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1783

23 Aug.

Government; and thus two objects of most desirable and beautiful union will be permanently blended-economy to the publick, and humanity to the individual.

JAMES M. MATRA.

J. M. MATRA TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN.*

1784

1 Oct.

Dear Sir,

De Lancey's

send out

American

loyalists.

Marston House, Frome, Somersetshire, 1st October [November], '84.

Of the many letters that I have long been pestered with on the subject of New South Wales, the enclosed is the only one that I am now desirous of answering, for which reason I take the liberty of sending it to you. I know that Mr. De Lancey, who is very sanguine on the business, has been active in procuring the proposal to consent of many people to go; and as a settlement somewhere is essentially necessary to them, I wish to be authorized to give him a decisive answer, which, whatever my private opinion may be, I think, would be improper till I hear from you. You will, therefore, do me a particular pleasure, if to the great trouble you have already taken in pushing forward this business for me you would be so obliging as to tell me if the Ministry have come to a decided resolution to reject the plan, or if there be any chance of its being entered on in the spring season. I shall go next Thursday for a few days to Ld. Craven's, Benham Place, Berks., where your letter to me, under Ld. Cork's cover, will safely reach me. My company, to be sure, is not politically orthodox, but when I assure you that I am not contaminated by their heresies, you will excuse the direction. I shall always be extremely cautious of obtruding on your time; and, were you to see but a list of the fiftieth part of the letters I am perplexed with about the S. Seas, I know would pardon this instance. I am, &c., JAMES M. MATRA. Thursday morning.

South Sea scheme.

you

The Attorney-General, I believe by his own desire, has had communicated to him an observation on the passage of our China ships that I imagine will remove the only difficulty that I can think of in the way of the South Sea scheme.

It is a better rout and shorter for the ships bound to China to pass by the coast of New South Wales-now that it is so well The China known-than that which they at present pursue. Sir George Young has spoken to several of them on this subject, and it

route.

Evan Nepean, Under Secretary of the Home Department, which was charged with the administration of Colonial affairs. He was created a baronet in 1802. Mr. Matra's letter and enclosure refer to a proposal to send American loyalists as emigrants to New South Wales. The American loyalists were the colonists who remained loyal to Great Britain in the War of Independence, and were punished by being driven from their homes. Mr. De Lancey's suggestions did not meet with the approval of the British Government.

appears that the Goverment may send out convicts at about £15 a head, and as Mr. Pitt's Commutation Bill will considerably increase the number of China ships, twenty being taken out by each yearly, will rid you of as many as are on hand. As perhaps the Attorney-General may not receive this in time, you will oblige me by communicating it to Ld. Sydney before he goes to the Cabinet Council.

1784

1 Oct.

As there are officers of some consideration in the service who are willing to go on this duty, and as the number of convicts Officers taken out at the beginning are few, and chosen, I think the im- willing to propriety of employing King's ships in the first instance sufficiently removed.

Dear Sir,

[Enclosure.]

JAMES DE LANCEY TO J. M. MATRA.*

Southampton, October the 12th, 1784.

I should have answered yours of the 31st of August sooner, but waited in expectation of another letter from you, which would have contained something decisive in regard to New South Wales.

He wishes much to have

serve.

12 Oct.

desired.

My brother will deliver this to you. this business determined one way or the other, in order that, if A decision the plan of making a settlement in the Southern Hemisphere should be given up, he may think of some other way of rendering himself usefull, as he has an active mind, and does not chuse to remain idle.

The

The season for a voyage to that country will soon be elapsed, and unless the equipment is speedily sett on foot, another year Loyalists. will be lost, and my prospect of procuring settlers from the loyalists in Nova Scotia rendered less favourable, for by next year I should suppose most of them who have gone there will have procured some kind of habitation for themselves, and will not chuse to quit them for an uncertain settlement in N.S. Wales, and I would like to have among the emigrants some Superior of the better sort, and should not chuse to have the colony emigrants. composed only of such persons who would not get their living anywhere else.

I find that the Treasury Board have met, and therefore hope that now the Ministers have returned to town some final determination will be had on this business, and flatter myself that a measure which appears to meet with general approbation will not be abandoned. I am, &c.,

JAMES DE LANCEY.

* This letter was addressed to James Maria Matra, Esq., No. 4, Duke-street, Grosvenor Square. No further correspondence on the subject has been found amongst the Records.

1784

26 Dec.

Matra's plan.

LORD HOWE* TO LORD SYDNEY.

Admiralty, 26th Dec., 1784.

I RETURN, my dear Lord, the papers† you left with me to-day, which are copies only of the former sent to me on the same subject on Friday evening.

Should it be thought advisable to increase the number of our settlements on the plan Mr. Matra has suggested, I imagine it would be necessary to employ ships of a different construction. Frigates are ill adapted for such services. I conceive that ships of burthen to contain the various stores, provisions, implements, &c., wanted for the first colonists meant to be established there, and composing the chief part of the company of the ship, should be provided for the purpose, tho' an armed vessel of suitable dimensions might be previously appointed to inspect and fix on the preferable station for forming the intended establishment. The Unfavour length of the navigation, subject to all the retardments of an India voyage, do not, I must confess, encourage me to hope for a return of the many advantages in commerce or war which Mr. M. Matra has in contemplation. I am, &c.,

able opinion.

HOWE.

1785 13 Jan.

Sir George Young's plan.

A likely proposal.

SIR GEORGE YOUNG'S PLAN.‡

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL TO LORD SYDNEY.

My Lord,

Lincoln's Inn Fields,
Jan'ry 13th, 1785.

