192 PHILLIP 1790 case for trial at Sydney, as lie did on a subsequent occasion; but instead of doing so, lie assembled tbe people and ordered SSSSSn *^^ dozen lashes to be inflicted on the offender in their presence, first "causing him to be led by a halter to the place of punishment'^ — probably to remind him of the penalty he had escaped. The flowing, however, did not produce the desired effect ; for three days afterwards a convict boy was detected in the act of stealing the surgeon's Bum again, allowance of rum in his tent. Here was another offence for which sentence of death would have been pronounced at head-quarters; but as the boy was only fifteen years old — ^he had been transported for seven years — ^King again dealt summarily with the case, ordering a hundred lashes, " which I hoped would have a good effect." The boy of fifteen got a hundred lashes because three dozen had failed to make a good impression on the able-bodied marine. The logic of the sentence is not convincing at the present day; but it was evidently considered good reasoning at the time. The case deserves attention as an illustration The flogging of the theory and practice of the flogging system a century ^ ago. King's views on the subject were those of a naval officer ; he administered punishment in accordance with the practice on board his Majesty's ships. He certainly had not gained any experience in that form of discipline at Sydney Cove, which he had left before it was well established there. Nor is there any reason to believe that he was an unmerciful administrator of the law; on the contrary, his summary dealing with these cases showed that he- had no desire to resort to extreme measures ; while his action on the discovery unsnc- of a couspiracy among the convicts to seize a ship and make ooMpiacy. prisoners of the guards, as well as himself, showed that he was not disposed to abuse his powers.* The only punishment he inflicted on that occasion was to put two of the ringleaders in irons, and deprive them of their garden ground ; one of them being afterwards sent to Sydney for trial. • Hunter, p. 346. Digitized byCjOOQlC
