The Washington times., 1914-06-04
Hundreds of British Criminals
Carried to Australian Penal
Colonies by Craft Over
Century Old.
After Crossing Atlantic Under
Own Sail, Vessel Is Now at
Washington on Way to San
Francisco Fair.
Bv GARDNER MACK.

people VINO are
about the good old days" They arc
in themselves the only evidence that
the present time is any worse. One of
the surest ways Of getting line on the
progress of humanity, as humanity. |
lies In the history Of criminology.
The three stages Of criminology might |.
be sketched as the time when punish |
ment was a crime, when 1t was made |
TO fit the crime. and now-when II Is
made to fit the criminal 1t is very
difficult for people living in TINS age
and time to believe the barbarous Gus
toms of a few years ago in the treat,
ment of the unfortunates who had
ttansgressed the laws of society. Ihey
are hanging men in Ireland for wear
ing of the green was not solely bii
of sardonic verse. 1t was the literal
truth when 1t was written. People were
hanged for stealing a loaf OF bread,
trussed UP and lashed for things We
call simple misdemeanors. ana haae 10
sometimes to the extreme OF being
burned at the stake, for offenses that
would now get them nothing worse
than a course of treatment In an IN
sane asylum.
Last of Prison Hulks.
Within the next forty-eight hours
there will be exhibited In this city
ship that is almost as old as American
independence, and is noted throughout
the world as the last OF the Ioul
prison hulks that were used for the
transportation of English men and
women from England to Australia
This horrible example of the cunning
ingenuity with which men sought to
inf,ict torture on their fellow-men bears
the name of "Success'-why, nobody
can explain. stanch old craft that
is as seaworthy today as the day she
slid from the ways in the burmese
shipyard, where she was built. the
wharf, with every characteristic oil
her old occupation as a prison huik
preserved, SO that the present genera
tion can see for itself what horriple
crimes were committed in the name
of justice
the most extraordinary tales of the
sea. She was launched in 1870. after
being many years in building. and IS
now the oldest vessel seaworthy ana
afioat. She was constructed al Moui-
main, British Burmah. under the shad-
ow of the old pagoda celebrated by
Kipling. She Is built of teak. and is
Of 565 tons 135 feet long, 9-foot beam.
copper fastened and three-nailed
throughout. She is as stout and stanch
knees can make her. while further
stiffening was unintentionally ADDED
b. the rows Of convict cells that run
on both sides of the ship on two OF
her decks. the material Of these cells
being thick enough to form the sides
of a good strong ship.
Sailed Indian Seas.
For ten or twelve years after being
launched the Success sailed the Indian
seas, engaged in the spice. ivory, and
tea trade. and carrying many an In
dian prince and nabob. She then car
ried her own guns. for rings. port
holes. and bolts are still shown.
In 1902 the Success became the home
and the scourge OF EngIands worst
criminals, the born malefactor as well
as the unfortunate whom horrible
penal system manufactured into con-
vict and an outcast. II was then that
the rows of gloomy. horror-haunted
cells were built for the reception Of
her human freight, to be carried in
them without sunlight, without ventila-
ton, almost without food. with the
scantiest of raiment and the utmost in
Fiction of cruelties across the thou-
sands of miles that separated England
from her new colonies In Australia
On an average, and this fact is au-
tenticated by official documents. 80 per
cent of the unfortunate embarking on
the Success and her sister ships ded
before anchor was dropped at their
destination in Australia. and OF those
surviving the voyage few were strong
enough to go ashore unaided.
With occasional intervals Of trading.
the Success was thencrforth regularly
chartered bv the British government.
when the pressure OF convicts in her
home prisons became too great. TO
carry the unfortunate white slaves to
the Antipodes.
Cruelties Almost Incredible.
The cruelties and barbaritics practiced
ON these voyages seem almost unbe-
lieyable. but the official records and
the histories of the time. as preserved
on board the Success, relate them IN
such a matter-of- fact manner that we
can only wonder at the callousness -
the human mind to suffering.
Flogging was more regular than 1000
on the Success, and the art of nay
irg his brother man alive was brought
to a fine pitch OF excellence ~ the
professional fagellators. generally re-
cruitcd from the conVlcts themselves OF
the felon ships. The fioGginS frame and
triangle now on board the SucCess are
the originals.
The Success continued its career OF
infamy without change until 49,
when swifter vessels were employed In
the transportation OF conVlcts. Shr
| was i'm that year stationed at Fort
WilIiamstown. about nine miles dis
| ,ant from where Melbourne was then
beginning to grow, as a hulk or
hoating prison for the convicts then
, engaged in building that fort. But
| even then she was horror and
nlague spot Of iniduity. The regime OF
her sailing GaYs was in no way i'm
! nroyed. II snvthinE. more refined cruel
| ties were perpetrated. For example
! tho cleanliness and health nf the nris-
! cners were better looked after. They
! W., then valuable as labor,
Prisoners Kept In Irons.
As an additional punishment the
| eves Of the refraCtOries were some
times tightly bandaged. and gagging
was resorted to. The black gag con-
| sisted of a wooden lit In q leather
| bridle the straps buCkiing round the
| conyict's head and neck and a perfora-
! zion was made I'm the m0ufhpiece to
enable him to breathe The nrison
dress was always plainly branded with
lbrosd arrows and distinctive numbers
Tho hair OF each prisoner was clipped
| AT frequent intervals. and they were
! always kent I'm irons. Examples Of
/ these chains are on hoard VARYING
! from eight pounds to srventv-two wo
mounds in weight. The corner cells on
u either side OF the lower deck are the
dreaded black holes" in which pris.