Your country started off as a penal colony. WTF, man!
Discussion
Britain was having a revolution in property rights - feudal tenure was being replaced with Enclosure.
Dumping the now-landless displaced villagers into mill towns was only partially effective. Dartmouth Hulks could only hold so many.
But that island at the end of the world where everything is poisonous or flammable or both? Perfect for the blighters! We'll just send some guards to tax the entry and exit, and we'll maybe even turn a profit!