1813.] 



Wew South Wales. 



121 



convicts, are essential to the progress of each other ; if the pros- 

 perity of the colony be checked by unwholesome restrictions, 

 the exertions and industry of the convicts cannot be advantage- 

 ously called into action during their servitude, and but little in- 

 ducement 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 cond acted, and what 

 are their government and treatment v^^ithin the culony. 



When the hulks are full up to their establishment, and the 

 convicted offenders in the different counties are beginning to ac- 

 cumulate, 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 SO, who 

 are sentenced to transportation for life and for 14 years; and the 

 number is filled up with such from amongst those sentenced to 

 transportation for 7 years, as are the most unruly in the hulks, or 

 are convicted of the most atrocious crimes : with respect to female 

 convicts, it has been customary to send, without any exception, 

 all whose state of health will admit of it, and whose age does 

 not exceed 45 years. 



The Irish convicts have 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 employing them, which 

 are here often substituted for transportation : but as this is a 

 subject now under arrangement, and occupying much of the 

 attention of the Irish Government, your committee forbear 

 lyiaking 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 accepted. Clothing and provisions for the support 

 of the convicts during the voyage, and nine months afterwards, 

 iare sent from the Victualling Office, and medicines are furnished 

 from Apothecaries' Hall. The owner of the vessel provides 

 a surgeon, who undergoes an examination at Surgeons' Hall 

 and the Transport Office. He is instructed to keep a diary 

 not only of the illness on board, but of the number of con- 

 victs admitted on deck ; of the scraping the decks, clean- 

 ing the births, and general . treatment of the transports. The 

 sick are to be visited twice a day, the healthy once. He is 

 ordered to take the greatest precaution against infection, and 

 to fumigate the clothes of those taken to the hospital. He 

 has not only power to use medicines, but also the stores, if any 

 sick be in want of greater nourishment. He is further instructed 

 to transmit to the Secretary of State any observations which 

 may occur to him productive of improvement in the mode of 



