PREFACE TO VOL. I.

BY THE LATE ALEXANDER BRITTON.

THE HISTORICAL RECORDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES are published with the object of affording the fullest information obtainable concerning the foundation, progress, and government of the mother colony of Australia. It was with a similar purpose that the publication was commenced, some years ago, of the HISTORY OF NEW SOUTH WALES FROM THE RECORDS. All the material that the Government could command was placed at the disposal of the author of Vol. I-Mr. G. B. Barton-by whom this store of information was largely drawn upon. But when Vol. II of the HISTORY was in course of preparation it was considered desirable to make a change in the plan. It was determined that while the publication of the HISTORY Should go on, the Records themselves, with the exception of those that were trivial or formal, should be printed in full, in separate volumes, so that the public might have, on the one hand, a historical work founded on official documents, and on the other, the material upon which the narrative had been based.

The adoption of this course serves a double purpose. In the first place, it enhances the value of the HISTORY, for it enables the reader to turn at any point from the narrative of the writer to the fuller information which the reports and despatches supply. The advantage gained by this treatment of the official papers is obvious. No matter how faithfully a writer of history may