NEW CALEDONIA. [From the Colonial Time.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 363, 24 January 1849, Page 3

NEW CALEDONIA. [From the Colonial Time.]

- If our readers will take a glance at a cbart of the Southern Pacific Ocean they will observe a considerable island, nearly to the north of New Zealand, and about a thousand miles from the coast of New Holland — about Moreton Bay — forming, as it wero, the western bulwark of the innumerable islands scattered in groups all over the extent of that ocean, south of the equator. This island is New Caledonia. A cursory glance will show its commanding situation, and the immense influence it will give to any civilised nation having possession of it, over the whole of the Pacific. Within a few days* sail of the coast of New South Wales, and of the route from that colony to the East Indies and China, through Torres' Straits, in the hands of an unfriendly power it would prove highly injurious to the traffic, which stfoner or later must be very extensive, by that route, and would cut these islands off from safe intercourse with the Pacific islands and the coast of South America. It becomes, therefore, a matter of consideration whether it be not of some importance that that island should be in the hands of Great Britain. As a measure of precaution, it seems very desirable that it should be taken possession of by that country. The Americans already, by the possession of the Oregon territory' and California, have obtained the command of the Northern Pacific, *nd the possession of this island would give her great weight in the southern portion Of that ocean. But it is more in reference to the intention of the French government to found a penal colony at the Marquesas group that our attention has been directed to this subject ; and it is a measure of precaution against ulterior proceedings on their part, that we conceive the measure of occupying- New Caledonia deserving the consideration of the government. It may be that the powers of the governors of New South Wales and Van Dieraen's Land are not such as to authorise them, acting in strict conformity with their commissions, to undertake such a measure ; but we can have no doubt that it would meet the sanction and approval of its necessity or even expediency. -i Were this measure to be resolved upon, it might be- made subsidiary to the measure we have suggested of granting pardons to the body of convicts at present in the colony. Even if that project were adopted to a large extent, there still would remain a numerous body of men j under colonial sentences, to whom it'would not be applicable. By making large drafts of these men to New Caledonia, this colony wSbld be relieved, and the labour necessaryjfor the erection of buildings and for the formation of roads and wharfs would be supplied) to the new colony. With a prospect before them of a speedy restoration to freedom, and of being put in possession of a-pieceiof land, and of the mean's of cultivating ity there can belittle doubt that an attempt at founding 'a settlement through the instrumentality of these men would be successful. • We have^no desire to see another penal

colony formed, although we think -that the removal of the Port Arthur and Norfolk Island class of convicts to form a settlement at New Caledonia would be attended with advantage, on the understanding that it should hot exist as a convict colony. By these remarks we only desire to direct the public attention and that of the government to the subject. If the plan is feasible, and promises to be useful, it will work its own way.