Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/132

34 PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION. 1787 The instructions sent from Wliiteliall to the Treasury and the Admiralty by Lord Sydney for the equipment of the ships required on the expedition appear to indicate all Defective the deliberation which might be expected on such an occa- tion. sion. As it turned out, however, there was but too much reason for the complaints made on the subject by Governor Phillip. There was evidence of so much neglect and in- attention to the most essential matters that, judging from his repeated remonstrances, it would appear as if the neces- sary preparations had been left to take care of themselves. For the negligence displayed in almost every instance, the contractors and subordinate officials charged with the management of details were no doubt mainly responsible ; but seeing that the expedition was formed for the avowed Want of purpose of founding a colony as well as transporting con- precaution. y^^^Q^ {^ jg singular that so little precaution should have been taken to ensure its success. That it did meet with success must be largely attributed to the prudence, sagacity, and foresight displayed by Phillip, from the time he assumed command of it to the day when he left the colony. Some idea of the difficulties he had to contend with from SfeSs^^"* the first, and which might have been avoided by proper attention to the actual requirements of the expedition, may be gathered from the following facts : — 1. The convicts put on board the transports, numbering seven hundred and fifty-six in all, of whom five hundred and sixty-four were men and one hundred and ninety-two Digitized by Google