Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/476

362 THE HOME SECRETARY 1789 to choose between taking the rest of the Fleet back to England^ or proceeding with the foundation of his colony at the risk of being starved out — a risk which would have been very soon converted into a certainty. The thought of such a possibility either did not occur to the Home Secretary, or was dismissed as too improbable to be seriously- considered. He appears indeed to have forgotten the T^^me colony altogether during the year 1788. There is no record •^«ep- of any step having been taken for the purpose of guarding' against accident in any shape, or even providing for suck a contingency as the exhaustion of the stores and provisions in the settlement before fresh supplies could reach iL It was assumed, that all the estimates and calculations on which, the Expedition had been organised would be realised to the letter; that the ships would arrive safely at theor destination^ that the earth would yield forth its fruits in abundance,. Sydney's that " the Settlement would be amply supplied with vege- table productions, and most likely with fish," and conse- quently that fresh provisionjs, excepting for the sick and the convalescents, might in a great degree be dispensed with."* To whatever combination of circumstances it may be attributed — as^ for instance, the intense excitement in politi- cal circles caused by the impeachment of Warren Hsustings, the proceedings connected with the King's illness, and the agitation for the abolition of the African slave trade, added to the pressure of official business — it is evident that Sydney No time to fouud no time to spare during the year 1788 for considering^ think^of the ^j^Q affairs of the colony. The noble lord sat in the House of Peers, and in the course of that year performed his share of judicial duty in the celebrated cause which made the House the great spectacle of the day. In addition to that unusual task, he is reported in the Parliamentary History as having delivered seven speeches during the debates on seven different occasions, each speech being equally short •• PoBt, p. 484. Digitized by Google