Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/150

 122 IHa mBFOSLMi OP 17W Qj. remain m* the colony. Out of the eleven officers bel6ng- MarinM not ini? to the detachment, six intimated tibeir wish to return ab pennonent " residenta. the end of tibe three years^ term^ or as soon afterwards aa might be convenient^ and the other' five sent in answera which showed little disposition on their part to remain in the colony as settlers.* That the Grovemment was not averse to officers settling in the colony is evident from the fact that when a request was made for grants of land for them it was readily complied with. On the 24th November, 1791, rather more than a year after the Additional Instruc- tions had reached him, Phillip wrote to the Secretary of State informing him that several of the officers had applied to him for land grants, and asking for instructions; At this time the position had undergone some change. Most of the officers of the marine detachment had made arrangements to return to England by the Gorgon, which Gfants Sailed a month afterwards. Those referred to bv Phillip to offloera. "^ ■*■ of New must therefore have consisted chiefly of officers of the New South Wales ^ '' Corps South Wales Corps, who were intended to be stationed per- manently in the colony, and consequently enjoyed advan- tages in the matter of land occupation which the marines, whose period of service was three years, did not. In dealing with the officers' request the British Government adhered desirous of remaining in the colony were as follows : — Watkin Tench, captain- lieutenant — "As a soldier for one tour of three years more." Q-eorge Johnston, first lieutenant — '-* Haying heen so short a time in this country^ cannot determine whether ho would wiah to remain or not ; as to settlings can say nothing." John Johnstone, first lieutenant — ^'^ Having heen so . short a time in this country, cannot determine whether he would wish to remain or not ; as to settling, can say nothing until he knpws on what terms.'*^ James Maitland Shairp, first lieutenant — '* Being so short a time in the country, he cannot yet jvidffo whether he would wish to remain or not ; as to settling, until he knows the terms and nature of the grant, can't deter- mine." William Dawes, second lieutenant — '* As a soldier for one tour of three years- more." — Historical Records, toI. i, part 2, p. 201. On the lOth July, Bt>8S forwarded letters to the Admiralty from Lieutenants Poulden, Timins, Bavey, Olarite, Creswell. and Kellow, requesting that they<mi|tht he relieved at the expiration of three years, on the ground that private affairs in England required their attention.— Ih., p. 163. Captain Collins, the Judge- Advocate, also wished to retum to England ; in December, 1792» he wrote to Dundas asking to be relieved from further service in the colony, but the applieadon was not gnmted. — lb., p. 674.
 * The answers of fire oflfoers to the question aa to whether they were