Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/217

 THE THIBD FLEET. 179 The ill-treatment of the convicts on board the transports '^^^ of the Third Fleet was not the only ground of complaint against the masters and owners. Notwithstanding the fact that the vessels had been chartered at so much per ton for the conveyance of convicts and stores^ a part of the space which should have been occupied by convicts or utilised for the stowage of stores was fraudulently taken up by the MenenMr owners with merchandise which could be exchanged in China * '**'*"**^ or India for a return cargo. Lieutenant-Governor King^ who was returning to Sydney in the Gorgon, was the first to report the fact. Writing on the 29th July, 1791,"*^ from the Cape, where the transports had put in, he told Nepean : — 200 tons of iron, copper, and lead in them, besides other articles. I hope Governor Phillip can seize it, as so much more beef and pork would be acceptable to the colony." Kong did not say where he got his information from, but it was accurate, so far at least as four of the transports were concerned. On his arrival in Sydney he communicated what he had learned to Phillip, who inquired into the matter, and found that the Admiral Barrington, Albemarle, Active, and Queen '^had on board a very considerable quantity of copper, lead, iron, and cordage." Prom Phillip's letter to Grenville contmband of 8th November, 1791, it appears that the masters acknow- ledged the fact ; their excuse being that it was known before. they sailed that the articles were on board ; they had been settlement in India.'* t The story was plausible, but Phillip did not believe it, and would have confiscated the cargo, Phuiiph»d which was in point of fact contraband, but he did not think i ' he had authority to do so.| The vessels, it appears, had clearances from the Custom House for copper, lead, iron, and steel, but Phillip was in- formed in a despatch, 15th May, 1792,§ that the articles in • Historical Records, rol. 1, part 8, p. 506. f lb., p. 647. J Phillip to arenTUlo, ib., p. 564. § lb., p. f^"
 * ^ I am credibly informed that each transport has upwards of
 * ' received publickly," and were '^ intended for a Portuguese