1788 16 Nov. A general court martial. general court-martial, telling him at the same time my motive for doing so was that if he felt himself sensible of the impropriety of his conduct he would then know what he had to do, and that then the letter would not be sent; but if, on the contrary, he preferred a trial by court-martial, my letter would immediately be transmitted. To this the adjutant bro't me an answer that it was very well, and he had no objection to a general court-martial. In consequence of my application, the Governor sent me a warrant for the assembling a general court-martial, which was accordingly ordered, and was for some days prevented from meeting by the indisposition of one of the members. This officer (Capt. Meredith) continuing to grow worse, it became necessary to order another member, which was done. On the 13th October the officers ordered to compose the court assembled agreeable to orders. Soon after, Capt. Campbell, who was to have been the President, delivered me a letter with a paper inclos'd, of which No. 1 is a copy,* and which, at his and the request of the other officers who were to have compos'd the court, I have the honor of inclosing, for their Lordships' information, together with a letter and paper given to me at the same time by the Judge-Advocate, of which No. 2 is the original. The Judge-Advocate's motive for giving me this paper I find myself yet at a loss to account for, nor can I possibly here omit observing that there did not seem Doubts as to to be a doubt entertained of the Governor's being sufficiently its legality. authorized to order a general court-martial till the Judge-Advo inquiry. cate called upon Captain Campbell, and in my presence told him it was his opinion that being marine officers they could not legally sit under a warrant from the Governor, as there was no power deligated to him for that purpose, either by Parliament or the Admiralty. The court-martial being now, as their Lordships will see by the above paper, out of the question, the Governor, without withA court of drawing the warrant or returning my letter, order'd a court of enquiry to assemble and enquire into the charge, and report whether there was, or was not, sufficient grounds for a courtmartial. The report of this court was made to the Governor by Captain Campbell, from whom I understand that he did not think himself at liberty, under the above circumstances, of entering into the enquiry, and that the court only gave an opinion that an application from a commanding officer had ever been deem'd sufficient grounds for granting a general court-martial. At this stage of the business the Governor judg'd fit to send the The accused Judge-Advocate to the officer in confinement, to inform him that he should send him to England by the first ship, together with the charge against him. to be ordered home. At this time I received a letter from the officer purporting that the adjutant did not at the time I sent him with my letter * Ante, pp. 205-206. † See enclosure in Collins's letter to Nepean. Ante, p. 210. 1788 inform him of my motives for so doing, else he would have done everything in his power to have the letter stopt, and express'd 16 Nov. much sorrow at his having been so long kept in ignorance of my An apology. intentions. This circumstance I communicated to the Governor, who told me it was then too late, for as the warrant had been granted the letters could not be recall'd, and that he found himself under the necessity of sending them to England. This reply, I must confess, mortified me, but on my receiving the necessary apology from the officer I wrote a letter to the Governor, of which No. 3 is a copy,* in consequence of which he ordered the The officer officer to return to his duty, but has not given up the letters. In our present situation their Lordships will see the impossibility of our holding a general court-martial til such time as the difficulties mentioned in the paper No. 1 are removed, which I am convinced their Lordships will cause to be done as soon as possible. returns to duty. the bush. I am sorry to inform their Lordships that on the 26th October James Rogers, a private marine, in the 15th Company, who had for some time been employ'd in sawing, was returning to his hutt, and the distance to it not more than a quarter of a mile, yet in that short distance he is suppos'd to have lost his way and Lost in wandered in the woods till he was starved, for he has not since been heard of. I have repeatedly sent all the officers and men off duty, with all the dogs they could collect, in search of the body, but all to no purpose. It being impossible for a man to exist in the woods of this country, even supposing him to have his arms, which was not this man's case, and as he had always been looked upon as one of the best and quietest men in the detachment, I have no doubt of his being dead, and have therefore set him off as dead in the effective list. Another unfortunate circumstance has lately happened, which I have pain in relating. On the 6th inst. a quarrel happen'd overnight between Thomas Bulmore, a marine, and some of his comrades. It had not been so effectually settled that night as to prevent them from going out the next morning, which they unfortunately effected without the knowledge of either commissioned or non-commissioned officers. From the bruises or blows that Bulmore A marine received in the quarrel he died on the 10th. Four of the marines killed in a are now in confinement for it, and to be tried by the criminal court. Should that court have determined their fate before the ship sails their Lordships shall be made acquainted with it. In my last letter I inform'd you of my having an order for a fight. detachment to be in readiness for the head of the harbour the Rose Hill. first week in October. It was only a few days ago that a part of Ante, p. 202. They were found guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced to 200 lashes each. Post, p. 220. 