;
282
into prison previous to its introduction; 2 were at light work and penal diet; the remaining 13 underwent penal diet and penal labour.
Return E-A comparison is made of the Criminal Prison for the years 1873, 1874, with the House of Correction in 1869, 1870, 1871, and 1872..
By this it will be seen that the percentage of deaths to total treated in 1874 is considerably below the average of that for the four years 1869, 1870, 1871, and 1872, when the penal diet was not in existence; that the average daily percentage of sick was more than 2 per cent, less. That, although the percentage of deaths to strength is a trifle higher, yet, if we exclude the deaths from cholera and one from manslaughter, it gives very nearly the same results as the average for four years.
I purposely omit the column for 1873, as the prison in that year was passing through a stage of transition.
Return F shows the average strength, daily sick, and deaths, together with the percentage of the two latter to the former for three years. In 1872 and 1873, the Europeans are included, as, owing to Europeans and natives being registered together, it was impossible to separate the sick. Since January 1, 1874, separate records have been kept, and the Europeans are not included in the Return for that year.
On comparing 1874 with 1872, it will be found that the average daily sick was less than in 1872, notwithstanding the large increase in strength.
The death-rate was about double, but this is accounted for in some measure by the large number of deaths in September, due, in my opinion, to causes unconnected with the penal diet system. The probable strength of the Native Prison would be between 480 and 490 in the year 1872. At the same time, that year appears to have been on reference to the records of previous years, a most exceptional one as far as the mortality was concerned. With reference to the allusion made in the 2nd paragraph of despatch: No. 28, dated 6th February, 1874, from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State, I would respectfully suggest that possibly, on inquiry, it will be found that a large number of deaths amongst prisoners did not appear in the returns furnished by the Medical Officer of the Convict Gaol, as, from a Return Book in the possession of the late Comptroller of Convicts, the annual mortality from disease alone varied from 97 to 39 per cent of strength for the eight years from 1858 to 1866, the average amounting to 5-16.
former years, under the convict system, when a prisoner's health was of such a nature as to render him unfit for the performance of any labour except of the lightest description, he was placed in a separate class, and generally ended his days outside the prison, and therefore was not included in the returns of sickness and mortality,
The percentage of mortality to strength during the past year has been less than the average for eight years under the convict system, when the prisoners were selected with reference to physical fitness and age to undergo imprisonment in the Straits Settlements. At the same time, the system of punishment, as now enforced, must, owing to the seclusion, monotony of diet and of work, affect the duration of life of many long-sentenced native prisoners, more especially those sentenced to a term of imprisonment of upwards of five years.
Having assumed medical charge of the prison on January 1st, 1874, and after a careful investigation of such records as are obtainable for 1873, together with the more ample records of 1874, and also from the daily personal observation of the prisoners, I very much doubt whether the penal diet, under vigilant supervision on the part of the Medical Authority, directly or indirectly, is detrimental to the health of the native prisoners.
FRED. K. HAMPSHIRE, M.B.,
(Signed)
Criminal Prison Hospital, February 11, 1875.
Colonial Surgeon.
M-
283
RETURN A.
This Return is drawn out with a view to show the difference of weight in long and short sentenced prisoners who have been subjected to penal diet, as compared with revenue prisoners who have not been subjected to penal diet.
(Table A.)—The Prisons whose weights are here given are from all Nationalities.
Long Sentenced Prisoners.
Weight
ON
Admission.Discharge. | Admission. Discharge.
Short Sentenced Prisoners.
Revenue Prisonera.
Weight on Dischard
Weight
Weight
Weight Weight
on
On
on
on
Admission,
or present
Weight.
Lbs.
Lbs.
Aggregate weight of 150 prisoners of
cach class
17,514
17,938
Lbs.
17,054
Lbs.
Lbs.
Lbs.
17,565 16,814
17,056
Total gain Total Loss
124
511
242
Average weight per prisoner on ade
mission
Average gain per prisoner..
116-7-
113
112
2.8
3.4
1.6
7
(Table B.)-The following Table shows the Percentage of Prisoners who Gain Weight, Lose Weight, or otherwise.
Per centage gain Ditto lose
..
Ditto neither gain or lose
Long Sentenced
Prisoners.
72
20
H
Short Sentenced Prisoners.
Revenue Prisoners.
Per cent.
l'er cent.
l'er cent.
60
SR
32
31
2
11
Average gain in those who have
increased in weight
Average loss in those who have
decreased in weight
Lbs.
Lbs.
Lix.
7.6
6.1
4.1
++
6.8
(Signed)
5.2
2.4
FREDERICK K. HAMPSHIRE, M.B., Colonial Surgeon.
Criminal Prison, Singapore, February 1, 1875.
No. 60,
Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, R.E., K.C.M.G., C.B., to the Earl of Carnarvon.— (Received July 19.) (No. 175. Straits Settlements.) My Lord,
✓
Government House, Singapore) June 11, 1875.
I HAVE the honour to transmit a copy of the Report of the Chief Justice, dated the 24th ultimo, on the trial of forty-one persons charged with the murder of the late Captain Dent on the 13th of February last. Of these forty-one persons it will be seen that eighteen pleaded guilty, or were found guilty by the jury of murder, and sentenced to death, the remaining twenty-three having been either acquitted or convicted on minor
counts.
I also transmit extracts of Minutes of meetings of the Executive Council held on the 28th May and 11th June, from which it will be seen that the Council were unanimously of opinion that, out of the eighteen persons lying under sentence of death, nine should bave their sentences commuted into penal servitude for life, and that, in the cases of the
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference
TC.O. 885
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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