her children, and her children are nrged by the same adviriers to abandon their allegiance. As jet the tempter has been rebuked and the slianie avoided ; but it was currently believed that had it not been for tiie efforts of a few, Mr. Gladstone's ministry were prepared to recommend disruption^"^ of the Empire, as a portion of the policy to which England was committed in 1809. When the colonization of New South Wales^^ was re- solved upon, Lord Sydney was influential in selecting the first Governor. Trained to the sea, Arthur Pl)illip was successful in obtaining promotion, and after the peace of 1763 devoted himself to country pursuits. He was adven- turous enough to offer his services to Portugal in her war with Spain, until the outbreak of war between lingland and France brought him back to active service in the Euglish navy. After the peace of 1783 short time elapsed before, in 17RtJ, he was appointed to the com- mand of H.M.S. SirhtSf and to lead the new band of adventurers. The powers to be conferred upon him were vast. The nature of the settlement was new; it con- sisted only of criminals and their custodians. A successful riot might overwhelm the government in a day, while montlis would elapse before the Governor could communi- cate with England. Legislation was resorted to in order to convey new powers. Former statutes on the subject of transportation had legahzed transportation, had empowered the Crown '* 8iiKi? the publication of the text in ISS:^, Mr. tilftdstone has proved Ilia caUoiianesa hy piopoaiiig the dLaruptioii of the Unittnl Kingdom itself, and by denouncing the ** black gntirtli^m" displayed by Pitt in effecting the union of Ireland with Enghimi. When Lord Brabourne, in 1886, commented in Bhtckuood'i^ iVatjazhie on GhtdBtono's BctirrOous refer*^nce to Pitt^ (iladatone (compelled at the same time to atlmit *'^thc fair and temperate tone of Lord Brabonrne's article generally") wrote that **the mere pliniae * blackguard ism' was never meant for piiljljcation.*' '■ Contemporary accounts dwell but little on the formation of the aettle- nient. Lord Stanhope^ in his *' Life of Pitt" [vol i,, p. 2^H)^ says, however:
- In this session of 17S7 was passed the measure wliieb lairt tl«e foundation
of new colonies scarcely les« importunt than those which we had recently lost. The want of some fixed place for penal exile had been severely felt ever aiiice the American War, and the accumulation of prisoners at home was counteracting the benevolent eflTorts of Howard for the ioiprovement of the Britisb gaols. The discoveries of Captain Look were now remem- bered a?id turned t<y practical account/'
