1786 21 Dec. Proposal. A corps for training. Permit me to acknowledge how sensibly I feel your kind attention, and shall esteem it an additional obligation your giving me a few lines when at leisure to say how my proposals are received. I am, &c., [Enclosure.] M. P. STIRLING. LIEUT.-COLONEL STIRLING TO LORD SYDNEY. My Lord, I am certain it will strike your Lordship most forcibly the necessity of having a corps ready for that service by the time accounts arrive from thence, and flatter myself the terms will be found advantageous to Government, moderate, and consistent with my claims to your Lordship's attention. Should the measure be instantly adopted, I could not pledge myself for the perfect discipline of the corps under six months Six months' from their being assembled, wherever it may be thought convenient, and am convinced less time would only disappoint the expectations which might be formed; nor would I, my Lord, however alluring the greatness of the object to a soldier, risk some little reputation, hardly acquired during many years' servitude, with an undisciplined multitude. I have, &c., M. P. STIRLING. 18 Dec. Plan for special corps. [Enclosure.] As it is probable the present body of marines destined for the protection of the colony intended to be formed at Botany Bay, in New South Wales, may be found on their arrival there inadequate to the service, both from the increasing number of the colonists, who will require a strong force to keep them in subjection, as well as from the uncertain dispositions of the natives, who may be naturally presumed hostile to strangers forming a settlement among them, and are certainly formidable and numerous, from the immense tract of country they possess-in order to obviate any difficulty that may arrive when a reinforcement shall prove necessary, Lieut.-Colonel Stirling, of his To be raised Majesty's 36th Regt., proposes to raise a corps in Ireland, to be in Ireland. Strength of corps. ready in every respect for that service by the time accounts shall arrive from the Governor either to relieve or reinforce the marines now going out, as may be thought most proper. The corps to consist of the following number:-One lieut.colonel comdg., (without a company), eight captains, eight lieutenants, eight ensigns, one chaplain, one quarter-master, one adjutant, one surgeon, one mate, twenty-four sergeants, twenty 1785 four corporals, sixteen drummers, twenty-four contingent, five 18 Dec. hundred and four privates. enlistment. The men to be enlisted for seven years from the time of their Seven years' landing in New South Wales; at the expiration of that time, the corps to be compleated in whatever manner shall be judged most eligible, and to be recruited from time to time by having a captain, lieutenant, and ensign in Ireland. to the State. The corps to be raised without any expense to the State, and if No expense Lieut.-Colonel Stirling is allowed the nomination of the officers, taking them from the Line, and giving each a step, their former commission remaining at the disposal of Government, he will be responsible for the corps being compleated in three months from the date of his beating orders. If Government think proper to appoint the officers, he will give in an estimate of quotas for each officer, they taking the responsibility for fulfilling their agreement and adhering to their instructions. Colonel Lieut.-Colonel Stirling begs leave to add that he has been Lieut.upwards of four-and-twenty years an officer in his Majesty's Stirling's service has been on trying service in both East and West Indies, services. and being obliged by loss of health to return lately from the former, had the mortification to have a junior officer put over his head, as major to the 52nd Regt., although he was by five years the oldest captain in his Majesty's army in India, and the officer who succeeded was actually on his passage to Europe at the time of his appointment. offer. He also, at a very critical period in the year 1783, when the A former troops in general were found averse to the service in India, received the then commander-in-chief's approbation to an offer of raising five hundred men immediately for that service, and had his orders on this head, when the 33rd Regt. being ordered out, he suffered a severe disappointment. certain. From these circumstances, and his long services, is inclined Success to hope that should this, his plan, be deemed expedient, he will be favoured with a preference,* his connexions in Ireland ensuring success, and his most sanguine wishes leading him to promote, by every exertion, an undertaking so useful to his country. M. P. STIRLING, Major in the Army and Lieut.-Colonel in India. December 18th, 1786. MAJOR ROSS TO GOVERNOR PHILLIP. Craven-street, 22nd Dec., 1786. 22 Dec. Sir, As there is a certainty that the marine detachment intended The marines. for Botany Bay will be under a necessity of encamping on their * Colonel Stirling's proposals were not accepted. A commission to raise a special corps, afterwards known as the New South Wales Corps, was given to Major Francis Grose. Post, pp. 249-251. 