between the front wall of the prison and the back wall of the Police Barracks is barely 90 feet and, allowing 35 feet for the width of a prison block, there would only remain a narrow lane 21 feet wide on each side of the new building; and to this small distance between the existing buildings it would be necessary by the new block to affect the boundary between the prison and the police barracks, an arrangement hardly safe to fare facilities for escape at all secured. But apart from the want of caution, I very much doubt whether, facing the buildings could be arranged so as not to interfere with each other and light, it is desirable to place a prison at this site, the area of which will be quite as much crowded as is at all safe in the tropics. Possibly land might be obtained on the other side of the road (Chancery Lane) behind the front, and any new buildings erected there could easily be connected with the projecting wing at the back of the present prison by a covered bridge.
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The Directing Architect has marked in blue on the Plan of Haßling the block to which (Capt. Dymond refers) abutting on Chancery Lane reaching to Caine Road. The site is there but it is in the heart of the town, occupied with buildings of good quality; and the clearance of insanitary structures would be costly. It will be a main Economical Scheme to remove the prison bodily to some other place. The present site when the new gaol is moved, might with advantage be reserved, except for the Magistrates' Courts offices, as a place of detention for prisoners during their trials.
Examination after the gaol is moved, it should not be forgotten that the additional protection afforded by the close proximity of the Police Barracks will be lost.
GR1178/1922/32(III)
I doubt whether I have Cutter's land is the best site...