Yet, after visiting the factory, and hearing everybody speak of its unhappy inmates, I could not but feel that they were far more to be pitied than blamed.  No one has ever attempted any measure to ameliorate their degraded condition.  I felt that had they had the opportunity of religious instruction, some at least might be rescued.  I wish I could express to you all I feel and think upon the subject, and how completely I am overwhelmed with the awful sin of allowing so many wretched beings to perish for lack of instruction.  Even in the hospital of the factory the unhappy creatures are as much neglected, in spiritual things, as if they were in a heathen land.  There are no Bibles, and no Christians to tell them of a Saviour’s dying love.

Mrs. Fry laid these communications before the Colonial Secretary without delay, praying him to alter this terrible state of things.  She was at once listened to.  The building was altered, by orders from England; the convicts were divided into classes; employment and discipline were provided; daily instruction, both secular and religious, was imparted; so that, by degrees, the establishment became what it should have been from the first—­a house of detention, discipline, and refuge.  In addition, a large vessel called the Anson was fitted up as a temporary prison, sent out to Hobart Town, and moored in the river.  This vessel received the new shipments of transports from England, and afforded, by its staff of officers, opportunity for a six months’ training of the convicts, who then were not permitted to enter the service of the colonists until after this period had expired.  By these different means Mrs. Fry had the satisfaction of knowing that the convicts had yet another opportunity of amendment granted them after leaving the prisons of their native land.  It has already been observed that in most of the prisons of the United Kingdom female warders were employed, while matrons were appointed on the out-going convict ships.  Contrary to the lot of many reformers, Mrs. Fry was spared to see most of the reforms which she had recommended, become law.

After Mrs. Fry’s death an interesting report was issued by the Inspector-General of Prisons in Ireland, relating to the Grange Gorman Lane Female Prison, Dublin.  Mrs. Fry had taken special interest in this prison, it having been the first erected exclusively for women in the United Kingdom, and intended, if found successful, to serve as a sort of model for other places.  The experiment had proved entirely successful and satisfactory; matron, warders and chaplain all united in one chorus of praise.  Major Cottingham, the Inspector-General, wrote:—­