Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

1787

11 May.

Delay in

provisions.

have left all the necessaries for the sick behind us (they not coming down before last night), as well as a great deal of provisions. In fact, it was not possible to sail before this day, and now, unfortunately, the wind is westerly, and blows fresh. The shipping reason the contractor assigns for not having the provisions on board sooner was having only three ovens to bake the bread, and in doing which he has lost no time since he received the Navy Board's order. I shall not lose a moment after there is the least chance of getting down channel; on that you may depend. No spirits can be received at present on board any of the ships, Spirits to be but the greatest economy will be used in purchasing as much as the ships can stow when in the Brazil, where it is reasonable.

purchased

at Brazil.

I have received the warrant for appointing courts-martial, the articles of war, and the order for the Commissary's purchasing three years' spirits. The two letters for the Vice-King and the Governor of the Cape are not yet received; but I must beg of you, my dear sir, to point out to the Navy Board that for women's cloathes I have no resource, and desire them to order The women's that they may be sent down. The agent for the transports, who clothing. has corresponded with that Board on this subject, says he has expected them for some time. Be assured that I shall not wait a single hour for them after it is possible to sail. I had desired that the Sirius and Supply, armed tender, might not be paid the two months' advance till the day before I intended to sail, and that was done yesterday.

It is not in my power to send you my lists at present more correct than those you have received from Major Ross, but you shall have one by the return of the " Hyæna," for I hope we shall not remain here long enough to make it out, as it will take some days to examine the different ships.

Once more I take my leave of you, fully sensible of the trouble Prospective you have had in this business, for which at present I can only advantages. thank you ; but at a future period, when this country feels the advantages that are to be drawn from our intended settlement, you will enjoy a satisfaction that will, I am sure, make you ample amends.

Wishing you health,—

Sir,

I remain, &c.,

A. PHILLIP.

GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO SECRETARY STEPHENS.

Sirius, May 12th, 1787.

12 May.

You will please to inform the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that the transports having on Friday evening compleated their provisions, and the wind this morning coming round to the south-east, I made the signal and got under weigh, but the seamen on board several of the transports refusing to get their ships under sail, put me under the under weigh.

The fleet

1787

11 May.

Refractory

seamen.

Transports behave badly.

Clothing left behind.

Invalids discharged.

Thanks.

disagreeable necessity of ordering eight men to be taken out of the Fishburn; and the seamen on board the Alexander refusing to proceed to sea unless they were paid what wages were then due and had permission to go on shore, and that when I was under sail, I ordered Capt. de Courcey to take out the boatswain and ten men from that ship, and replace them with men from the Hyæna, but when I was proceeding to St. Hellen's, finding that two of the ships that had got under sail anchored at Spithead, and that several remained at anchor on the Motherbank, where I had desired Capt. de Courcey to remain till they were all under sail, I judged it necessary to anchor between the buoys, and this morning (Sunday) having a fresh breeze at S.E. am again under sail, and hope the transports will follow, but they have hitherto behaved very ill.

It may be necessary to inform their Lordships that the provisions and water on board the transports was not compleated till yesterday, which prevented our sailing sooner, and now we leave a considerable part of the women's cloathing behind us. Inclosed is the state and condition of his Majesty's ship under my command. I have, &c., A. PHILLIP.

Sir,

MAJOR ROSS TO SECRETARY STEPHENS. His Maj's. ship Sirius, Mother Bank, 12th May, 1787. You will please to inform my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that the ships are now getting under sail, with a fair wind, and that I have not time to comply with their order for an effective list to be sent in the correct manner I wish it, but that it shall be sent by the Hyæna, on her return*; and as I have discharged from the detachment all the non-commissioned officers and private men who are not sufficiently recovered to be received again, and the commanding officer thinks the mode correct and proper, all of them belong to this division, and have not contracted any additional debt since they embarked, I hope their Lordships will find that [the list] answer the purpose untill the other can be sent.

I have likewise, in the name of the whole of the detachment, to offer to their Lordships their most sincere and grateful acknowledgments for their wonted goodness and attention to everything that could render their situation comfortable, and, at the same time, am desired to assure their Lordships that if a most strict and faithful discharge of their duty will evince their gratitude they shall still hope for a continuance of their protection.

I feel myself particularly fortunate in joining with the officers in expressing their sense of the honour their Lordships have done us by the very particular and flattering attention which they have been pleased to pay to us on all occasions. I am, &c., R. Ross, Major.

* Post, p. 106.

GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO SECRETARY STEPHENS.*

1787

20 May.

Sirius; latitude, 47° 57'; longitude, 12° 14' 30", Sir, May 20th, 1787.. You will please to inform my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that his Majesty's ship Sirius, under my command, with the Supply, armed tender, and the transports intended for the coast of New South Wales, being nearly one hundred leagues distant from the entrance of the English Channel, I have, pursuant to their Lordships' orders, directed Capt. de Courcey to return to Plymouth, sending dispatches by him for the Right Despatches, Hon'ble Lord Sydney.

