Commons Sitting of 22 July 1847

MINUTES.
PETITIONS PRESENTED. By Mr. Bankes, from Members of the Tunbridge Board of Guardians, for Alteration of the Law of Settlement.

MILLBANK PRISON AND THE HULKS.
MR. T. S. DUNCOMBEsaid, he had given notice that he should call the attention of the House to the reports laid he-fore Parliament during the present Session, on the state of the Millbank Prison, and the treatment of the convicts on board the hulks at Woolwich. His object was to ask his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the intentions of Her Majesty's Government were with regard to the recommendations contained in these reports? In consequence of his having brought forward the state of the Millbank Prison, a Commission was appointed, consisting of Lord Chichester, Lord Seymour, and Mr. Bickham Escott, to inquire into the manner in which the affairs of that prison were conducted. The Commissioners did not agree in their conclusions; and the result was that two reports were presented, one signed by Lord Chichester and Lord Seymour, and the other signed by Mr. Escott alone. Both reports, however, agreed in recommending that the present system of

685
uniting the government and inspection under one head should be abolished, and that a new system of inspection should be established. What he wished to ask his right hon. Friend was, what the intentions of the Government were on this subject; and he wished also to take the opportunity of expressing a hope that a measure would be introduced next Session for placing this prison under a new system of government. The other inquiry, which was also instituted at his instance, was with regard to the medical treatment and the moral discipline pursued on board the hulks at Woolwich. On bringing the subject before the House originally, he described the abuses which he understood were permitted to exist in the establishment; and the explanation which Mr. Capper, the superintendent, sent in afterwards commenced with the words—"To all these charges I give the most distinct and explicit contradiction." In the subsequent inquiry, however, which was ordered by the right hon. Baronet, and which was conducted by Captain Williams, the charges which Mr. Capper had the audacity to deny in these terms, were all distinctly proved; and that person was himself obliged to admit that they were well founded. The establishment was shown to be in a state which was a disgrace to any civilized and Christian country. One of the abuses of which he complained was, that the overseers inflicted corporal punishment on the convicts, without reporting the matter afterwards to the superintendent. Mr. Capper denied that any such proceeding took place; and yet it appeared on the inquiry that it formed the regular practice of the place. The disgusting state of dirt and filth in which the convicts were kept, was fully proved; and the consequence was shown by the fact, that out of 600 convicts on board, no less than 257 were eaten up by scurvy. He thought Capper had shown himself to be a most unfit person to be entrusted with the care of such an establishment; and he wished to know what course Her Majesty's Government intended to pursue on the subject.
SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, in answer to his hon. Friend, he had in the first place to assure him, with regard to Mill-bank Prison, that he entirely concurred with the recommendation of the Commissioners, that the management should be separated from the system of inspection. A measure would be introduced next Session to effect that object, and it should
686
have his entire approval. With regard to the hulks, he begged to say that the result of the investigation satisfied him that ample grounds existed for instituting a strict and searching inquiry into the management; and he regretted to add that very great irregularities existed. He believed that the infirmities occasioned by age and ill health of Mr. Capper, the superintendent of the convicts, prevented him from attending personally to his duties; and the consequence was that abuses and irregularities, some of them of great moment, had occurred, without having been brought under the attention of the Home Secretary. As to the future, he had only to state that it was intended to place the hulks under a system of inspection like the other prisons, and that new rules would be issued for their management. he hoped at a future time to sec a barrack provided for the accommodation of the convicts, as his hon. Friend recommended. With regard to the medical attendance at the hulks, he thought it due to the gentleman in charge to state, that no instance either of cruelty or of harshness had been proved against him; but, at the same time, there could he no doubt but that it was desirable the medical man in charge of the establishment should be one who would be able to devote his whole time and attention to the duties of the office. He would not at present go further into the question; but he could assure his hon. Friend that in the interval before next Session, he would devote his best attention to the matter.
House adjourned at half-past Three o'clock.