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HRA VIII
Pages 274 to 293
Governor Macquarie to the Commissioner of the Transport Board
Despatch per ship Seringapatam
Government House, Sydney, New South Wales
1st October 1814
Gentlemen
Arrival of the transport Surrey
I have to inform you that the male convict ship Surrey arrived here on the 28th of July last, the principal part of the crew and convicts being in a wretched and deplorable state of disease.
Sickness and mortality on the transport
On the passage hither, an infectious fever first exhibited itself among the convicts, and eventually extended to the ship's crew and officers, and to a detachment of the 46th Regiment destined for this place. The mortality, which has been the consequence, is very great, 36 convicts died, as also the Captain of the ship, the 1st and 2nd Mates, the Boatswain and six Seamen, besides one Serjeant and three Privates of the Military Detachment; In all fifty persons.
Cause of outbreak of infection
I have much reason to apprehend that this destruction disease originated in the mismanagement of two of the unfortunate sufferers, namely Captain and Surgeon, whose duty is was equally to have caused the convicts to be brought more frequently and in greater numbers on deck, than it appears they thought proper to authorise.
Necessity for proper hygiene on transports
It may be here remarked that, unless the unfortunate convicts in prison ships are frequently brought on deck to enjoy the benefit of fresh air, and the berths below thoroughly washed, cleaned and ventilated, disease must be the consequence. On the present occasion, it appears that there were no than 50 convicts permitted to come on deck at once, and very seldom more than 30 to 40. The greater the proportion of 150 to 170 being thus left constantly below, it was of course totally impossible that the berths could be cleaned and purified, as they ought to be, and still much more so that they could be ventilated whilst such a number of persons remained there.
Report from assistant surgeon Redfern
For your further information on this subject, I beg to refer you to the report of Mr Redfern, Assistant Surgeon on this establishment, and have only to express the hope that you will give this report of the fatal consequences, attending the rigid and unfeeling conduct of the Captain and Surgeon, the consideration due to the distressing circumstances detailed in it, and that you will give such instructions to the Masters and Surgeons of other convict ships, as may tend to avert the recurrence of such calamities for the future.
I have etc
L. Macquarie
[Enclosure]
Surgeon Redfern to Governor Macquarie
Sydney New South Wales
30th September 1814
Sir,
The occurrence of disease on transports and preventative measures
Some days since, in a conversation with your Excellency on the subject of the calamitous state of disease, in which the convicts on the transports General Hewitt, Three Bees and Surrey, arrived in this country, Your Excellency expressed a wish that I should communicate to you my sentiments on the probable causes of the diseases, which appeared among the convicts on these transports, on the means of preventing similar occurrences in future, or of counteracting their effects.
In obedience to this wish, I have now the honour of submitting the following detailed observations to Your Excellency's consideration.
In the order, in which I now propose to myself to lay before Your Excellency the observations I am about to make, I shall beg leave to call your Excellency's attention to the various circumstances connected with those transports, according to the priority of their arrival in this colony, making occasionally, as I proceed, such remarks as seem naturally to arise out of the subject.
Embarkation of convicts on the General Hewitt
Total complement on the General Hewitt
It appears, from the best information I have been able to obtain, that the General Hewitt, a ship of 960 Tons, Earl Master received on the 28th July 1813 from the hulk at Woolwich, one hundred and twenty four convicts. She then dropped down to Gravesend, where she remained sixteen days, whence she went to the Nore and received forty eight convicts from the Hulk Sheerness; on the 22 and 23 August; two days after her arrival at Portsmouth, she completed her number, three hundred, by one hundred and twenty four convicts from the Hulk at Portsmouth and Langston; and finally sailed from England on the 26th of the same month, having on board in addition to the convicts, seventy Soldiers, fifteen women, eight children, and one hundred and four Ship's Company, besides several passengers, in all, five hundred and fifteen, having been twenty seven days from the embarkation of the first of the convicts the day of her sailing, during the whole of which time, it is to observed and regretted the convicts were closely confined below.
Treatment of convicts at sea and in port
Outbreak of sickness
That they were divided into messes of six men each, six which messes were admitted on deck in rotation during the day for the benefit of air; this practice was continued till she arrived at Madeira, when the prisoners were again kept below for nine days; the time of her stay at that island; on proceeding to sea, they were again admitted on deck in the same number and usual manner; until they made Rio Janeiro, when they were once more closely confined for ten days; by which time the sickness, which had commenced shortly after their quitting Madeira, had increased to an alarming degree. In consequence of this sickness, the convicts were very properly allowed access to the deck during the day for the remaining part of the voyage. It was now, alas! too late. No care, no exertion, however it might lessen, could now remedy the evil.
Regulations for the cleanliness of the convicts
That there were two days in the week appointed for shaving and cleaning the convicts, but this regulation was not persisted in with any regularity; they were however obliged to appear clean every Sunday on the quarter deck, in order to attend divine service, till they arrived at Rio Janeiro, when this salutary practice was neglected, and the convicts were suffered to become exceedingly filthy. There was no fresh water allowed for washing any part of their linen; And the allowance of water was reduced to three pints per man per diem; that the soap (about twelve ounces) was served out once a month to each Mess.
