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When the British first started sending criminals to Australia, only 40% survived the journey. Measures such as 'increased standards' or paying more did nothing to increase this statistic.

Eventually the decided to pay per prisoner delivered alive and well, instead of paying in advance. Survival rate increased to over 98%

http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/the-power-of-incenti...

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That anecdote doesn't pass the smell test. The article says "the 1860's". Quoth wikipedia: «The last convict ship to be sent from England, the St. Vincent, arrived in 1853». Another source[1] states that the worst death rate of the fleet was 33%, far below the 60% in your source.

Makes for a great story/example though! Which I guess is how these anecdotes propagate.

[1] http://www.historyaustralia.org.au/ifhaa/ships/2ndfleet.htm

I read the same story in The Fatal Shore [1] which to my knowledge is a very well researched/factual book on early convict history (though I don't recall the success rate being initially as low as 40%, it was low though).

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Shore-Epic-Australias-Founding/d...

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