pensably necessary to effect in the general administration of the transportation system in the penal settlements of the empire, in order to render that system powerfully efficient as a species of punishment for the future, and at the same time safe and salutary to the colony of New South Wales, and beneficial in the highest degree to the rest of the empire.
Before pointing out, however, the nature and extent of the changes that ought to be effected forthwith in the administration of the transportation system beyond seas, it may not be inexpedient to premise a few observations as to what may be done in the mother country, to ensure the future efficiency of that species of punishment. I conceive, therefore, that it would be highly expedient for the future to carry the sentence of transportation into effect only in the case of criminals under sentence for fourteen years or for life. Indeed, if it were practicable so to modify the criminal law, as to pass sentence of transportation only for life, much benefit, in regard to the future efficiency of the punishment, might be derived from the change. Such a change would enable the executive of the penal colony to adopt one uniform course of procedure towards all convicts, while it would afford sufficient time in every instance to put the efficacy of that procedure to
