Prisoners their own Warders.
A Record of the Convict Prison at Singapore in the Straits Settlements established 1825, discontinued 1873, together with a cursory history of the Convict Establishments at Bencoolen, Penang and Malacca from the year 1797. Westminster Archibald Constable 1899
First edition, pp.xvi, 191, 23 plates. A very good copy in rather dull original cloth. Spine creased, and lightly rubbed at extremities. Inscribed and signed by the author, on title page, dated 18th November 1905.
John Frederick Adolphus McNair (1828-1910) had a long and successful career as a key civil-servant in the service of the Straits Settlements until his retirement in 1884. He was appointed as Executive Engineer and Superintendent of Convicts in the Straits Settlements in 1857 and was also responsible for Public Works and the Oriental Gaol in Singapore until its abolition in 1873, before which he had been private secretary and aide-de-camp to the Governor of Straits Settlements. This work is of particular importance as consistent records of the prison at Singapore were not kept until 1844, where it makes use of numerous private letters and papers. The later period relies on McNair's considerable personal knowledge, partly due to his fluency in Hindustani.