Issues of wine
That the first issue of wine was on the day they left Madeira when half a pint was served to each man; no more was issued for three weeks, when a quarter of a pint was issued to each man, till they arrived at Rio Janeiro. About a month after their departure from that Port, the issue was recommenced and continued, but very irregularly. And my information states that it is calculated there was a deficiency in the issue of at least three hundred gallons.
Cleansing and fumigating of the ship
The decks were swept every morning. Scraped and swabbed twice a week; they were sprinkled with vinegar weekly, until they made Rio Janeiro, when this was discontinued. The ship was also fumigated once a week for six weeks, but was afterwards much neglected.
Issues of mustard
Destruction of bedding
No Vinegar was issued to the prisoners, and mustard but three times, about 12 ounces to each Mess. That three weeks previous to their arrival at Rio Janeiro, their bedding was thrown overboard in consequence of having been wetted; from the want of which the convicts, when they came into a cold climate, suffered exceedingly.
Purchase of convicts' rations by transport captain
It also appears that Captain Earl purchased the convicts rations of Salt Beef for nine weeks, paying them for it after they left Rio Janeiro, in the following articles at most shamefully enormous prices, Vizt :~Coffee; four shillings, Sugar; one shilling and sixpence, Tea; twenty shillings, Tobacco; five shillings per pound, which was not less than six or seven hundred per cent. on prime cost.
Divergence of statements
As there is a wide different between several essential points of this statement, the truth of which there is little reason to doubt, and that given by Mr Hughes, the Surgeon of the General Hewitt, before the Court of Enquiry, instituted by your Excellency in Marsh last on this subject, I feel myself called upon to detail as concisely as possible the substance of Mr Hughes's testimony: viz:-
Summary of statement by surgeon of the transport
Admissions made by the surgeon
That there were three hundred convicts received on board the General Hewitt from the hulks at Woolwich, Sheerness, Portsmouth and Langston; that some of them were in a state of debility, to 15 or 16 of whom he would have objected, had there been time previous to sailing of the ship, as being unfit for the voyage; that the convicts were not examined after their embarkation by any inspecting Medical Officer; but that they were accompanied by health certificates from the Surgeons of the respective Hulks; and that, though he did not coincide with the opinions contained in these certificates, he admitted there were none labouring under contagious diseases; that the ship remained three days at Spithead after the completion of their number; that, about a fortnight after quitting Madeira, 12 or 14 were attacked with dysentery, which he conceived arose from the convicts being confined below by the bad weather, which prevailed for some time and during the time of their being attacked, and also from the bedding having been wetted on deck and imprudently used before it could be dried; that the dysentery continued to increase, combined with typhous fever; that, on their arrival at Rio Janeiro, the convicts were in a very sickly state and reduced to extreme debility; that the articles of comfort etc, which were put on board were duly served out; and that the convicts were formed into three divisions, one of which possessed the deck in rotation, so that the whole were on it in the course of the day; and that, at the times of fumigating the prison, the whole were on deck at once; that, after quitting Rio Janeiro, all the convicts had access to the deck during the day at pleasure; that they were supplied with fresh beef and vegetables, while at Rio; but on being examined as to the sufficiency of it, he admitted that it had been issued at first in too small a quantity, but that an augmentation had been made by Captain Earl on his representation, which silenced all complaints on that head.
He also admitted that Captain Earl had purchased the convicts' ration of salt beef, observing that he had know it to have been the custom with the masters of several transports to purchase the salt ration during the passage trough the tropics; and finally that thirty four convicts died on the passage.
Remarks on the Three Bees
Convicts embarked on the transport Three Bees
The convicts from the New Prison, Dublin, joined those from the northern jails, who had embarked two days before on board, the Atlas, hired Brig, on the 28th of August, 1813. The weather was sultry, and as they were exceedingly crowded in a close hold the nights were truly suffocating. During their stay here, one of the prisoners died, whose fatal termination, it was said, was accelerated, if not solely occasioned, by the foulness of the place necessarily attendant on crowding so many together. They sailed from the Canal Docks, Dublin, the 20th September, and; anchored in the Cove of Cork on the night of the 22nd. Next day they were examined by Doctor Harding, inspecting Physician, and were removed on board the Three Bees as fast as they could be conveniently cleaned and dressed. This service was completed on the 2nd October. The Cork and Southern Convicts with those of the Atlas, completed their number, two hundred and nineteen. On the 27th, she sailed from Cork and anchored at Falmouth on the 30th. The weather, during the time they were at Falmouth, was exceedingly cold and the prisoners suffered severely. They finally sailed from England the 7th December.
Departure from England
They were, while in harbour, supplied with fresh Beef; their rations were uniformly and justly served out. A gill of wine was issued every Sunday to each man, when at sea, till they drew nigh the end of the voyage, When it was served out twice a week.
