CO885-(2-3) — Page 670

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

C.O.885

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

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3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

202.

The cells which have the large grated windows, are amply ventilated--not so the others.

Overcrowding.—The gaol has not been overcrowded during the last half of the

year.

Conservancy. The dry-earth system is followed, and with as much success as can well be expected, in view of the difficulties attendant in it in a crowded prison, and with people whose usual habits are those of the natives of this country.

7. There has been a most marked improvement in the health of the gaol. I must refer to the statement annexed for fuller particulars.

8. Sanitary Defects.-I am of opinion that the multiplication of walls within the gaol, and the absence of openings in the surrounding wall near the ground, are the greatest defects in the construction of the gaol. I have more than once pointed this out in separate communications, and therefore will not do so at any length now.

(E.)

The great desideratum is a better paid and more efficient class of oversers and gaol guards; and without these the most energetic and efficient Superintendent that Britain could send, would find all his efforts paralyzed.

Note.-I am bound to say, with regard to remarks under head C and E, that a marked improvement has taken place; since these remarks were written new hands have been taken in.

(Signed) L. LIESCHING, Acting Superintendent.

Hultsdorf, 1873,

(A.)

[See my Report on the Welikada Convict Establishment.]

(B.)-Prison Buildings.

With the exception of a temporary shed to accommodate transports from Malacca, there have been no alterations or additions to this gaol during the year.

The gaol is well arranged, and with a very little alteration will be well adapted for the confinement of prisoners awaiting trial, civil debtors, and persons sentenced to simple imprisonment. While the female prisoners can be well accommodated in that part hitherto devoted to debtors.

(C.)-Prison Discipline.

Mr. Mussafer, late Sergeant-Major of the Rifles, and now gaoler, has managed the gaol in a very satisfactory manner, and is very attentive to his duties. As the prisoners confined here at night have been employed mainly at Welikada, a reference should be made to my Report on that gaol, as regards queries Nos. 2, 3, and 4. Escapes, none.

(D.)-Sanitary Arrangements.

As to queries 1 and 2, sec Welikada Jail Report.

3. The water supply is adequate to the wants of the gaol. There is a well inside

green outside.

it, and another on the

4. The ventilation is ample.

5. At certain periods the gaol certainly was overcrowded; the largest number in it on any one night was 265, on 2nd September, 1873, and four men stept in a cell; but yet it has been as healthy a gaol as could be found.

6. Conservancy.

The dry-earth system is carried out,

7. There have been two deaths in the year, out of an average proportion of 182 daily.

8. I have no special sanitary defects to point out.

(Signed) L. LIESCHING, Acting Superintendent.

203

No. 44.

Acting Governor Birch to the Earl of Carnarvon.—(Received September 7.)

(No. 76.) My Lord,

The Pavilion, Kandy, Ceylon, July 30, 1874. WITH reference to your Lordship's despatch No. 70 of the 6th May last, I have the honour to forward fresh plans,* with full explanations, accompanied by elevations, sections, and full statement of dimensions of the Slave Island Gaol.

The letters on the general Plan marked No. 1 refer to the descriptions on Plans Nos, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Three hundred men have now occupied this gaol for seven months, and the health of the prisoners has been remarkably gool: 110 prisoners occupy the old store buildings, in close proximity to the breakwater works, an 1 I propose to increase the accommodation for prisoners at this temporary gaol, to enable the Convict Department to supply 600 men for employment on the breakwater. The plans for this gaol will be forwarded to your Lordship without delay.

(No. 44.) Sir,

No. 45.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ARTHUR W. BIRCH.

The Earl of Carnarvon to Governor the Right Hon. W. H. Gregory.

Downing Street, February 18, 1875.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the despatches noted in the margin,† on the subject of the prison accommodation of Ceylon.

2. The question raised in these despatches appear to group themselves under two heads, those comected with the permanent prison accommodation of the Colony, and those which arise from the necessity of providing temporary prison accommodation for the convicts employed on the breakwater works; and, before proceeding to discuss in detail the points to which I would desire to direct your attention in dealing with these two classes of questions, it appears to me desirable to impress upon you the necessity for making a very marked distinction between the considerations which should govern the decision to be arrived at in each case. I am, as I need scarcely remind you, most desirous that in all instances where large numbers of prisoners are collected together, the cellular or separate system should be adhered to as far as possible, and that sanitary considerations should have not less weight than those affecting discipline in determining the general regulation and structural details of permanent prisons. At the same time, I am prepared to admit that exceptional cases, such as the provision of prison accommoda- tion at the breakwater works, may occasionally necessitate modifications in the ordinary standard of administrative arrangement, although they could not, of course, be under- stood as furnishing precedents for relaxing the general rules which have already been communicated for your guidance in dealing with general questions of prison discipline and construction.

3. Taking, first, the questions relating to the permanent prisons of the Colony, I gather from these despatchies that the total prison population of the Colony is about 1,600, distributed as follows:-

Welikada, 308 in cells, 65 in association; Hultsdorf, 200 in cells; breakwater works, 600 in association; local prisons, 400, chiefly in association. So that, as regards mere accommodation, it would appear to be sufficient in amount for the immediate require- ments of the Colony. But the local prisons require, I understand, reconstruction, in order to adapt to them the separate system: and, assuming that when this reconstruction. is effected their accommodation will not be decreased, there remain the 60 prisoners on the breakwater works and the 65 in association at Welikada, for whom it will be neces- sary, before the completion of the breakwater works, to provide permanent [cellular]

accommodation.

4. Looking to the past history of the Welikada Gaol, to the doubts which may still be reasonably entertained as to the healthiness of its site, and to the greatly increased difficulties of an administrative and sanitary nature which result from the aggregation in one establishment of a very large number of prisoners, difficulties which are still further

• Not given.

+ Nos. 43 and 44.