+325 Britain shipping their prisoners to Australia in the 1700's and 1800's has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. "Hey guys, instead of building a prison to contain convicts here, let's do it 10,500 miles away in Australia! That way we get to pay for ships, a crew and building supplies, all without adding any jobs to the economy here!", amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm pretty sure the only reason they shipped them off was because of lack of space. Do correct me if I'm wrong.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's a trap. They didn't build a prison, they're going to sink the ship mid-voyage and lose all the prisoners. That's what I'd do if I had a ton of extra inmates and nothing to do with them.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You do get guilt-free slave labour to build your new colony, plus the chances of any of them escaping and making their way back to the mother country are pretty slim.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

No space, no slaves, no debtors as debtors prisons weren't affiliated with the federal prisons, and I'd say it was a pretty awesome idea considering most convicts were able to go on to establish farms and become very prosperous, far from what they ever could have hoped for back in England. Aussie rocks!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

derp derp, they ran out of space. L2australianhistory.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

And they never actually build a prison there, they just dropped the convicts off

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Hm.. that's strange....

by Anonymous 13 years ago