What did the British use for prisons since New York was the main city prisoners were held?

In the 18th century, the British primarily used ships, known as "hulks," as floating prisons to hold prisoners, especially when land-based facilities were overcrowded. Many of these hulks were anchored in harbors, including New York Harbor, where they housed convicts awaiting transportation to penal colonies. Additionally, land-based jails and prisons were established in New York City, but the use of hulks became a significant method for managing the growing prison population during that period.