Reports on Botany Bay, New South Wales and Norfolk Island, [ca. 1790-ca. 1807]

MLMSS 10418

fonds

[ca. 1790-ca. 1807]

9651116

0.02 metres of textual material (1 folder) - manuscript

A four page fragment, written in an unidentified hand:
1. Botany Bay Nov. [1807?]
The situation of our Colony in New South Wales have been most distressing and we fear from
accounts we have secured, that it is not likely under its present auspices to be placed on a
footing of permanent security from the dreadful evil of famine. The security of last year was
greatly owing to an inundation of their principle agricultural settlement which had been most
injudiciously established on the bank of a river subject to overflow but the chief cause and that
which is likely forever to affect the cultivation of the land and consequently the supply of the
people is the violent capricious and arbitrary manner of which the laws of the Government of
the Markets are executed. Wheat was last year up as high as four guineas per bushel. There was
at this time 700 persons at Port Dalrymple and the Derwent and no other means of support,
than the precarious and wretched subsistence they derive from the woods. The soil is
productive and plenty might be secured to its inhabitants were the people of certain employing
their fruits of their labor. On the meeting of the Parliament, we trust some humane
representative of the people will take this subject in hand, and make the condition of that
unhappy Colony the subject of public investigation. It exceeds every thing of human misery we
ever heard of, and from a cause easy to be removed.

2. New South Wales
1790 December Lieutenant King of His Majestys Navy arrived on Monday at [Warrnambool?] at
Lord Grenville’s Office and the Admiralty with dispatches from Governor Phillip dated at Sydney
Cove the 11th April last. The Colony had very much extended its agriculture, and in particular
the parts laid out for gardens, grounds, but the produce has been very scanty.
Very tolerable harmony have been perceived among the settlers, although a few skirmishes had
taken place with parties of four people and natives they were not of a nature to excite concern,
on the other hand they rather established what was much needed, an impression of our
superiority.

3. Norfolk Island

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