This struck me as a not very pleasant way to live (for the wife, at least). Imagine living inside a prison compound just because your husband happened to be a prison guard! I wonder how violent the offences were that the prisoners had committed, and how closely the officers' wives came in contact with them? Would it be like a minimum-, medium-, or maximum-security prison, and was it a prison ship for civilians, or perhaps for navy personnel (like a military prison today)?