The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1898-05-12
EUROPE'S BOT. BAY.
Deportation Of Criminals ss Means ei
Punishment Still iD Use.

Punishment Still 10 use.
{ Transportation as form Of punish
inent for criminals was long since
abandoned by this country. in defer
snce to the protests of the colonies.
The Gar of Russia appears to have
devoted much attention to this subJect,
and to have come to the conclusion
that England was right In its con-
tention that convict immigration was
injurious to colonial prosperity. He is
taking steps to put stop to the de-
portation of criminals to, Siberia Those
already there are to remain for the
purpose of providing laborers for the
construction of the Trans-Siberian
Railway and other enterprises, but no
more are to be sent.
The worst class of criminals will still
be transported to the Island of Sagha-
lin, situated on the easternmost coast
OF Siberia, but several hundred miles
from the mainland. Minor offenders
and those condemned for political Of
fences will serve their terms of impris-
onment in penitentiaries, which are be-
ing constructed for the purpose in
European Russia upon the most en-
Hghtened principles.
For convicts of that particular class
which Russia deports to Saghalin,
France reserves those pestiferous and
fever stricken islands off the coast of
quiana, which are known as the Isles
Of Safety. 1t is on the worst of the
group, Devils Island, that Dreyfus is
prisoner.
France has also a large settlement OF
conyicts on the mainland at Cayenne
Which is just trifie healthier than the
island. But only the worst criminals
those who are considered absolutely
irreclaimable, are ever shipped to
Franch Guiana, ordinary longtime
convicts being transported to New
Caledonia, in the Pacific Ocean, where.
In the event Of good behavior, they
may eventually develop into prosper
Gus colonists, being allowed the run OF
| the island on which they are station
| ed. Indeed, existence in New Caledon-
| Ia is presented in such an attractive
| light to the criminal class, and as so in
| fnitely superior in every way to con-
| fnement in the penitentiaries of the
mother country, that the moment a
| criminal sees that he has no chances
! of escape, he generally endeavors to
make his crime worse; and to present
| It in the most shocking light, with
view of getting a long term instead
of a short one and thus securing trans
! portation to New Caledonia, instead o.
| hard labor in a prison at home. Far
less happy is the lot of those Spanish
| convictS who are transported to Ceuta
on the African coast, just opposite
Gibraltar, or to Fernando Po, on the
west coast of the Dark Continent.
The mortality of these two penal
settlements is so large that the al-
| thorlties are said to have been led tc
devise a peculiar style Of coffin, CT
which the bottom Is merely fastened
by hinges and a bolt. The latter Is
drawn as soon as the coffin is PLACED
over the orifice of the grave, the bod!
is thus dropped into the hole, and theI
the coffin is ready for another poo
mortal's journey. The Botany Bay 0
Portugal is on the east coast of Africa
at Mozambique and Delagoa Bay.
No other European country trans
ports its convicts except Turkey, whicl
ships them to some of the settlement
to the south Of Tripoli, on the borde
of the Sarhara Desert. from whici
bourne no convict returns.-LondoI
Mall,