And you will, sir, inform their Lordships that the Fishburn having left five of her people on shore, and Capt. de Courcey having assisted her with three men, who the master has requested Transfers. may remain, I have given Capt. de Courcey orders to discharge. them from the Hyæna, it being with his consent and that of the people's that the master of the Fishburn has made this request. Nothing particular has happened since we sailed from Ports

mouth.

Inclosed you will receive the state and condition of his Majesty's ship Sirius, but there is too much sea to send on board the Supply Sirius. for her weekly account, or to get any return of the marines or convicts from the different transports.

I have, &c.,

A. PHILLIP.

Sirius, May 20th, 1787.

GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN.† Dear Sir,

cleared.

left behind.

Provost

As we are now nearly one hundred leagues clear of the Channel, the Hyæna leaves us this evening to return to Plymouth, The Channel but the sea runs too high to send on board the different transports to get any particular account of the state of the convicts. I have, therefore, only to repeat what I said in my last from the Motherbank, that a great part of the women's cloathing was not Clothing come down from London when we sailed, nor did I receive the letters for the Vice-King. The Provost-Martial, who had not been a missing since seen for a considerable time before we sailed, is left behind. Marshal. As it will be very necessary to have such an officer on the spot, I have ordered Mr. Henry Brewer to act as such, and shall be glad if he is approved of. I enclose a copy of the last returns, and shall send you a more particular account from Teneriff. At present our motion is such that I find it very difficult to sit at table, but the weather is good, and tho' the Charlotte and Lady Penrhyn sail very badly, the clearing the Channel is one great All diffipoint gained, and with which I look on all our difficultys as an end. ended. I am, &c., A. PHILLIP.

Latt., 47° 57'. Long., 12° 14' 30". Wind, W. by N.

culties at

[blocks in formation]

1787

20 May.

A convict

plot.

5 June.

At Santa
Cruz.

RETURN BY MAJOR ROSS.*

One Major, 2 Captains, 2 Captain-Lieutenants, 9 First Lieutenants, 3 Second Lieutenants, 1 Adjutant, 1 Quarter-master, 1 JudgeAdvocate, 12 sergeants, 12 corporals, 8 drummers, 160 privates. Major Commanding :-Robert Ross.

Captains:-James Campbell and John Shea.

Captain-Lieutenants :-James Meredith and Watkin Tench. First Lieutenants:-James Maxwell, John Creswell, John Poulden, John Johnstone, James Maitland Shairp, George Johnston, Robert Kellow, Thomas Davey, Thomas Timins.

Second Lieutenants:-Ralph Clarke, William Faddy, William Collins.

Adjutant Second Lieutenant:-John Long.

Quarter-master First Lieutenant :-James Furzer.
Judge-Advocate:-David Collins.

Total, 20.

GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN.†
My Dear Sir,

Sirius, May 20th, 1787.

Since I sealed my letters I have received a report from the officers on board the Scarborough respecting the convicts, who, it is said, have formed a scheme for taking possession of the ship. I have order'd the ringleaders on b'd the Sirius, and should not mention the affair at this moment, as I have no time to enter into particulars, but that I suppose it will be mention'd in letters from that ship. I did intend to write to Lord Sydney, but it is late, and I wish the boats on board the different ships. You may assure his Lordship of my respects, and tell him the reason that prevents my writing to him. I am, &c.,

A. PHILLIP. Compliments and good wishes to Mr. T. Townshend.§

My Lord,

GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO LORD SYDNEY.||

Sirius, at S'ta Crux [Teneriffe],

June 5th, 1787.

I have the honor to inform your Lordship that I anchored here the 3rd inst., with his Majesty's ship under my command, the Supply tender, store-ships, and transports. By the inclosed list your Lordship will see that the convicts are not so sickly as health of the when we sailed, and while we remain here the Commissary will be able to procure them fresh meat at a very moderate expence.

Improved

convicts.

Amm'nition forgotten.

I understood when the marines, who were to form the garrison, were embarked that they would be furnished with ammunition ;

Sent by the Hyæna,ante, p. 104.

† A private letter, sent by the Hyæna.

1 See letter from Phillip to Nepean. Post, p. 108.

§ The Hon. John Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney's son. At the time this letter was written he was one of the Under Secretaries of the Home Department.

A similar despatch was sent to the Admiralty.

but since we sailed find that they were only supplied with what was necessary for immediate service while in port, and we have neither musquet balls nor paper for musquet cartridges, nor have we any armourer's tools to keep small arms in repair.

1787

5 June.

clothing

I am therefore to request that your Lordship will be pleased to The women's give orders that those articles may be sent out by the first ship, again. and for which, as well as for the women's cloathing that was left behind, we shall be much distressed. I hope the transports will be able to compleat their water by the 9th, and shall not lose an hour after that is done. I have, &c.,

[Enclosure.]

A. PHILLIP.

STATE of the Sick Convicts and Marines, June 4, 1787.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

I have the pleasure of informing you that I anchored here the third, late in the evening, and by the returns, made to Lord Sydney, you will see that the convicts are in a better state than when we sailed.

The procuring fresh meat being absolutely necessary, and Purchase of wishing that it should be done with as little expence to Govern- fresh meat.

« ForrigeFortsæt »