HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2022
This is extracted from a series of reports found in the collected papers of G Stewart M.P. who was a member of a Parliamentary committee that visited many internment camps in 1915 - the visits were generally brief - Col Madoc's log has "Members of Parliamentary Committee visited 7pm & stayed until 8.30pm. They saw the various departments & were very pleased with them. They interviewed the Captains in their mess and took notes on some points regarding the cooking". It is unclear from the reports if the M.P.s had particular points they wished to examine though for the Manx reports they did seem to concentrate on the costs - the report does however clarify the potential profitability of the camp for the owner.
It is interesting that he does not mention the 'riot' of the previous November in which six internees were killed when the guards opened fire in the dining hall. He does not appear to have had the report proof read as he consistently, both in this report and in that on Knockaloe, names that camp as Knock-a-Loe; he also gets Col Madoc's name wrong. The Douglas was the small winter boat - by this point in the war most of the rest of the IoMSPCo's fleet had been requisitioned. The visit predates the opening of the Privilege camp.
THE CAMP AT DOUGLAS.
On Thursday, April 8th. I went by the s.s. "Douglas" to the Isle of Man with Mr.Roberts and Mr.Tyson Wilson. A gale from the N.W. produced a very rough passage, and as the steamer was a small cargo boat with no proper accommodation we had an uncomfortable voyage, and arrived after 6 o'clock, fully 1½ hours late. After leaving our baggage at the Castle Mona Hotel we proceeded to the Camp at Douglas.
It is called "Cunningham's Camp". Mr.Cunningham has been in the habit of providing holiday accommodation for young men at an inclusive cost of £1.1.0 per head per week during the Douglas season, and had a camp for the purpose. There is excellent accommodation as regards dining rooms and recreation rooms. The kitchen arrangements are sufficient, and there is a swimming bath.
The sleeping accommodation is less complete, and about 550 prisoners sleep under canvas in Bell tents. Prisoners are given the option of sleeping in tents or wooden huts, and the tents are always tenanted by voluntary occupants.
The Camp is finely situated,standing on a bluff facing the Bay.
The Hospital is a good one and the health of the prisoners appeared excellent.
The Camps in the Isle of Man are under the management and supervision of the Manx Government.
The Imperial Government pay 10/- per head for both guards and prisoners, and the Manx Government either make a profit or a loss as the venture may eventually turn out.
At Douglas Mr. Cunningham gets of the 10/-, 9/- or 9/3d for feeding and housing the inhabitants of the Camp, and providing fire and light. The small balance is held by the Local Government to provide clothing and boots, etc., for necessitous prisoners,
This arrangement was an emergency arrangement made in August, apparently by the Committee formed to help "distressed Aliens", and the scheme was approved by the Home Government and the Manx Government.
Mr.Cunningham was public-spirited and obliging at a time of emergency, and deserved recognition and gratitude on that account.
Had the war finished in a few months there would have been nothing to say in criticism of the arrangement. But as the war may be a prolonged affair, it occurs to me to ask whether it would not be better to pay Mr. Cunningham a definite rent for the premises and hand the Camp over to the Manx Government to run. That would involve the question of compensation to Mr. Cunningham, who has supplied the tents, the blankets, the cooking utensils, knives, forks, plates, etc., and has also stood the risk of the wear and tear of his premises,all of which are met by his inclusive charge of 9/- to 9/3d. per head. Whether he paid for the erection of the wire entanglements and the extra wooden huts I do not know. There was, apparently, no time mentioned in the arrangements first made by Mr. Cunningham.
It seems, therefore, within the power of the Government to reconsider the position, and,if thought advisable to revise the arrangements treating Mr, Cunningham fairly and generously.
It must be borne in mind that the premises have been used during the whole of the past Autumn, Winter and Spring, usually a 'dead season' for the proprietor, and also that there is a large margin of profit to Mr Cunningham in the weekly capitation grant paid to him.
Taking the prisoners at 2,500 ; guard at 300 - 2,800 at 9 /- per head = £1,260 pr. wk. or at 9/3 : = £1,295. When the question of feeding prisoners at Knock-a-Loe [sic Knockaloe] was put up for tender, it was given to a firm tendering at 5/9d. per head, Mr.Cunningham's tender being 7/3d.
But taking Mr.Cunningham's own figure, that would leave him about 2/- per head per week for rent and wear and tear. For 2,800 prisoners that would equal £280 per week, or for the 35 weeks - about the time the Camp has been existing up to date - a sum of £9,840.
Which is a very large margin, with room for a very handsome profit.
The dietary is good and varied,and there were no complaints of substance except that there was a desire expressed for more meat.
The ordinary ration allowance, as arranged in the English Camp, does not obtain. The mess captains do not draw their rations in the raw, as in England, and cannot, therefore, know the weight they receive.
The first time they see the food is after it is cooked.
I am of opinion that they are fairly treated in this respect, but they might be pinched, and in any case it gives some grounds for grumbling and suspicion. On the other hand the quality of food is carefully surveyed by duly appointed officers, and there are officers present at every meal to listen to complaints and see that the men get sufficient, and that the meals are properly served.
There are canteens in the grounds run by Mr. Cunningham The prices are apparently not regulated by the Commandant or the Government, but as purchases can be made from shops in Douglas under certain regulations the prisoners are not forced to deal solely with Cunningham's stores.
The Commandant is Col. Maddox [sic Madoc] , who is also Chief Constable of the Island, It is a question whether it would not be better to have a military officer with no local duties to perform.
If, on a reconsideration of the whole position, a rearrangement of the Camp management were deemed advisable, and Mr.Cunningham were recalcitrant, there is plenty of room at Knockaloe to remove all the prisoners from Douglas and put them there instead.
Route marches are permitted, and the Captains of Messes have had the privilege of walking out with an officer or officers.
We were given to understand that they had been allowed into shops for purposes both of purchases and refreshment; this seems a course open to objection, for if it be necessary to censor correspondence and restrain to known limits communications with the outside world, it is difficult to see how under such an arrangement any restriction could be maintained.
We were informed that the lodging-house keepers at Douglas would be very glad to see all the prisoners removed to Knockaloe, as they think visitors are frightened away by having so many Germans in the Town. But this may be only the opinion of our informant.
The Lodging-house keepers are having a bad time, and are anxious so do away with any possible excuse for visitors abstaining from coming to Douglas.
A prisoner called "Spicker", who said he had 4 brothers serving in the British Army, put forward an appeal for release, and said he could support himself in a non-prohibited area. He came from Sunderland.
Cost per Capita.
It would be interesting to take out the figures of an English Camp, say Handforth or Lancaster, where there are approximately over 2,000 prisoners and compare the cost per head with this camp.
It might give some data for calculating what profit the private contractor may be making.
The prisoner referred to would appear to be Samuel Spicker noted as aged 36 born Fandsburg and giving as home address 6 Coxon St Sunderland - he had probably only arrived on a transfer from Knockaloe on the 27th March - he was transferred to Knockaloe in May 1918 and finally released from the Frith Hill camp 13 Aug 1919.
The route marches ceased in May 1915 following the sinking of the Lusitania and the resulting tightening of internment.
The visiting trade was extremely badly affected by the war though the camps brought in a considerable additional revenue to the Island, Peel especially benefited from the nearby much larger Knockaloe Camp.
CAB 45/207 - is the file at UK National Archives.
MD 15028/1 (MS 06465) Camp Commandant's Journal held by Manx Museum
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