Jine-7i'OolL'd Sheep in New SonlJi Wales. 3C5 



annual expense of 1,800,000 1. sterling. To make the prin- 

 ciple perfectly plain upon which captain M'Artluir founds 

 this expectation, he hcgs to slate, that half his flock has 

 been raised from thirty ewes, purchased in 1793 out of a 

 ship from India, and from about eight or teii Spanish an<l 

 Irish sheep purchased since. The other half of his Hock 

 were obtained in IbOl, by purchases from an officer who 

 had raised them in the same time, and frolii about the same 

 number of ewes that captain M^Arthur commenced widi. 



'This statement proves that the sheep have hitherto multi- 

 plied ''more rapidly than it is calculated they will do in fu- 

 ture; but this is attributed to the lirst ewes being of a more 



■prolific kind than the Spanish sheep are found to be; for, 

 since captain M'Arthur has directed his attention to that 

 breed, he has observed the ewes do not so often producxi 

 double lami)s. 



As a further confirmation of the principle of increase that 

 captain M'Arthur has endeavoured to establish, and which 

 he is positive time will prove to be correct, he would refer 

 to the general returns transmitted iVom New Soutli Wales. 

 In 1796 (since when not one hundred sheep have been iiij- 

 ported) 1531 were returned as the public and private stock 

 of the colony. In 1801, 6737 were returned ; and although 

 between those periods all the males have been killed as sooti 

 as they became fit, yet there is a surplus over the calculatiou 

 of 633. 



Captain M* Arthur is so convinced of the practicabilltv 

 of supplying this country with anv quantity of tine wool it 

 may require, that he is earnestly solicitous to prosecute this, 

 as it appears to him an important object; and on his return 

 to New Stnith Wales to devote his whole attention to acce- 

 lerate its complete attainment. All the risk attendant on. 



■ the undertaking he will cheerfully bear: he will require no 

 pecuniary aid : and all the encouragement he humblv soli- 

 cits for is the" protection of go\ernment, jx^-mission to 

 occupy a sufficient tract of unoccupied lands to feed his 

 flocks, and the indulgence of selecting from amongst the 

 convicts such men for shepherds as may, from their previou:; 

 occupations, know something of the business. 



London, (Simcd^ John M*A_RTni7R.^ 



July z5, 1J03. ^> & / 



LXVIII. Pro. 



