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PRISONERS THEIR OWN WARDERS
PRISONERS THEIR OWN WARDERS
A RECORD OF THE CONVICT PRISON AT SINGAPORE IN THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS ESTABLISHED 1825, DISCONTINUED 1873, TOGETHER WITH A CURSORY HISTORY OF THE CONVICT ESTABLISHMENTS AT BENCOOLEN, PENANG AND MALACCA FROM THE YEAR 1797
BY MAJOR J. R A. McNAIR
ASSISTED BY W. D. BAYLISS
"A willing bondman." --SHAKESPEARE
WESTMINSTER ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND CO 2 WHITEHALL GARDENS 1899
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
BUTLER & TANNER, THE SELWOOD PRINTING WORKS, FROME, AND LONDON.
PREFACE Some explanation appears to be due from us for writing this account of the Singapore Convict Jail so long after the date of its final abolition.
The truth is, that for several years it has been our opinion that it ought to be written by some one, and the same suggestion had often been made to one of us by the late Doctor Mouat, Inspector General of Jails, Bengal, and others who were well acquainted with its administration.
An opportunity lately occurred to bring us into communication on the subject, and when we came to compare the voluminous notes that each of us had collected during the time that the jail was in full vigour, we arrived at the conclusion that there was abundant material for a work upon it. It also appeared to us that there were some exceptional features in the training and discipline of these native convicts, that might even at this day prove of service to other Superintendents of native jails in different parts of India and the Colonies; while, at the same time, such a work would not be devoid of some interest to those who make a study of the punishment and reformation of the criminal class of all countries, a subject in regard to which, in spite of the great progress we have made, the last word has certainly not yet been said.
This, then, is our apology for the attempt we have made, and we trust that our joint labours may be received with indulgence.
When this old Singapore jail was put an end to in 1873, some six years after the transfer of the Straits Settlements to the Crown, the convicts then under confinement were removed to the Andaman Islands, at that time not long established as a penal settlement for India; while those on a ticket-of-leave were permitted to merge into the population, continuing to earn their livelihood as artizans, cow keepers, cart drivers, and the like. Those who were old and infirm were retained at Singapore at the expense of the Indian Government, and a certain number of convicts from Hongkong were returned to that colony to complete their sentences. There remained, therefore, only the local prisoners to be dealt with, and for these, under the subsequent orders of the Colonial Government, was planned and constructed by our Department, and under our supervision, a spacious prison on the cellular system, and situated on a more healthy site than the old convict jail, which had become surrounded by the buildings of the town.
We should much like to have given a consecutive history of this old jail from the date of its first construction until it was finally abolished, but unfortunately the jail registers have not been carefully kept from the beginning, or are not forthcoming; but we have had access to some old scattered letters and papers, and to statistics from the year 1844, since which time the records have been regularly kept from year to year.
We could not, of course, interfere with their religion, but by a well-judged scale of punishments and rewards, and by instruction given to them in their own vernacular, we endeavoured to raise their character by helping them to good conduct, and to a better way of living. To encourage and foster that industry to which we have referred, we taught them the trades to which each of them appeared to be best adapted, and held out to them the hope that they might again become good citizens, and earn for themselves a creditable subsistence; and, as it was our practice to deal with each of them "individually," we were often made aware that there was many an honest heart immured within those prison walls.
In the narrative we have given of the Settlements, it may seem that we have dwelt at too great length upon their early history, but we thought it would add to the interest of the work, if we gave what is really only a limited sketch of the various places to which those Indian convicts were first banished beyond the seas.
In the initiation of the system of industrial training among these convicts, special credit is due to the late General Man, who in his early years had been trained at Chatham as a sapper. The late Colonel Macpherson, who succeeded him, carried on and improved the system, and both these officers were well seconded in their efforts by the late Mr. J. Bennett, C.E., who practically was their clerk of the works. Mr. Bennett subsequently rose to a high position in the Department.
It would be impossible to mention the names of all the subordinate staff, but Burnett, Stuart, and Lamb are prominent in our recollection as having done good service as warders and instructors.
In 1864, the Resident of Rhio, Java, Mr. E. Netscher, was appointed by the Dutch Government to study and report upon the convict system in force in Singapore, and both the Siam and Japan Governments sent special missions for the like purpose, the mission from Japan being accompanied by Mr. Hall, of the British Consulate. Many others, also, recorded their opinions in its favour, and some among them were authorities upon prison systems pursued in some parts of both Europe and America.
The local government, we should add, in their direction of this convict establishment, fully recognised that the distinctive feature in the native mind was to look to one rather than to many masters, to one European executive officer rather than to a collective body of magistrates, and, therefore, beyond that general supervision which the Government must ever assume over its Departments, it committed the whole of the management, discipline, and control of this large body of convicts entirely to their Superintendent, under the approved rules and regulations for his guidance, and for the administration of the whole establishment.
J. F. A. McNAIR, R.A., C.M.G. W. D. BAYLISS.
Contents
EARLY RECORDS OF BENCOOLEN AND OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CONVICTS 1
A SLIGHT SKETCH OF PENANG AND THE TREATMENT OF THE CONVICTS THERE 14
OLD MALACCA, AND THE FIRST INTRODUCTION OF CONVICTS THERE 25
A RUNNING HISTORY OF SINGAPORE: ITS JAIL SYSTEM AND ADMINISTRATION 31
SINGAPORE 47
SINGAPORE 59
SINGAPORE 75
DIVISION INTO CLASSES, TRADERS, FOOD AND CLOTHING 84
PUBLIC WORKS AND INDUSTRIES 96
STORIES ABOUT INDIAN CONVICTS AND EUROPEAN LOCAL PRISONERS 113
ABOLITION OF THE CONVICT DEPARTMENT AND DISPOSAL OF THE CONVICTS 143
DISEASES AND MALINGERING 147
CONCLUSION 156
APPENDICES 169
TO FACE PAGE
DUFFADAR ARJOON v
Plate I
OLD MAP SHOWING PENAL SETTLEMENTS 1
Plate II
FORT CORNWALLIS, PENANG 14
BOUNDARIES OF MALACCA, PORTUGUESE PERIOD 25
Plate IV
OLD MALACCA 26
Plate V
ALBUQUERQUE 26
Plate VI
MALACCA RIVER 28
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER 28
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