The end of transportation
The ship Eden was the last official transport to land convicts in Sydney, in December 1840. Nine years later, when the Hashemy tried to land a load o convict exiles, it was met by a protest of 5000 citizens at Circular Quay. No convict ships had arrived here since the British Government ended transportation to New South Wales in 1840, and the people of Sydney made their objections known.
In Britain transportation had come to be viewed as immoral, uneconomical and counterproductive to deterring crime. William Molesworth's 1837 Commission of Inquiry declared it expensive, demeaning and close to slavery. His inquiries dredged up lurid tales of depravity that unfairly besmirched the colony's reputation and greatly shocked and disappointed New South Wales residents.
Many colonists were glad to see the end of transportation, but some agriculturalists missed having free convict labour and agitated to bring it back. As British jails filled up, talk of a reinstating transportation arose from time to time.
Movement of transportation grew in other Australian colonies, where the practice continued. Convicts were still sent to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) until 1853, and the final convict vessel landed in Western Australia in 1868.
In Britain transportation had come to be viewed as immoral, uneconomical and counterproductive to deterring crime. William Molesworth's 1837 Commission of Inquiry declared it expensive, demeaning and close to slavery. His inquiries dredged up lurid tales of depravity that unfairly besmirched the colony's reputation and greatly shocked and disappointed New South Wales residents.
Many colonists were glad to see the end of transportation, but some agriculturalists missed having free convict labour and agitated to bring it back. As British jails filled up, talk of a reinstating transportation arose from time to time.
Movement of transportation grew in other Australian colonies, where the practice continued. Convicts were still sent to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) until 1853, and the final convict vessel landed in Western Australia in 1868.