History of New South Wales
From the Records
VOLUME 1 - GOVERNOR
PHILLIP 1783-1789
G. B. Barton - 1889
PART III
Contemporary Opinions
ONE of the most important periodicals published in England towards the close of the last century was the Annual Register, founded in 1758 by Edmund Burke. It purported to give a summary of the history of each year, including the most notable events in the domestic annals of the country. The volume for 1787 contains no mention of the Expedition to Botany Bay, which sailed in May of that year; and the only reference to it in the volume for 1788 (p. 205) is the following:-
By the last accounts received from the fleet for Botany Bay, they arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on the 13th of October last, and expected to sail again about the middle of November, and to proceed directly for their place of destination. They were very healthy, and the convicts very orderly. The number of deaths from England to the Cape amounted to twenty-one.
Next in rank to the Annual Register stood the Gentleman's Magazine, originally published in 1731, and still in existence as a monthly. It did not approve of the Expedition; and in the number for October, 1786, the following comments appeared in it:-
A plan is said to be formed, and now actually carrying into execution, for settling a new colony at Botany Bay, in New Holland, at which place Lieutenant Cook, in 1770, made some stay to repair his ship and refresh his men. As the ostensible design of the projectors is to prepare a settlement for the reception of felons, no place, in the opinion of many, can be more improper for that purpose than Botany Bay, to which it is impossible they can be transported at any moderate expense, nor supported, when they arrive, without a miracle. The eastern coast of New Holland is, perhaps, the most barren, least inhabited, and worst cultivated country in the southern hemisphere; and Botany Bay is at too great a distance from any European settlement to receive either succour or friendly assistance. The establishment is said to consist of a Post-Captain, a Governor, with a salary of £500 a year; a Master and Commander, a Lieutenant-Governor, with £300 a year; four captains, twelve subalterns, twelve sergeants, and one hundred and sixty rank and file from the marines, a surgeon, chaplain, adjutant, and quarter-master. The whole equipment - army, navy, and felons - are to be supplied with two years' provisions and all sorts of implements for the culture of the earth and hunting and fishing; and some light buildings are to be run up immediately, till a proper fort and town-house are erected. If this report is true, the expense will be equal to that of an expedition to the South Sea against an enemy; and if it is to be continued with every freight of felons, it will annihilate the surplus that is intended for augmenting the fund appropriated for the payment of the national debt. It is certainly a most extravagant scheme, and probably will be reconsidered.
In the November number of the Magazine, a letter from a correspondent quotes several passages from Cook's Voyage from 28 April to 5 May, 1770, describing the barren nature of the land and the "bloodthirsty" disposition of the aborigines. Another correspondent replied in the December number, stating the great care that to his knowledge was then being taken to provide for the comfort of the convicts, and expressing a hope that "this colony may one day flourish and be respectable."
Among the contemporaries of the Gentleman's Magazine and the Annual Register, the Monthly Review - founded in 1749, and regularly published until 1844 - held a prominent place; but the only reference to the Expedition to be found in its pages (vol. Ixxv., p. 475) appeared in the shape of a critical notice of a pamphlet, in which the project was roughly handled by an anonymous writer, said to be Alexander Dalrymple:-
A Serious Admonition to the Public on the intended
Thief-Colony at Botany Bay.
8vo., 1s. 6d. - Sewel, 1786.
The author objects to the plan of sending convicts to New Holland on several accounts. He thinks it unadvisable for us to establish new colonies, especially at so great a distance from home, while the country is still smarting for a war with her own colonies, whom she found herself unable to keep in dependence His next argument is founded on the idea that the scheme would be an infringement on the charter of the East India Company granting to them an exclusive trade and navigation from the Cape of Good Hope to the Streights of Magellan, within which boundaries New Holland is situated. The great expence necessary to keep the convicts in subjection, after their landing, as well as that of transporting them thither, forms another of this gentleman's objections to the intended plan: he likewise shews the great inconveniences that must arise if the colonists are left entirely to themselves. The arguments of our author are by no means those of an inexperienced man, either in politics or in trade; yet his style, we are sorry to observe, is neither so polite as a public admonition and strictures on the conduct of Government require, nor is it altogether free from rancour.
