Prisons and Hulk Report

THE subsequent Examination and Reports originated from the following letter; which being laid before the Right Honourable Lord Pelham, his Lordship was pleased to send orders to Portsmouth and Langston Harbours, for furnishing Sir Henry St. John Mildmay, Baronet (who volunteered his services), and myself, with every information we should require.

Portsea, Feb. 24. 1802.

Sir,

Yesterday I brought from Bodmin and Launceston Gaols eleven Male Convicts, and put them on board the La Fortunee Hulk, in Langston Harbour.

I inquired after ten others, which I put there the 14th of September, 1800. Six of them are dead, and the other four look very poorly. Upwards of one hundred and twenty died in 1801 ; and forty since this year began. I inquired of several of the Convicts, as to the treatment they received : they say they have chiefly died for want of provision ; they have not sufficient food to live on ; indeed, they now say these that are here are half-starved. It appears to me, that want of food is the chief cause of so many deaths ; for, were they carried off by any putrid or infectious distemper, would it not affect the Officers on board ? These appear in perfect health, while the Convict looks pale and half-starved.

I have often reported to sundry Gentlemen these many years past, but the evil is not remedied. It will be a humane act, would any Gentleman of Note examine the Convicts in person, by having them before him, separate from the presence of the Overseers, &c. The late worthy Mr. Howard was deceived when he visited; the Overseers, &c. being present, the Convicts were afraid to complain.

I am, Sir,
Your very obedient servant,
JAMES CHAPPLE.

Keeper of the New Prisons, Bodmin.
To James Neild, Esq. Chelsea.

REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE CONVICTS IN LANGSTON HARBOUR. March 16, 1802.

HAVING completed our inspection of the Convicts in Portsmouth Harbour, we proceeded to carry our inquiries into the state and condition of the Hulks in Langston Harbour. We have here to regret still more, that the object of our investigation had been anticipated ; as we have good reason to believe, (not only from the information of some of the Convicts themselves, whom we examined apart, but from the most respectable and undoubted authorities), that we should have seen cause even for more severe animadversion, had not La Fortunee been manifestly prepared for our reception.

With respect to the state of the vessel itself, we think it our duty to report it not only wholly unfit for the present service, as a Hulk, but, from its generally decayed and ruinous state, as well as its original inconvenient construction ; so that it never can be rendered effective for the purpose. We think it necessary to mention in particular, that the timbers are so decayed, that we saw a small quantity of water poured on the quarter-deck, which immediately penetrated through the floor, and passed into the Hospital Ward below ; where, from the want of better accommodation, persons in all stages of disease, and with all complaints, were living intermixed together.

We were told by the Captain, that the quarter-deck was in so dangerous a state, that he apprehended it would give way under any severe pressure. The boarding throughout the whole ship is so generally out of repair, that we conceive it impossible to preserve that attention to cleanliness, so indispensably requisite to the health of the Convicts. It appears that the straw in the sacking is changed only twice or three times a year : what we examined was almost reduced to powder, and full of vermin. We found, also, that though the lower decks are extremely low, and much crowded, many of the ports were nailed down, and could not be opened, so as to admit a proper ventilation.

On board this vessel we found no Chapel ; and we were told that Divine Service was performed on a Sunday on the quarter-deck ; though we conceive, from the confined space, that a small part of the Convicts only can have access to it. We understand the Captain never attends himself.

With regard to the quantity of diet allowed daily to the Prisoners, we have nothing to object, as the regulations on that head are nearly similar to those in use on board the Captivity at Portsmouth. With respect, however, to its quality, we think that in many particulars there is the greatest cause of complaint. The beef we examined we scarcely consider wholesome ; it is certainly of the coarsest and worst quality ; and so extremely thin, that, although the allowance to each individual is professedly one pound of meat, it hardly amounts, when served out, to more than half a pound, in consequence of the weight of bone. It may not be improper here to remark, that the meat with which we found the Convicts supplied on board La Fortunee, appeared of a quality extremely inferior to that furnished to the Captivity the day before : The reason of this difference we are not able to assign, as both vessels are supplied by the same agent, and under the same contract. The bread we tasted we thought tolerable, though we hear from the Captain, that he has frequently reason to complain of it. The cheeses were so execrably bad *, that we thought ourselves justified in ordering one of them to be sent to London for inspection at the Secretary of State's office. The beer we found very good; and so far as we could judge of the barley and oatmeal, we saw no reason to complain.

Some little advantage appears to have been derived to the Convicts from about an acre of ground that has been appropriated to a garden, though its produce, from want of proper manure, is very scanty. The supply of last year has been long since consumed, excepting a few vegetables reserved for the sick. We cannot here forbear mentioning, that it would add considerably to the comfort of the Prisoners, if their provisions were dressed on the spot where they are to be consumed : at present, the kitchen is on board the hulks, whence the provisions are carried, upwards of a quarter of a mile, to the place where they are served out. With respect to cloathing, we find it has been commonly allowed once in six months, and stockings once in three months : but, in the present instance, that supply has been withheld beyond the usual term ; for what reason we cannot say.

* If it to be observed, that this cheese furnishes dinner for the Convicts three days in the week.