1786 22 Dec. Camp equipage. Urgency. arrival there, and that they must unavoidably continue so until such time as proper places of security can be found, as well for their own safety as for the safety of the convicts,— I have, as commanding officer of the detachment, to request you will be pleased to demand camp equipage for them agreeable to the enclosed list :-For one field officer, four captains, one adjutant, one quarter-master, twelve subalterns, twelve serjeants, twelve corporals, eight drummers, and one hundred and sixty privates the actual number the detachment consists of. I must again request your attention to this demand, as our leaving England without them may be attended with the most alarming consequence to the detachment. I submit it to you, sir, whether it will be proper to demand a greater quantity than will on our first arrival be wanted for the Insufficient service, as the having but the bare quantity mentioned in the enclosed list will put it out of your power to supply what may, from the many accidents such articles are liable to, be from time to time absolutely wanted. supplies. This may appear to you the more necessary on reflecting that The Siriusinstructions asked for. GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO SECRETARY STEPHENS. [London] 27 December, 1786. I am to request that you will please to move the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to give me such orders for my conduct as they may judge proper when the following circumstances occur : 1. When his Majesty's ship Sirius, under my command, is supply'd with fresh meat in any foreign port, am I to order the same for the marines on board the transports? 2. And is such provision to be paid for by bill on the Victualling Board or on the Treasury? 3. Am I to bear the marines' wives that go out as supernumerarys on board the Sirius on the supernumerary list with their husbands, that they may be victualled? 4. If it should be necessary to land any marine that may be sick in a foreign port, in what manner is he to be landed and paid for? 5. Am I to order wine to be purchased for the Sirius and the tender? and 6. If when I arrive at the Cape or such port as I intend to take my departure from for the intended settlement, am I at liberty to order the provisions that have been expended on the passage on board the Sirius and on board the tender, to be replaced, particularly bread and beef, supposing the same may be purchased at a reasonable price? 7. Are the convicts to be supplyed with fresh meat when the marines on board the transports are; and is it to be paid for by bill on the Victualling Board or on the Treasury? 8. Should it be necessary to land any of the convicts, either from the loss of limbs, or from any fatal distemper on board the transports, am I at liberty to do it, and is the expense to be paid by bill on the Victualling Board or on the Treasury? 9. If in a foreign port any of the masters of the ships under my convoy should be obliged to purchase stores or provisions that may be absolutely necessary to enable them to proceed on their voyage, and the merchants should refuse to take their bills, am I at liberty to draw on the Navy Board bills to purchase such stores. 10. If from the particular conduct of any marine belonging to the garrison, I judge it for the good of the service to exchange such marine for a marine belonging to the Sirius or to the tender, am I at liberty to make such exchange? 11. If I judge it necessary hereafter to order the Sirius or the tender to England, in order to lessen the expense to Government, or for any other just reason, I presume I am at liberty to do it; but if I send home the Sirius or the tender, in what manner am I to be paid as captain, in full pay, after such ship is paid off in England? 12. In case of sending home the Sirius or the tender, am I at liberty to discharge such men as may desire to remain in the settlement, and who are not absolutely necessary for the navigating the ship home? 13. May any commission or warrant officer be permitted to remain when his ship is ordered home? 14. When I put his Majesty's ship Sirius under the command of Captain Hunter, that officer of course should take charge of the ship's books, sign the officers' monthly expenses, &c. In that case, as I shall have no accounts to pass for the time, in what manner am I to be paid?* I have, &c., A. PHILLIP. UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN TO MR. THOMAS. Whitehall, 30 Dec., 1786. MR. NEPEAN presents his compliments to Mr. Thomas; begs he will be so good as to favor him with an account of the number of persons which each of the transport ships is to contain. * Replies to these questions are given in a letter from Secretary Stephens. Post, pp. 48, 49. 1786 27 Dec. 30 Dec. 1786 30 Dec. His setting down the numbers upon this paper will be quite sufficient.* The first chaplain. 1787 1 Jan. As Mr. Wilberforce is not in town himself, I introduce for a few minutes' conversation Mr. Johnson, who is nominated as minister for Botany Bay. He has settled his business with the Treasury, and therefore comes to you for his appointment, and an order for a few parish things, which are perfectly proper, and not paid for by individuals. He may procure them himself, and they may be brought into one list of necessaries. Sir, I am, &c., CHAS. MIDDLETON. UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN TO MR. SHELTON. Whitehall, 1 Jany., 1787. I send you herewith attested copies of four Orders of Council, which passed on the 6h and 22d days of last month, fixing Transporta- the destination of the several convicts therein named,§ now under sentence of transportation. These attested copies are intended for your use. tion orders, Bonds and contracts. I understand from Mr. Campbell|| that you have already been furnished with a list of such convicts as are to be sent out in the Alexander, and as it is wished that they may be removed as soon as possible from the hulk to make room for the people now in Newgate, I will beg of you to get the bonds and contracts (if necessary) executed with as little delay as may be. The reply to this note is the return which accompanies it. † Wives of marines. The name is omitted, and also the date, but the letter is evidently intended for Under Secretary Nepean. Mr. William Wilberforce, the philanthropist had interested himself in the appointment of a chaplain for the settlement. § The Order-in-Council appointing New South Wales as a place to which convicts might be sent was made on the 6th December, 1786. Ante, p. 30. Mr. Duncan Campbell, Superintendent of Convicts, on the Thames. |