Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/286

 242 JL CHANGE OP 1799-94 Convicta' rations. Attitude of the GoTern- ment. Orose's policy FoUy of redudng oonvictflT rations. rice * This ''little distinction" must have been severely felt by the convicts. Flour, for which no satisfactory substitute could be found, was the mainstay of the ration. The quan- tity now issued to the military was below the full ration, which consisted of 8 lb. per week ; but that received by the convicts was little better than a starvation allowance, con- sisting, as it did, of less than half a pound a day. But they fared still worse before the year had expired, for supplies running short, the ration of flour or biscuit for the civil and military was cut down to 2 lb. for seven days, while the convicts received — ^f or the first time since the establishment of the colony — ^none whatever .f No notice was taken by the British Government of the new policy adopted in giving the convicts a smaller ration than that supplied to the rest of the people. Ministers had many matters of far more importance on their hands, and they were probably content to allow Grose, for the limited time he was in charge, to govern the colony in his own way. It may be contended by some that Grose was right in his belief that the privations incidental to a newly-founded settlement should not fall equally upon those who had injured and those who were serving the State. Phillip, however, viewed the question from another standpoint. The convicts, he contended, were required to do active and laborious work in erecting necessary buildings and in tilling the soil. The cultivation of the land was an object of special importance. Men employed in this work required a larger quantity of food than those engaged in the duties which required little or no physical exertion, and a reduction of the convicts* ration below that of the other classes would have defeated, or at all events interfered with, the object in view. There was another consideration. If good work was provisions under Q-rose's government, viz., the 17th December, 1792. t Collins, vol. i, p. 323.
 * The change, according to Collins, vioa made on the first day for istning