464 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



third class are kept at hard labour on road-making and 

 like employments, and are unpaid, but receive very liberal 

 rations. The fourth class are under strict prison discipline, 

 and the fifth are the habitual criminals and incorrigibles. 

 By diligence and good behaviour the convict can raise 

 himself from class to class. Political prisoners are now 

 almost non-existent, the many thousand Communists of 

 1872 having nearly all returned. There are now about 

 10,000 persons under the management of the penal 

 establishment, of whom about one quarter are liMr4s, 

 but only 200 women. The Government permit the 

 immigration of women desirous of becoming the wives 

 of liMrds, and they are entrusted to the care of Sisters 

 of Charity, but there are as yet, comparatively speaking, 

 few families, and the descendants of the convicts are 

 never likely to become a large class as in Australia. 

 Xumerous penitentiaries are established near Noumea, 

 while others exist in various parts of the island. Of the 

 latter the most important from an agricultural point of 

 view is Bourail, a town situated in the centre of the 

 south-western seaboard, where the concessions granted to 

 the UMres have now become rich plantations. The 

 garrison maintained on the island is composed of 2000 

 marines and a battery of artillery ; and a large force of 

 gendarmerie act as police. The works carried out by 

 convict labour have enormously improved the settled 

 parts of the island. Public buildings, forts, and light- 

 houses have been erected, hills levelled and swamps 

 tilled up, quays constructed, and an excellent supply of 

 water brought to the capital. The means of communica- 

 tion have also been greatly improved. A network of 

 telegraph lines connects the chief towns of the island, 

 and excellent roads have been made. Kecently a rail- 

 way has been laid connecting the capital with Kanala on 



