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206

207

No. 47.

F. R. Saunders, Esq., to Colonial Office.

Olan Bran, Leamington, March 17, 1875. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, transmitting to me, by the desire of the Earl of Carnarvon, a copy of a despatch addressed by his Lordship on the 18th ultimo to the Governor of Ceylon, respecting the prisons of that Colony.

In reply to the question put in the second paragraph of your letter, I have the honour to state that the associated wards in the Slave Island and Commissariat Store Gaols are well lighted, and efficiently patrolled.

When I left Ceylon in June last, it was in contemplation to introduce gas at both gaols, but, owing, I believe, to the great cost, this has only been done at the Commissariat Store Gaol. The Slave Island Gaol is, I understand, still lighted by means of oil lamps.

I have, &c. (Signed) F. R. SAUNDERS.

Present

Building.

Appropriation.

Cubic space.

Reappropri

ation.

Cubic space.

Feet.

Feet.

Wann A--

Too narrow for conversion. Can only be improved

by reducing the occupation

Sir,

102

680

82

708

WARD B-

Converted into cells.

5-1

575

40

770

WARD C-

Converted into cells.

54

580

40

780

WARD D-

The hospital, which is part of this but, must be

detached

18

585

38

870

WARD E-

Very bad, few windows, no verandahs, and very

bad latrines

40

506

24

860

Total present accommodation

298

Total by reappropriation

::

224

To be provided for

71

No. 48.

It will therefore be necessary to add to the establishment on Slave Island by the erection of temporary hut accominodation for from seventy-five to eighty men in cells, together with a small detached hospitul for ten beds.

As regards the conversion of these wards into cells, it will be seen from the tracing that it is proposed that these cells shall be open at top so as to allow the occupants to participate in the largest possible share of the cubical space of the building. The cross walls separating cell from cell (which are the really important walls) are to be carried up solid in 4" brick nogging, stiffened with two courses of 4" x 3" bond timbers, as far as the underside of the tie-beams; the end walls of cells to be of the same height, but, in order to impede light and cross ventilation as little as possible, to be constructed of open batten work, battens 3′′ x 21′′ (from out of 9′′ stuff), nailed 4" apart; framework to have studs, heads, and sills 4" x 3," horizontal braces 4′′ × 2′′; cell doors to be of similar open work, hung with cross garnet hinges, and furnished with a strong padlock, hasp, and staple.

The central posts under the beams (the necessity of which is not very apparent) may be removed as soon as the uprights of the cell partitions under the tie-beanis are in position, and have been wedged up to the beams.

The whole of the woodwork to be left rough as it came from the saw, and to be put together with as little mortice and tenon work as possible. The interior of these buildings should be line-whited once a quarter, and the rough wood is better adapted to take the lime-white than if it were wrought.

There appears to be no reason why the whole of this work should not be executed by convict labour, thus involving no expenditure beyond the cost of materials.

No. 40.

Colonial Office to F. R. Saunders, Esq.

Downing Street, March 13, 1875.

Sir,

I AM directed by the Earl of Carnarvon to transmit to you a copy of a despatch addressed by his Lordship on the 18th ultimo to the Governor of Ceylon,respecting the prisons of the Colony.

I am to take this opportunity of inquiring whether the associated wards in the Slave Island Barracks and the Commissariat Store are properly lighted at night with gas or otherwise, and systematically and sufficiently patrolled. This is a point to which his Lordship attaches much importance, as the experience of other prisons amply proves the evil consequences resulting from a want of vigilant suspervision over prisoners who are not confined in separate cells during the hours of night.

I am, &c.

• No. 44.

(Signed) R. H. MEADE,

(No. 85.)

The Earl of Carnarvon to Governor the Right Hon. W. II. Gregory. Sir,

WITH reference to my despatch No. 44 of the 18th of February, I have to request

Downing Street, April 7, 1875. that before commencing the construction of any new prisons in the island, you will submit the plans to me for my approval, as it is of extreme importance that a good type of building should be settled," which will be found useful in the construction of future prisons.

I have, &c

(Signed)

CARNARVON.

No. 49.

Governor the Right Hon. W. II. Gregory to the Earl of Carnarvon.-(Received June 16.) (No. 117.) My Lord,

Nuwara Eliza, Ceylon, May 8, 1875. I HAVE given careful consideration to the observations contained in your Lordship's despatch No. 44 of the 18th February," respecting the general prison accommodation of Ceylon, and to those which specially refer to the temporary accommodation at present provided for the prisoners employed on the works of the Colombo Breakwater, as well as to that of the out-station gaols in which a large and ultimately increased number of our prisoners will have to be located.

2. The policy indicated by your Lordship as that which should guide this Government in providing for the large portion of the criminal population of Ceylon, which will require accommodation upon the completion of the breakwater works, is as follows:-

I. The abandonment of the original design of largely adding to the Welikada Gaol, the abolition of the association wards, in which sixty-five prisoners in the third stage are now located, and the addition of separate cells in lieu thereof.

I fully concur with your Lordship as to the inexpediency of any large increase to prison accommodation in Welikada without more experience of its sanitary conditions under the new and hitherto successful regulations, and will restrict the number of prisoners to 400. I have also without delay given effect to your desire that the association system should cease in this gaol by increasing the number of cells from 308 to 400. I have not as yet received any estimate of the cost of the operation, but the expenditure involved will undoubtedly be heavy.

2. The provision of cells for 500 prisoners at Kandy, either by the conversion of the existing barracks or by the erection of a new gaol.

3. I have been only awaiting your Lordship's sanction to the undertaking to press on with the utmost vigour the construction of the Kandy gaol, a preliminary vote of 80,000 rupees has been taken for the purpose in the Budget of the current year, and the excava-

• No. 45.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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