Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/277

 hospital. The former was to '• inclnde a market-place/' for *'•* the sale of produce aoid general merchandise. The hospital, which had two wards, was finished in November, and was at once occupied ; the town-hall was in progress at the end of the year. In September the erection of new barracks at Sydney, *' on the high gronnd at the head of the Cove," was At sydn^. commenced.* Among works of minor importance carried ont during the year, Collins mentions the building of brick huts for the convicts, to take the place of the "miserable hovels occupied by many," and the construction at Sydney of a tank capable of holding nearly 8,000 gallons of water. On the whole, the colony, when Phillip departed, was in ^^f^ a better condition than might have been expected. It still menu. suffered frommanydisadvantages,but, considering the extra- ordinary difiSculties that were met with, the wonder is that BO much had been achieved. Phillip, at any rate, had no reason to reproach himself. He had done his best, and he had done well. The obstacles that were placed in his way by Difflcuitiee the errors of some and the opposition of others, and the dis- appointments that came upon him one after the other, were ordinary man ; but Phillip's equable disposition and sanguine temperament enabled him to pass through the trying ordeal with infinite credit to himself and profit to the colony. No matter how great the difficulties, or how dark the prospect^ he never lost heart. His energy was unflagging, and His eneifty he spared no effort to promote the affairs of the settle- pradonce. ment, giving personal attention to matters which other men would have been content to hand over to the care of * subordinates. In dealing with the obstruction offered by the marine officers, his prudence and moderation averted a serious complication. soldiers there were to be fire buUdingt, each one hundred feet by twentj-foar in front, and connected by a slight brick wall. At each end were to be two apartments for ofllceiv,> seTenty-fire feet by eighteen ; eaph apartment contain- ing four rooms for their accommodation, with a passage of tixteen feet."— Collin?, Tol, i, p. 231.
 * enough to sour the temper and damp the courage of any
 * " This month was fixed for begmoing the new bamcks. For the prirate