The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-01-02
.A FRENCH coNvIscr COLONY.
New Caledonia a vaist House of Cor
 raction.

-~e-ALA0-~-N
 raction.
 The French have made of New Gale nonia vast house of correction. and so long as the island retains this character free people naturally seek another colony. After the suppression of the Paris Commune (1S7D had brought 10,- i 900 political convicts to this land, whose entire white population had previously | not exceeded 15,00O. one entertained for 1 the moment the hope of better con- ditions. This hope proved Elusive, since the political exiles well knew that new order of things in the motherland would give them their freedom. Expecting pardon, they gave no thought to estab- | fishing themselves in New Caledonia. ] Scarcely 100 political conyiets remained after amnesty made possible their re- turn to France To-day of a population of about 65,OOO natives, convicts and colonists the convict element is of such character and numbers as to brand the island a penal colony. (The total con- vict population of the two penal colonies of New Caledonia and Guiana is about 13, 900, of whom the great majority are in New Caledonia.)
 The punishment of the exiled convict naturally begins in France, and does not cease during the entire voyage. | Strong chambers, like cages. are con- structed amidships; between the chambers is small passage, where day and night, guards are stationed; at each end of the passage are placed small cannon ready for firing. Whoever shows sign of insubordination or replies to an officer with disrespectful answer is confined in dark cell provided for that purposes. The convicts first leave their cages in the harbor of Noumea, where they are transferred to small steamboat. They are not permitted to disturb the 4000 or more inhabitans of the capital city Noumea; they are taken directly to the island Nou, where there lis a great penitentiary. with cells for l those condemned ito death, warehouses;, barracks, a hospital and other ap- purtenances. This building can accom- modate 2000 men, besides the military < company garrisoned here in case of i'm surrection. The director of the prison, after examining their papers, divides the convicts into the three general classes of incorrigibles moderates and novices. A further division separ- ates them according to natural ability and acquired skill.
 The new arrivals are condemned to the hardest work; canal digging, road making, stone breaking, loading and un- laoding ships. They are not allowed to speak, receive no other nourishment than bread and water and are confined between working hours Now and then, through good behavior the convict rises to the second class, from which he is nearly always promoted to the first, when he has served half his time. Tn the second class he is assigned to the workhouses or the factories, while once in the first he is permitted to go about freely in the inner half of the island; it is only required of him that he engage in some pursuit, shop work or field work, and that he report every week at the head office to prove his presence on the island. New Caledonia affords such libery that the convicts may ultimately earn considerable money ill their busi- ness, and even become respected citizens if they do not bear the stigma of "bagne'
 ] The only court of jurisdiction to pass sentence upon the convicts is the so- called special maritime tribunal" the judges are usually soldiers. Acts of violence or instruction are punished with death. while fight, attempted es- cape or theft meet with a sentence of solitary confinment from six months to five years. Formerly the death sen tence could not be executed without the permission of the president of France, a year ago the president gave over the right of sentence and pardon to the governor of New Caledonia, so far, at least, as concerns the convicts. The guillotine is used for infiicting death penalty, and the execution takes place in the presence of the fettered prisoners
 surrounded by soldiers and other spec tators. The second punishment is soIi- tary confinement in a cell three yards long, a yard wide and very low. The rations of those condemned to isolation are gradually reduced to dry bread Every day they areallowed to go for half an hour into the courtyard alone, with face and head covered with a cowl. Day after day the prisoner sits in a. dark hole; he cannot work, read or write he cannot occapy himself in any way. After certain time imbecility or death is sure to be his lot. The ordi- nary prisoners are not seuarated except at night, when each one sleeps alone.-- Translated from Die Woche of Berlin for the Public Opinion.