CARGO OF CONVICTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19328, 15 May 1926, Page 2 (Supplement)

CARGO OF CONVICTS.

GRIM SHIP LEAVES FRANCE. BOUND FOR DEVIL'S ISLAND. NEARLY 700 PRISONERS. STEEL CAGES IN THE HOLD. La Mariniere, the last convict ship afloat in this twentieth century of the civilised world, sailed recently from La Rochelie, France, for French Guiana, carrying 340 " lifers " and long-term sentence men. It was the first shipload of convicts for this South American station in more than two years. Another 340 convicts were to be picked up at Algiers. The ship was painted a weird Combination of red, yellow, black and white and seemed to have emerged from the middle ages, until one derelict under stress of emotion, waving good-bye to his sweetheart across a port, collapsed and died, bringing back the grim present. No joyful welcome or fond embraces await the shackled passengers on this

sinister ship, for their destination was Devil's Island and a living death. They were trotted out of St. Martin's penitentiary between rows of steel-helmeted soldiers with rifles and fixed bayonets, and their step was heavy and faltering.

Most of the convicts were tattooed in an elaborate manner with all sorts of weird designs and blasphemous and revolutionary mottos. One life sentence man, who escaped the guillotine by presidential commutation, had a blue-black mark running clear around his neck about the width of a linen collar. Above the line were tattooed the words: "Executioner, when cutting, follow the dotted line." Although the left cartel's election programme included a pledge to abandon the overseas convict, colony and measures were adopted in the Chamber of Deputies last year, suppressing the Guiana " hell-hole," the lack of funds for constructing penitentiaries in France or Algeria still necessitates the deporting of prisoners or the cluttering of local gaols. The Mariniere is an ordinary rum ship from Trinidad especially, fitted up to carry felon freight. The hold is divided into four steel cages, each occupied by 140 convicts. The only furnishings are hammocks for sleeping. In the bow of a ship are half-a : dozen cells for punishing disorderly felons by solitary confinement. These cells are so

small that the inmates are unable, to lie down and they are pitch dark. Scalding steam can be shot into the cages from the boiler-room in case of trouble, subduing uprisings or fights, but burning the innocent as well as the guilty. There is considerable comment in tiie press because of the shipment of criminals to Guiana after the government's pledges, and it is reported that various states have made unofficial representations to the government to point out that numbers of these convicts escape from Guiana and take refuge in adjacent territory. The French journalist, M. Albert Londrcs, has exposed the fearful conditions in the convict colony for Petit Parisienne, revealing that the felons are forced to work naked, are not. even supplied with shoes, rcceivo no medical attention and aro subjected to terrible cruelties and brutalities. Asked about the possibility of mutiny, Captain Louis Grenet of the convict ship exclaimed: "Mutiny! No danger." For individual hotheads there is a " do luxe stateroom." The culprit must squat hall erect, with both feet thrust through steel bars five inches apart. " They last about thirty minutes," said the captain. " A real hard-boiled guy may stand it for an hour."