It appears, however, that out of the whole number of 1402 maintained in 1797, only 1030 were actually employed. The labour of the remaining 370 was, therefore, in a great measure, lost to the Community.
At any rate, the value of this species of labour must be precarious, and the advantages resulting from it problematical.
Since the mere "possession of so many idle hands will sometimes be a temptation to engage in works, which but for this inducement, would not recommend themselves by their intrinsic utility."[146]
While it is admitted, that considerable improvements have been made with regard to the reduction of the expence; that provision has also been made for religious and moral instruction, by established salaries to chaplains;—and that the contractors have honourably performed their part of the undertaking; it is much to be lamented, that this experiment has not been attended with more beneficial consequences to the Public; not only in rendering the labour of the convicts productive in a greater degree, so as at least to be equal to the expence; but also in amending the morals of these miserable out-casts; so that on their return to Society, they might, in some respect, atone for the errors of their former lives, by a course of honest industry, useful to themselves and to their country. On the contrary, experience has shewn, that although an expence exceeding 623,000l. has been incurred by Government in the course of 22 years, most of them, instead of profitting by the punishment they have suffered (forgetting they were under sentence of death, and undismayed by the dangers they have escaped) immediately rush into the same course of depredation and warfare upon the public: nay, so hardened and determined in this respect have some of them been, as even to make proposals to their old friends, the Receivers, previous to the period of their discharge, to purchase their newly acquired plunder. It has already been shewn, that those few also, who are less depraved, and perhaps disposed to amend their conduct, can find no resource for labour; and are thus, too frequently, compelled, by dire necessity, to herd with their former associates in iniquity, and it is much to be feared, that the chief part of the multitudes, who have been periodically discharged, have either suffered for new offences, or are actually at present afflicting Society by reiterated depredations.[147]
After maturely considering the enormous expence, and the total inefficacy of the System of the Hulks, aided by the new lights which have been thrown upon the subject by the important documents called for by the Select Committee on Finance, it appears clear to demonstration, that it would be for the interest of the Country to abandon the present System; and the Author heartily joins in the opinion expressed by those respectable members of the Legislature,—"That our principal places of Confinement, and modes of Punishment, so far from the Conversion and Reformation of the Criminal, tend to send him forth at the expiration of the period of his imprisonment more confirmed in vice; and that the general tendency of our œconomical arrangements upon this subject, is ill calculated to meet the accumulating burdens, which are the infallible result of so much error in the System of Police."
Having thus explained the nature and effect of the punishment inflicted on convicts, through the medium of the Hulks, and also the expence attending these establishments; it will be necessary in the next place, to examine the authentic documents, as they relate to the transportation of Felons to New South Wales.
From the Appendix, page 122, of the 28th Report of the Select Committee on Finance, printed the 26th of June 1798, it appears that the number of Convicts sent to New South Wales and Norfolk Island[148] from the year 1787 to the year 1797 inclusive, stood thus:—
| Men and Women. | Children. | Total. | |
| 1787 | 778 | 17 | 795 |
| 1789 | 1251 | 22 | 1273 |
| 1790 | 2029 | 9 | 2038 |
| 1791 | 408 | 11 | 419 |
| 1792 | 412 | 6 | 418 |
| 1794 | 82 | 2 | 84 |
| 1795 | 133 | 3 | 136 |
| 1796 | 279 | 13 | 292 |
| 1797 | 393 | 10 | 403 |
| 5765 | 93 | 5858 |
It appears also from another document in the same Report (being the last return of Convicts in the two Settlements) that their numbers stood as stated in the following Table,—
| Convicts | Convicts Victualled | Convicts Emancipated | Total | Total Men and Women | |||||
| Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | ||
| In New South Wales on the 31 Aug. 1796. | 1633 | 755 | 78 | 5 | 20 | 9 | 1731 | 769 | 2500 |
| In Norfolk Island on the 22 Oct. 1796. | 379 | 167 | 53 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 444 | 170 | 614 |
| 2012 | 922 | 131 | 5 | 32 | 12 | 2175 | 939 | 3114 | |
| To which add the Convicts sent in 1796 and 1797, including Children | 695 | ||||||||
| Total | 3809 | ||||||||