Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/134

 36 PEKPARATIOKS 1787 Practical Bclenoes. Skilled workmen. Noovw- seers. The military and the Governor. The law courts. 6. There were no men on board the fleet who had any knowledge of useful sciences^ such as botany, geology, mineralogy, and natural history; and consequently there was no means of ascertaining the various resources of the country, and applying the knowledge to the wants of the settlement. 7. Nor were there any persons skilled in technical arts, such as flax-dressing, although the Governor was instructed to cultivate flax as a means of acquiring clothing for the convicts, as well as for maritime purposes. 8. No persons were sent out in charge of the convicts in the capacity of overseers or superintendents ; and as the Governor was consequently under the necessity of selecting such officers from among the convicts, the difficulty of maintaining order among them was much greater than it would otherwise have been. 9. No instructions were conveyed to the officers of the marines for the purpose of ensuring their obedience to the Governor's orders ; the consequence being that they were no sooner encamped than they refused to obey any orders outside their ordinary duty, insisting that they would not interfere with the convicts under any circumstances, except as a garrison force. 10. The Judge-Advocate appointed to preside over the Courts of civil and criminal jurisdiction was a captain of marines, without any legal training or experience ; and although those Courts were instructed to administer justice " according to the laws of England,^' the presiding judge had no qualifications of the kind required for a puxely ffardeners, ploughmen, labourers, flmiths, carpenters, joiners, fishermezi, fowlers, with some few apothecaries, surgeons, cooks, and bakers.' How- little such a selection is attended to in the transportation of convicts to New South Wales was sufficiently exemplified on board the Calcutta^, where, out of three hundred and seven convicts, there were but eight ottr« penters and joiners, three smiths, one gardener, twentylabourinjg Sumers, two fishermen, nine taylors, and four stonemasons. The remainder may be classed under the heads of gentlemen's servants, hair-dressers, hackney coachmen, chairmen, silk-weavers, calico-printers, watch-makers, lapidanoa, merchants' clerks, and gentlemen," — Lieutenant Tnckej, Account of s^ Voyage to establish a Ck>lony at Port Phillip, 1805, p. 231. Digitized by Google