CO885-(1-2) — Page 567

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

PETTI

C.O. 885

Reference -

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CONFIDENTIAL.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

I b b k k h

Reference -

C.O.885

Sir,

Earl Grey to Sir William Denson.

Downing Street,

1848. SINCE I last addressed you on the subject of transportation, your despatches of the 10th of July and 20th August, and that of Mr. Latrobe, dated the 31st May, containing much valuable information as to the condition of Van Diemen's Land, and the working of the system of punishment hitherto in force in that colony, have been received, as well as reports of the conduct of the exiles sent to Port Philip; and the evidence obtained in the course of the inquiry which was last year instituted by the House of Lords into the whole system of Secondary Punishment has been printed, and has thrown much light upon this most important subject.

The materials thus afforded for forming a judg ment upon the various plans which have been pro- posed for improving the existing modes of punish- ment, having been anxiously considered by Her Majesty's confidential servants, it has appeared to us that the great mass of additional information of which we are now in possession, tends strongly to confirm the views we had previously adopted as to the principles upon which an effective system of punishment should be based, suggesting, however, some modifications, which are by no means unimpor- tant, in the manner in which those principles should be applied. You are aware that the policy proposed by Her Majesty's Government was that of substi tuting for the system of Transportation formerly in force, a punishment which should consist in the first instance of Separate Imprisonment, for periods varying from six to eighteen months, followed by Penal Labour on public works, and by ultimate removal to the colonies. As regards the necessity of altering the mode of carrying into effect the sen- tence of transportation which was in use up to 1846, your own despatches, and that of Mr. B

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