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that the size of the cells should not be greater than is considered absolutely necessary on sanitary grounds. European convicts may be left entirely out of account as they can be best accommodated in the larger cells of the existing building. Taking into consideration the habits of the Chinese, and that for generations they have been habituated to crowding, I am disposed to think that in associated wards an allowance of 400 cubic feet of air space, and 40 square feet of floor area would suffice. Four hundred cubic feet was the minimum fixed for convicts in Cyprus, and the general good health of the Cyprus prisoners (I am referring to a period of nearly nine years over which my experience extends) tends to show that they were sufficiently provided with air.
Before any new buildings are commenced, I suggest that application be made to the Colonial Office for any information that can be supplied on this important point, based on the experience of other tropical Colonies and of India. Owing to the great difficulty of ventilating small cubicles each containing one prisoner, as compared with large airy chambers such as were used in Cyprus for lodging a number of men on the associated system, it may be desirable to allow a considerably larger space under the separate system.
In preparing the block plans and estimates of the Gaol extension, both as regards the existing and another site, I have assumed that each cell will be 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, and...