Sir William Harcourt called the attention of the House of
Commons on Monday to what he properly says is a scandalous state of things. He told the House that 86 prisoners, atilt untried, and by English law presumably innocent, had been.in prison for more than six months ; that 826 had been there for more than three months ; and that more than 3,000. had been in prison for more than two months. Had these . persons been fortunate enough to live within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court, they would have been all tried within a month. Mr. Cross admits that this condition of things is inde- fensible, and he states that he is taking counsel with the Lord Chancellor with a view to arrange for four gaol deliveries in the , year. But in the meantime he can do nothing, and the foreigner who, according to the letter of a "West-Country Gaoler" in. the Times, has been waiting his trial for more than sixteen,weeksrmust remain in gaol perhaps for many more weeks to ,reflect on the boasted superiority of English law. There is some reason for, the long terms of confinement which precede trials in Germany, because the untried prisoner there is subjected to repeated ex- aminations, in the hope of extracting a confeeeion. In England there is no semblance of excuse ; and if the Judges must all dis- perse on the 10th of August, why does not Mr. Cross soo that a few eminent Q.C.'s, willingto forego a part of their holidays, are , appointed, under existing powers, to clear the .gaola? He has had Ample time to think the matter over since the a iihject was first mentioned, early in the Session.
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