Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/357

 to England, His own words may be employed to tell the result:— "In 1801 I took to England specimens of the wool of the pine Merino, and of the best of the crossbred, and having submitted them to the inspection of a committee of manufacturers, they reported that the Merino wool was equal to any Spanish wool, and the crossbred of considerable value. Thus encouraged, I purchased nine rams and an ewe from the Royal flock at Kew, and returned to this country determined to devote my attention to the improvement of the wool of my flocks, I only landed here five rams and one ewe of the sheep purchased from the Royal flock"

It was by labour that he obtained success. The papers of the House of Commons (1837) show that in July 1803 he addressed a memorial to Lord Hobart narrating what he had done, and expatiating upon the national advantage of fostering the experiment of wool-growing in Australia. For himself be asked permission to occupy land and to receive convict servants.

In Feb. 1804 he pressed his views upon Mr. Vansittart at the Treasury. In May 1804 he presented a memorial to the Privy Council, To prove that "no narrow or selfish views of monopoly influence the promoters . . . that their principal object, , . is to relieve this country from its present dependence on foreign nations for that valuable commodity" (fine wool), the company, he suggested, would engage to distribute a stipulated portion of their stock annually amongst the settlers in any manner the government might direct. To the Privy Council he repeated this offer. If it should be declined he would undertake the experiment himself if he should be allotted 10,000 acres of land and permitted to select thirty-convicts as shepherds.

On the 6th July 1804 he was summoned before the Privy Council. There he averred such confidence in his plans that he would accept even a conditional grant of land until the government might be satisfied. He had referred to the late Governor, Hunter, who was examined on the same day by the Privy Council. Without committing himself to decided opinions, Hunter testified that "any offer Captain Macarthur might make would be worth attending to."

On the 14th July the committee of the Council met again. They shrank from recommending that an imme-