Charles Darwin – In Australiain the colony and its development earned him another title as the ‘Minister for New
South Wales’. The First Fleet arrived in January 1788 with two Royal Navy vessels,
three store ships and six convict transports carrying around 750 convicts (550 male
and 200 female), with 245 marines plus 50 of their wives and children, and a vast
quantity of stores. Unfortunately, Governor Phillip’s plan to bring skilled tradesmen
to the proposed colony had been rejected. Amazingly, no gardeners, botanists or
farmers were sent to help establish the colony and it makes one wonder how they
were expected to survive in this barren land.
They soon realized that Botany Bay did not live up to the glowing accounts that
Banks had provided. The bay was open and unprotected, the water was too shallow
to allow the ships to anchor close to the shore, fresh water was scarce, and the soil
was poor. The First Fleet commander and governor designate, Captain Arthur Phillip,
departed Botany Bay in three small boats to explore other bays. Phillip discovered that
Port Jackson, about twelve kilometres to the north, was an excellent site for a colony:
The different coves of this harbour were examined with all possible expedition, and the
preference was given to one which had the finest spring of water, and in which ships can
anchor so close to the shore, that at a very small expense quays may be constructed at which
the largest vessels may unload. This cove is about half a mile in length, and a quarter of a
mile across at the entrance. In honour of Lord Sydney, the Governor distinguished it by the
name of Sydney Cove.Lord Sydney had made a fundamental decision about the settlement that was
to influence it from the start. Instead of just establishing it as a military prison, he
provided for a civil administration, with courts of law. For example, after their arrival
two convicts, Henry and Susannah Kable, sought to sue Duncan Sinclair, the captain
of their transport ship, for stealing their possessions during the voyage. Convicts in
Britain had no right to sue and Sinclair had boasted that he could not be sued by them.
Despite this, the new court found for the plaintiffs and ordered the captain to make
restitution for the loss of their possessions. The early days of the settlement were
chaotic and difficult. With limited supplies the cultivation of food was imperative,
but the soils around Sydney were poor, the climate was unfamiliar and very few of
the convicts had any knowledge of agriculture. The penal colony was on the verge of
outright starvation for extended periods and had to send ships to Batavia and Cape Town
for supplies. The marines, poorly disciplined themselves, did not appear interested in
imposing any discipline other than the lash on the convicts, and almost at once Arthur
Phillip had to appoint overseers from among the ranks of the convicts to get the others
working and this was the beginning of the process of convict emancipation.
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