The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-27

circumstances in which they now exist. Wnen inns
takes place the government WIN find some difii-
Guilty in hiring convicts to planters, If they can
get exiles instead. For whatever avocations they
may be required the latter are decidedly prefer
able.
THE PLACE OF RETREAT AND PUNISHMENT.
NJ. Charriere and his subordinates presiding over
the various sections Of the penal department have
their hands full OF business for the present. or
course they had alternative but to carry out the
instructions received from Versailles, for II they
had. imagine they would never have selected the
Pines as place OF location for political prisoners
The Mariss have station there and are the only
residents except the depOrtes and their guards
There Is no work TO be DONE nothing to keep their
minds engaged something else than brooding
their imaginary wrongs inflicted uron them
by the Republic. Already there have been re-
peated acts OF INSTRUMENTATION and an 6meatte or
two, but none of a serious character. The govern
ment find them in everything without asking any
equivalent, unless where they are hired out.
Their outer clothing furnished them is entirely
OF canvas their bread Is OF the best
wheaton nour, and what meat they get is
as good as can be procured. To some OF those fel-
lows the place ought to be little paradise They
never were so well of in their lives as they are
now; yet, as is often the case, they give more
trouble than those to whom exile Is a bitter priva-
ton and their present mode OF living harsh con-
trast to lie in Paris. 1t may be that the govern
ment intend that their detention at lie de Pines is
OF temporary character merely to give them
time 10 cool down ere they are permitted to be-
come residents of New Caledonia. II they knew
this 1T would be an incentive to good behavior.
To the convicts the strongest inducement to reg
uar conduct is the anticipation OF getting trans
ferred to Bourail or Canala two settlements on
opposite sides OF the coast, the centre Of the
island. At the place first mentioned they are per-
mtted to purchase land out OF their sayings, or
from such other funds as thew cam sNSQie were
honestly obtained SO long as the. - min the
colony, so long will they be under, lance;
but even the free population are, to some xtent,
under similar restrictions, as no person is per-
mtted to leave unless the government officials are
notified three days previously.
NUMERICAL STRENGTH OF THE DANGEROUS" ExILEs.
The convict population Is not SO large as an
ticpated. According to the official records there
were on the LIST OF July last 1905 males and eight
females. About nine hundred and seventy males
were confined at lie M and about two hundred
hired out to free settlers Besides these there
1850 who have been liberated their good be-
havior, OF whom 1874 are under sentences OF life
Imprisonment. One hundred and flty-one Of the
lfb6rGs are located at and about BOurail. On
the northern end Of the island gold has been dis
covered in a quartz lode Of no great extent. Its
discovery was not very agreeable at first, rs the
officials feared the island would he overrun by the
adventurous spirits who always attracted TO
any new dggings number did go there, pro-
nounced IL swindle and returned to Australia
with less in their pockets than when they started.
A CHANCE AND HOPE
Those OF the Communists who have either money
friends to supply it will be fortunate If they
permitted to join the ranks of the planters. COT
fee, cotton and sugar cane grow luxuriantly in a
rich virgin soil that will not require arti-
fetal fertilizers for years. Every description
of tropical fruits that have been introduced
has thriven amazingly and considerable
amount of island produce has already found mar
ket in Sydney. The chief difilcuty with which the
planters have hitherto had to contend has
been the scarcity Of specie and the absence of a
bank Both causes Of complaint will be remedied
during the present year by the New Caledonia
Company, recently formed in Paris under a charter
granting special trading immunities. The general
manager and his stan have already reached Houn-
lea, provided with the material necessary for COM
mencing immediate operations. The nominal cap
ita is 100000, OF which fifty per cent has been paid
to the London account or the City Bank, Sydney.
This proprietary must have great influence in
developing the natural resources OF New Gale
donia. and they intend doing 1t unless restricted
by the jealousy fears OF the government officials,
whose policy it is to as conservative as possible.
without openly declaring that they do not too
many residents, especially If they are Of Anglo
Saxon blood.