Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/225

 TSB 1SQ3J) XliBET« 187 man-of-war until the 26th Angnst, 1795, when H.M.S. "^ Providence arrived, followed, on the 7th September, by the Awifniof Reliance and the Supply, two men-of-war, which had been purchased and fitted specially for the settlement. The scarcity of boats was felt even more than the want of ^^^^ ships. Writing to Grenville on the 5th November, 1791, Phillip stated that the only boat available for his journeys between Sydney and Parramatta was one that he could not go out of the harbour in. The boats capable of exploring the coast, which he would have gladly employed in services of that kind, had been laid up for many months.* No doubt Phillip would have kept these boats in repair if he had been able to do so, but he had no boat-builders or shipwriirhts No boat- builders. at his disposal. The position was slightly improved at the beginning of the following year, the Pitt having brought out a small vessel in frame. But Phillip was not certain that he sm»ii v«me should be able to set her up, for there were only three or four frame, ordinary shipwrights available, and he was led to express his regret "that one or two good shipwrights*' had not been sent out. Even when the vessel had been set up she must remain '^ until proper people can be found to man her.'* It was not until the 24th July, 1793, that the Francis, for The Pmnds, so the little craft was called,t was put in the water — the first Uunched. vessel launched in Australia. She is described by Collins as a sloop of forty-one tons, but she was turned into a schooner because that rig was considered safer. It was found after- wards that a mistake had been made. She sailed badly, and had to be remasted. The launching of the little vessel would have been delayed still longer but for an accident which placed the services of a capable shipwright at the disposal of the colony.} When she was equipped, Grose gave the t " In compliment to the Lieutenant-Gorernor's son." — CollinB, toI. i, p. 801. t ** A person who came out to this country in the capacity of a carpenter's mate on board the Sinus, and who had been discharged from that ship s books into the Supply, haying been left behind when that yessel sailed for England,
 * HiBtorical Becords, vol. i, part 2, p. 534.