Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/358

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dmte grant shouU lie given to IMacarthiir or to aii.yone else* They would not tie the Governor's hands. The Governor might he called upon for a report. A conditional grant

  • ' might perhaps Ijg made to Macarfchur with Bafety/' Thus

armed Macarthnr went to Lord (-amden, the new Secretary of State, and found at last the recognition he desirefL It was not only the manufactnrerBj with whom Maearthiir consulted, who snpported his views. A work pnhlished in IBOB"^^ remarked that the anxiety of manufactm^ers as to supply of line wool had been greatly diminished l)y minute examination of IMacarthnr^s lieeces» Their quality gave

  • Mu'rth to an expectation (whicdi there appears nothing

wanting to realis^e but that government should gi-ant moderate encouragement to the nndertaking already so happily commenced) that this expensive and heretofore unproductive colon}^ wull speedily furnish our country with ample suppliet^ of tine wool." Certain deputies appointed to attend the progress of a Woollen Bill in Parliament supported the soldier speculator. Lord Camden had no prepossessions against him, and saw the advantage of new sources of supply. The Frencli were sedulously creating ail estahlishment at Uamhouillet, whither Spanish Merinos hjid been imported under the Jjonrbons, and to improve which it was reported that Bonaparte had '* compelled the Spanish govern men t to allow his agents to select 4000 of their tinest woolled sheep."'^ Lord Camden (31st Oct. 1804) wTote to Khig by the Artfo^ the ship chosen by Macartliur to convey him to the colony ; — -

    • . , . I am coiHiiiaiuleil by Hla Majesty to desire that you will

hiive a proper grant of land, tit for the paatiiie of sheep, conveyed to the said John Macftrthur, Ksq., in perpetuity, with the usiml reaorvo of quit- ^' *^Fiimncial ami t'olitk-al Facts of the Eighteenth and Preaent Cen- tury/' London: ISIUI. The author' fei name was John Macarthur, but he s'as in no way related to or conn*ieted with his narnaaake of the New South W ales Corps' '* Camden MSS. John Macarthnr to Governor King, Sept, 1805. Macarthur wrote : '* 1 entirely concnr with yon in opinion that nothing should he made public that might tend to draw tho attention of the French tfi this place, and nothing is more likely to produce auch an effect than letting them know there h a probability of Cireat Britain's being supplied with tine wool from hence. They are so aware of the importance of t* pursuit tb&t fioiiapjtrto has," &c,, &:c. the