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 inco^rigibles. 
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 libdrts, 
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. 
Numerous 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 libdres 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 
filled 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 
