Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/578

 raised in the colony was, in 1825, i;71,082. On the Crown a large expenditure devolved. In 1821 it was £425,350. In the years 1819-24 the published returns showed that niiiety-iive persons had been executed. The only gleam of ^ hope was that in the later yearR crime had diminished, B The extension of the settled area afforded facilities to bushrangers, and Brisbane, though humane, declined to run the risk of encouraging crime by imitating the lenieacy which Macquarie had triedjand had in later years abandoned. At Bathurst, on one occasion, a successful outbreak threatened to spread into a general rising of the assigned convicts in the district, and more troops were despatched thither. They were hardly required. Crime, iilie a wounded snake, generally shrinks back when confronted by ^ lawful authority, H Brisbane prompted exploration, not only on political grounds, but as the friend of science. He was held in high esteem by eminent men in England, After consulting Sir ^ Humphrey Davy, the great Sir Kobert Peel (Home Secre- " tary) applied to Lord Bathurst for authority for the measurement of an arc of the meridian in the colony, — h " Sir H. Davy and his colleagues at the Board of Longitude^H consider the interests of science will be greatly promoted. They have entire confidence in the scientific persons whom Sir T, Brislmne has on the spot, particularly Mr, Humker."^ Brisbane instituted inquiries which led to the supply of™ Sydney with water from the Botany Bay swamps, under the management of Mr. John Busby, as civil engineer and, mineral surveyor.^ The mode of Brisbone's departure deserves mention. Bereft of the advice of Major CTOulburn, be hstened to»| those who, like the Chief Justice, wished to break down. I the barriers between the free and the h-eed. He attempted | to ingratiate himself with the emancipists by courting I their favour on the eve of his departure. Up to that time he had neglected, if he had not repressed them. The advice of Bigge had been embodied in an Act, and "Mr, Busby was a eolotiist of the right Bfcanip. In 1825^ his second son, Mr. .lames Biiabyt publislaed in Hyeiney a **Troatifle on Cultuf« of ihe Vine find TTifte- mil king," and at later dates^ Mr. JameH Busby al»o distributed' many tliousuknds of viue-tultmgH to Vus CdLuists.