Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/278

 2M .PHILLIP EESIGNS. 1702 T}^Q value of Phillip's services can hardly be over- value of hii. estimated. He founded a great colony^ established branch settlements at Norfolk Island^ Parramatta, and Toongabbie^ and^ in the teeth of enormous difficulties^ brought nearly two thousand acres of land into cultivation^ placing the people in such a position that they were able, shortly after- wards, to grow enough com fpr their own consumption. Exploration, tj^q country had been explored, so far as circumstances would permit, and the establishment of new settlements on the fertile banks of the Hawkesbury had only been deferred because there was no one competent to take charge of an important station so fer removed from the seat of authority. It must be borne in mind that the work done in Phillip's time was performed by a population of less than four thousand men,* a large percentage of whom were soldiers, while a number were employed rs servants by the officers. £vourabie Of the remainder, a great many were sick and helpless, oondiUoDs. ^j^jj^ ^^^ population, from November, 1789, to July, 1792, lived upon a short allowance of food, barely sufficient some- times to sustain life. Having regard to the unfavourable and. trying circumstances in which he was placed, it must be allowed that Phillip, when he retired from the govern- ment in broken health, had done far more than could have been expected. He had struggled gallantly and successfully against adverse conditions, and he returned to England with a high and well-earned reputation. Although he had left the colony, he was still Governor of New South Wales, but a few months after his arrival in i^^tion. Loiidon he sent in his resignation. Life in a convict settle- ment a hundred years ago was certainly attended with many undesirable surroundings, and yet Phillip seems to have written the letter which put an end to the connection with a great deal of reluctance. Writing to Dundas on the 23rd July, 1793, he said : — '< It is, sir, with the greatest regret that I ask to resign a charge which, after six years' care and anxiety, is brought to the state
 * Most of them arriTed bj the Second and Third Fleets, in 1790 and 179L