CROWN IiAJJIJS TTNPEB THILLIP. 115 eonviction -was confirmed by experience. By the transpo^s l^^^^l . irhicli returned to England after landing the first convicts and stores, he informed Lord Sydney : — " If fifty farmers were sent out with their families they would pmiup'» , •' advocacy do more in one year in rendering this colony independent of the forpnoticftl mother country cts to proviaians than a thousand convicts.'^ '^ The sending out settless who will be interested in the labour of the oonviots and in the cultivation of the country Appears to me to be absolutely neoessaiy."t In the despatches of February, 1790, carried byLientenant P. 6. King, he "reported ! — If settlers are sent out^ and the convicts divided amongst them, this settlement will very shortly maintain itself, but with- oat which this country cannot be. cultivated to any advantage."! In replying to Grenville's despatch which covered his Additional Infitructions concerning the issue of land gxents^ Phillip contented .himself with remarking i — I have had the honor of observing in my former despatches that settlers appear to me absolutely necessary. "§ In March, 1791, he returned to the subject : — " After three years' experience, I am not only fully persuaded Free that the sending out settlers, amongst whom the greatest part of venug ihe convicts should be distributed, and supported by Government for a certain time on some such plan as proposed in my former letters, is necessary ; but I am persuaded that a large body of convicts on the account of Government will not answer any good purpose until the country can support itself. || No notice having been taken of his representations, PhiUip wrote to Nepean in November, 1791, in the follow- ing terms : — My former letters have pointed out the great necessity of a few intelligent, good settlers, who would have an interest in their own labour, and in the labour of those who might be employed under them ; but to which I have not received any answer. « «
- 'Hiit<Nrieftl BeooMto, voL i, part;2, p. 168.
t lb:, p. 177. t lb., p. 299. § Ib.^p;a4fir. || lb., p. 470. .
