1835--Reform of Municipal Corporations brings about reform in borough prisons.