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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

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2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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27. It was observed that there was no objection

to sending Female convicts, after a short probation,

to Van Diemen's Land.

were believed to

28. Whilst these measures afford the means of treating convicts in the best manner, it was remarked that the colony would gain the advantage of not losing altogether a gra- tuitous supply of labour; that the reformed men to be sent out were very different from those who used to be transported; that the payments obtained from them as above stated, would go towards free emigration; that for encouraging the same object the Treasury would relinquish its claim to the land revenue; and finally, that whenever half the expense of sending out the wives and families of convicts was contributed by the convicts or from any other source, they would be sent to the colony at the public charge.

29. In conclusion, Lord Grey observed that these were the measures which appeared best to the Government in their present state of knowledge; but that they were far from supposing that upon this difficult subject, after so many attempts to con- trive effective methods of punishment, and so many disappointments, they were likely to have yet suc- ceeded in devising a system which would not still require many improvements.

30. Such were the instructions sent out in April 1848. Two more despatches were afterwards re- ceived from Sir W. Denison with half-yearly reports of the Comptroller-General of Convicts. These reports were of a very favourable nature. They showed that large reductions had been made in the establishments; that efficiency had been promoted by retaining the best of the officers; that great improvements have been made in the buildings, so as to admit of a proper separation of the convicts, and that without reckoning too soon on any radical cure of the moral evil, at any rate unnatural crime appeared to be effectually discouraged by the mea- sures adopted for its repression. Both the Gover- nor and the Comptroller-General earnestly requested that Norfolk Island, with its diminished number of convicts and more efficient control, might not be abandoned, as it was so important to have an ulte- rior place of punishment for convicts who offend in Van Diemen's Land.

December 5, 1847 and June 27,

1848. Pages 116, 143 of Paper on Convict Discipline. By com- mand, February 1849.

See especially Sir W. Denison's

No. 72, March 15, 1848. Page 194 of Paper on Convict Disci- pline. By command, February

1849

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Sir W. Denison, No. 184, Decem- ber 31, 1847; No. 73, March

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31. The local officers had made unexceptionable

16, 1848. P. 189,215 of Paper arrangements for dispensing with the proposed on Convict Discipline. By Com transfer of former convicts from New South Wales mand, February 1849.

Earl Grey, No. 198, December 22, 1848. P. 177 of Paper on Con-

1849. P. 280, ibid.

to Van Diemen's Land.

32. Lord Grey sanctioned their measures on that

vict Discipline. February 1849. Subject. He agreed in their recommendation that Earl Grey, No. 17. January 31, the establishment of the "Anson" as a hulk for females at Van Diemen's Land might be broken up, and that female convicts should on arrival be as- signed to private service. Parliament having voted 10,000l. for this purpose, the wives and families of convicts began to be sent out to join such men as

Lord Grey, No. 198, January 22, 1848; and No. 199, January 23, 1848.

P. 277, 279 of Parlia. were recommended for the indulgence by the re- mentary Paper of February 1848. spective Governors of New South Wales and Van Lord Grey, December 22, 1848. Diemen's Land. Lord Grey consented, in com- Parliamentary Paper, page 277. pliance with the strong recommendation of the local authorities, to abstain from urging the aban- donment of Norfolk Island, feeling that it would not be prudent to give up an establishment which officers of such large experience represented as indispensable for maintaining a wholesome check over the great number of convicts whom they had under their charge.

Sir W. Denison, June 27, 1848. Parliamentary Paper of February 1849, page 243.

1849.

Having thus traced the course of events in Van Diemen's Land to the end of 1848, it is necessary to make a short retrospect before endeavouring to explain the proceedings which took place in 1849. Great improvements had decidedly been effected in Van Diemen's Land. It seemed plain, however,

that one place could not receive with advantage all the prisoners dispatched from England; both the Lieutenant-Governor and the Comptroller-General represented the necessity of at all events giving the island a rest after the vast numbers of convicts it had received in the few years immediately preceding; the depression of wages, the difficulty of finding employers, the large emigration from Van Diemen's Land (Sir W. Denison estimates that in six years about 20,000 convicts had arrived, and that about 15,000 persons had emigrated), all appeared to show that, for a time at all events, this colony could absorb no more convicts intended to subsist chiefly by their own labour at wages.

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