I now enclose the memorandum in which I called attention of the Colonial Surgeon to the practicability of moving either a portion or the whole of the prisoners from Stone Cutters' Island to Victoria Gaol without risk of overcrowding the latter.
His reply, after consulting with Mr. Douglas and the Surveyor General, determined me to test by personal inspection the probable accuracy of the opinions advanced by all those three officers. I had no doubt that the Chinese and Colored prisoners could all be amply accommodated - as room for 900 might be easily made by some simple and inexpensive alterations, mainly effected by boarding over and putting windows to a covered yard, so as to give sleeping accommodation to a hundred additional prisoners above those estimated for by the Colonial Surgeon.
Enclosure 44 18th October 1866. 112
It being impossible to foresee all the circumstances that might occasion a sudden accession of prisoners, extra accommodation for at least 200 over the usual average seemed to me a necessity, if the Victoria prison only is to be maintained hereafter. I hope that before long the highest average of prisoners in confinement will be found, and if so, there will be ample accommodation for nearly 300 additional Chinese and Colored prisoners, by which I mean, accommodation of infinitely healthier and better character.