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and devoting the vacant hours of the convicts to useful employment during the period of the voyage. say useful, for if the employment be of a nugatory character, the prisoners will feel no desire to proceed with it: indeed the object might be considerably promoted, were the work of such a nature as to give them a personal concern in the execution by allowing them a small interest in the profits.

It must be confessed that the difficulty of finding proper employment during a voyage of about four or five months may in some degree occasion embarrassment. The greater number of those who are subjected to transportation are of the working class, and many of them have at one time or other of their lives exercised some mechanical art, which may perhaps be resumed with ease. All then who are acquainted with sedentary trades, might, one would think, be properly so employed, and also instruct others at the work, or such parts of it in which their assistance might be

rendered useful.

When a man finds himself restored to the exercise of accustomed employment, his cheerfulness, we find, returns, and his captivity sits more lightly. Such a man will become of himself orderly in his conduct, and exert himself to keep others so. The alarm about prisoners rising upon their guards will be as problematical in theory, as it is now in reality; making persons of weak mind and hobgoblin imagination miserable at the bare mention of its possibility. In fact, convicts so circumstanced can never be guilty of an action so truly foolish in its intent, and fruitless and absurd in its proposed advantages. They will have time for reflec

tion, thus best excited and promoted in such characters, on the futility of their former designs, and on the just value of blessings enjoyed in the good effects arising from obedience and implicit observance of the regulations by which they are governed.

Feeling themselves treated with moderation and humanity, and that their lives are preserved to them for rational and useful purposes, they will maintain a respect for themselves, and take care to avoid reproof, which to men enduring disgrace, and therefore ever testy and impatient, ought to be applied as seldom as possible. Let them be made sensible that their own welfare is solely in view, and they will listen cheerfully to the voice of authority, and knowing that in the moral and religious truths inculcated their peace of mind and future happiness are intended, they will turn an attentive ear to instruction.

They will evince their gratitude for such care by submission and deference to every command, and the transition from that state of mind to attachment is more easy, and its results more permanent, than may be supposed. Let not this be considered illusory, or the offspring merely of imagination; for I have proved it, and refer in affirmation of the above result confidently to the narrative of the voyage in the Neptune as extracted from the journal of daily occurrences. Of this termination of well applied measures in the management of convicts during their transmission to the colonies, am I so fully assured, that I would not hesitate to commit myself in a ship manned by convicts only, and, provided they understood the management of the vessel, with confidence trust to their conducting her safely without other assistance to Port Jackson.

A good deal has been advanced against intrusting mechanics with the implements of their trades for the purpose of employment. Establish but once the orderly conduct which is so easy of accomplishment; attach the people by the ties of gratitude, of their susceptibility of which satisfactory proofs will be given; take a prudent care that your confidence in them will be felt, and the most timorous need not hesitate, I affirm, to allow them the free use of their tools, and permit the full exercise of their trades. 1

The aptitude which boys usually display may also be usefully turned to account, and by instructing and having them to work in the interval between the hours of school, they can be made industrious, and harmless at least on the voyage outwards, and may afterwards follow on shore the trades they may have learned on board the ship. At all events, what can be objected to the experiment being fairly tried of employing the convicts during their voyage to New South Wales, as to the success of which I entertain no doubt?

The remarks which suit the condition of male convicts may apply with equal, if not with greater force to that of females. The happy effects of the memorable results produced by the LADIES' COMMITTEE in Newgate, are so fully corroborative of this advantage of employment over idleness, that it must appear superfluous to detail the proceedings of that benevolent association, of which satisfactory evidence has already been made known.

As, however, there was provided no stock of materials with which the women on board the Morley could apply the industry they had exercised in Newgate, no preparations being contemplated, by the regulations,

for any sort of employment, the voyage would have been rendered extremely irksome and injurious both to their moral principles and health, as consequent upon relaxed habits, if they had been supposed wholly to remain idle.

Fortunately the benevolent watchfulness of the Committee foresaw this inconvenience, and in a considerable degree provided against it by sending on board a supply of straw materials for bonnets, hats, and the like, and other things calculated to employ their time, to which the closest attention has been occasionally given. Many other of the prisoners, whose circumstances could afford it, had provided themselves with unmade dresses, and these afforded work to fill up many otherwise more tedious hours.

The beneficial effects would undoubtedly be more obvious, were full work markedo ut for them with materials provided before the voyage; for instance, linen and cotton yarn for stockings, which, to prevent any imposition, could be weighed out to the workers, and the manufactured article, which is always certain of sale, weighed in the same manner when returned. Numerous contrivances of the same kind could be suggested, all productive of much advantage to the prisoners, while the wrought goods could be brought to a ready and profitable market, so as to suffer no loss in the application of the raw materials.

As my aim is solely practical improvement in the condition of these unfortunate persons, I would not have a moment lost in setting them, young and old, to some sort of employment, and turning their time to useful With this view, and in direct compliance

account.

with the suggestions and co-operation of Mrs. FRY, a school was established on board the Morley for all the children, as well belonging to the convicts as to the free women; and one of the latter, whose qualifications recommended her to the approval of the Committee, by whom she was employed and remunerated, undertook to instruct them, male and female, in reading and a knowledge of the Scriptures. In the course of the following remarks, the progress of the children in their school business, and other improvements, will not pass unobserved.

By these regulations a saving might be made as to the colonial expenditure, inasmuch as the convicts, by following their different arts with industry, some those they had long known previously to their misfortunes, and others such as they had acquired during their voyage, or in the time of their preceding confinement, might provide abundantly for themselves. They would therefore be less burdensome to the local government, and the improvements they will thus necessarily have made in morality, will ensure a peaceful and steady demeanour; nor is it extravagant to assert, that men and women so treated and instructed, will continue long sensible of the advantages they have derived from such a rational and judicious management, reflected in exemplary and generally correct conduct. There may be one or more still found disorderly; but upon the whole the best results may with perfect confidence be anticipated.