source:newspaper titled:	 Melbourne Courier.Aug 10.1844
original source:		 English newspaper

Establishments for Convicts:

Two reports were presented to the House of Commons,in the last session
from J.H.Capper.Esq,the superintendant of ships and vessels employed 
for the confinement of offenders under sentence of transportation.
It appears that there are at present eight stations in this country,
(England) and three at Bermuda, but alterations are expected in
the establishments with respect to the convicts. 

The reports,which contain the letters from the chaplains of the several 
stations,are very satisfactory. By the first half-yearly account, from 
the 1st of January to the 30th of June,1842, it seems that the total 
expense of the establishments at Portsmouth,Gosport,Devonport,Chatham,
Woolwich and Deptford, amounted to £32,147.0s.5d, whilst the value of
labour performed in the ships was,during the same period,£37.699.2s.
It is stated that the boys at Chatham are instructed to be shoemakers
and tailors previous to being embarked for van Diemen's Land.The
account from the three stations at Bermuda shows that the expense was
10,570 4s.9d.,whilst the earnings were £15,406 6s.The second half-
yearly account,ending on the 31st of December,1842,states that the
expense of the home establisments was £29,888 5s.8d.,and the labour
performed was £33,465 19s.The foreign establishment was £12,684 8s.4d
and the expense £15 129 2s.

Then a general statement is given of the number of convicts received
on board the hulks in England during the year ending December 31st,
1842. It appears that 3,954 persons were received, of which number
3,495 were natives of England.Of the aggregations 2,074 were laborers
and persons not instructed in any trade.Under the head of religon,it
is stated that 3,326 were  of the established Church, 245 were 
catholics, 126 of the Scotch church,239 Dissenters, and 4 Jews.Their
moral state is described:1548 were for first offences, 577 had been
in prison before,1739 were convicted before, 19 had been in the
Penitentiary, and 71 transported before. Of their age it is recorded
that 2 were under 10 years of age,178 from 10-15 years old,926 from
15-20 years,1878 from 20-30 years,and 970 above 30 years old.

The chaplain of the hulk at Portsmouth expresses his satisfaction
at the conduct of the convicts. He is of opinion that the public
investigation made at the end of every quarter into the conduct of
each individual during the three preceeding months is certainly
productive of the most beneficial results in impressing upon the
prisoners the importance of good conduct, of obedience of their
officers,and of strict conformity to the established regulations.
persons who were ignorant of their letters have learned to read
and write. 

The surgeon of the ship at Woolwich certainly gives some important
information on the subject of prison discipline. He states, in 
his letter dated in January last, speaking of the number of persons
who applied as patients, that "the remote and exciting causes
(of sickness) are to be found in the previous prison discipline,
solitary confinement,and low diet of the majority of our gaols,
which render very many convicts more fit for hospital than for
dockyard labour". 

Mr Capper concludes his second report to the Secretary of State
in the following words:
"On the 1st January,1842, there were 4,280 prisoners on board
the various hulks in England,during the year,3954 were transported
to Van Diemen's Land; 160 were sent to Bermuda, and 200 to Gilbralter.
501 have been discharged or transferred to other establishments, 
144 have died (being an average of 1 in 58,or 1 7-10 per cent,on the
total number.) and 3,614 remained on board the hulks in England,
1,120 at Bermuda and 200 at Gilbralter,on the 31st of Dec last"

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