Warming and cleansing of the prison
During the prevalence of cold, damp or rainy weather, fires were lighted in the prison. It was every morning cleaned, and was fumigated with Sulphuric Acid and Nitre, as long as they lasted; when these failed Camphor, Vinegar etc. were used. The Convicts were formed into five divisions, each having a portion of the day on deck when the weather would admit. In the harbour of Rio Janeiro, they were all on the deck together very day.
Outbreak of fever
Use of bedding as a barricade
On which occasions, the mercury in the thermometer fell in the prison 6, 7 and 8 degrees. Here a case of fever appeared, and as it bore all the marks of common ship fever, very precaution was used to prevent the contagion from spreading. The subject of the fever died. They arrived at Rio Janeiro on the 3d February, and left it the 17th. On the 27th a strange sail appeared, and, as she bore down, had the appearance of an enemy. The Prisoners' bedding was used on this occasion as a barricade, and being kept on deck all night was a quite drenched with rain. After several fruitless endeavours, on as many days to dry the bedding, it was put into the prison; at the same time the prisoners were cautioned not to use it. This injunction was disregarded, and scurvy, which had been long lurking among them, made its appearance. Seven men died of it, ere they reached Port Jackson, and fifty-five were sent to the Hospital in a dreadful state. Nine Convicts died on the Passage.
Remarks on the Surry
Extracts from the ship's surgeon's journal on the Surry
It appears from the Ship's and Surgeon's journals that they completed their number two hundred convicts on the 21st of January 1814; that they were admitted on deck in divisions of twenty five men each in rotation; that the prison was regularly cleaned and fumigated; that Vinegar, Mustard and Soap were issued; that divine Service was read to the convicts in the prison; and that half a pint of wine was served out to each man every Sunday during their Stay in England.
Admission of convicts on deck
On the 22nd February they sailed, having formed the convicts into nine divisions of twenty and twenty one men each, one of which was admitted on the deck in turn during the day; in addition to this number, there were fourteen, who being appointed to perform little offices for the others, had constant access to the deck:
First appearance of typhus fever
On the 7th of March, the Surgeon's journal records the case of John Stopgood, who seems to have been the first that laboured under a well defined case of Typhous or common ship fever. On the 12th, John Ranson died of fever, from which time it seems to have been kept up more or less till their arrival here.
Efforts of the surgeon to cleanse and fumigate the prison
The Surgeon, altho' his journal is very uninteresting, containing no remarks of importance, or indicating much thought, seems to have paid all the attention in his power to cleansing and fumigating the prison up to the 2nd of June, when his journal ceases. And on this point I am sorry to observe, from all I have been able to learn on the subject, that neither his representations nor his efforts met with that attention or assistance from the Captain and his Officers, which it was their duty to have afforded him. For, notwithstanding that another fatal termination of fever occurred on the 22nd May, no attempt appears to have been made towards ventilating the prison.
Treatment of convicts as recorded in the ship's journal
The ship's journal contains a regular registry of the times of cleaning and fumigating the prison, of admitting the convicts on deck, of Divine Service being read to them in the prison, and of issuing the wine. On the 18th of March, it states that the convicts were formed into eight divisions, one of which had access to the deck in turns during the day; and that Tuesday and Friday were appointed for washing days, which seems from the journal entries to have been pretty regularly observed till she made Rio Janeiro on the 11th of April. While they lay in Rio, they were supplied with fresh beef, vegetables and fruit and it states that on the 16th as no shore boat was permitted to go along side, Captain Paterson sent on board tobacco, coffee and sugar for such of the prisoners, as had the means and wish to purchase any.
On the 21st April, they left Rio Janeiro; and the journal goes on to state the times of admission of the convicts on the deck; cleaning and fumigating the prison, and issuing the wine, the last issue of which took place on the 1st of May. From Sunday the 24th of May, no more mention is made of Divine Service having been read to the prisoners.
Second death from fever
On the 22nd of May Isaac Giles died of fever, the last case mentioned above from the Surgeon's journal. Nothing worthy of notice occurs in the ship's journal, being merely a registry of transactions, similar to those in the last paragraph, to the 9th of June, then Aaron Jackson died of fever, from which period the deaths became awfully frequent.
Meeting with the transport Broxbornebury
Officers lent to command the Surry
Death of Captain Paterson
On the 26th July they fortunately fell in with the transport Broxbornebury, and, being reduced to the greatest distress, requested Captain Pilcher to send some person on board to take charge of the ship. Next day Mr. Nash from the Broxbornebury went on board, and took charge of the Surry; the Captain, two Mates, the Surgeon, twelve of the Ship's Company, sixteen convicts and six Soldiers were lying dangerously ill with fever. Captain Paterson died the same day. They anchored on the 29th in Port Jackson Harbour, when the ship was immediately put under quarantine regulations.
Treatment of sick at Port Jackson
The sick were landed and taken into tents prepared for their reception. Every plan was adopted and carried into effect that had a tendency to cut short the progress of contagion. The measures adopted proved so effectual, that but one case of infection took place after the sick were landed.
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