outside of the Gaol, though apparently not so severe as in England, is nevertheless of sufficiently deterrent character. In proof of this I may mention that some weeks back a number of the prisoners, not less than Forty Five, inflicted wounds and created ulcers on their limbs for the purpose of escaping the labor now insisted on, and so virulent did some of the sores thus created prove, that several prisoners died from the effects.
Altogether from the perfect discipline of Victoria Gaol, and notwithstanding the greatly increased vigilance of the Police, which raises the average detection of offences, crime itself begins steadily to diminish; and from the inclosed returns Your Lordship will observe that from the beginning of the current year the number of prisoners decreased both in Victoria Gaol and Stone Cutters' Island till the total on the last day of last month (October) was only 114 instead of 876 on the 31st October last year.
It naturally occurred to me, on noticing this decrease, that it might be quite possible to accommodate in Victoria Gaol all the prisoners in the Colony, and thereby render their labor usefully available, and also effect a great economy by the reduction of two Establishments to one, and the transfer to this side, where they are much wanted, of no less than 55 European and Chinese Constables and water Police.