The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-10-16
PARADISE IN PRISON
re Wonderful Convict Station of New Gale
donna, Owned by the French Government.
A VERiTAbLE MODERN FAIRY LAND
a piacc which tsinni>hcd Castawny
a Gibrattrr Sm ;u. Tropical sur.
rouutiinC> Cnptnin Moore. OF the
H:T.I &rlIwri@ht. One OF thc Few
Americans To see Noumcn.

Tho heroes Of tho tales Of the arabian
Nights had no more wonderful cxpe-
rignccs thai. CAPTAIN W Ii Moore Of the
bark ArSwright One dry, weary with
weeks Of unccaSing labor, he was facing
death i'll sinking ship OH u distant and
lonely sea. The next morning he was in
veritnblo modern fairyland, with 80 mon
to DO his bidding and band OF 80 pieces
lHnying all tho latc,o tunes for his onter-
tninmcnt. He was in the modern land Of
miracles in the great penal station OF New
Caledonia, where the industries of Europe
are reproduced in the midst Of the lux
uriant vegetation OF the tropics
II can never forget my first view Of
New Caledonia, said the captain after he
had left the ship Corunnu, upon which hc
reached san Francisco the other day. II
had been with hardly - wink OF sleep for
nearly II days. The Arkwright was lcnli.
ing all the time, and there was moro than
eight feet of water in her hold The don.
key engine, which was doing most OF tho
pumping, had twice broken down, and
had fixed up the tnbcS, repaired the valves
and even built Il now bottom ON the boiler
with cement to keep it going The men
7cre almost in mutiny, declaring they
would abandon the ship. We were run
ming before the wind because we did not
dare to try TO 20 in any other direction
and because thought it better to abandon
tho ship If 1t had TO be done, in the
smooth sea OF the south than in tho stormy
part Of the ocean near Norfolk
We We're heading for Nuumca place
whcrC no one on board had ever been and
place that few people here in America
have ever heard Of
II cannot describe my surprise when tho
island loOmed up before me, with high
mountains clothed with vcrduru aud br-
meath ;hom green fields as pretty ms tho
fields OF England, aud To make it Seem all
the moro like vision forest OF factory
chinnCys III the foreground. / had not
looked for such sight in the south seas
and could hardly believe my ears when |
heard tho sounds OF music and found
through my glasses that "a grcnt band, like
the binds OF Paris, was playing in tho
center of AN csplanndc in the town
II sailed the Arkwrieht through tho
reef into the still harbur. l found tho
governor of tho great French penal sta
ton, and he treated me like prince. Eff
y Of the convicts were placed at nv dis
posnl, and | took them on board the Ark
wright to pump ship while l used tho
whcczy old donkey engine to get some of
the cargo ont before she went To pieces or
sank. The Wardcrs came ON the ship with
the convicts and went OF with them i'm
the evening We were not allowed to give
the prisoners who were working TO keep
the bark floating oven Il bite to eat Tho
French government would not allow IT,"
Tho governor told Captain Moore that
there had not been half "a dozen Amcri.
cans on New Caledonia since he could re-
mcmbor All persons are forbidden To
visit The island, and If il had not been that
tho Arkwright was sinking she would not
have been allowed in the harbur. Once
Captain Moore and his wife were there.
however they were splcndidly entertain.
ed. They were guests OF the admiral and
invited to a bail given Mt Noumca in honor
O! the naval officer. They were given n
privilege heretofore refused la an hut
french ollicrrs-that Of visiting the forti.
nc"tlons 81 Nounca and looking over the
quarters OF the conyicts.
Captain Moore says that Gibraltar is
no; 10 be compared with Noumca. The
homes for the conviCts have been tunuclcd
out of the solid rock At the top Of I'll,
cht, facing the seq, nrc the barracks.
w! re tho prison officers live with their
families There are Qualifications there
upon which France has spent millions
Ihoy are oristi!ng with guns. Beneath
these barracks arc tunnel under tunnel. as
IN the catacumb,. and along these tunnels
IRE the rooms for the comyicts
Only long term prisoners are sent b7
Che French government to New Caledonia
There arc mere ihuI. j. cUu uumy.c;s tier,
Escape is almos, hopeless for the island
Is GOO miles from the nearest land. nud
that south sea island. Good prisoners
arc given nmch liberty on the island An
ere drilled and drilled until I'll. disciulip..
Is perfect
In the band to which Captain Moore
T"a often permitted To listen were many
iaurucTers The first trombone PLAYER Ind
been sent TO the island Tor fivr wears for
shifting i'll the face OF u French officer
When he was released, hu went back To
Frauce and killed tie officer, being again
sentenced to New Caledonia Twenty of
the best musicians in tho wonderful band
are wife murdcrers The leader Of The
band killed his pretty little >yifc because
3hG dId not properly get his breakfast for
him one morning
IT the factories on the island the CON
victs manufacture everything thcv usc
ana much Tor export The great ucnn,
station is self supporting. The island
Itself is rich. There are line nickel and
chrome mines, and other mineral deposits
arc 70 be developed - san Francisco
Chronicle
War IN ti, ;,tf,