New-York tribune., 1906-12-23
PENAL SETTLEMENTS.
Where Prisoners Who Are Deported
Go for Life.

France. Spain Portugal. Russia and Turkey are
to-day the only European countries which transport
their criminals and there are signs that this form
OF punishment VIII not be continued much longer
ny civilized nations Russia has already diminished
the number OF offences FOR which Siberia IS the
penalty.
France has two penal settlements. one the island
IF New Caledonia, which lies northeast of Aus
krslia. the other in French Guiana Caledonia, or
lie Nou has often been described as a sort OF
Inferno. As a matter Of fact II is the best man
aged convict island in the world. The climate Is
dot bad and the convicts can gain. by good con-
duct pleasures and privileges unheard OF in British
Convicts form the working classes Of the island
They stroll about unshackled and unguarded. They
can smoke cigarettes and buy little wine. The
better class act BARRIERS. walters engineers and
Stokers. and can earn about hveDence a day.
Tie birch and the cato -nne-tails are unknown in
tl-e lsIahd' Inc punishment being the "cachot. or
black cell. A few hours OF days in this living
tomb is usually enough for OF them, however
IeiractorY. Ihey come out Ike lambs. Bad as IS
ithe lash. II is nothing compared with a sentence
OF FIVE years in the ''cachot." with only one hour
OF light in each thirty daysi
Cayenne is very different. The climate is shout
es bad as bad can he. The work is principally
masonry and clearing land. IN case OF mutiny
poses are ready. charged with scalding water The
Ieast infringement Of the rigid discipline visited
with cruel punishment ono of The commences 81
70 reduce man TO one meal day. and that moth
1iiB p1t pieao and water. Death follows any attack
on ~arder whether injury IS inflicted or NOT The
1ooo all except the bread. is wretched
me most horrible Of the penal colonies ,r axis+
tnce az present are undoubtedly those OF Spain
a. enta and at Fernando Po The latter place Is
an island In the Blight of Riaha. The average tenn
teiatfe al the year round is nearly 50 degrees and
1le neat Is damp kind most trying 10 FlIroneans
1he hoTrors which Cuban patriots underwear in
EeTanoo 20 are 10 ne matched I'm Siberia
atseif Three out OF Ave died before they had been
there two years '' 49,"
odely enough. Portugal manages these matters
snuch better than does Spain. She sends most ~
Ter c0nriots 10 Goa, the coast of India or n bar
[-ast Aif.can possessions Her system resembles
1hat OF New Caledonia hut is less strict In fac.
portuguese conNlcts do very little hard Ia bo- be,
are a"Nec almost conlpletf liberty so tong as rbeS,
90 not leave the limits OF settlement 10 which
tieE are assigned. Al mozambique Won may see
government ofhcials playing billiards with CON
Victs of good hirth.
"a men a turkish political prisoner Is sentenced
10 be deported 10 Trlpoli or 10 the Euphrates his
friends bid him farewell. They know tbat ,be,
Tlll never see him again alive. and in ali prob-
a".iitE never hear Of him again unless enormous
sums are forthcoming hribe scores OF dirferent
officials. In fact the only difference betWeen a
Neath sentence in Turkey and one of traDsuor,s-
Ton is that the former is rapid and merciful.
Je government prefers the latter. because II Is less
l4ohc Now and then. however. news leaks
tirougl; OF poor Midhab Pacha. for instance a. "a
|NoNn that near Bagdad his brutal guards beat
oSt his brains with the butt end OF their rifes-
Answers