The Afro-American., 1895-12-21
AusrRALIA coNVIcT sHIp.
Some Attractions Even In Such Float
Ing HeI1s.

Some Attractions Eyen In Sucn EloaI4
Ing Hel1s.
All Is grist that comes to the mill Of |
the Snowman, and even a convict ship
Is serYiceable If it can only be made
attractive. There has lately arrived
in the East India dock, at Blackwell,
tho Australian convict ship Success,
which Is to be put on exhibition forth
with. The vessel belongs to the old
bad system OF treating criminals with
barbarous cruelty, bordering on inhu
manity. Built In 1890 In British India,
Of solid teak, the Success was first an
East India trader and then an emil
grant ship. 1t was in the year 1852,
just at the time Of the gold discoveries
in Australia, that she was turned into
q convict hulk, and moored at Williams
town, Victoria. The new gold fields at
tracted many bad characters from all
parts, even conVicts breaking loose
from the penal establishments and in
order to afford safe quarters for the
worst Of the evil-doers five ships were
turned into huIks. The Success form
ed one Of the group, and was known as
the "dark cell drill" ship, being fitted
up with solitary cells that admit no
light. One can well understand the
horrors of the rigorous system OF prison
treatment practiced on board these
hulks by an inspection Of this ship.
Lying in the East India dock, she Is
q weather beaten old wooden vessel,
dingy and free from any suspicion Of
new paint The first wonder, indeed,
is that she ever accomplished the voy-
age from Australia to London, which
took no less than five months and
half, but her stout tmbers Of teak OF
great thickness make her almost inn
pregnable as a fortress. The quarters
once occupied by the warders are
shown Oh the quarter deck, where there
are exhibited various rusty muskets,
pistols, leg irons and manacles, as well
as an original copy Of "ticket of
leave" signed by the governor Of the
colony. The tween deck Is fitted with
cells on each side, every cell having
been for the accommodation of three
men, and on the lower deck, where no
light and but little air could penetrate,
are the dark, solitary cells, which must
almost have been living tombs to the
occupants. At the end Of each cell is
space shut off by.iron rails called the
tigers den, which was used for those
regarded as irreclaimable. Here the
most outrageous offenders were herded
together In semi-darkness, and often
murder was committed among them.
selves as the result of an old grudge or
dispute.
The barbarity Of the hulk system fs
further Illustrated by iron necklets by
! which unfortunate malefactors were
fastened by line as if by halters, and
ID some torture chambers prisoners
| were SO chained that they could Meth.
| er lie sit or kneel. Hardened rufhans
| though the convicts were, yet such
treatment could only have the most
| fiendish results, and the prisoners on
| the Success in 1857 found an opportu-
| nifty OF revenging themselves by assas-
| sInating the official head Of the convict
| esta ablishment, Inspector General Price,
The public sentiment revolted against
the hulk system, which was superseded
in 1859. The old hulks were broken up,
Tttl the exception of the Success
which after being maliciously scuttled
in Sydney harbor, was raised and ex-
hlbited as a show vessel at various
ports ii Australia. This old hulk, reek-
ing with the memories Of many cruel
ties committed in the name Of the law,
| is not allowed to tell her own tale, but
somewhat questiondbly it is sought to
heighten the effect by the aid of wax
figures in cells, and tableaux of scenes
with notorious bushrangers, all OF
which appeal rather to morbid tastes
London Chronicle. --r7@