Inclosed you receive a scheme of Sir George Young, of the Navy, for settling New South Wales, which he has desired me to transmit to your Lordship for your consideration, to which I take the liberty of recommending it. Lord Mansfield mentioned the subject to me, and desired Sir George Young would call upon me and explain his ideas. I profess myself totally ignorant of the probability of the success of such a scheme, but it appears to me, upon a cursory view of the subject, to be the most likely method of effectually disposing of convicts, the number of which requires the immediate interference of Government. As your Lordship and Sir George Yonge were desirous that the Lord Chancellor should be consulted respecting the removal of the soldiers from Hastings, and as I understood your Lordship was to see the Chancellor to-day, I shall be obliged to you if you, as soon as it

* Admiral Howe, First Lord of the Admiralty.

+ Matra's proposal.

The names Young and Yonge, which both occur in the Attorney-General's letter, must not be confounded. Sir George Young, who proposed a plan for settling convicts on the New South Wales coast, was a naval officer of distinction (Admiral of the White). Sir George Yonge was Secretary at War.

is determined whether an application shall be made for their removal, inform me, and I will give immediate orders for the proper steps to be taken for that purpose. I have, &c.,

[Enclosure.]

THE "PLAN."

R. P. ARDEN.

The following is a rough outline of the many advantages that may result to this nation from a settlement made on the coast of New South Wales:

1785

13 Jan.

ITs great extent and relative situation with respect to the Geographical position. eastern and southern parts of the globe is a material consideration. Botany Bay, or its vicinity, the part that is proposed to be first settled, is not more than sixteen hundred leagues from Lima and Baldivia [Valdivia], with a fair open navigation, and there Trade with is no doubt but that a lucrative trade would soon be opened with the Creole Spaniards for English manufactures. Or suppose we were again involved in a war with Spain, here are ports of shelter and refreshment for our ships, should it be necessary to send any into the South Sea.

South

America.

From the coast of China it lies not more than about a thou- Commercial sand leagues, and nearly the same distance from the East Indies, position. from the Spice Islands about seven hundred leagues, and near a month's run from the Cape of Good Hope.

climate and

The variety of climates included between the forty-fourth and Variety of tenth degrees of latitude gives us an opportunity of uniting in one productions. territory almost all the productions of the known world. To explain this more fully I will point out some of the countries which are situated within the same extent of latitude, on either side of the Equator. They are China, Japan, Siam, India, Persia, Arabia-felix, Egypt, Greece, all Turkey, the Mediterranean Sea, Italy, Spain, South of France, and Portugal, with Mexico, Lima, Baldivia [Valdivia], and the greatest part of the Pacific Ocean, to which may be added the Cape of Good Hope, &c., &c.

From this review it will, I think, be acknowledged that a Facilities territory so happily situated must be superior to all others for for trade. establishing a very extensive commerce, and of consequence greatly increase our shipping and number of seamen. Nor is it mere presumption to say the country is everywhere capable of producing all kinds of spice, likewise the fine Oriental cotton, Tropical indigo, coffee, tobacco, with every species of the sugar-cane, also products. tea, silk, and madder. That very remarkable plant known by the name of the New Zealand flax-plant may be cultivated in every Flax. part, and in any quantity, as our demands may require. Its uses. are more extensive than any vegetable hitherto known, for in its gross state it far exceeds anything of the kind for cordage and

1785

13 Jan.

Commercial centre.

Metals of every kind.

Settlers from the islands

canvas, and may be obtained at a much cheaper rate than those materials we at present get from Russia, who may perhaps at some future period think it her interest to prohibit our trade for such articles, and the difficulties that must arise in such a case are too obvious to mention, but are everywhere provided against in this proposal.

With but a trifling expence and a little industry we may in the course of a few years establish a commercial mart on one island comprehending all the articles of trade in itself and every necessary for shipping, not to mention the great probability of finding in such an immense country metals of every kind.

At a time when men are alarmed at every idea of emigration I wish not to add to their fears by any attempt to depopulate the parent state. The settlers of New South Wales are principally to be collected from the Friendly Islands and China. All the people and China. required from England are only a few that are possessed of the useful arts and those comprized among the crews of the ships sent on that service.

The American loyalists.

Felons.

Expense.

Ships required.

Guard-ship

The American loyalists would here find a fertile, healthy soil, far preferable to their own, and well worthy their industry, where, with a very small part of the expence the Crown must necessarily be at for their support, they may be established now comfortably, and with a greater prospect of success than in any other place hitherto pointed out for them.

The very heavy expence Government is annually put to for transporting and otherwise punishing the felons, together with the facility of their return, are evils long and much lamented. Here is an asylum open that will considerably reduce the first, and for ever prevent the latter.

Upon the most liberal calculation the expence of this plan cannot exceed £3,000, for it must be allowed that ships of war are as cheaply fed and paid in the South Seas as in the British Channel. Had I the command of this expedition, I should require a ship of war—say, the old Rainbow, now at Woolwich, formerly a ship of forty guns-as the best constructed for the purpose of any in the Navy, with only half her lower-deck guns and 250 men, one hundred of which should be marines; a store-ship, likewise, of about 600 tons burthen, with forty seamen and ten marines, and a small vessel of about 100 tons, of the brig or schooner kind, with twenty men, both fitted as ships of war and commanded by proper officers.

The large ship is necessary for receiving fifty of the felons, provisions, and stores, with a variety of live stock and plants from England and the Cape of Good Hope. She is more particularly wanted as a guard-ship, to remain in the country at least two years after her arrival, or longer, as may be found necessary, to protect the settlers, &c. The store-ship is required for taking an

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