Our convicts : their riots and their causes : containing startling revelations of the frightful abuses of our convict system, official correspondence, etc., etc. : presented to Parliament / by W. Thwaites.
- Thwaites, W.
- Date:
- 1861
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Our convicts : their riots and their causes : containing startling revelations of the frightful abuses of our convict system, official correspondence, etc., etc. : presented to Parliament / by W. Thwaites. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
85/98 page 79
![^pression. He adverts, no doubt, to the inherent defects of a hulk establish- ment, as compared with a prison on shore ; but in the extract given from his report in the General Report on Convict Prisons for 1853, he notices the vigilance and exertions both of discipline and educational officers, as producing effects that agreeably sm-prise, under the unfavourable condition of things, arising from the prisoners being confined in a hulk ; and there is nothing either in that or his subsequent report, implying an opinion that the conduct of the officers was open to reprehension, or that the conduct of the prisoners was bad ; much less that there was a state of disorganization and demoralization attribut- able, as appears now to be his opinion, to the neglect of duty on the part of the officers, which resulted in the murder of Mr. Hope. In accordance with Sir George Grey's wishes, I have to call upon you first, to account for the neglect of duty referred to, and, secondly, that you will state more particularly the nature of the misconduct which you impute to officers in charge of the Stirling Castle and Briton hulks. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) J. Jebb, Col. Eev. J. K. Walpole, Stirling Castle Hulk. Copy of memorandum which accompanied the preceding letter. The enclosed letter for the Eev. Mr. Walpole is sent to the Governor for his perusal, after which it is requested that it may be handed to Mr. Walpole. 45 Parliament Street, 1st April, 1856. The enclosed is forwarded for the chaplain as directed. J. Shaw, Governor. 2, 4, 56. J. K. W., 2, 4, 56. (This memo, to be returned.) On the 3rd December, 1856, yiine days before I ukis dismissed. Colonel Jebb addressed to me a purposely adapted letter, which he sent under cover, to the Governor, Ga-ptain Warren, for liim first to read and co]}y, after which to hand to me what was my own i)rivate property. I have Captain Warren's note, which he sent me with the letter, and of which the following is a copy :— Defence, 4th December, 1856. Sir,—I beg to forward the accompanying letter from Colonel Jebb, which I have perused according to his instructions. I have the honour to be. Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) J. S. Warren. Was this again proper treatment of a clergyman, sir, or indeed of the humblest individual 1 How, sir, could you have sanctioned it ? You remember, su-, that in the course of the correspondence, in striving to avert my ruin, I continually appealed to you, imploring your protection, which was in fact the Queen's pro- tection, and which, with the most devoted love and loyalty to her Majesty, I knew to be no fiction. Well, sir, on the afternoon of the 12th December, 1856, when I had just re- turned from visiting the convicts in the punishment cells, Captain Gambler, the visiting director, was announced, and I received him in the chaplain's office. He then handed me a letter fi-om Colonel Jebb to myself of that day's date, which I fomid on opening to contain my instant dismissal. The following extract will suffice for the present :— I have now to inform you, that having consulted my colleagues (Captain O'Brien and Captain Gambler), we are unanimously of opinion that it is a duty to look to the public interests, and that they cannot fail to be prejudiced by the continuance of any one in the execution of the important duties of chaplain, who has given the superior officers of the ship so many and such just causes of offence.—'Wq are, THEREFORE, of opinion that it wUl be most for the interests of the service to make temporary provision for the discharge of these duties, and to release you from further attendance and responsibility. The above, sir, shows the reason assigned for my dismissal. The old charge](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21081062_0085.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