Under all the above circumstances, we thought it incumbent on us to make a very particular inquiry into the state of health of the Convicts, and the degree of mortality that has lately prevailed among them. We are sorry to report, that the number of deaths has increased of late years in a very alarming proportion, insomuch, that in the year I797, when the greatest number of Convicts was on board in Langston Harbour, it appears that the deaths amounted only to nine, and that in the year 1801, they increased to the number one one hundred and twenty * !. Since the commencement of the year 1802 up to the present day, (March 16th), they amount to thirty-four; notwithstanding the number of Convicts on board has of late been very considerably diminished, and upwards of twenty of their worst invalids have been removed to the Laurel, in Portsmouth Harbour.

* The Average of Convicts in 1797, was 600; and in the year 1801, it was 500.

The present complement of La Fortunee is about 300 ; near fifty of whom are invalids, or cripples on deck, besides eleven confined to their beds, and as many more in the hospital-ward. The complaint that has been most prevalent, and most fatal, begins with a low fever, and ends with a diarrhoea, or dysentery. We think it our duty to report further, on this part of the subject, that it appears to us that great neglect is to be ascribed in the medical department ; though it cannot be imputed to the late Surgeon, who was bound by contract to attend at the Hulks three times a week only, be the state of the Convicts what it might. The contract appears to have been 70/. per annum, for attendance at four miles distance, and medicine. By the interposition of Mr. Graham, we understand that another gentleman was appointed some weeks since, with whose assiduity and attention we have every reason to be fully satisfied. He brought before us various complaints against the Contractor ; particularly stating to us, that for five days past he had been unable to procure the quantity of milk allowed, and extremely necessary for the Hospital-ward, although he had made repeated applications for it. He stated also the greatest irregularity in the supply of provisions, both to the Ship and the Hospital ; and that the quality of the meat allotted to the Sick was frequently so bad, as to afford the greatest foundation for reproof. In the presence of the Surgeon, we begged to inspect the wine, both white and red, that is used for the Sick on board. The former, though called Malaga, and probably paid for as such by Government, proved a very indifferent sample of Raisin wine ; and the latter, a nauseous and most unwholesome composition.

With regard to the discipline on board La Fortunee, we have reason to believe it considerably improved. We do not hear of any recent meeting or insurrection among the Prisoners ; nor find among the returns, that any of them have lately been shot. We observe, however, that lighter irons are in some cases used on board the Captivity than in this ship. There may be a reason for this distinction ; but we are ignorant of it. On the whole, though we do not pretend to trace the prevalence of disease, and its fatal consequences on board this ship, to any one particular source ; we believe them to have been much increased by a great want of accommodation ; a total inattention to common cleanliness ; great neglect in the medical department, and very reprehensible abuses in the articles of subsistence.

To this is report we feel it unnecessary to add any general observations, as we understand that it is in the contemplation of Government to remove the Convicts from La Fortunee, and place them, under the new regulation, on board a vessel now in great forwardness for that purpose. But we think we shall not have discharged our duty, if we omitted to state our opinion, that many unnecessary hardships have been incurred by the Convicts, in consequence of a fatal error in the original contract ; by which the appointment of the Captain, Surgeon, and other officers on board, is dependant solely on the nomination of the contractor. Hence it arises, that those officers, who, if the servants of Government, would be a check on the contractor, and on each other, have now one common interest; and are deterred from making any complaints, let what will arise, from the apprehension of losing their appointments.

We submit, also, that the Captain and Surgeons of the Receiving and Hospital ships, should be furnished with proper books to enter the daily occurrences that arise ; and to specify with greater regularity the diseases and deaths of those placed under their charge. We likewise think it highly expedient that a Table of Regulations should be drawn out (respecting the duty both of the Officers and Convicts); to be affixed to some conspicuous part of each ship, and read at certain stated times to the whole ship's company. We have only further to remark, that we lament the great proportion of persons on board the Hulks generally, who from age, infirmity, accident, or incurable disease, are wholly incapable of work : and we suggest it to the consideration of the Secretary of State, whether it might not be advisable, that persons of this description should be removed to some place exclusively appropriated for their reception. Whilst they continue where they are, they are constantly exposed to insult and injury from their companions; they occasion great additional trouble; and occupy the place of those, who might be employed with effect in the public service.

HENRY ST. JOHN MILDMAY.
JAMES NEILD. 1

Only the day before, these gentlemen had inspected the conditions and food on board the Captivity hulk, and reported that -

A TABLE of Diet expended by the Convicts on board the Captivity Hulk, daily.

Each mess is for six men, with eight pounds of bread, and nine pints of small beer every day.
Breakfast. Every day, one pound five ounces of barley, and five ounces of oatmeal, made into soup or borgou.
Dinner. Four days in the week, six pounds of beef.

Three days in the week, three pounds of cheese.
Supper. On the four meat days, twelve ounces of barley, and five ounces of oatmeal, made into soup or borgou.
On the cheese days, one pound six ounces of oatmeal, made into soup or borgou.
One of the Convicts is deputed daily by the others, to see their provisions weighed and delivered out.

Daily Allowance issued to the SICK Prisoners, Each mess is for six men, with six pounds of bread every day.

Breakfast and Supper.
Three pounds eight ounces of rice, and six pints of milk.

Dinner.
Three pounds of mutton, and six pounds of vegetables.
Wine, Tea, Sugar, Sago, Pearl Barley, Flour, Fruit, and Porter, issued according to the Surgeon's orders.

Henry St. John Mildmay.
James Neild. 2

The La Fortunee hulk was subsequently broken up as unserviceable, and replaced with the Portland hulk, probably as a direct consequence of this damming report.