Zbe ippectator, NI!) 16tb, 1853
THE Lord Chancellor, in moving the second reading of the Transpor- tation Bill, said that he used to think transportation the best of secondary punishments; but, owing to the reluctance of the Colonies to receive convicts, it is no longer available. At present only Western Australia is willing to receive convicts; and she will not be able to receive more than 800 or 1000 annually. Out of 2892 convicts in England and Wales, and a similar number in Scotland and Ireland, there would be about 2500, sentenced to seven years and upwards, to be disposed of; but of these, 800 or 900 only were sentenced to fourteen years and upwards, and that left a margin over the numbers Western Australia would probably receive. Hitherto it has been the practice to imprison criminals for a limited period, and then transport them under the ticket-of-leave system. Now it is proposed to substitute four years of " penal servitude " for seven years of transportation; eight years of penal servitude for ten years of transportation; and ten years penal servitude, at Malta, Gibraltar, or Bermuda, for fifteen years of transportation and upwards.
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