Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/285

 GOYEENMENT. 241 is singular^ to say the least of it^ that an officer who was 1702-94 afraid to act upon his own judgment in such a matter as the purchase of provisions, should have issued, at the very- first opportunity, an Order which made a momentous change in the government of the country. Simultaneously with the change of government, Grose Phiuip*i made an alteration in the distribution of food from the stores, regard 10 Under Phillip's rule no distinction had been made between the free and convict classes — every man, from the Governor downwards, received the same quantity of provisions. This practice, which had commended itself to Phillip's humanity, was highly disapproved of by Grose ; and he made it the subject of one of his earliest complaints to the War Office.* Of course, if the full ration had been served to all, there would have been no cause for dissatisfaction ; but Grose protested against a system under which reductions were made to apply to the soldiers as well as to the convicts. And, accordingly, when he took Phillip's place, he lost no time in making a change. In his second despatch to Dundas, 16th February, 1793,t he announced that he had '^ considered it expedient, while on a reduced ration, to make Dwtinctioiis some little distinctions between the convicts and the civil Grow. ^ and military people." When the full ration could be issued, he explained, no difference would be made. The "little distinctions" applied to two articles — flour and rice — the former being the most important article issued from the public store. Shortly before sailing for England, Phillip had fixed the weekly ration of flour and rice at 3 lb. of the former and 5 lb. of the latter. The alteration made by Grose was that the civil and military officers, soldiers, superintendents, watchmen, overseers, and the settlers from the marines were allowed 6 lb. of flour and 2 lb. of rice per week, while the convicts and the settlers from the convict class continued to receive 3 lb. of flour and 5 lb. of t Historical Becords* toL ii, p. 18, VOL. II. — Q
 * Historical Beoords, toI. i, part 2, p. 672.