Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/562

 438 SYDNEY'S LETTER. 1786 preparing for their reception in the river Thames, to instruct the Instructions commander of the ship-of-war to take the convict ships under his for the protection, and proceed with them and the tender (which he will employ as he shall find occasion) to Botany Bay, calling off Plymouth on his way thither for another convict ship, the master of which will be directed to join the convoy from thence, upon its appearance. From the length of the voyage to New South Wales the convoy will of course find it necessary to put into port on their way thither for the purpose of recruiting their water. Your lordships will therefore give instructions accordingly, only taking care that one Rendezvous of the places to be fixed upon for a rendezvous may be the Cape » e pe- q£ Good Hope, from whence it is intended that as many supplies as possible for the new settlement shall be procured. As it has been thought advisable that some military establish- ment shall be made at the new intended settlement, not only to Oanison. enforce due subordination and obedience, but for the defence of the settlement against incursions of the natives, and as, from the nature of the service to be performed, it is highly expedient that it should be composed of men accustomed to and under proper discipline, his Majesty has been pleased to direct that one hundred Marines and sixty private marines, with a suitable number of officers and non-commissioned officers, shall proceed in the ship-of-war and the tender to the new settlement, where it is intended they shall be disembarked for the purposes before mentioned. They will be properly victualled by a commissary immediately after their landing, and provision has also been made for supplying them with such tools, implements, and utensils, as they may have occasion for, to to be made render their situation comfortable during their continuance at the comfortable. ^^^^ intended settlement, which it is designed shall not exceed a period of three years. When these circumstances are known, it is very probable that voiunteera many of the non-commissioned officers and men may express a desire of embarking upon this expedition. If the whole number to be employed upon it were to consist of persons of that description, it would, upon many accounts, be advisable to give them a preference. It is therefore his Majesty's pleasure that their wishes in this respect should, as much as possible, be attended to ; and that your lordships should, if there should be occasion, hold out such further Marines to indulgences to them as may induce them to embark voluntarily counlffed to ^'P^^ ^^^ service, either by bounty or promise of discharge, should volunteer, they desire it upon their return ; or, at the expiration of three years, to be computed from the time of their landing at the new intended settlement, should they prefer remaining in that country. Heads of a I enclose to your lordships herewith the heads of a plan upon which the new settlement is to be formed for your further informa- tion, together with the proposed establishment for its regulation Plan. Digitized by Google