ke petty offences. They all manifested the highest
appreciation of the trust reposed in them, and lived in a perpetual fear
that they might forfeit their position, and have to begin anew the whole
course of jail punishment.

It need scarcely be said that great care was exercised to single out men
of the best character, and to the highest posts those who could take
upon themselves responsibility as men of purpose and discretion.
Promotion in the different grades was made only by the Superintendent,
who in our case was an officer who had served in India, knew natives of
most sects and races, and was acquainted with their habits and customs,
and spoke one or two of their languages.

The prison system in all its branches worked in perfect harmony, and all
the parts of it seemed to be adapted to each other. Discipline was
maintained throughout, and the artificer gang, as we have shown,
developed a high skill in their various trades; so that important public
works could be executed without difficulty or embarrassment. Those also
who had passed through its course, and were admitted back to society
upon a ticket of leave, as a rule behaved themselves as good citizens.

In the extraction of labour from the convicts, there was no desire on
the part of the Government to work the establishment with a view to show
any pecuniary profit in the returns; though, as it proved, the actual
cost to the State was often more than reimbursed by their labour,
estimated as it was at two-thirds of that prevailing in the place, and
the material at half the market price. However, in regard to this part
of the question we might here quote "Jeremy Bentham," who once wisely
said of prison labour, "It is not the less reforming for being
profitable."

We would now take leave of our old Singapore jail, as indeed, owing to
the result of the earnest entreaty of the community to the Government,
it finally took leave of us in 1873, though in our judgment perhaps a
little too prematurely in the best interests of the colony.

We can only hope that in the record we have now given, we have furnished
some suggestions for general application to those who, like ourselves,
are concerned not merely with the punishment of the criminal, but also
with his reformation, both as a question of social science, and to the
prisoner's own ulterior benefit.

This reformation could, we think, be best brought about by a course of
severe probationary discipline at the outset,