The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-01
EXPERIMz NTAL MARRIAGE.
AS Said to Be Practiced in q Strange
British Colony.
From the London Truth.

British Colony.
From the London Truth
The Andaman islands are used as pena
settlement for Indian and Burmese con
victs, who, with the exception of a very
limited aboriginal race scattered over the
group, form bulk Of the population. The
isolated situation Of the settlement in the
Bay of Bengal, the absence of communica
ton by cable, the small military
force main ained and the fact that about
$4,000 convicts are here resident, render il
necessary to endow the chief commission OF
with more than the ordinary powers ex-
tended to governors. Hence the chief COM
missioner of the Andamans, who Is also
superintendent of the convict settlement al
Port Blair by virtue of the almost auto
cratic authority vested in him, enjoys q
despotisn we'll nigh incredible under the
British flag.
Such powers being concentrated in a
single individual, it may well be imagined
that from time to time some rather start
ling revelations leak out. | only propose
however, to refer for the present to our
marriage customs, which have novelty il
nothing else, to recommend them. The
chief commissioner, as superintendent oil
the settlement, in convict matrimonial
matters is supreme. He is iicenser, regis
trar, parson and witnesses rolled into one.
The greater part of the life convicts, who
are good characters, are "self-supporters, ~
that is, men out on ticket-of-leave in the
settlement. These men are allowed to
marry. The convict women, on the other
hand, are always kept under close super
vison in the female convict Jail
When the 'self-supporter" is troubled
with hymeneal aspirations he visits the fe-
male Jail and informs the overseer. The
latter individual orders parade of those
women of good character who have COM
pleted four years in the island. The would
be Benedict then passes along the ranks
with a view of selecting likely helpmate.
AS might be expected very eager are the
faces and loving the glances be-
slowed upon him as he does so. While the
overseer's head is turned the women en-.
gage in every variety of pantomimic efforts
to display their qualifications for the post,
Should the overseer absent himself for a
moment the coveted bachelor, though be
be an octogsnarian, is assailed on all sides
with view to his conquest.
Such phrases as Here take me!n mo,
mer' "Why she's got red hairn shes
cross-eyed p do not make matters easier for
him. At length, having suited himself, he
takes by the hand the lady of his choice
and leads her from the ranks. The couple
are then allowed half an hour to discuss
matters, AFTER winch, II tn6y agree, their
names are sent into the head office. A day
or two later they attend the commissioners,
and are there put through an examination
as to the state of their affections and their
inclination to marry; but no awkward
questions are ever raised concerning posi-
bic existing husbands or wives beyond the
seas.
And now comes the climax. Surprising
satisfactory answers have been given as to
their mutual sentiments, the lady is handed
over to the man-not to become his wife
for better or worse, but for a seven days
trial. During these seven days she lives
with him, and the relationship of the pair
is that of "a married couple. At the expira-
ton of the term of approval, if both are
agreeable. they return to the chief COM
missioner's Office and are married by that
gentleman. If, on the other hand, either
Of them does not approve of the other, the
man is left to go his way, while the oman
returns to her old routine Of work in the
female jail.
The worst feature of the system is the
fact that, as might be anticipated, children
are occasionally born of these probationary
unions To such infants the state assumes
the responsibilities OF a stepfather. Born
Legitimate. with the cognizance aud sane
ton of the authorities, reared in a convict
jail among the worst class Of women. ell Of
whom are life conyicts, aud, finally,
without a relative or friend on the face Of
the earth. thrown into the world to make
their own living, the position of these
children is not pleasant to contemplate.