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1786

her navigation, and a tender of about two hundred tons burthen, commanded by discreet officers, should be got ready as soon as Ships possible to serve as an escort to the convict ships, and for other required. purposes hereinafter mentioned.

That, in addition to their crews, they should take on board two companies of marines, to form a military establishment on shore, Marines. not only for the protection of the settlement, if required, against the natives, but for the preservation of good order, together with

an assortment of stores, and utensils and implements necessary for stores and erecting habitations and for agriculture; and such quantities of provisions. provisions as may be proper for the use of the crews.

&c.

As many of the marines as possible should be artificers, such as Artificers, carpenters, surveyors, smiths, potters, if possible, and some husbandmen. To have a chaplain on board, with a surgeon and one Chaplain. mate at least, the former to remain at the settlement.

and seed.

That these vessels should touch at the Cape of Good Hope, or any other places that may be convenient, for any seed that may Live stock be requisite to be taken from thence, and for such live stock as they can possibly contain, which it is supposed can be procured there without any sort of difficulty, and at the most reasonable rates, for the use of the settlement at large.

That Government should immediately provide a certain number of ships of a proper burthen to receive on board at least seven Transports. or eight hundred convicts, and that one of them should be properly fitted for the accommodation of the women, to prevent their intercourse with the men.

That these ships should take on board as much provisions as they can possibly stow, or at least a sufficient quantity for two Two years' years' consumption, supposing one year's to be issued at whole provisions. allowance, and the other year's provisions at half-allowance, which will last two years longer; by which time it is presumed that the colony, with the live stock and grain which may be raised by a common industry on the part of the new settlers, will be fully sufficient for their maintenance and support.

transports.

That, in addition to the crews of the ships appointed to contain the convicts, a company of marines should be divided between Guards for them, to be employed as guards for preventing ill consequences that might arise from dissatisfaction amongst the convicts, and for the protection of the crews in the navigation of the ships from insults that might be offered by the convicts.

That each of the ships should have on board at least two Surgeons. surgeons' mates to attend to the wants of the sick, and should be supplied with a proper assortment of medicine and instruments, and that two of them should remain with the settlement.

1786

Further supplies.

Island

women.

Government

of the colony.

Difference

in expense no objection.

Flax.

Tropical products.

timber.

After the arrival of the ships which are intended to convey the convicts, the ship-of-war and tender may be employed in obtaining live stock from the Cape, or from the Molucca Islands, a sufficient quantity of which may be brought from either of those places to the new settlement, in two or three trips; or the tender, if it should be thought most advisable, may be employed in conveying to the new settlement a further number of women from the Friendly Islands, New Caledonia, &c., which are contiguous thereto, and from whence any number may be procured without difficulty; and without a sufficient proportion of that sex it is well known that it would be impossible to preserve the settlement from gross irregularities and disorders.

The whole regulation and management of the settlement should be committed to the care of a discreet officer, and provision should be made in all cases, both civil and military, by special instructions under the Great Seal, or otherwise, as may be thought proper.

Upon the whole, it may be observed with great force and truth, that the difference of expense (whatever method of carrying the convicts thither may be adopted) between this mode of disposing of them, and that of the usual ineffectual one, is too trivial to be a consideration with Government, at least in comparison with the great object to be obtained by it, especially now the evil is increased to such an alarming degree, from the inadequacy of all other expedients that have hitherto been tried or suggested.

It may not be amiss to remark in favour of this plan that considerable advantage will arise from the cultivation of the New Zealand hemp or flax plant in the new intended settlement, the supply of which would be of great consequence to us as a naval power, as our manufacturers are of opinion that canvas made of it would be superior in strength and beauty to any canvas made of the European material, and that a cable of the circumference of ten inches, made from the former, would be superior in strength to one of eighteen inches made of the latter. The threads or filaments of this New Zealand plant are formed by nature with the most exquisite delicacy, and may be so minutely divided as to be manufactured into the finest linens.

Most of the Asiatic productions may also, without doubt, be cultivated in the new settlement, and in a few years may render our recourse to our European neighbours for those productions unnecessary.

It may also be proper to attend to the possibility of procuring New Zealand from New Zealand any quantity of mast and ship timber for the use of our fleet in India, as the distance between the two countries is not greater than between Great Britain and America. It grows close to the water's edge, is of size and quality superior to any hitherto known, and may be obtained without difficulty.

Staff Establishment for the Settlement of New South Wales :

The Naval Commander appointed Governor or
Superintendent-General'

The Commanding Officer of the Marines to be
appointed Lieutenant-Governor
Superintendent

Yearly Salary.
£ 8. d.

500 0 0

1786 Estimates of expenditure. 1-Staff.

or Deputy

250 0 0

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Estimate of Clothing to serve a Male Convict for one year :

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The expense of clothing female convicts may be computed to amount to the like sum.

