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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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TLTIC.O.885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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who were placed under him from the beginning. These last are described to have been listless, grumbling, less cleanly than the others, and more addicted to unnatural crime.

4. Sir George Gipps reported in March 1843 against the continuance of this experiment; and Lord Stanley had in the meanwhile directed it to

be put an end to, by a despatch dated November Parliamentary Paper No. 159 of

1843, page 3. 25, 1842, which introduced his Lordship's new general system of Convict Management. Here, therefore, ceased Captain Maconochie's experiment. 5. Throughout 1846 the most dismal accounts arrived of the total loss of discipline in Norfolk Island, and of the triumph of brute force, and recklessness of the worst convicts; until at length

1847, page 174.

came the news of an outbreak on the 1st of Parliamentary Paper, February July, and of the murder of some of the overseers. The military then interfered, the incompetent Com- mandant (whose recall had been previously deter- mined on) was removed; and twelve of the rioters having been hanged in November 1846, order was restored.

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6. By Sir W. Denison's more recent despatches, that all the English prisoners being with- appears drawn, the double-sentenced convicts, amounting to about 460, are still left at the island, which certainly appears to have considerable advantages for the custody of that worst class of offenders. Both the Lieutenant-Governor and the Comptroller- General strongly urge the necessity of retaining this station. The reason of the previous disorder appears to have been, that different classes of convicts were intermixed; that the numbers were not sufficiently moderate to admit of good disci- pline; and, above all, that after. Captain Macono- chie's trying experiment, all power of command over the men was destroyed by the feebleness and incapacity of his successor.

Parliamentary Paper, May 14,

1847, page 3.

No. 83, July 10, 1847.

Parliamentary Paper, May 1848, page 81,

No. 174, December 5.

Parliamentary Paper, February 1849, page 119.

Ibid, page 194, (including the Official Report of the visit of the Comptroller-General of Con- victs to Norfolk Island.) No. 123, June 27, 1848.

No. 72, March 15, 1848.

Ibid., page 241.

No 123, February 5, 1849.

Parliamentary Paper. July 1849. page 159.

7. Lord Grey, therefore, has stated that he is not prepared to deprive the local officers of a resource which they describe as so necessary to them as Norfolk Island, for the control of the large num- ners of convicts under their charge. This view was first intimated to them in a despatch dated December 22, 1848, of which the following is an Parliamentary Paper. February

1849, page 277.

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"But this brings me to the next point I have to notice, viz., the question whether

any establishment at all should be kept up at that place. You are aware of the objections which have been entertained

in this country to its maintenance. These have been felt more strongly, no doubt, in consequence of enormities which may partly be ascribed, as has been shown by yourself and Dr. Hampton, to adventitious causes, and are not inseparable from this locality. A large portion of evil, for instance,

it must be admitted, was owing to the mixture of the worst and oldest offenders with the new con- victs introduced direct from this country. Another great source of evil was the crowding into the island of so many prisoners, that the buildings would not admit of their proper classification. These, however grave, were also temporary and remediable defects. And it must be acknowledged that Nature herself has rendered the island one of the securest places of detention, cutting off any hopes of escape, and precluding the risk of bushranging with its long list of attendant crimes.

"Whilst, however, I admit the force of these and many other considerations urged in the able and impartial report from Dr. Hampton, which accompanied your despatch No. 72, of the 15th of March, there must always remain the objection, 'to which I attach very great weight, of the remoteness of the island from the seat of Government and from ordinary society. This must at once prevent any frequent inspection by the higher officers of Govern- ment, and must always involve the risk of abuses occurring, which may remain for a long time undis- covered. For these reasons, I confess I should still be most anxious to find some suitable substitute for even the reformed establishment at Norfolk Island.

"But without entering further into the general question here, it is enough for the present purpose to say, that the representations you have made satisfy Her Majesty's Government that a station at Norfolk Island cannot at present be dispensed with, and that so long as this establishment remains, we approve of Dr. Hampton's proposals as to the man- ner of dealing with convicts sent thither from New South Wales. And it ought no doubt to qualify the reluctance which may be felt to retaining any

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