THE MARQUIS DE RAYS.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1356, 1 February 1884, Page 2

THE MARQUIS DE RAYS.

The final stage in the long-protracted proceedings against the Marquis de RayVftndliis associates in the ill fated expeditions to New Ireland, was recqn'tly reached, when the accused were convicted and sentenced— De Bays to a fine of 3000 francs aud, four years' imprisonment, and his accomplices to a Siftilar fitte and shoi-ter terms of imprisonment The accused were the Hftrquis de Bays, ag<-n 50 ; Entile Batmen, 48, gentleman, of Marseilles; Joseph Boubard, 54. notary, of Marseilles; and several Others. The charges against the "prisoners were bomioide by imprudence, fraud, infringement of the public companies' law, and the contravention of the laws of emigration. The Paris correspondent of The Times gives the following account of the case :— " In July 1877 the Marquis,^ Breton nobleman of straitened means} who had vainly sought to make a ' for time' in various parts of the wo. Id, advertised land in Port Breton at ftve francs per. hectare as a certain means of becoming rich without quitting.. Fiance. The Legitimist newspapers interested themselves in the -enter:;! •:«<* ; 8000 persons applied for shares^ &,nd M. de Bays, in a lecture at Marseilles, dwelt on the religious and theocratic character of this free colony, which, on the highway between Australia and China, was destined to greatnesa Ultimately five millions were subscribedrßelgium taking about one-fiftb.' The^tt'quisv according to tttfi-miiictment, 'pocketed two millions. He is" stated to have sold 700,000 hectares — albeit the island contains only 7000, a portion of which he had bought of the native chief for 1550 ft., the payment being made in tobacco, axes, beads, and a red velvet dress. In September 1879 the first batch of 87 immigrants started from Flushing, in the Chanderuagore, the French and Belgian authorities having forbidden the departure from their ports. The horrors of the passage are indescribable. The victuals' were in great part bad, the captain was constantly drunk, he punished a complamtant by suspending ; him from the mast by hi» thumbs, an 4 Jtwo other passengers, for attempting to escape at Port Said, were confined for five days in irons. The Colony was reached on the 17th of January, and the Chandernagore left the immigrants ft fortnight's provisions. Fever and famine set in, and six men wlio went in search of relief were captured by savages, five b<ung eaten, while the sixth was ultimately rescued. In April an nglish missionary from the Duke of Yovk I»ks found 44 survivors prostrated «>y privation, and took them to Makata Isle, where 12 died. Eventually an Knglish ship conveyed 40 survivors out of 87 to Sydney. Three other batches of immigrants, including 250 Italians, also went out, but suffered less severely. The island, more commonly know as New Ireland, is barren aud unhealthy ; but a'' newspaper, edited by one of the defendants, published a map of it, indicating houses, a church, and carriage 'reads — all imaginary. Mr Rodney, an English missionary, who visited the spot in June last, now states that a more unfavourable one could not have been selected, and that a cemetaiy v ■•: -L 70 graves is the only vestige of t': expedition. As to the chief defe'-: } -. . i, he is described as living in France ■....• % mistress, who invented a new tooth-powder, while his victims were secumbing to hunger and disaa#?r