Crown Colony of New Caledonia (Joan of What?)

The Crown Colony of New Caledonia was a that existed from 1853 to 1946. It was proclaimed on 24 September 1853 by Admiral, who became the first Governor of the Colony. Initially a penal colony, free settlers were attracted to New Caledonia beginning in the 1860s after the discovery of nickel. During, New Caledonia served as an important base for operations in the Pacific. Following the end of the war, the began a major restructuring of the Empire's colonial possessions, and New Caledonia was granted  status on 27 October 1946, and with it increased autonomy.