The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-03 00:00:00

THE EIVOLISH CONVICT SISTE.7I.

The annual reports from the convict prisons of
England which have just been issued are accom-
panied by a memorandum prepared by Sir Joshua
Jebb, the chairman of the directors, the contents of
which cannot fail to be of interest. The general
principle he lays down is that the means of refor-
mation should be united with punishment, but that
the deterring features of a sentence should predo-
minate; and he declares the system now inform
in England combines these elements in a proportion
based on experience, and that there is reason to
believe it has proved more conducive to the com-
bined objects of repression and reformation than if
any undue prominence were given either to one or
the other. The discipline comprises separate con-
finement for nine months, and then associated labour
• -blic works in three successive stages. The
object is to encourage and reward all efforts to do
well, and to train the men to habits of industry
which will fit them on discharge for earning an
honest livelihood. Penal servitude, as now esta-
blished at Portland, Sir J, Jebb considers to be as
much of a system " intermediate" between impri-
sonment and release on license as is necessary or,
prudent. Practical people interested in the work-
ing of 'the Poor Law, or in the improvement of
benevolent institutions, frequently make a minute
inspection of some of our convict establishments
with a view to the adoption of different parts of the
system of industrial training and management—an
indication that the utmost limit of relaxation has
been reached. But now comes the question, what
is to be done with the convict on his discharge?
Is it possible to establish a system of close police
supervision ? Mere the difficulty arises mainly
with fellow-servants ; they will not work with
convicts. Protection to the public becomes destruc-
tion to the convict. Sir J. Jebb holds that any
general supervision by the police would, in effect,
insure the return of the convict to crime for a main-
tenance, and drive him into the ranks of a desperate
and dangerous class, which might then be created.
Such a scheme would require that the Government
should take the responsibility of securing employ-
ment for discharged prisoners, which is the real
secret of any great success. The stigma due to crime
remains uneffaced by any prison discipline; it is a
retribution inflicted by society upon any one who
forfeits his good name. He never wholly regains
his position, though, according to his good conduct,
facilities for obtaining employment will gradually
increase, and, though the Government cannot inter-
fere with effect, a wide field is open for the energies
of the philanthropist; and more organised and satis-
factory means of assisting well-disposed prisoners
on discharge are very desirable. The case of Ireland,
which here naturally presents itself, differs greatly
from that of England. The small numbers with
which it is necessary there to deal render possible
appliances which could not be secured in England
with any reasonable outlay. There is a centralised
police at the disposal of the authorities, and the
criminal class are said to be so effectually controlled
that there exists no such scope for the exercise of
their calling as in England, to which, indeed, many
of the discharged convicts of Ireland betake them-
selves in consequence of the stringency of the Inca.
sures adopted there. There is also in Ireland very
great aid derived from emigration on a scale which
would be impracticable with our large numbers;
and there is the advantage of the superior organisa-
tion of the Roman Catholic laity for charitable
purposes, which is especially valuable as applied to
females. What Sir J. Jebb submits to the Govern-
ment is, that there should be increased means of
superintendence of the convict prisons of England ;
that a more strict enforcement of the conditions of
the licence, or " ticket-of-leave," appears to be re-
quired ; and that " some stringent measures for
dealing with incorrigible offenders might be adopted
with advantage." With these improvements he
believes that the system of management and dis-
posal of convicts established in this country would
be, in its main essentials, as well adapted to meet
the circumstances with which we have to deal as it
is possible to make it, consistently with a due regard
to economy. He sums up the results of the ticket.
of-leave system thus :—From its commencement in
October, 1853, down to April last 9,181 licences had
been issued to males and 764 to females: of those
granted to males the total number revoked has been
only 834 (9 per cent.), of those to females 65, or 8.5
per cent. ; and the number of ticket-of-leave men
reconvicted has been 1,034, or 11.3 per cent., and
of women 65, or 8.5 per cent. He considers that to
any one who recollects the fearful anticipations
which prevailed when the abolition of transporta-
tion was first talked of, these results will appear
almost incredible.

TRADE RETURNS,

The following on the stocks of imported goods in the
Customs bonded warehouses is from Messrs. Joseph Tra-
vers and Sons :

" Subjoined is an account of the quantities of the princi.
pal articles of imported merchandise remaining in the Cus-
toms bonded warehouses of the United Kingdom on Nov.
30, 1861, compared with the quantities in warehouses on
Nev. 30, MO :

Remaining in the Customs' Warehouses
Nov. 30, 1860, Nov. 30,1561.
Cocoa, lb. 3,567,631 3,224,414
Coffo, lb .. 19,535,648 24,636,941
Currants, cwt. .. 213,626 324,949
Raisins, cwt. .. .. 14,539 65,283
Pepper, 113_1.. 5,368,614 5,312,783
Rum, gals... .. 6,538,312 7,726,418
Brandy, gals. 3,277,294 3,039,564
Sugar, refined(forcign), cwt 83,150 37,446
Do. unrefined, cwt. 1,466,342 2,353,208
Molasses, cwt. .. 100,711 235,209
Tea, lb. 60,521,317 65,553,889
Tobacco, lb. 46,315,892 62,885,625
Wine, gallons .. .. 12,449,438 11,233,078
The aboN e figures indicate that the country is unusually
well stocked with most descriptions of imported goods. Out
of 13 articles, eight show an important increase, and only
five a decrease, compared with the corresponding period of
last year. Those in which there has been an increase are—
Coffee, 21 per cent. ; currants, 52 per cent. ; raisins, 350
per cent. ; rum, 18 per cent. ; sugar, 31 per cent. ; molasses,
133 per cent. ; tea, 81 per cent. ; and tobacco, 36 per cent.
Those which exhibit a decrease are—Cocoa, 91 per cent. ;
pepper, 1 per cent. ; brandy, 7 per cent. ; refined sugar, 55
per cent. ; and wine, 10 per cent.
" Compared with the stocks held in October last, the pre-
sent totals are as follows :

Oct. 31, 1861. Nov. 30,1861.
Cocoa, lb. .. 3,298,492 3,224,414
Coffee, lb. .. ..22,985,284 24,636,941
Currants, cwt. 133,640 324,949
Raisins, cwt. 32,014 65,283
Pepper, lb. 4,681,336 5,312,783
Rum, gallons .. 8,137,700 7,726,418
Brandy, gallons 3,00.5,147 3,039,561
Sugar, refined, cwt. .., 48,097 37,416
Do. unrefined, cwt. .. 2,603,719 2,353,208
Molasses, cwt. .. 290,988 235,20 G
Tea, Ib. ..63,488,726 65,553,889
Tobacco, lb. ..59,849,042 62,885,625
Wine, gallons .. 11,385,485 11,233,078
"Thus it appears that• during the month the goods which
experienced an accumulation were coffee, currants, raisins,
pepper, brandy, tea, and tobacco, while those of which tee
arrivals were lsss than the demand were cocoa, rum, sugars
molasses, and wine."

THE STRIKE AT THE EXHIBITION.—The strike of
the labourers employed on the great dome of the Exhiti. last,
tion building, on Monday and Tuesday terminated
on Tuesday evening by the contractors acceding to the
demand of the men, which was an addition of (id, per day
to their wages, on account of the laborious and dangerous
nature of the employment, The 112 m, have all resumed
work.