1788 16 Nov. Slow progress with barracks. Smiths wanted. Bad paper. that detachment was sent up to protect some men order'd to errect a store-house for provisions. The rest will, I beleive, in the course of a few days be ordered to join those already sent. In my last letter I informed their Lordships with the state of the barracks errecting for the detachment. Captain Campbell's company has for some time been in the one errected for his company, but to say when the other companys will be in theirs it is now impossible for me to say, though I much fear that it will not be for some months, as all the artificers have been drawn off from us for purposes that his Excellency imagin'd to be of more importance than the getting the detachment under proper cover. I have, with the Governor's assistance, contrived to have hammocks for our men, but as they are in general very bad, I hope their Lordships will be induced to direct the Navy Board to send a sufficient number, with the bedding which we want much for the detachment. My reason for preferring hammocks to standing beds is that they are much more easily kept clean, and, of course, more healthy for the men. The blacksmiths employ'd by the Governor are kept in such constant employ as to render it impossible for me to get them to attend to the arms of the detachment. Two of our firelocks have been in their hands for the last three months, and are now in the same state as when sent to them. This makes me fear that I shall be under the necessity of employing one of our own men, who is a gunsmith. Should it be so I shall endeavour to engage him upon the same terms with the people of that description employ'd at the different divisions, which will, I hope, meet with their Lordships' approbation. The Governor has informed me that he will order the detachment to be compleated from the party of marines serving on board the Supply, armed tender. If he does before the ships sail their Lordships will see it by the general return. I am sorry to say that the paper supplied for the use of the detachment is so spungy and of so inferior a quality as to be almost totally useless from its having got damped and mildew'd upon the passage. I therefore request that their Lordships will please to order me to be supplied with those articles of a better quality, and some of a larger kind than what was sent before. With this letter I transmit for their Lordships' information a copy of the effective list for the last quarter, a general return of the detachment, and an account of the issues and remains of the quarter-master's stores. * GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN. Dear Sir, Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, 16th Nov., 1788. In the box which contains my despatches, on board the Island flax. Golden Grove, I have put up some flax, as received from Nor Norfolk *Note by transcriber:-" Name of R. Ross omitted, though from him direct." 1788 16 Nov. folk Island. I have before observed they have no person who understands how to manage it. There is likewise a small box with sand, which I suppose to contain blacklead. One paper in that box contains what was in as strong a fire as we could make for twenty-four hours, but did not melt. I have sent a small Specimens, quantity by the Fishburn to Sir Joseph Banks. Here is a vegetable. mineral and tree, of which we have whole forests, from the leaves of which is Jamison. I have mentioned the situation of Lieutenant King, who is the Commandant of Norfolk Island, in my former letters to Lord Sydney and yourself; and you will now permit me to mention Mr. Jamison, the surgeon, who is surgeon's first mate of the Sirius. Surgeon He is a very good man, and if the surgeon was to die would lose his chance of promotion; at the same time, if the Sirius leaves the station, he would not be entitled to any pay from the Navy Board. At present he has only the pay of surgeon's mate. I have, &c., Sir, A. PHILLIP. 17 Nor GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN. Sydney Cove, 17th November, 1788. The flax contained in this box is from Norfolk Island. I have mentioned in my former letters the want of a person Norfolk that understands the preparing and manufacture of flax. properly dressed, I think it would be superior to any that grows in Europe. Island flax. If Of the cotton seed brought from England very little vegetated. Sir, I have, &c., A. PHILLIP. MAJOR ROSS TO SECRETARY STEPHENS. I have to inform you, for their Lordships' information, that since my letter of yesterday's date the criminal court have acquitted * See note to memo. by Sir Joseph Banks. Post, p. 283. In the return of the civil establishment enclosed eleven officers are mentioned, including Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Judge-Advocate, chaplain, commissary, surgeon, surveyorgeneral, three assistant surgeons, and acting provost-marshal. The military force consisted of 160 privates, major, two captains, two captain-lieutenants, eight first lieutenants, three second lieutenants, adjutant second lieutenant, quarter-master first lieutenant, and Judge-Advocate (David Collins). 18 Nov. 1788 18 Nov. insects. the marines (that were tried) of willful murder, and brought it in MR. D. CONSIDEN* TO SIR JOSEPH BANKS. (Banks Papers.) Sir, Port Jackson, Nov. 18, 1788. From the intimacy which subsisted between you and my friend, Capt. Charles Hamilton, I have taken the liberty of sending home some birds and a kangaroo skin, properly stuffed, to your care, to be forwarded to him as soon as possible. At the same time I beg your acceptance of five birds and a kangaroo skin-all properly prepared and stuffed. I have likewise sent two living opossums (one for you, the other for Captain Hamilton), and two Animals and beautiful paroquets alive (one for Mrs. Charles Hamilton, the other for your daughter). I sincerely wish they may reach you safe. Understanding you were a naturalist as well as a botanist, I have sent you some beetles, viz., two species from S. America, and some flower-seeds (such as I could at present collect in this country), and specimens of two sorts of gum, the production of this country, the one red and the other yellow. The first is the red astringent gum well-known in England; the other, I have taken the liberty of naming the balsam to be of New South Wales. These I have used medicinally, and found them to answer my most Sweet tea. sanguine expectations. I have sent you some of the sweet teaf of this country, which I recommend, and is generally used by the marines and convicts. As such it is a good anti-scorbutic, as well as a substitute for that which is more costly. Gum. This country produces a variety of flowers and shrubs totally unknown in Europe, and five or six species of wild myrtle, some of which I have sent to you dried. An infusion of the leaves of one sort is a mild and safe astringent in the dysentery. We have a Flowers and large peppermint-tree, which is equal, if not superior, to our English peppermint. I have sent you a specimen of it. If there is any merit in applying these and many other simples to the benefit of the poor wretches here, I certainly claim it, being the first who discovered and recommended them. shrubs. Many of the shrubs are now in bloom, and many more have not yet ripened their seed. Therefore, I cannot send you that variety I could wish; but I will make it my business during my residence here to send you some by every opportunity, should it be pleasing to you. You are probably surprised I have not given you some account of the country, &c., when I have taken the liberty of addressing you at all. For this I beg leave to refer you to Capt. Hamilton, to whom I have given a short sketch of it, together with my opinion. Assistant Surgeon. The native sarsaparilla. The herb is a common article of trade amongst Sydney herbalists.-Maiden's "Useful Plants of Australia," p. 203. |