Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/193

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^ The grants made in the first instance were reasonable. He reported in May 171K1 that 452 acres were being culti- vated at that time by eivil and miUtary officers. He had then granted 100 acres to Macarthm% to Johnston, to Atkins, and to Harris ; and allotments of 80, 60» 50, 80, Sec*, to others. In all there were twenty- two such grantees, Snch grants were compatihle with a due attention by the officers to then* official position ; bat Grose speedily outraged all propriety by making larger concessions. Collins admits that Grose had been lavish far beyond what had been thought necessary in England," in supplying them w'ith convict laboiu'. Each had ten servants for agriculture, and three for domestic purposes. Collins did not see the danger, looming nearer and nearer, of constituting a class which was almost invited to declare itself independent of the Governor ; and the absence from his *' History" of any reprobation of the recalcitrance of Major Russ against Phillip and against the law, implies that the historian's sympathies were with Boss^ Nevertheless so essential was the clearing of land for the production of food that Collins may be pardoned for boasting that '*in the short period of fifteen months, the officers, civil and military, had cleared more than half the whole quantity of ground that had been cleared by Govern- ment and the settlers from the establishment of the colony to the date of the Governor's departure.*' The peril of starvation was not banished. In ¥eh, 1794 there remained but one month's provision of meat in store, and the timely arrival of the IVfiliinu from England with four months* supply of beef and pork, temporarily relieved the settlement. BiLit there was war with France, and the Williani had waited for convoy. Hhe brought news that Governor Phillip, in the Atlautu', had been vainly chased l)y a French privateer on nearing the Englisli ClianneL If the risk of capture by enemies were added to those already warrhig against a supply of food froui England, what might not be the fate of the guards and the guarded in Sydney ? Grose could not be upbraided for any lawful effort to promote agriculture. In this he was aided by