ous increase of felons in this country, and more particularly in the metropolis. It is proposed that a ship-of-war of a proper class, with a part of her guns mounted, and a sufficient number of men on board for her navigation, and a tender of about two hundred tons burthen, commanded by discreet officers, should be got ready as soon as possible to serve as an escort to the convict ships, and for other purposes hereinafter mentioned. That, in addition to their crews, they should take on board two companies of marines, to form a military establishment on shore, not only for the protection of the settlement, if required, against the natives, but for the preservation of good order, together with an assortment of stores, and utensils and implements necessary for erecting habitations and for agriculture; and such quantities of provisions as may be proper for the use of the crews. As many of the marines as possible should be artificers, such as carpenters, surveyors, smiths, potters, if possible, and some husbandmen. To have a chaplain on board, with a surgeon and one mate at least, the former to remain at the settlement. That these vessels should touch at the Cape of Good Hope, or any other places that may be convenient, for any seed that may be requisite to be taken from thence, and for such live stock as they can possibly contain, which it is supposed can be procured there without any sort of difficulty, and at the most reasonable rates, for the use of the settlement at large. That Government should immediately provide a certain number of ships of a proper burthen to receive on board at least seven or eight hundred convicts, and that one of them should be properly fitted for the accommodation of the women, to prevent their intercourse with the men. That these ships should take on board as much provisions as they can possibly stow, or at least a sufficient quantity for two years' consumption, supposing one year's to be issued at whole allowance, and the other year's provisions at halfallowance, which will last two years longer; by which time it is presumed that the colony, with the live stock and grain which may be raised by a common industry on the part of the new settlers, will be fully sufficient for their maintenance and support. That, in addition to the crews of the ships appointed to contain the convicts, a company of marines should be divided between them, to be employed as guards for preventing ill consequences that might arise from dissatisfaction amongst the convicts, and for the protection of the crews in the navigation of the ships from insults that might be offered by the convicts. That each of the ships should have on board at least two surgeons' mates to attend to the wants of the sick, and should be supplied with a proper assortment of medicine and instruments, and that two of them should remain with the settlement. After the arrival of the ships which are intended to convey the convicts, the ship-of-war and tender may be employed in obtaining live stock from the Cape, or from the Molucca Islands, a sufficient quantity of which may be brought from either of those places to the new settlement, in two or three trips; or the tender, if it should be thought most advisable, may be employed in conveying to the new settlement a further number of women from the Friendly Islands, New Caledonia, etc., which are contiguous thereto, and from whence any number may be procured without difficulty; and without a sufficient proportion of that sex it is well known that it would be impossible to preserve the settlement from gross irregularities and disorders. The whole regulation and management of the settlement should be committed to the care of a discreet officer, and provision should be made in all cases, both civil and military, by special instructions under the Great Seal, or otherwise, as may be thought proper. Upon the whole, it may be observed with great force and truth, that the difference of expense (whatever method of carrying the convicts thither may be adopted) between this mode of disposing of them, and that of the usual ineffectual one, is too trivial to be a consideration with Government, at least in comparison with the great object to be obtained by it, especially now the evil is increased to such an alarming degree, from the inadequacy of all other expedients that have hitherto been tried or suggested. It may not be amiss to remark in favour of this plan that considerable advantage will arise from the cultivation of the New Zealand hemp or flax plant in the new intended settlement, the supply of which would be of great consequence to us as a naval power, as our manufacturers are of opinion that canvas made of it would be superior in strength and beauty to any canvas made of the European material, and that a cable of the circumference of ten inches, made from the former, would be superior in strength to one of eighteen inches made of the latter. The threads or filaments of this New Zealand plant are formed by nature with the most exquisite delicacy, and may be so minutely divided as to be manufactured into the finest linens. Most of the Asiatic productions may also, without doubt, be cultivated in the new settlement, and in a few years may render our recourse to our European neighbours for those productions unnecessary. It may also be proper to attend to the possibility of