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reception was overcrowded; the number of officers was inadequate for their superintendence or control : the settlers had no demand for their labour, and the men accumulated on the hands of the Govern- ment.

At the same time, the reformatory effects of the new prison discipline at home appeared evident. The journals of the Surgeons Superintendent on the outward voyage

showed how tractable the prisoners had become. Reports of a similar character were received from the officers in charge at Bermuda and Gil raltar.

In this state of things, the natural expedient was to endeavour to gain a wider field for the dispersion of convicts.

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In New Zealand the interests of the native race, and the danger of collision with it, were urged as an obstacle (to which Lord Grey deferred) to the intro- duction of convicts. At Ceylon it appeared that there was a want of demand for skilled labour, and the climate was deemed a sufficient objection. So it was by the Governor and Council of Mauritius, when coupled with the differences of language and race in that island, and also the facilities for obtaining ardent spirits.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Attempt to induce other Colonies to Receive Convicts.

Lord Grey addressed a circular on the 7th of August, 1848, to the Governors of several colonies, communicating the favourable accounts received of convicts who had undergone due preliminary punish- ment and training, and making inquiries as to the practicability of introducing some into those colonies with advantage. This circular was sent to New South Wales, New Zealand, the Cape, Western Australia, and, with some modifications, to Ceylon and Mauritius.

NEW SOUTH WALES, NEW ZEALAND, MAURITIUS, CEYLON.

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In New South Wales there was evidently con- siderable difference of opinion on the subject, and the Legislature itself wavered in its course, but it ended, in June 1849, by declining the reception of convicts under any conditions, and by strongly pro- testing against any mode whatever of transportation. Her Majesty's Government deferred to the opinion of the Legislature, and at a later date, in compliance with its repeated instances, advised the revocation, on the 25th of June, 1851, of the Order in Council which authorized transportation to New South Wales.

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1849:

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

The case of the Cape was peculiar, and deserves to be stated at somewhat more length than the others. The Circular of the 7th of August, 1848, was sent to this Colony in common with others. Before an answer could be received, accounts arrived from Bermuda of a very inoffensive party of con- victs, consisting chiefly of men who had committed their first fault by stealing food in Ireland at the time of the famine, and it was supposed that what- ever view might be adopted at the Cape on convicts generally, there could be no objection to receive a body of such men as these, and that they would afford a very favourable opportunity of trying how far ticket-of-leave holders could be introduced into the colony with advantage. The "Neptune," there- fore, was sent from England in December 1848, to Bermuda, in order to embark these convicts, and

Sir H. Smith, December 19, 1848; Convey them to the Cape. On the 14th of March, December 22, 1848: January 5. 1849, however, an answer was received to the Part. Paper on Cape, April 4, circular despatch, stating that the inhabitants were

1849, pages 19 to 29.

averse to the introduction of convicts upon any terms. Some of Her Majesty's Ministers announced in the House of Commons, almost immediately after- wards (on the 27th of March), that if the feelings of the colonists against transportation to it in every form, was universal and not to be modified, the measure would not be persevered in; and the same announcement was repeated in a despatch to the Governor dated the 18th of April, 1849.

The general question being disposed of, it was hardly expected that the whole future character of the Colony would be supposed to depend on with- standing the reception of a small party of 300 men,