After having thus stated, and in a good measure demonstrated, the truth of his objections, our author proposes a scheme of sending convicts to another place, which he apprehends will be attended with less expence to the public, and free from, the objections to which the former is liable. He would transport them to the Island of Tristan Da Cunha, where, on account of its situation, Governors and guards would be unnecessary; and he would have them left there to themselves, without arms, and with such small boats only as could not quit the coast. This island is situated in latitude 37° 7' south and, longitude 16° 10' west of London. It is considerably larger than St. Helena, well watered, and abundantly stocked with seals and birds. The coast abounds in a variety of fish, and the inland parts produce plenty of vegetables and wood.
Near to this island are two others (one bearing S.W. by W., distance six or seven leagues; the other S.S.W. half W., distance six or seven leagues) which, though not so large, are nevertheless similar in their external appearance and productions.
From the situation of these islands, there is no possibility of the banished convicts ever escaping, while they are destitute of boats capable of sailing to the distance of two hundred miles or upwards, in a rough and dangerous sea; this last circumstance seems a strong argument in support of our author's scheme.
The only reference to the projected expedition to be found in the memoirs of contemporary statesmen is the following passage in Stanhope's Life of Pitt, vol. i, p. 338:-
In the session of 1787 was passed the measure which laid the foundation of new colonies, scarcely less important than those which we had recently lost. The want of some fixed place for penal exile had been severely felt ever since the American War, and the accumulation of prisoners at home was counteracting the benevolent efforts of Howard for the improvement of the British gaols. The discoveries of Captain Cook were now remembered and turned to practical account. An Act of Parliament empowered his Majesty, by commission under the Great Seal, to establish a Government for the reception of convict prisoners in New South Wales. An Order-in-Council completed the necessary forms. Captain Arthur Phillip, of the Royal Navy, was appointed Governor, commanding a body of marines, and conveying six hundred male and two hundred and fifty female convicts. The expedition set sail in May, 1787, and early in the following year laid the foundation of the new settlement at Port Jackson in Botany Bay.
There is little or nothing to show that Pitt took any active part in organising the expedition. The only documents preserved in the Record Office which contain any mention of his name in connection with the matter relate to an estimate of the probable expenditure which he had called for. The following memo, from Nepean to Sir Charles Middleton is without date, but was apparently written on the 12th December, 1786:-
Mr. Nepean presents his compliments to Sir Charles Middleton, is desired by Mr. Pitt to request that he will order a statement to be made of the expenses which it is supposed will be incurred under the direction of the Navy Board for the providing of provisions, clothing, implements, etc., for the convicts, and sending them out to Botany Bay, including the expenses incurred for the detachment of marines. It is not expected that any statement which can now be made will be an accurate one, but Mr. Pitt wishes to obtain within a few days some information, upon the business which may lead him to form an opinion to what expense this establishment may be likely to amount.
Mr. Nepean has applied to the Admiralty for information respecting the equipment of the Sirius and the Tender, and the annual expense of their crews, as well as with regard to the pay of the marines. He has likewise applied to Mr. Rogers for an account of the value of the stores which have been supplied by the Board of Ordnance.
To this memo. Sir Charles Middleton replied, on the 13th December, that he would " furnish Mr. Pitt with the information required, as far as the state of the business will admit, as soon as possible, probably this evening or early to-morrow." On the 28th December, an estimate of the expenses for three years was sent from the Admiralty "for the information of Mr. Pitt" - the amount stated being £45,572.
No other mention of Pitt's name in connection with the matter can be traced.
The actual expenditure incurred in the equipment and despatch of the First Fleet - including the marines - was published in the Annual Register for 1791, as follows:-
The official "Estimate of the Expence of Ordnance Stores ordered to be sent to the intended Settlement at Botany Bay," amounted to £2,435 17s. 0½d. It included six iron guns (12 and 6 pounders) and two brass guns mounted on travelling carriages, with round shot and other necessary stores.
