ARRIVAL of CONVICTS.

1885.

The first batch of tenants for the Convict Prison arrived at Dover on Monday afternoon reaching the Priory Station about 3’oclock. The convicts fifty in number were guarded by ten warders were hand-cuffed in couples and fastened together in five groups by ten chains. They wore the usual convict garb of many colours, red and yellow coats, yellow scotch caps, grey stockings and yellow knickerbockers.

The platform was cleared when they arrived and they left the station by the private gate at the end of the platform next to the Folkestone Road bridge and at once preceded to five omnibuses into which they were huddled quickly so that the curiosity of the numerous onlookers might be gratified as little as possible. The procession drove rapidly through the town and up Castle Hill but was rapidly followed by our reporter who informs us that on reaching the valley beyond Northfall Meadow St. Margaret’s the convicts were taken from the omnibus.

They appear to be a rough stalwart set of men the gentlemanly convict’s evidently having been reserved for the latter arrivals when the rough was finished. When the men alighted from the omnibuses the ten warders carefully examined the handcuffs and loaded their rifles after which the men marched across the fields to their new home by the sea.

We understand that the duty of keeping guard will be entirely left to the warders at present as it more fully occupied. The batch of convicts now on the establishment will be engaged in making a broad road to the Deal Road and also in building additional cells for which the materials are on the spot.