Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/25

 PHILLIP AND BOS& 9 In a letter of 19th February, 1791 * Lord Grenrille, reply- ^^ ing to Phillip'a despatches of the 1st and 12th February, Grenri^|j^ 1790,t expressed disapprobation of Boss's conduct, but he qualified his remarks by intimating that his judgment was formed solely on Phillip's account of the transaction } — ing to your representation, appear to have been in many instances but ill-calculated to promote that good understanding so essentially necessary for securing the prosperity of the colony.'' But, assuming Phillip's account to be correct, he had no hesitation in expressing his opinion : — " On all services, but particularly of this nature, it is of great Neceesity importance that persons of all descriptions should accommodate discipline. themselves vo the circumstances and situation, and that they should most carefuUy avoid any nice distinctions in point of duty which might tend to occasion embarrassment in the execution of the public service. His Majesty has always in view the proceedings of his officers when placed in those situations, and will judge of their meriis by the conduct they observe on such occasions." The reservation in the first sentence was an iniustice to An unjust J raaervfttion. Phillip. He had been scrupulously accurate in his " repre- sentations," as Grenville might have ascertained ; and the accounts he gave of Boss's proceedings were substantiated by trustworthy evidence. If he made any error, it was in understating his case. The point was taken up by Phillip with a warmth that is not often seen in his communications to the Secretary of State. In his reply of the 1 5th December, 1 791, he wrote — " I beg that your Lordship will permit me to say that the repre- Phillip's eentaticms I have made of the conduct of those officers [Ross and Campbell] are just and impartial, and which do not admit of a doubt. I believe Major Boss's or Captain Campbell's friends could not have represented their conduct in a more favourable point of view without having deviated from truth; and the repre- sentations I made appeared to me to be necessary for the good of his Majesty's service."! • Historical Records, toL i, part 2, p. 4B7. t lb., pp. 288 and 293. J lb., p. 670.
 * The proceedings of Major Boss and Captain Campbell, accord-