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pleasure signified to the Admiralty for these purposes as soon as
you see proper, that no time may be lost in making the requisite
preparations for the voyage.
I am, &c.,
HOWE.

1786

8 Oct

THE MARINES AND THEIR TERM OF SERVICE. Extract from a letter written to the Commanding Marine Officers at the Divisions, respecting a detachment to be sent out to New South Wales :8th October, 1786. THE non-commission officers and private marines to be allowed their discharge, if they desire it, on their return to England, after they have been relieved (which it is intended shall take place at the expiration of 3 years), provided their good behaviour Three years' shall entitle them to such favor; or will be discharged abroad service. upon the relief, and be permitted to settle in the country, if they prefer it.

and tools.

To be victualled by a commissary, and to have such tools, Victualling implements, and utensils as they may have occasion for whilst employed for the protection of the new settlement.

SIR A. S. HAMOND* TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN.

Dear Sir,

Gillingham, 8th Octr., 1786.

draftsman.

I do not exactly know what plan Government may have in view with respect to Botany Bay, but if colinizeation may be intended, perhaps it may be thought necessary to have the country surveyed and explored. Lieut. Bray, of the Navy, who is A volunteer a very ingenious draftsman, is very desirous of being a volunteer on the expedition. He says he can be well recommended to Lord Sydney by several noblemen of rank, but before he makes his application he wishes to know if any draftsmen are intended to be sent out. If you can give him this, or any other information that may be useful to him in his persuit, it will be serving a man of merit, and oblige, Yours, &c.,

A. S. HAMOND.

THE LORDS OF THE ADMIRALTY TO LORD SYDNEY.
My Lord,
Admiralty Office, 12th October, 1786.
Your Lordship having acquainted us in your letter of the
31 of August last that his Majesty has signified his royal com-
mands that 750 of the convicts now in this kingdom under
sentence of transportation should be sent to Botany Bay, on the
coast of New South Wales, where it is intended they should form
a settlement; and at the same time signified the King's pleasure

* Sir Andrew Snape Hamond, one of the Commissioners of the Navy.
Lieut. Bray's services were not accepted.

12 Oct.

1786

12 Oct.

be got ready.

that a ship of war of a proper class, with a proper vessel for a tender, and a detachment of marines, should be got in readiness to proceed with the convicts for the purposes mentioned in your Lordship's letter, we are to acquaint your Lordship that, in obedience to his Majesty's commands, we immediately ordered The Sirius to the Sirius,* one of his Majesty's ships of the sixth rate, with a proper vessel for a tender, to be fitted for this service; and that the ship will be ready to receive men by the end of this month. We are further to acquaint your Lordship, in answer to that part of your letter desiring to be informed of the names of the officers intended to command the ship of war and the marine corps, that Phillip and Captain Arthur Phillipt will be appointed to command the Sirius, and Major Robert Ross the detachment of marines.

Ross.

We are, &c.,

HOWE.

CHS. BRETT.
ARDEN.

12 Oct.

Phillip appointed Governor.

GOVERNOR PHILLIP'S FIRST COMMISSION.

George R.

George the Third, &c., to our trusty and well-beloved Captain
Arthur Phillip, greeting:-

WE, reposing especial trust and confidence in your loyalty,
courage, and experience in military affairs, do, by these presents,
constitute and appoint you to be Governor of our territory called
New South Wales, extending from the northern cape or ex-
tremity of the coast called Cape York, in the latitude of 10° 37′
south, to the southern extremity of the said territory of New
South Wales or South Cape, in the latitude of 43° 39′ south, and
of all the country inland to the westward as far as the one
hundred and thirty-fifth degree of longitude, reckoning from the
meridian of Greenwich, including all the islands adjacent in
the Pacific Ocean, within the latitude aforesaid of 10° 37' south
and 43° 39' south, and of all towns, garrisons, castles, forts,
and all other fortifications or other military works, which now
are or may be hereafter erected upon this said territory. You
are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of
Governor in and over our said territory by doing and performing
all and all manner of things thereunto belonging, and we do

Philip Gidley King, Second Lieutenant of the Sirius, who afterwards held the offices of Lieut.-Governor of Norfolk Island and Governor of New South Wales, states in his journal :-"The construction of a King's ship not being deemed proper for the service, the Berwick, storeship, was pitched on by the Admiralty, and her name changed to the Sirius, so called from the bright star in ye southern constellation of the Great Dog."

+ Appointed first Governor of New South Wales by Commission, 12th October, 1786. This commission is dated 12th October, 1786, and the Records show that it was acted upon almost at once. It was replaced, however, by a fuller commission, 2nd April, 1787. Post, p. 62. According to the Annual Register for 1787, Phillip's appointment was not publicly announced until 17th April. Instructions were issued, 25th April, 1787. Post, p. 85. Additional Instructions, post, p. 256.

1786

12 Oct.

hereby strictly charge and command all our officers and soldiers
who shall be employed within our said territory, and all others
whom it may concern, to obey you as our Governor thereof; and
you are to observe and follow such orders and directions from
time to time as you shall receive from us, or any other your
superior officer according to the rules and discipline of war, and
likewise such orders and directions as we shall send you under Instruc-
our signet or sign manual, or by our High Treasurer or Com-
missioners of our Treasury for the time being, or one of our
Principal Secretaries of State, in pursuance of the trust we
hereby repose in you.

Given at our Court at St. James's, the twelfth day of October,
1786, in the twenty-sixth year of our reign.
By his Majesty's command,

SYDNEY.

tions.