LORD SYDNEY'S LETTERS.

the Treasury

Two letters written by Lord Sydney, Secretary of State for the Home Department, one to the Lords of the Treasury dated 18th Letters to August, 1786, and the other to the Lords of the Admiralty dated 31st August in that year, contained instructions for the supply and and equipment of the ships required for the expedition to Botany Bay. The letter to the Treasury began with the paragraphs quoted in the text, page 22, and then continued as follows:

In order that a proper degree of subordination and regularity may be preserved in this new settlement, his Majesty has been

Admiralty.

1786

Marines.

pleased to give orders that an officer and proper assistants shall be appointed to superintend it, and that three companies of the Marine Corps shall be stationed there so long as it may be found necessary. The officers and marines will be embarked on board a Ship-of-war ship-of-war and a tender, which the Lords Commissioners of the and tender. Admiralty have been directed to provide for this service, the commanders of which will be instructed to take under their protection the ships on board of which the convicts may be embarked, and to regulate their sailing to the place of destination.

Provisions

The crews of the ship-of-war and the tender, as well as the Marine Corps, will be victualled by the Naval Department during their passage; but your lordships will please to take notice that the marines are to be provided for after their landing, and supplies of provisions, as well as implements for agriculture, should also be for marines. procured for their use. The number may amount to about one hundred and eighty, to which is to be added the staff establishment, consisting of fifteen, and perhaps two hundred females, which your lordships will see by a sketch of the plan for forming this new settlement, herewith transmitted, are likely to be procured from places in its neighbourhood, as companions for the men.

Island women.

If the person who may contract for the passage of the convicts Guards for should be desirous of obtaining military assistance for their greater transports. security, they may be accommodated with a part of the marines, who would otherwise be conveyed to the new settlement in the ship-of-war and the tender.

According to the best opinions that can be obtained, it is supTwo years' posed that a quantity of provisions, equal to two years' consumption provisions. should be provided, which must be issued from time to time

Live stock and seed.

Barter.

according to the direction of the superintendent, in the expenditure of which he will of course be guided by the proportion of food which the country and the labour of the new settlers may produce.

From the length of the passage to New South Wales, the commanding officer will most likely find it necessary to call at the Cape de Verd Islands, as well as at the Cape of Good Hope, for the purpose of recruiting the water. At the latter of these places he will in all probability be enabled to obtain cattle and hogs, as well as seed grain, all of which must be procured for the new settlers with a view to their future subsistence; and as expenses will thereby of course be increased, it will be necessary that your lordships should authorise the naval commander or the superintendent to draw upon you for the amount, and that, in addition thereto, a quantity of merchandise should be put on board the ship-of-war or the tender previous to their sailing, sufficient to obtain supplies of live stock by means of barter with the inhabitants of the islands contiguous to the new intended settlement, from whence such supplies may at all times be obtained.

A small quantity of garden seeds should be sent out from hence, 1786 together with some seed grain, to prevent inconveniences that Supply of might happen should any difficulties arise in procuring a supply, seed from particularly of the latter, at the Cape of Good Hope.

home.

The tools for erecting habitations and implements for agricul- Tools and implements. ture, which it is supposed will be most useful in the settlement, are specified in the list accompanying this, and with which it will be proper to supply the marines and the convicts after their landing at the settlement. It is therefore his Majesty's further pleasure that these articles be also provided and sent out, together with bedding for each of the convicts, and a proportion of cloathing Bedding and agreeably to the estimate enclosed. The marines will be supplied clothing. with bedding from the ship-of-war.

I have it in command from his Majesty only further to acquaint

your lordships, that a quantity of surgical instruments and medi- Surgical cines and necessaries for the sick will likewise be wanted, and as matters. soon as an estimate can be formed it shall be transmitted to your lordships, together with the staff establishment.

In the meantime I have only to recommend it to your lord

ships to cause every possible expedition to be used in preparing No time to the shipping for the reception of the said convicts, and for trans- be lost. porting the supplies of provisions and necessaries for their use to the place of their destination.

The letter to the Admiralty was as follows:

Botany Bay.

The King having been pleased to signify his royal commands that seven hundred and fifty of the convicts, now in this kingdom under sentence of transportation, should be sent to Botany Bay, Convicts to on the coast of New South Wales, in the latitude of 33° south, be sent to at which place it is intended that the said convicts should form a settlement, and that the Lords of the Treasury should forthwith provide a sufficient number of vessels for their conveyance thither, together with provisions and other supplies for their subsistence, as well as tools to enable them to erect habitations and also implements for agriculture; and it being his Majesty's intention that a Ships ship-of-war of a proper class, with part of her guns only on board, required. commanded by an able and discreet officer, and a sufficient establishment of inferior officers and men, together with a vessel of about two hundred tons burthen, commanded also by an officer, should as soon as the convict ships are ready proceed with them to the new settlement for the purpose of regulating their sailing, and for the preservation of peace and good order during the passage, as well as for other purposes after their arrival :

I am commanded to signify to your lordships the King's pleasure that you do forthwith cause a ship-of-war and a tender for those ship-of-war services to be fitted for sea with all possible expedition; and when and tender. the said convicts shall be put on board the ships which are

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