TRANSPORTATION, from the Latin for carrying across, means the removing of per sons from one territory to another; and is thus distinguished from banishment, which is the mere driving of persons out of the country in which they live. Transportation, in this country, means a removal beyond seas, and has been in use to express the punish ment of crime in that manner. The practice was known to the Romans; and transpor tation to Sicily will be found referred to in Cicero's charges against Verres. When the English monarchs had possession on the continent, there was much jealousy about their carrying off troublesome persons to these dominions, and thus bringing them under irresponsible power. The legal transportation of criminals from the British dominions began early in the 17th c., when they were removed to the plantations in America, and treated as slaves. This practice continued, under modifications, until it was stopped by the American revolution. Its unfitness as a punishment is obvious. The amount of infliction would depend, not on the extent of the criminal's guilt, but of his master's humanity. There were even worse evils; for young lads were kidnapped in Britain, and sold to the planters, and these victims were often unable to prove, even when they had an opportunity, that they were not legally transported for offenses. When this method of getting rid of convicts ceased, there was great alarm that Britain would be overrun with crime, and it was hailed as a deliverance when the government resolved to establish a penal colony in Australia. The first convicts were conveyed thither in 1787. Such was the beginning of the famous colony of Sydney, or Botany Bay. Between the years 1820 and 1830, the system was at its full perfection; but though thousands were annu ally removed, crime did not appear to decrease. It was forgotten, that the predatory and fraudulent offenses, which are by far the greater number in this country, are trade as well as crime; and that where there is a large portion of the population, as there un fortunately is, prepared to have recourse to crime whenever it pays, the place of those removed is immediately supplied. When the criminals were sent to the antipodes, the
mistake was made of supposing that they took the crime of the country with them, and that there was so much less need for precautionary measures at home During thirty years, however, the proportion of the class of criminals who used to be trans ported. have been retained in this country, and liberated in it at the end of their punish ment. This practice has been accompanied with two classes of precautionary measures —an improved police. and the reformation of juvenile delinquents. To these influences have been added free trade, and the consequence of all is, that crime is diminished to the extent of between a third and half of what it was 20 years ago. In 1838, a committee of the house of commons issued a celebrated report on the effect of transportation. It was shown to be still an extremely unequal punishment—in some instances giving rogues an opportunity of making their fortune, in other cases subjecting men less depraved, but more infirm in temper, to punishments of the most frightful kind. It was found to be accompanied by the prevalence of crimes which cannot be mentioned, and with a vast amount of general demoralization in the convict settlements. Yet it was found not to have much terror for the criminal classes, who heard more about the success than the hardships of transportees. In 18-10, transportation to New South Wales came to an end; and by a succession of statutes, sentences to penal servitude were substituted for sen tences to transportation. In 1808 transportation to western Australia also wholly ceased, to the great benefit of the whole continent. The practice of transportation cannot, it will be easily understood, be carried out by governments which have no colonies, though Russia manages it by possession of the desolate region of Siberia. It is a curious cir cumstance that the practice began in Fiance just as this country was abandoning it.— See CONVICT, PENAL SERVITUDE, PRISON DISCIPLLNE, TICKET OF LEAVE.