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Rh drafts of recruits arrived from those places and the entire force was placed under the command of Captain W. Quin who had previously served in the Army and in the Bombay Police. For the convenience of the Water Police a ship was bought (April 1, 1862) to serve as a floating Police Station. In spring 1864, the Colonial Secretary, while acknowledging the intelligence and zeal of the new superintendent (W. Quin) and his assistant (J. Jarman), stated that the men of the corps, whether European or Indian, were wanting in most of the essentials of a Police Force. Bribery and corruption were particularly considered ineradicable among the Indian contingent. The right of the Police to use fire-arms, in the case of suspects refusing to stop when challenged, was judicially inquired into (July 28, 1864) when a constable, who had shot a boatman trying to escape search, was put on his trial on a charge of murder. The verdict of the jury, who viewed the case as one of justifiable homicide, was satisfactory to the Police. To stimulate zeal, regulations were made (October 25, 1864) awarding gratuities in case of special merit. Wholesale deportation of crowds of professional beggars was resorted to in summer 1864, to believe the streets from these people, who were accordingly sent back to Canton.

Before the building of the new gaol at Stonecutters' Island was sufficiently advanced to occupy any portion of it, it became necessary, in 1862, owing to the inhibition now laid on transportation to the Andaman Islands and the pressing need of a separate debtors' ward, to relieve the congested state of Victoria Gaol. Some 280 long sentence prisoners were accordingly lodged on board a hulk (Royal Saxon) anchored close to Stonecutters' Island, the quarries of which afforded occupation for the prisoners. At the same time the rules of Victoria Gaol were revised (Ordinance 4 of 1863) and an expert was obtained from England to act as gaol superintendent (Ch. Ryall). Owing to repeated escapes of gangs of prisoners, principally through the gaol drains (January 12 and March 14, 1863), a Commission was appointed (May, 1863) to inquire into the condition and working of Victoria Gaol. The convict hulk