Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/158

 130 THE DISPOSAL OF 1791 Kailmum gmata. settlera. TheplftD abandoned. settlers" should receive a grant of " such further tracts of land as they may respectively discover, survey, and lay out, free of expence and quit-rent, the same not exceeding twenty thousand acres in one tract." There is a coincidence here that will not escape notice. Sutton asked for a grant under certain conditions of ''twenty thousand acres in one tract" — the schedule of fees attached to the Additional Instructions provided for the issue of grants of land up to twenty thou- sand acres. Sutton's proposal was not placed in writing before the Government until the latter part of 1791 ; but a comparison of figures leads to the inference that this plan of emigration, or something like it, had been under consideration at an earlier date than that borne by the Additional Instructions. Sutton and his Quaker families did not go to New South Wales. The British Government was anxious that the arrangement should be carried out, and some of the intend- ing emigrants left the provinces and went to London with the view of embarking. Dundas wrote to Phillip on the 10th January, 1792, in- forming him that a vessel had been taken up for the purpose of conveying stores to the colony, and that " every encour- agement " would be given " to induce certain settlers (who are Quakers, to the' amount of fifteen families, and who have made proposals to the Government) to embark by the same conveyance." Six months later he wrote another letter, explaining that difficulties had arisen, causing delay, and that the transport Bellona was about to be despatched with eleven settlers. He expressed regret that these " are as yet all that have ofEered themselves." Nothing was said in this despatch about the Quaker families. The delay that took place seems to have been fatal to the plan. While the intending emigrants were waiting in London unfavourable reports concerning the colony reached their ears ; becom- ing dissatisfied, and perhaps alarmed, they abandoned the enterprise, and returned to the places from whence they