526 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



loitering was foibiilden in the town 

 of Sydney. No restraint is ira- 

 posed on those professing a differ- 

 ent religion, and Roman Catholic 

 clergymen have been allowed to 

 perform the rites of their church ; 

 registers of baptisms, marriages, 

 and burials, are regularly kept, 

 and many schools have been esta- 

 blished. The orphan Female 

 School, supported by port duties 

 and fines, has flourished almost 

 from the first settlement of the 

 colony ; and a Male Orphan 

 School, on a similar plan, has lately 

 been established ; several private 

 schools are also open, and the edu- 

 cation of youth appears by no 

 means to be neglected, though the 

 want of proper masters has been 

 much fell at different periods. 



Your committee have been thus 

 particular in detailing the regula- 

 tions, and the natural and com- 

 mercial advantages of the settle- 

 ment, because they strongly feel 

 that its improvement in wealth, 

 and the means of properly em- 

 ploying and reforming the convicts, 

 are essential to the progress of each 

 other ; if the prosperity of the 

 colony be checked by unwhole- 

 some restrictions, the exertions and 

 industry of the convicts cannot be 

 advantageously called into action 

 during their servitude, and but 

 little inducement will be held out 

 to them to become settlers after 

 their emancipation. They will now 

 proceed to detail the manner in 

 which the transportation of the 

 convicts is conducted, and what 

 are their government and treat- 

 ment within the colony. 



When the hulks are full up to 

 their establishment, and the con- 

 victed offenders in the different 



counties are beginning to accu- 

 mulate, a vessel is taken up for 

 the purpose of conveying a part of 

 them to New South Wales. A 

 selection is in the first instance 

 made of all the male convicts 

 under the age of 50, who are sen- 

 tenced to transportation for life, 

 and for li years ; and the number 

 is filled up with such from amongst 

 those sentenced to transportation 

 for seven years, as are the most 

 unruly in the hulks, or are convict- 

 ed of the most atrocious crimes : 

 with respect to female convicts, it 

 has been customary to send, with- 

 outany exception, all whosestate of 

 health will admit of it, and whose 

 age does not exceed 4'5 years. 



Thelrish convictshave generally 

 been sent with less selection than 

 those from England ; and this has 

 arisen from the want of hulks, and 

 other means of confining and em- 

 ploying them, which are here often 

 substituted for transportation : but 

 as this is a subject now under ar- 

 rangement, and occupying much 

 of the attention of the Irish go- 

 vernment, your committee for- 

 bear making any observations 

 upon it. 



The evidence of Mr. M'Leay 

 distinctly and satisfactorily explains 

 the manner in which they are 

 transported. An order is received 

 from the Treasury at the Transport 

 office, to take up vessels for New 

 South Wales. They are advertised 

 for, and the lowest tender accept- 

 ed. Clothing and provisions for 

 the support of the convicts during 

 the voyage, and nine months 

 afterwards, are sent from the Vic- 

 tualling office, and medicines are 

 furnished from Apothecaries' hall. 

 The owner of the vessel provjdeB 