procuring from New Zealand any quantity of mast and ship timber for the use of our fleet in India, as the distance between the two countries is not greater than between Great Britain and America. It grows close to the water's edge, is of size and quality superior to any hitherto known, and may be obtained without difficulty. STAFF ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF NEW SOUTH The Naval Commander appointed Governor or The Commanding Officer of the Marines to be The Commissary of Stores and Provisions, for himself and assistants, to be appointed or S. d. 500 250 0 0 named by the contractors for the provisions 200 0 0 ESTIMATE OF CLOTHING TO SERVE A MALE CONVICT FOR ONE The expense of clothing female convicts may be computed to amount to like sum. (History of New South Wales, ed. cit., I, 432.) 227. Discovery of Gold E. Hargraves The discovery of gold in Australia marked an epoch in the history of that country. Thitherto the vast expanse of territory had been considered of value only for the purposes of stockraising; but under the new conditions resulting from the discovery of the precious metal the standing of the country was revolutionized. Crowds flocked to its shores, and cities rose as if by enchantment. The question of the actual discoverer of gold has never been determined, but Mr. Hargraves, whose account is given below, was the first to make the discovery known to the world, and so is fairly entitled to the honour of dis coverer. To the particulars of my own discovery I now proceed. I have already in a former chapter stated my reasons for believing in the existence of gold fields in New South Wales. It was with an anxious heart, therefore, that I again landed at Sydney, in the month of January, 1851. On my passage thither and immediately on my arrival, I made known to my friends and companions my confident expectations on the subject; one and all, however, derided me, and treated my views and opinions as those of a madman. Still undaunted, on the 5th of February I set out from Sydney on horseback alone to cross the Blue Mountains.... After resting one day at Guyong, on the 12th of February I started thence, accompanied by young Lister. Our course was down the Lewes Pond Creek, a tributary to the Summer Hill Creek, which again is a tributary of the Macquarie River. After traveling a distance of about fifteen miles, I found myself in the country that I was anxiously longing to behold again. My recollection of it had not deceived me. The resemblance of its formation to that of California could not be doubted or mistaken. I felt myself surrounded by gold; and with tremulous anxiety panted for the moment of trial, when my magician's wand should transform this trackless wilderness into a region of countless wealth. Still one difficulty seemed to present itself. There had been an unusual drought during the summer, which was now drawing to a close, and the creek, where we then were, was completely dried up. My guide, however, in answer to my inquiries told me that we should find water lower down; so, following its course, we soon fell in with some rocks which contained a sufficient supply. We now turned out our horses, and seated ourselves on the turf, as it was necessary to satisfy the cravings of hunger before I ventured on my grand experiment. Had that failed, but little appetite for food would have been left me. My guide went for water to drink, and, after making a hasty repast, I told him that we were now in the gold fields, and that the gold was under his feet as he went to fetch the water for our dinner. He started with incredulous amazement, and, on my telling him that I would now find some gold, watched my movements with the most intense interest. My own excitement, probably, was far more intense than his. I took the pick and scratched the gravel off a schistose dyke, which ran across the creek at right angles with its sides; and, with the trowel, I dug a panful of earth, which I washed in the water-hole. The first trial produced a little piece of gold. "Here it is!" I exclaimed; and I then washed five panfuls in succession, obtaining gold from all but one. No further proof was necessary. To describe my feelings at that eventful moment would be impossible. What I said on the instant— though, I must admit, not warranted as the language of calm reflection—has been since much laughed at. And though my readers may renew the laugh, I shall not hesitate to repeat it, because, as it was the natural and impulsive impression of my overwrought feelings at the moment, so is it the only account I can now give of what those feelings were. "This," I exclaimed to my guide, "is a memorable day in the history of New South Wales. I shall be a baronet, you will be knighted, and my old horse will be stuffed, put into a glass-case, and sent to the British Museum!" I was as At that instant I felt myself to be a great man. mad, perhaps, at the moment, as Don Quixote was his life through; and assuredly, my companion was as simple as Sancho Panza - for the good youth afterwards told me, he expected I should obtain for him the honour I had promised. On our return that night to the inn at Guyong, I wrote a memorandum of the discovery, which I afterwards gave to the Colonial Secretary, as a memorial of the great event. (Australia and its Gold Fields, ed. Hammond, Lond., 1855. p. 111.) |