16 Oct.

SIR A. S. HAMOND TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN. Dear Sir, Chatham, 16th Oct., 1786. Mr. White,* the surgeon of the Irresistible, is a candidate Surgeon. for Botany Bay. He is a young man of much credit in his profession, and of that sort of disposition and temper that render him a very proper person for such an establishment. If no surgeon is yet appointed, and you will do me the favor to recommend him to Lord Sydney, I shall think myself much obliged to you, and shall consider myself bound to Government for his good behaviour. I am, &c.,

Sir,

A. S. HAMOND.

21 Oct.

engaged.

UNDER SECRETARY ROSE TO SECRETARY STEPHENS.‡ Treasury Chambers, 21st Oct., 1786. The Commissioners of the Navy having, in their letter of Ships the 18th instant, represented to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury that they have agreed for a sufficient quantity of shipping to convey the convicts, &c., to Botany Bay, and that they will be ready to proceed from Gravesend in a month at furthest ; and stated that if the ships get to New Holland so early as to be able to reach China by the 1st of January, 1788, they are to be discharged, but if they are unnecessarily delay'd on the passage, or detained in Botany Bay after the convicts are landed, so as to be prevented from proceeding in time for China, they will be under the necessity of continuing them in their pay till their return to Deptford,―I am commanded by their Lordships to desire that you will move the Lords of the Admiralty to direct

Mr. John White, appointed Chief Surgeon of the Settlement, 24 October, 1786. Returned to England, 1794.

+ Mr. George Rose, Under Secretary of the Treasury.

Philip Stephens, Secretary of the Admiralty.

1786 21 Oct.

24 Oct.

Lieut.
Governor.

Judge-
Advocate.

the captain of the King's ship who accompanies them to take care
that no unnecessary delay happens on the passage to Botany Bay,
or on their departure from thence, and that he uses his best
endeavours to enable the ships under his command to reach China
by the 1st January, 1788.
I am, &c.,

GEO. ROSE.

MAJOR ROSS's COMMISSION AS LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR.*

George R.

George the Third, &c., to our trusty and well-beloved Major
Robert Ross, greeting:-

WE, reposing especial trust and confidence in your loyalty,
courage, and experience in military affairs, do, by these presents,
constitute and appoint you to be Lieutenant-Governor of the
settlement within our territory called New South Wales. You
are therefore, as Lieutenant-Governor, to take the said settlement
into your care and charge, and carefully and diligently to dis-
charge the duty of Lieutenant-Governor thereof, by doing and
performing all and all manner of things thereunto belonging;
and we do hereby strictly charge and require all our officers and
soldiers who shall hereafter be in our said territory, and all
others whom it may concern, to obey you as our Lieutenant-
Governor thereof, and you are to observe and follow such orders
and instructions from time to time as you shall receive from us,
our Governor of our said territory for the time being, or any
other your superior officer, according to the rules and discipline
of war, in pursuance of the trust we hereby repose in you.

Given at our court at St. James's, the twenty-fourth day of October, 1786, in the twenty-sixth year of our reign. By his Majesty's command,

JUDGE-ADVOCATE COLLINS'S COMMISSION.†
George R.

SYDNEY.

George the Third, &c., to our trusty and well-beloved Captain
David Collins, greeting:-

WE do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you to be Deputy
Judge-Advocate in the settlement within our territory called
New South Wales. You are therefore, carefully and diligently
to discharge the duty of Deputy Judge-Advocate, by doing

Major Ross was in command of the detachment of marines sent out to guard the convicts.
He was Lieut. -Governor of Norfolk Island from March, 1790, to October, 1791.

+ Captain of marines, afterwards colonel. He acted as Judge-Advocate and Secretary to the Governor at Sydney, until Sept., 1796, when he sailed for England, on leave of absence. He did not resume the position of Judge-Advocate, but was appointed, Dec., 1803, Lieut.-Governor of the proposed settlement at Port Phillip. The place, however, displeased him, and he established a settlement instead on the Derwent, Van Diemen's Land.

and performing all and all manner of things thereunto belonging;
and you are to observe and follow such orders and directions from
time to time as you shall receive from our Governor, of our said
territory for the time being, or any other your superior officer,
according to the rules and discipline of war.

Given at our Court at St. James's, the twenty-fourth day
of October, 1786, in the twenty-sixth year of our reign.
By his Majesty's command,

FIRST CHAPLAIN'S COMMISSION.*
George R.

SYDNEY.

George the Third, &c., to our trusty and well-beloved Richard
Johnson, clerk, greeting:-

1786

24 Oct.

WE do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you to be Chap-
lain to the settlement within our territory called New South
Wales. You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge
the duty of chaplain by doing and performing all and all manner Chaplain.
of things thereunto belonging; and you are to observe and
follow such orders and directions from time to time as you shall
receive from our Governor of our said territory for the time
being, or any other your superior officers, according to the rules
and discipline of war.

Given at our Court at St. James's, the twenty-fourth day of
October, 1786, in the twenty-sixth year of our reign.
By his Majesty's command,

SURGEON WHITE'S COMMISSION.
George R.

SYDNEY.

George the Third, &c., to our trusty and well-beloved John White, greeting :

WE do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you to be
Surgeon to the settlement within our territory called New South
Wales. You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge
the duty of surgeon by doing and performing all and all manner Chief
of things thereunto belonging; and you are to observe and follow surgeon.
such orders and directions from time to time as you shall receive
from our Governor of our said territory for the time being, or
any other your superior officer, according to the rules and discip-
line of war.

Given at our Court at St. James's, the twenty-fourth day
of October, 1786, in the twenty-sixth year of our reign.
By his Majesty's command,
SYDNEY.

*The Rev. Richard Johnson acted as Chief Chaplain of the Settlement until 1800, when he retired.

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