Star.
London, England, 1822-11-07 00:00:00

EAST INDIES.

GOVERNMENT ORDER RESPECTING SUTTERS.
Presidency of Fort William, February, 1.822.
The Commander of the Forces desires that a copy of these
instructions be circulated front the Brigade Oflce, to the posts
add stations dependent upon your comnund.
(Signed) G. 11. FA G AN, Adj.-Gen.
Whereas it has appeared that during the ceremony deno-
minated Suttee (at which Hindoo women burn themselves),
certain acts have been occasionally committed, in direct opposi-
tion to the rules laid down in the religious institutes of the
Hindoos, by which that practice is authorised and forbidden in
particular cases, as, for instance, at several places pregnant
women, and girls not yet arrived at their full age, have been
burnt alive ; and people, after having intoxicated women, by ad-
ministering intoxicating substances, have burnt them, without
their assent, whilst insensible ; and inasmuch as this conduct is
contrary to the Shasters, and perfectly inconsistent with every
principle of humanity (it appearing front the expositions of the
Hindoo law, delivered her pundits, that the burning a woman
pregnant, or one having a child of tender years, or a girl not ar-
rived at full age, is expressly forbidden in the Shysters, and also
that the intoxicating a woman for the purpose of burning her,
and the burning one withrfut her assent, or against her will,
is highly illegal, and contrary to established usage), the Police
Dar-nails are hereby accordingly, under the sanction of Govern.
ment, strictly enjoined to use the utmost care, and make every
effort to prevent the forbidden practices abovementioned, from
taking place within the limits of their thannaks ; and they are
further required, on all occasions, immediately on receiving in-
telligence that this ceremony is likely to occur, either themselves
to proceed to the spot, or send their Mohirrir or Jemedar, ac-
companied by a Burkundaz of the Hinds° religion, to learn of
the woman who is to be burnt whether she has given her assent,

and ascertain the ether particulars abovementionid relative to her
age, &c. &c. In the event'of the female who is going to be burnt
being less than sixteen years of age, or there being signs of her
pregnancy, or on her declaring herself in that situation, or should
the people be preparing to burn her, after hiving intoxicated her,
without her conaent, or against her will (the burning a woman
under any of these circumstances being in direct opposition to
what is enjoined in the Shasters, and manifestly an act of illegal
violence), it will be then their duty to prevent the ceremony,
thus forbidden, and contrary to established usage, from taking
place, and require those prepared to perform it to refrain from
so doing ; also to explain to them, that, in the event of their
persisting to commit an act forbidden, they would involve them-
selves in a crime, and become subject to retribution and punish-
ment ; but in the case of the woman being of full age, and no
other impediment existing, they will nevertheless remain on the
spot, and not allow the most minute particular to escape obser-
vation ; and in the caseof people preparing to burn a woman by
compulsion, or after having made her insensible, by administer-
ing spirituous liquors or narcotic drugs, it wilt be then their duty
to exert themselves in restraining them; and at the same time to
let them know that it is not the intention of the. Government to
check or forbid any act authorised by the tenets of• the religion
of the inhabitants of their dominions, or even to require any ex-
press leave or permission being required previously to the per-
formance of the Act of Suttee ; and the Police-oMcere are not to
interfere and ;overmany suth act from taking place. And, lastly,
it will be their duty to transmit immediately, for the information
of the ikjegistrates, a full detail of any measures which they may
"have adopted on this subject ; and also on every occasion, when
within the limits of their than:mho this ceremony of', Suttee' may
take place, the same being lawfully conducted, they will insert
in the /Monthly Airports. (Signed)
" G. IL FAGAN? Adjutaut-Giaeral.".

It appears that, in many cases, the funds applicable
to the maintenance of these local prisons, are of a na-
ture which precludes the possibility of erecting a pro-
per prison, or providing the means necessary to a good
system of discipline ; an,d the number of persons com-
mitted in any one year to some of these prisons is so
small as to make it very doubtful whether it would be
proper to expend the sum necessary for these purposes,
and whether the existing evil may not be remedied by
some legislative proceeding of a different nature.
At any rate, it is evident, that any general measure
adapted to the regulation of large prisons, must be,
inapplicable to such small places of confinement as
are here referred te ; and before any specific Measure.
with respect to these can be safely adopted, further
information appears to be necessary.
Your Committee therefore recommend, at present,
the.passing of an Act for the purpose of enforcing a
good system of prison discipline in all large pi isnns;
they have been engaged in the consideration of a
Bill, which they consider calculated to effect this ob-
ject, which they have instructed their Chairman to
bring in, without delay.
May 7, 1822..
11. The Report is followed by an Appendix, containing the
answers to queries sent to the different jails in England, (Dur-
ham, alfiddleser, Monmouth, Gloucester, Huntingdon, Lancas-
ter, &c. excepted, the returns from those places not having been
made) respecting the separate jurisdictions of the prisons ; to
what offenders they extend, whether debtors, &c. whether there
are any prisons, separate from the county prisons; out of what
funds the expenses of the buildings and prisoners are paid, and
general observations? It occupies twenty-four folio pages.