· Improvements: New-Gate prison currently houses 47 prisoners, all except one in good health. Only two deaths occurred at the prison in the past year; minimal expenses on medicine and doctors’ bills. Use of bilious pills has helped prevent or treat various ailments, reducing the need for medical intervention.
· Conditions: Efforts made to maintain cleanliness in the prison, but some prisoners resist hygiene practices. Prisoners are provided with comfortable clothing, blankets, and regularly changed straw bedding. Food ration includes bread, beef or pork, potatoes or peas/beans, and cider. Fresh meat and fish served regularly. No escapes or insurrections occurred, except for Lawrence and Peter Carrier who are heavily shackled. Lack of coal hindered prisoners’ engagement in hard labor during the winter. Deforestation is the cause.
· Manufacturing/Expense Updates: The Overseers expect the introduction of various manufactures to harmonize with the production of wrought nails, making the manufactory more respectable, useful, and less expensive for the States. To meet the additional expense, the Overseers have raised the price of nails. The new prices are as follows: 8 and long 8…wholesale 10 and larger size…do…2 rate…do…3 rate…do…0.14.12.5.10.8. Effective from May 8, 1814, the price for wholesale nails (100 W & upward) was increased. For retail, add 5 to the price for nails from 9 to 50 (inclusive); for under 50, add another 5. The Overseers have successfully sold most of the remaining nails, totaling nearly five thousand dollars in sales throughout the year.